Hi Guys, Whilst doodling around with XTrak I came up with a space-efficient design that will allow the type of operation I want in a relatively small area. It's a two-deck design that models the same midwestern town that I've posted a plan for previously. What I've done this time is add a 6-turn helix at each end with a 12-inch separation between decks to access a staging level. This will allow a total mainline run of almost 145 feet. Additionally, by double-tracking each helix I can "hide" a full train in there, which will free up more room in the staging yard. Also, the additional tracks in each helix will simulate the long passing siding at Wellington (a mile or so North), and at Rossville ( six miles South). I've run simulations in Xtrak and this design will support the long (30-40 car with 3 SD40-2's) train lengths I'd like to see rolling through town. The operational plan is to stage the trains and operate them according to timetable information as published during the late 1970's - early 1980's. This design is primarly for myself as a single operator. I believe it could support up to three operators. One staging the trains, One operating the Northbounds, One Operating Southbounds, and perhaps even a fourth operating a local switcher. Space footprint would be three feet wide (at each helix) by 18 feet long. This would fit nicely against one wall in my garage. I also like this design as it allows operators to view the layout from the same side vs. having to allocate space for viewing from multiple sides. Comments, Criticisms, Snide Remarks?
A friend of mine is working on an almost identical plan (although not as long) in HO scale, modeling East Dubuque, Illinois. He's done the benchwork and most of the track and is starting on scenery. I'll take a look through my photos tonight and upload what I've got.
That is an awesome design. I still think if you run your main diagonally and then have the junction like an x as opposed to a T yuo could run the other main into the helixi as well and maybe one lone train could work the cross line.
It looks great maybe one sufgestion is slightly longer industries or maybe a few more just to keep some interest when operating the layout.
Or, Since you seem to want to model your home town maybe:do it in a modular fashion so you can have a switching module to swap out with the home town module
Geeky/Colonel: Thanks for the suggestions. If I altered the track arrangement and/or added industries then it wouldn't be "home" any more. I'm trying to stay "hard-core" prototype on this one! Grey: Since the main stage of the layout would be 18 inches x 12 feet I could maybe make it semi-modular so that I could remove it and add in other 18" x 12' modules to showcase other towns along the Chicago Subdivision. One other town I WOULD like to do would be Watseka Illinois. That was the first town North of Woodland Junction along the joint L&N/Missouri Pacific double-track. That'd give me an excuse to operate both L&N AND MoPac trains! Mike C Phoenix
Mike, hmm, taking that one step farther given time and resources: Do many of the towns along the way. If swaping them out was easy, you might run from town to town.
Yeah, I'd have to be really fast at "module swapping" while the train was running down one helix, thru the yard, and up the second helix! But yeah, in theory I could model any town I wanted to along the Chicago Subdivision and "insert" it for some operations fun. I still have what I feel is a workable design for the 20 x 20 foot double deck layout to model the Chicago Sub between Danville and Yard Center/Chicago, but for now I'd like to start with something slightly smaller to brush up on my modeling skills and just to have some fun running trains. If I plan this carefully I might be able to re-use the "town modules" in the big layout someday. Mike
