N Scale 4 1/2 X 6 Track Plan

Hi, this is my first post. After being out of the hobby for more years than I care to mention, I recently bought a Kato Super Chief starter set. This has convinced me to build a small layout.

It is going to go in the spare bedroom and sit on top of the spare bed. When visitors come, the layout will be stored in the laundry room. The bed can be pulled away from the wall, so reach should not be a problem.

The minimum radius is 11" with the outside loop at 13". All of the turnouts are Atlas code 55 #7s except for the inside yard which will use #5s.

The loop coming in from the upper right will be elevated and the left loop and mainline will go through tunnels in the upper left. I am just learning to use XTrackCAD and have not figured how to show that in the program yet.

Any and all ideas would be appreciated.

 

Yeah, I know I need to add a few turnouts...maybe one at the end of the lower yard and at least a couple between the double track...maybe a crossover. Any suggestions as where they should be?

 

Version 2

I did some more work learning XTrackCAD. Here is version 2 with additional turnouts to allow the double main track to function as run around tracks at top and bottom.

 

First thing I'm wondering is what are the two reverse loops in the center of the layout there for? I would simply do away with them all together and add a few different industry tracks and allocate space for scenery. With this size of layout, a reverse loop isn't really necessary at all, unless the sole fact that you simply just want one.

 

Welcome Aboard Trainboard! :tb-cool:

The size is nice for n-scale... however, will this be a free standing 'table' type layout where you can reach across from all sides in the event of troublesome cars de-railing, or will the layout have one side against a wall? 4.5 ft (54inches) is a long way to reach across.

If you intend to have the layout against the wall, I would suggest having some sort access panel or 'pop-out' section. :tb-err:

 

I copied the basic track plan off of a photograph I saw. You are right about the two reversing loops. I wanted a coal mine but did not know where to put it. Now, I will remove the top loop and add it there. That will also help with the grade which is currently 2.9%. I will redo the CAD tonight.

The layout is going to be placed on the bed in the spare bedroom and the bed can be pulled away from the wall. I guess that I will have to move the layout to the laundry room a couple of times a year for guest visits.

 

Probably a 50s or 60s layout design, when gratuitous reversing loops were common.

 

Okay. I deleted the elevated reversing loop and changed it to an industrial siding -- maybe a coal mine. I added a second track on the hidden lower loop and can use those as staging tracks. Better?

 

The branchline that used to be a reversing loop: I should ad a runaround track there. You will use this line as an industrial spur, but you can't switch cars properly since your engine will be up front. Or you have to push the cars up the line. Installing an runaround track would be more logical, however.

 

Make the top loop for your coal mine. Have the loop as your mainline w/ 2-3 spurs for the mine itself. That way you still have two reverse loops and a "reason" for the top loop. Also move the mainlines on bottom up such that you can extend the stub end yard tracks for more car capacity.
If you had those three spur tracks off to the right as a yard, you can now turn it into an industry instead.

 

I decided to use Peco track instead of ME/Atlas due to the fact that the layout will need to be moved on occasion. So I did the plans over with Peco. I am going to start building the ovals first and therefore won't need to make a final choice between the upper loop or spur just yet.

I think moving the bottom mainline up is a great idea and will try that soon.

 

Getting Close!

I think I'm closing in on what I want. I moved the bottom mainlines up which made for a bigger yard. The curve to the industrial spur is below my minimum radius of 11" but I think that is OK for a siding. I have been able to keep the mainlines to 13". I'm not happy with the run-around siding on the elevated spur but that is going to be phase 2 so I can deal with it later.

Any advice on the turnouts in the yard? I don't have any experience there and just threw in what made sense to me.

I ordered some track yesterday, and think construction starts in just a week or two.

 

This latest version gives you much more yard space, but don't think you need all those Xovers in the yard itself. All they really do is take away from car capacity on each yard track w/o giving you asnything switching wise. Deleting all right hand Xovers between the yard tracks will take care of that. And you'll be able to slide the left hand Xover to the right. The two spur tracks on the right can be used for your locos & cabooses.
As for the siding on the coal spur if XtrackCAD will let you, put the switches on the curves to give you more siding length.

 

They looked excessive to me but I was trying to figure a way to keep the yard engine off the main line. I think that is how it is done in the real world but I can function without it.

 

Mainlines do not run through the diverging route of a turnout. The straight route of the turnout is for the mainline, the diverging route is for spurs, branchlines, yard tracks etc.

 

That's true in most cases but RRs determine which route is the diverging or straight route by signals not necessarily by the turnout orientation.

 

Just like the prototype, you have to decrease train speeds in order to avoid derailments. Therefore I should try to avoid a mainline that uses a diverging route on a turnout. Most prototype examples of mainlines that use a diverging route, are in fact two mainlines coming together (or one mainline dividing itself in two mainlines :tb-biggrin.

 

Sorry Thieu but a diverging route here can be anything from a switch to a spur track, a siding or another mainline, not just between single & double mainlines.