Poll: Favorite layout plan

rg5378 May 4, 2011

  1. drken

    drken TrainBoard Member

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    I'm still new, so my favorite plan is the one I'm basing my layout on. It's Stockton and Darlington from Linn Westcott's 101 track plans. It's #1 in the book. It's designed for running HO trains on a 3'X4' table but uses a folded figure 8 design to give it a longer mainline rather than just be a simply oval. The original plans have a couple of spurs on it, that can be turned into terminals/yards and/or branch lines which is very handy. Also, since it's designed to fit on such a small table (for HO anyway) it can be expanded to give it much wider turns if you're using a smaller scale, a larger table, or both.
     
  2. Kenneth L. Anthony

    Kenneth L. Anthony TrainBoard Member

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    I have been a little afraid to respond to this question. I would need to look through at least five hundred layout plans to begin.
    The plans in Kalmbach 101 Track Plans by Linn Westcott used to have my favorites, so much so that I recently got a "new" copy from, I forget whether it was Amazon or Ebay to replace the lost tattered dissolved one I read and enjoyed so many times.
    I would probably need to search my design books by John Armstrong, and the two volumes of Railroads You Can Model.

    Do I dare start looking? Could consume HUNDREDS of hours!!!! Some of those I just can't flip through. Have to modify them mentally to my space and scale and favorite prototype road and region. Have to OPERATE them in my head, see how various schedules would work...

    Do I dare?!?!?!?
     
  3. Espeeman

    Espeeman TrainBoard Member

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    My original favorite was the "Hoosier Southern" from the first edition of N Scale Primer. But in 1990 a group of modelers from Madison WI was selected by MR to build the "Burlington Northern in N Scale". It is still my favorite. In only 9'x10' you get long trains, a yard, lots of switching, great scenery, junction with a short line, etc. MR made it convenient by condensing the original multi issue article into one handbook (#28). Being an SP guy, this could easily be converted into the Shasta division including Dunsmuir's lower yard. Hmmmm, might have just talked myself into it!
     
  4. Logtrain

    Logtrain TrainBoard Member

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    My favorite layout that I have seen several articles in MR about would be the Franklin & South Manchester. If there is one layout that I would LOVE to see before the good lord takes off of this earth, that would be the one!
     
  5. Grey One

    Grey One TrainBoard Supporter

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    There is a guy in Massachusetts that carries back issues of books and magazines. I got my replacement there. If you want I'll try to find him.
     
  6. Kenneth L. Anthony

    Kenneth L. Anthony TrainBoard Member

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    I guess you missed my point. I HAVE the trackplans. Over 500 issues of Model Railroader, 150 issues of Railroad Model Craftsman, some 20 track plan books. It is reviewing and comparing them that would be a major effort of hundreds of hours.
     
  7. Grey One

    Grey One TrainBoard Supporter

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    Naa, missed this line, "that I recently got a "new" copy from". ooops. Really shouldn't post when I'm tired. over all was trying to be humorous. :)
     
  8. SteamDonkey74

    SteamDonkey74 TrainBoard Supporter

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    I usually like pieces of plans but not usually whole plans. One piece of a layout plan I really like is Charlie Comstock's Bear Creek and South Jackson "Oakhill Wye," as it has appeared on the Hot Trains video and in the online publication Model Railroad Hobbyist.

    Edit: Here's a link to the track plan of the whole layout. The section I am discussing is near the label Oakhill in the lower left.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 3, 2011
  9. Grey One

    Grey One TrainBoard Supporter

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    Good point. I'm sure that parts of the GandG are from bits and pieces of various plans.
     
  10. jpwisc

    jpwisc TrainBoard Member

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    I forgot about that one, it has a lot of strong points.
     
  11. brakie

    brakie TrainBoard Member

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    Actually I have several but,will give you the top two.

    Kinnickinnic Railway & Dock Company.


    The N Scale Clinchfield Layout Project layout.
     
  12. jguess733

    jguess733 TrainBoard Member

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    The Red Mountain RWY from 48 Top Notch Track Plans. I would love to build in 55n3 someday. And the N scale Enfield & Ohio project railroad from Dec '66 to Apr '67.
     
  13. cuyama

    cuyama TrainBoard Member

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    [​IMG]

    Santa Maria Valley Railroad in N
     
  14. cuyama

    cuyama TrainBoard Member

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    Welcome to Railpub.com
     
  15. Mike Kieran

    Mike Kieran TrainBoard Member

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    I also want to include The Switchman's Dream; Pittsburgh, Middlevale, & Ironton; and Atlas' Morgan Valley. The first two I would actually put on a 5x9 board so that I can add more scenery and the Morgan Valley Railroad would be an industrial switching layout.
     
  16. Mike Kieran

    Mike Kieran TrainBoard Member

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    If I had an entire room for a layout, I would do this layout or Ian Rice's East Suffolk Short Line.

    I love the Pasco, Spokane, & Wallace for the ability to run it as a continuous loop for company or breaking in engines without going crazy with wiring.
     
  17. PW&NJ

    PW&NJ TrainBoard Member

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    Wow, until now my favorite layout of all time was the Jordan Valley Railroad (101 Track Plans for Model Railroaders #46). But I gotta say, since seeing the Pasco, Spokane, & Wallace, there's a new winner in the house! What an excellent design!
     
  18. nscalerone

    nscalerone TrainBoard Member

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    :tb-cool: Pardon me for being a wise-a$$ here, but...............MINE :tb-cute:
     
  19. Jeepy84

    Jeepy84 TrainBoard Member

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    Well my latest plan is based on D. Frary's Cactus Valley, so that is up there, but Allen McClelland's V&O is still my all time favorite HO road.
     

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