So after my first year in the hobby I made most, if not all of the mistakes a beginner can make. The biggest sin of all, not asking for help in the community. I'm an apartment dweller that moves from time to time and I want to build a small section of a future larger layout. The theme I would like to capture is early textile manufacturing in the northeast with a coastal theme ala Mystic, Connecticut or New Bedford, Massachusetts in the 1890's. I'd like to build one or two buildings max on this section of layout but nothing too ambitious. I'm thinking a Textile Mill that demands cotton, silk, oil for looms, etc...with a small sorting yard and two mainlines, I'm going for an uncluttered asthetic but would like some room for some operational fun (Inglenook/Timesaver?) until I can build another section to join this too. Tall order I know. Attached is a photo of what I've got so far but I'd like input for the veterans of the hobby. The turnouts are #6 Peco's.
There's no way you'd be able to traverse a train between the mainlines and the building. That looks like barely enough room for a single engine, let alone a car or two. I would probably try extending the module a bit, or playing with the placement of the switches. I'd also recommend getting rid of the second mainline and just keeping it at one. It'd save you some space with the cross-over, but that's a matter of opinion. Alex
Yeah, I guess you're right, the leads are a bit short even for 40' cars. I'll work on this some more and do a follow up post. Thanks for the advice.
Try to avoid the switchback leads - they eat space, and you won't have much space to spare in a 6 foot long layout - in H0 scale? Just a few spurs off a single main track usually works pretty well - like e.g: Or you can have a mix of facing and trailing spurs (works fine as long as you set up your "just arrived train" with some cars ahead of the engine and some behind the engine): Or if you want a workable switchback you can add a removable switch lead on the left: Or you can cheat by using various other techniques like traversers or sector plates; Smile, Stein
Stein gave you some great suggestions. Assuming that you are in HO scale, there's always the classic for that space, Linn Westcott's 18X72" HO Switchman's Nightmare.
Linn Westcott's Switchman's Nightmare is a classic. Speaking about classics, you also have Scot Osterweil's Highland Terminal: http://carendt.us/articles/highland/ and Chuck Yungkurth's Gum Stump and Snowshoe RR http://carendt.us/scrapbook/page38a/index.html And since I woke up in the middle of the night and couldn't sleep, here is another simple little H0 scale track plan for 6 feet x 18" - based on the same basic idea as the first little plan I drew above - a tuning fork - except this time I use a "compound ladder" instead of placing the turnouts in a row. I'll stop throwing random track plans at you now, and instead head back to bed Smile, Stein
I have been thinking about Byron's spin on this....but if I were to do it, it would be in N with #6's in the same space http://www.layoutvision.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/engine_service_shelf_HO.pdf
I think if you consider using several 3way turnouts and double slips this would free up more space for you I know these turnouts are not the favorite and some are hard to find but If WIRED CORRECTLY they will give you trouble free service I have these on my layout and don't have any issues with them Alan.C
Wow, I can't believe all of the great feedback I've received! special thanks to Stein, Cuyamea, bremner, and Alan C. Sorry for the super late response but I'm just getting my head above water at a new job. Since I'll be moving soon I've put the building of a layout on hold and will pick up again soon after settling in (~May-June). Steinjr I really appreciate the Dunnville Mill concept and all the work you put in to the other plans! Much thanks to all and as soon as I get settled in my new place I'll update with the inevitable build of a new layout! My motivation for building a coastal/textile mill layout is that I'm working as the planetarium supervisor at the Mystic Seaport museum and have loads of fantastic historical resources at my finger tips for a great coastal layout featuring old time sailing ships, steam engines and textile/manufacturing mills. Again, sorry for the delay in responding but starting a new job has set me back for a short while. Thanks again! JJD
For those of us operating a shunting (switching) layout, especially one with limited space, Pacific Western Rail Systems are offering the Broadway Limited version of a "Trackmobile" They are on offer at about £50 a pop ($80). PWRS state that reservation (pre-order) is required before the end of March, for delivery in July. However I suspect that if they get orders they will honour (honor) them. After all, business is business. If your interest is in shunting goods wagons up and down sidings ( switching freight cars in a yard) or in a small industrial location, these look like they will do the trick whilst at the same time not taking up as much valuable space as a locomotive. My only concern would be, with such a small wheelbase, whether they will keep going over "insulfrog" points (switches). Hope the information is useful. I have no association with PWRS or Broadway Limited Armchair Liverpool UK
If you have some track handy I would suggest laying it out and just playing trains. Maybe do an inglenook and see how that is for switching. Then set up a time saver and try that. I always thought I'd be into switching till I built a switching layout and found it tedious. I'm a full time runner now I just like massive roundy roundy action. http://www.wymann.info/ShuntingPuzzles/sw-inglenook.html There are the dimensions in car lengths and magnet placements for using it on the diagram. It looks like the original plan from Model railroader back in the 70's.
