Hi guys, I hope you guys can spot any kinks in the layout, but here you go. Suggestions and opinions, please! This is a layout I designed for my work area. Originally, it was just supposed to be the lower portion, and meant to be modular, but I've decided to change things up a little. I'm suspending it from the ceiling so I can winch it back up and out of the way when not in use. I currently have the top left corner of the lower 3'x10' portion on it's way (currently being ballasted) and have all the track for the other 3 corners of the lower portion. The upper yard will be an extension over the summer. I've designed the layout to be run as prototypically as possible. The line runs in an S, starting at the lower yard. The line then comes to a crossing, where the line diverges. Behind the low backdrop is a staging yard. During construction of the upper yard, this will serve both yards. When complete, this will act as the connection to other railroads. The line then comes to a small switching district with about 5 industries. While the upper yard is under construction, there will just be a simple return loop back to the lower yard. After completion, it will be a wye connection. I kinda killed two birds with one stone in this area, as the former return loop now becomes a continuous-run connection, and by connecting the top of the return loop and the upper yard, the straight portion doubles as a reversing loop (the loop, unfortunately, being the lower portion of the layout). A siding with a freight house and a 2 story building hides the tight turn into the upper yard. I designed this yard with more of a Milwaukee or Chicago theme to it, with a backdrop of large brick industries. When completed, it will be DC with 3 Cabs. Blocks will be installed, of course. A transfer table and engine house is included at the upper yard. I will most likely be scratchbuilding the transfer table, as I'm not rich. In total, I've counted 24 industries on the layout. I believe a few more could be squeezed in if needed, but 24 is fine. Anything that doesn't have a beginning and ending destination on the layout will come from the staging yard representing ' the rest of the world.' I haven't really picked a place to model yet, or a line. I feel like it's going to be freelance, but it's a Class I Railroad. I have a good amount of C&NW, stuff, so it's themed around there, although you can find industries from Grain Elevators to Coal Mines on the layout. I've kept the yards small. I don't have money for a ton of cars, and there's not a whole lot of destinations, so keeping yards small will make them appear to be big when full of cars. I haven't set up all the industry names yet, but I'm going to try to make everything as prototypical as possible. It looks like the cabs on the layout will be busy and timing will be tight, making it an interesting operating session on the layout. For example: While Cab 2 is collecting the full cars from the ice cream factory and lumber yard in the switching district left the morning before, Cab 1 brings a train from staging to the lower yard. Cab 1 then changes to a switcher to sort the newly-arriving train for Local and Upper Yard trains. Cab 2 then returns with the morning local, and Cab 1 must sort out the cars into Local, Upper Yard, and Staging Yard. Cab 2 then leaves with the train for Upper Yard, where Cab 3 has been switching and preparing the return train for Lower Yard... and so on. You get the point. I hope to have the entire layout complete by next December, but we'll see how it goes. Alex
Looks like a great idea. If it is really going to be shaped like a sideways U, with an aisle between the top and bottom sections, I would think it would be difficult to achieve the stiffness needed to keep all parts of the "U" in the same plane, if this is going to be suspended by cables. Will the layout be resting on something firm when it is in the "down" position?
Good point, Carl. Because the top and bottom sections will be built at different times, they will have separate support cables that will then be locked together in the end to move at the same time. Unfortunately, there's a heating vent above the lower yard, meaning I'll have to move the pulley over 10" just behind the backdrop. I think it's far enough towards the edge and shouldn't be a serious problem, but I can always add weight on the opposite side. I only left 24" inside the U, but it's 8' deep, which I believe is enough space to work comfortably. It's the same thing on the lower yard side, but with a full 10' length. They tell you to design for people and not track, but sometimes compromises need to be made Alex
Hi Alex, the size of your layout is 13x8, quite different from what you have stated. It might be an idea to have only the big peninsula suspended, with only the narrow shelves along the wall visible during working hours. I assume you are working in HO. I like the footprint, you've got a nice long main. The number of industries is huge, so you will have enough switching fun for three operators. But......., the way you think about yards is not prototypical at all. They should not be used for parking cars and full.....but be kept empty. The basic flow of traffic could be like this: *transfer-cuts coming in from staging to a good sized yard. The fellow who is running these trains could also do the paper-work. *in the yard cars are classified(operator 2) for various switching districts. *the industrial districts are served by dedicated locals (operator 3 and 4) and they need at least a run-around or passing siding to facilitate their job. A small relief yard is an option too. *the locals are bringing back cars to the classification yard, where you could classify them again, for all the different RR's represented by your staging yard. However the last job will put a severe burdon on the yard and its operator, you might probably better skip this job and get the cars out of your yard as quick as possible; keep them yards EMPTY. The concept of your layout can be found on Russel Schoof's Free haven Terminal. A discription is in 48 Top Notch Track Plans or a brief one on Byron Henderson's website. BTW the angles of your turnouts are drawn rather optimistic, you might need way more space then you think at first glance. So are the radii at the left, they seem to be 14", this will limit the choice of cars and engines severely. Paul
