My New Layout, any comments?

Svein-Martin Holt Dec 11, 2009

  1. Svein-Martin Holt

    Svein-Martin Holt TrainBoard Member

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    I have started to delevop a new layout to replace my old not finished layout.

    May be some of you have any comments to the plans, things that should be different, etc. All comments are welcome that could help me to develop a good layout.

    The concept for the new layout is:
    A lot of uninterrupted action with long running trains on the doubletracked mainline. Industrial building areas and dry South California style landscape dividing the 2 mainlines. Mainlevel at 0 with double tracks, a -50 level with some action and a staging area on level -150 with 2 helixezz to the mainlevel.
    Track to be used: In visble areas; Microtrains flextrack and some Wright turnouts and handlayed turnouts. In hidden areas: Peco flextrack and Märklin turnouts.
    Conventional analog powering with sections, Tortoise(or similar) on all non-Märklin turnouts.
    Read more here: http://www.platelayer.com/mj/zlayout2009/z_layout2009_e_2009.asp
    [​IMG]
     
  2. henrikH

    henrikH TrainBoard Member

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    Good to have you back Svein-Martin! The plan look's good! Let me know if you need some help on the layout :)
     
  3. shamoo737

    shamoo737 Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Looks good Svein-Martin. It has lots of staging track, and its something I like a lot.
     
  4. Torsja

    Torsja TrainBoard Member

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    Nice :)
    Good to se you still have some healthy ambitions SMH. J
    About 20+ new home made switches with Fast Track?
     
  5. ZFRANK

    ZFRANK TrainBoard Member

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    Looks good Svein-Martin, that layout will be a lot of building fun for quite some time. I would add a switching yard.
     
  6. rray

    rray Staff Member

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    Wow! That looks like a very nice plan, and it looks like it could last a lifetime of modeling! :D
     
  7. Svein-Martin Holt

    Svein-Martin Holt TrainBoard Member

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    Thanks for all the good response. It's exciting to be in the planning process. A lot of different layouts and iedas can be checked out on the computer and discussed on the net before you start building.

    Good idea.

    Where do you think a switching yard should be placed? I have the intension to develop the area close to the roundhouse, with som more and better placed tracks. My be that area also could have space for a switching yard?

    I do not plan to do a lot of switching, but it may be good to have the possibility.

    Any ideas for tracklayout in the swithing yard?

    Well, I am very fascinated by the FastTrack system and want on this layout to increase the quality of the track as much as possible. That include better looking turnouts also, squeezed together as taight as possible to save some space.

    I have never build a turnout, but one time must be the first.:tb-biggrin:

    I am waiting for my shipment from FastTrack and I guess I will have enough tracks and equipment to build about 25 turnouts. That's a lot of work, so we will se how many I finally will build.:mooh:

    About my "healthy ambitions": Well, It's easy to sit on the PC and dream. We will see if some of it can be done. One month ago I had some other good ideas I think, today this is my good idea, hopefully it will also be the same good idea next week.:tb-biggrin: Time will show..... :)

    Dreaming and planning have always been an importent part in my modelrailroadhobby. And mainly with no deadline to meet. Thats' what hobbying are about: No deadlines :) (Expect when we both go on the road with our newbuild Zmod-modules, from time to time)
     
    CNE1899 likes this.
  8. ZFRANK

    ZFRANK TrainBoard Member

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    Sven-Martin,

    I would try to add as switching yard near the roundhouse, and add some industrie spurs near the Y. Just that you can drop off/ pickup some cars with a local, while the true trains are running their rounds.
     
  9. SJ Z-man

    SJ Z-man TrainBoard Member

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    I wish I had a home layout :( I need more space !

    Svein-Martin, that looks like a lot of fun running ! You will finish by Spring time ??? ;)
    .
     
