I’m planning the benchwork for my next layout. I’m considering a shelf layout or a partially modular design so I can bring part of it to a club or show if so desired. The room is roughly 12X8, the back wall has two low windows with the sills at 28” but I figure the backdrop will hide that and I should still be able to open and close the windows. There is a closet on one wall as well. So my plan is to have a roughly C shaped layout with a switching yard on the left hand side with a large radius loop with double track around the base of the yard and throughout the length of the layout. The back wall between the switching yard will be one module, connected to a corner module and a second shorter module with a transition piece going into the closet, which leads to the attic. I’d like to put a tunnel through the closet into the attic running the track back onto the layout at the other corner module possibly leading to hidden track behind the backdrop to allow for a loop for continuous running while working the switching yard. I'll also have a few sidings along the main line to add intreset and possibly a roundhouse by the closet or a small switch yard. Here is a real rough scetch of what I'd like to put together.
Darn free accounts. Here is a link to the plan at geocites if anyone cares to look: http://www.geocities.com/jpcamb/Layoutroughscetch.gif
Hidden staging is always a good idea. How much room do you have on the left side? You may want to do a scale drawing of that area to see how the yard will fit - it looks like a tight fit to me.
