Layout Design Critique

ReardanMetal Jun 22, 2020

  1. ReardanMetal

    ReardanMetal TrainBoard Member

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    I'm new here, and new to trains and train modeling. Would this be as good as place as any to post my design for a little help and criticism?

    Ho Scale Switching Layout.JPG
     
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  2. acptulsa

    acptulsa TrainBoard Member

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  3. Mr. Trainiac

    Mr. Trainiac TrainBoard Member

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    The runaround in the middle between the orange and blue section will be useful for switching the industries, and the green segment that goes through the building looks cool too. I'm assuming that is a pass-through locomotive shed. I don't see many issues. It looks like you have room for three or four industries on the sidings. Do you have any railroad or historical period in mind for your layout?
     
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  4. Joe Lovett

    Joe Lovett TrainBoard Member

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    What are the dimensions of your layout area?

    Joe
     
  5. ReardanMetal

    ReardanMetal TrainBoard Member

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    2' x 9'
     
  6. ReardanMetal

    ReardanMetal TrainBoard Member

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    1970's Los Angeles. And yes, that is a pass-through loco shed. My intention is the the blue rails are a main line that passes through. What issues do you see, other than I'm spending a small fortune in switches...?
     
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  7. ReardanMetal

    ReardanMetal TrainBoard Member

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  8. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Not mentioned above, but looks to be HO scale?

    Should you ever decide to have your locomotive coupled to any car, tail tracks in orange at right, and blue at left from engine house, are a bit short and could limit you. Otherwise, not a bad plan at all. It will be interesting to see photos of the build and scenery when added.
     
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  9. bremner

    bremner Staff Member

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    Got a question, why is there a crossing on the second track
     
  10. ReardanMetal

    ReardanMetal TrainBoard Member

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    I like that kind of question, cuz I'm new to this entire rail road thing. In my mind, it creates a runaround. Does it not seem useful, or redundant?
     
  11. ReardanMetal

    ReardanMetal TrainBoard Member

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    Agreed. It is tight. I gave it as much space as I had to give. On the up side, If I should ever get a bigger house this will be expendable.
     
  12. BigJake

    BigJake TrainBoard Member

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    The crossing lengthens the run-around, but shortens the right end lead for it.

    I would replace the crossing with the RH switch from bottom right, to lengthen the right end lead (which would then be on the 2nd track)

    Then you may want to create a crossover between the two bottom tracks at right, if your budget allows for two more switches, but I don't think it's necessary.

    If the blue line is the main line, then the two industries at top right would not be on it directly, but on a siding off of it. It looks to me like the 4th orange line (from the bottom) is a better choice for the mainline to exit right.
     
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  13. ReardanMetal

    ReardanMetal TrainBoard Member

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    I definitely like your idea making the 4th orange line for the main line.

    I'm having trouble understanding your idea about the crossover, probably because I'm new. Could I get you may provide a rough sketch? I am really interested . . .
     
  14. ReardanMetal

    ReardanMetal TrainBoard Member

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    I see what your saying. The crossing is actually a double slip.
     
  15. ReardanMetal

    ReardanMetal TrainBoard Member

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    Ho Scale Switching Layout edit.JPG

    This better? The blue line is the main line passing through.
     
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  16. BigJake

    BigJake TrainBoard Member

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    You know, I looked at that, and thought it might be a double slip, but decided it wasn't for some reason. Another really interesting aspect of your railroad!

    If this was sectional track, I'd say lay it down and run some trains on it, to see how you like it, how you want to use it, and how it works for you. I've never worked with flex track, so I'm not sure how easy it is to lay it, and possiblly re-lay it after you've played with it a bit.

    Not that it matters one bit to me, but you will likely be pulling/pushing trains through your engine house sometimes. I still think the engine house is a nice addition, adding interest, even if you need to use it non-prototypically sometimes.
     
  17. Sumner

    Sumner TrainBoard Member

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    OK, I'll jump in here but first asking for ideas is always a double edge sword. I'm also a car guy and I think asking your buddies what color you should paint you car isn't always the best idea as you will find out what colors 'they like' and not necessarily what is the color that is best for that car and what 'you like' and you are going to look at it a lot more than they are. So I'll offer some suggestions for ideas 'I like' but in the end you are going to be spending a lot of time with this so do what 'you like'.

    [​IMG]

    I took out the turnouts between the orange and blue tracks as there is already one place to run-around cars and that one made the yard track there almost useless to store cars as it became so short. Likewise I removed the crossing past the engine house to the right for the same reason. The only way to store cars there would be to push them through the engine house. With the crossing there and the run-around turnouts on the track above that one and the need to use the short section of orange track at the bottom where the turnout goes to the engine house you end up with no yard tracks that could be used to store cars.

    I would think you would want to have at least two tracks to store cars that were dropped off by trains going through on the 'main'. Above you now have two yard tracks to drop cars into that will then be worked to the local industries. I also added a short siding at the top to service the purple loading dock there. I feel it will give you one more place to move cars to and from. I also added a second industry on the siding to the right of there.

    Regardless of your final plans it looks like it could be a lot of fun to build and to operate. When will you start laying rail?

    Sumner
     
  18. Sumner

    Sumner TrainBoard Member

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    P.S. My only concern with the top run-around is how many cars could you actually run around using it? Is it long enough for at least one car at a time?

    [​IMG]

    You do have the engine house if you need more but possibly consider changing things around at the top run-around for a longer one if you feel that is needed to work the industries. I moved tracks around a bit above to show one possible solution. The blue to the right would have to be long enough for the switcher in use.

    You could also use two switchers. One on either end of a line of cars as a solution also but don't know how prototypical that is?

    Sumner
     
    Last edited: Jun 23, 2020
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  19. BigJake

    BigJake TrainBoard Member

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    I like those changes, Sumner, except the crossing was actually a double slip (I made the same incorrect assumption), so I would leave it.

    I'm wondering what the bottom two brown tracks on the left are for? Is the leftmost industry served by the top track, or the 2nd track?

    If served by the top track, you might use the two lower brown tracks for your engine shed (you could also flip that turnout to move the 2nd brown track below the current third brown track), which now frees the two green tracks for general yard use. You would also have room to move the orange yard ladder leftward, allowing you to lengthen the orange yard tracks, and an additional run-around. You could even work two switchers at a time that way (one in the green yard, the other in the orange yard.) The green yard would ideally serve the left industries, and the orange serve the right industries. This also avoids running trains through your engine shed...

    Otherwise, the lower left brown track seems unused. Another industry there? A passenger depot? If you like RDCs or small commuter trains, this small hamlet would be a good use for them.
     
  20. Sumner

    Sumner TrainBoard Member

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    Whoops, misread about the double slip, yep leave it in.

    I agree about moving the engine shed as it takes up a lot of room where it is that could be yard track.

    If you did that I'd try to move the turnout going to the green tracks on the left sided up as close to the one above it as is possible so that there is more room to move cars from the main into the green yard from the main or out onto it. Other wise you might only be able to move one or two cars at the most from the main into the green yard at a time. There isn't much run-out on either end of the main past either yard to work with.

    Sumner
     

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