Hi Paulus, You are very right by the yards. I didn't mean to make it sound like they would always be full. I've only left enough classification tracks on each yard for the number of different areas (Although the Upper Yard has one extra). The ops session I've been planning out in my mind keeps the yards empty most of the time, and the locals frequent (to serve all those industries!) I should have mentioned the size and scale of the layout! Each square equals 3", making 1'=4 squares. It's actually N-Scale, giving me a long mainline and the turnouts more reasonable. Even with a relatively long mainline, I don't plan on running trains any longer than nine or ten cars, simply because the classification tracks can't hold much and there's some small passing sidings on the track. Locals won't be much longer than 4-7 cars. The radii on the left of the lower yard is 9"... roughly, meaning it may be a challenge for some 3-Axle trains, but I plan on using mainly 2-Axle. By the way, Cab 1: Controls the lower yard up to the staging yard and the industries inbetween Cab 2: Wired to entire layout Cab 3: Wired to Upper Yard and industries surrounding it, up until the mainline moves behind the building to hide the tight turn. Power to the blocks will the controlled by a 3-position switch (For example, the lower yard would look like: Cab 1 - Off - Cab 2)
Hi Alex, IMHO you only need one classification yard, not two. I do agree with one of the previous posters suspending your layout will be problematic at least. Not sure if it will be an asset to your room either. Maybe the way space problems are solved on the current Model Railroader project layout are easier. The main peninsula placed against the wall, visible for every one. After drawing this rectangle on casters from the wall, the narrow shelves (stored underneath) can be attached. My choice would be for less but larger industries. They usually have different dedicated doors for different commodities. So the number of switching challanges will not be lesser. BTW your layout turns out to be 10x6, Because you stated first your layout was 8 feet wide I assumed the little squares were 4x4. Paul
Paul, The different yards are to give prototypical trains between the three on the layout. The current area for the layout, 10'x8', is not only my work space, but has storage surrounding it. 10'x8' is not the distance between the walls, but the distance between the storage shelves. By hanging the layout from the ceiling, it not only allows me to use my work tables underneath, but also allows things to be retrieved from the shelves along all the walls. I should have mentioned that the upper yard was roughly against one of the shelving units, while the lower-yard side has a 2' gap between the next shelving unit to give access to the yard. I've used large industries as the backdrops to the two yards. The lower-yard has smaller industries than the upper, though, as it models a smaller town. The current model railroader project is interesting, but just not for me. 4'x8' plans just aren't very practical, though they've seemed to make it work for them.
Alex, i do not understand your first remark. I can see only two yards BTW, are they supposed to be from different RR's? Thought trains came in from staging, were divided and blocked and went as turns to various industrial area's. All very prototypical, no need at all for more classification yards. Your layout resembles the current project railroad by MR very much. A big rectangle (only 8x2,5 not 8x4) with shelves attached. On both rectangles you'll find an oval for lap-running. That the additions are just used for staging or for other purposes, like on your plan, was not the issue. I gave an option how your layout could be placed or stored in your room. Not knowing of course all the possible obstructions in that room. Wish you all the luck with the build. Paul
The way the yard will be operated is Staging Yard -> Lower Yard Off the lower yard, it branches out to ->Upper Yard ->Industrial Areas Around Upper Yard ->Local Industrial Areas The addition is supposed to represent an entirely new town, and therefore, new industrial areas. This allows trains to go between the two and industrial areas on both sides.
hi Alex, as always language is important. I would not call a few spurs different industrial area's. It could be a matter of taste; IMHo your upper yard could do well even if you removed two yard-tracks. If an interchnage with another (virtual) RR is made at the upper yard all the track might come handy. Paul
I like the suspension idea. You might do it easier by attaching a framework above WhT you wish to lift. Then you can pick your lift points. If you have a place like princess auto where you are (maybe harbor freight i think its called?) you can get an electric winch for real cheap and it'll lift quite a bit. I can't wait to see the pics
Some food for thought on suspended layouts (BTDT, I built one that was 10x10)... think about making the layout frame from steel 2x4s. They're very lightweight but very strong, and you can assemble them with sheet metal screws and some furniture brackets at key points. For the layout surface, glue insulation panels directly to the top of the frame with a foam-friendly adhesive such as LocTite Power Grab. Set up the suspension cable system (four cables should be plenty) so that all of the cables converge on one part of the room along the wall; then attach all of the cables to a simple wooden box to hold a counterweight (chunks of scrap metal, for instance). As you build the layout, you can add more weight to the box to keep everything more or less balanced. You may find you won't need a winch, but instead just a couple of handles attached to the layout frame to raise and lower it by hand. Use turnbuckles where the cables attach to the layout so you can easily adjust the cable lengths to keep the layout level. I used nylon-coated steel cable for nice smooth operation, and heavy-duty steel sliding glass door rollers for pulleys. One last suggestion, to keep the layout from swinging around, particularly while it's in use, I mounted tracks (aluminum channels) to opposite walls and fitted nylon rollers to the layout, which ran along the channels and kept the layout stable.