  10. Rio Grande

    Rio Grande TrainBoard Member

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    I can imagine real long trains running on your layout, Svein-Martin. Pretty cool. Are you planning to use the Märklin turntable and Roundhouses?
    Mattias
     
  11. Svein-Martin Holt

    Svein-Martin Holt TrainBoard Member

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    Yes, I have the turntable and roundhouse from the old layout and may use that.
    Here it is on the old layout that will be dismantled:
    [​IMG]

    One of the good thing with Z-scale is the size. :)

    Which spring???? I guess it will not be 2010 :)

    Ok, a yard near the roundhouse will be fine. I will modify the area soon.
    I have not thought about industrie spurs near the Y, but there will be space left side of the Y. I will sort out that to.
    The Y is taken from the old layout, with some good Wright turnouts that I would like so save for the new layout.
     
  12. JoeS

    JoeS TrainBoard Member

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    I wouldn't know where to start with a layout so grand! Very nice plans and I look forward to seeing the progress! Your work has always inspired me! :D
     
  13. Stickboy

    Stickboy TrainBoard Member

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    Ditto- the Platelayer site was one of the things which made me buy my original Marklin US freight set.

    It looks great to me, I look forward to seeing progress pictures!

    Cheers

    Phil
     
  14. Svein-Martin Holt

    Svein-Martin Holt TrainBoard Member

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    Thank you for the good words. That's an inspiration for me.
    Hopefully there will somehing good to share here in the future. I love this hobby and it's fun to share it with other with the same interest.

    Some more development have been done on the layout plans:
    I have added a switching yard and some more industry spurs on the lower level. I also have created an image to see how it could be with a fully loaded yard. I can't wait.............
    [​IMG]
    Follow the progress here: http://www.platelayer.com/mj/zlayout2009/z_layout2009_e_2009.asp
     
  15. Svein-Martin Holt

    Svein-Martin Holt TrainBoard Member

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    Revision 5, 3 level, development of plans

    One good thing with the hobby is the planning stage and I love to make plans and to dream.
    It's very easy to only be dreams and no reality, but I like to dream.:tb-biggrin:
    After many revisions, I have a new version of my new layout, revision 5, with 3 levels and a shadowstation.
    A lot of track, but if you only look at the visible tracks, I hope it could be nice.

    Check out my pages to see the new layout.
    http://www.platelayer.com/major-redevelopment-of-plans.aspx

    [​IMG]
     
  16. rray

    rray Staff Member

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    3 levels now? Wow! It sure looks like an aggressive plan, but lots of fun! Are you still planning Fast Tracks turnouts?
     
  17. up mike

    up mike E-Mail Bounces

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    Nice......... but what about the Loop????
    I would Hate to see all that work on the plans go to waste unless some SoCal Guy builds it.............
     
  18. Svein-Martin Holt

    Svein-Martin Holt TrainBoard Member

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    I don't have space for the loop:tb-sad: The plans for the loop will fill up the available area 100%, so that must be later. But it was fun to develop the plan. If somebody want to build it, the plans can be done available in different formats. I use 3rdPlanit.

    I plan to use Fast Track curved turnouts on the mainstation. I have made a jig with 220 mm minimum radius that I hope will work.
    Here is a template. Torsja burned it based on my drawing in his laser:
    [​IMG]

    At the moment I am trying to figure out how to build the background in 3mm masonite, with curved corners both vertically in the 2 corners and also along the roof, so the background goes with a curve and no sharp corners to the roof, giving a very nice effect in the corners. See the example below(Of course, I shall blend the images together and into the heaven.
    The current plan is to use a 3mm in the vertical corner and the vertical background, and mold in plaster some curved elements that can be fixed along the wall, and mold a special 1/8 inverted sphere in the corner to the roof. Hopefully it will be a very clean surface when it is finished. I need to think more about this. May be you have some ideas?

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 12, 2010
    ddechamp71 likes this.
  19. Svein-Martin Holt

    Svein-Martin Holt TrainBoard Member

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    A new version, now with Tehachapi Loop

    A new version of the layout has been released tonight, now including a level with Tehachapi Loop connected to the upper level with a helix. The Tehachapi Loop part is based on my old plans of the site and I was able to put this in the updated plans. I think it can work.
    I have now removed the shadow station, but the old upper level is not much changed since last revision. Se the drawings here.

    [​IMG]
     
  20. up mike

    up mike E-Mail Bounces

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    Sweet I love the loop :thumbs_up:
    So............... How soon before you start this?
     

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