Question about shelf layouts

My wife has granted me trackage rights completely around our basement. So I can now plan a phased expansion beyond what I had thought would be my layout area. (which was confined to a 6ft x 15ft area by the oil tank.)

First a few details:
I model in N scale say Mid 90's to today set in southwestern Ohio, using code 55 track with fast tracks #8 turnouts. I will build in sections to get around the basement, starting out of the closet moving towards the oil tank I am planning on using the closet for a staging yard using my old Unitrack, well, track. I am thinking about one peninsula around either the oil tank or water softener.

Here are my questions:

1) If I create a peninsula, I can have about a 2 scale mile mainline run. If i get greedy, I can go twice around and get close to 4 scale miles. I am now in the very beginning of my design phase, what vertical spacing should I go for between levels? That will help determine my layout height. Is really worth it for the extra track-age?

2) Real railroads tend to find the shortest, ie straightest, path to their destination. Us modelers tend to avoid that at all cost, making our trains dip to and away from the bench work edge but do I have to? I'm thinking of only modeling the mainline and a few feet next to it in all areas that will not have a town. In the towns, I may look at making the main diverge from shelf edge.

3) I'm thinking of only having two or three switching areas(towns) per level, in an attempt to have greater distance between towns. Will a single track main, about how far apart should I plan passing tracks? How long should they be? Right now I am planning on 20-25 car trains with two locos.

Well, that's all I can think right now. I'm sure as I track plan, I will think of more.

Thanks,
Steve

 

To get an idea of what you can put in the space decide upon your dimensions and what you actually want for standards ie: aisle space, table space etc... then design your layout according to those parameters and the space available. Here is a pic of my plan. It is in HO and fits a 10' x 17' room. All aisles are 3 feet except where you enter the room and that is 2'. This give optimal movement for operators. Also I made it so that the track is no more than 3' away from the edge of the table so that I can reach trains. Even tough you are in N and I am in HO you can see how this will affect your final outcome. Hope this helps! Also how big is the final space you are looking at to build in? You didn't mention that. If you are wondering about staging, I am going to build portable staging yards on casters that will be moved into the hallway for operations and then stored in the room when done.

 

Not having actually built a double-decker, I'll say the easy advice (but still good advice): Construct a life-size mockup of a section of double-deck along a wall. Cardboard boxes, scrap lumber, whatever you have. For a given set of deck heights and spacing, check how easily you can reach them. And don't forget seeing them: can you see to the back of the lower deck? Remember that the upper deck's thickness is not negligible, generally 4" or greater. Are both decks going to be operated from the same standing position? This is the case in which sight lines for the lower deck are important. Some modellers operate the lower deck from a roll-around chair, in which case your knees set a minimum height for the bottom of the lower deck. Some modellers operate the upper deck from raised steps.

Remember, you're not representing something built on a shelf...

I favor deeper scenes, because I want to model the railroad and its environment, not just the railroad. Also, I want to slow my eyes' travel to the backdrop. Your narrow shelf style was often used by John Armstrong in his layout plans and is commonly seen, particularly in larger scales. Narrow shelves do make double-deck access and visibility easier.

Again, try the mockup. And you can use it to test another concern: photography. One concern with narrow shelves (or even wide shelves, if the track is too close to the edge): how do you take a picture without showing the fascia? I suggest searching for threads on Pete Nolan's layout. It's a triple-decker that has to address these concerns.

Make up a train with the engines and cars in question and see how long it is. It'll probably be around 10'. You should have the single-track sections between at least as long to avoid the "entering one town while still leaving the next" problem.

 

And also lets not forget that you can cross a river a couple times and go through a tunnel in the same area just like a specific protype did. The NP did this at Eagle Gorge before the Stampede line was re-aligned in the 50's.

 

I tend to agree, while shelf layouts are usually narrow, they shouldn't be too narrow. Backdrop flats (stuctures against the backdrop) only work when your layout is near eye level. Look at those buildings from above and the jig is up - the illusion is completely destroyed.

Id recommend the shelf layouts book by Iain Rice (Amazon.com: Shelf Layouts for Model Railroads (9780890246900): Iain Rice: Books) I own a copy and I htink he has some very useful advice and his track plans have very good ideas.

 

#2) Go for aesthetics.

 

Wow thanks for the replies, I think I will look for Iain's book at the LHS. In the meantime I will look to frankenstien a few good ideas I have, and ones I have, errr, "borrowed" from others (prototype included). Since I work in the corrugated industry, I have very easy access to any size sheet I need, so mock ups a not problem. I think I will follow the advise of not just straight ahead, but instead find ways to make sure the run is interesting. For now I think I will stay with one level, about 55" to 62" in height. I do like the idea of a movable staging yard, as my layout moves "west". That would give me a yard at each end.

And I forgot the size : 38' x 24', but I am restricted to the walls, except in the end by the closet and fuel oil tank. Still that will give me a two scale mile run.

 

My new shelf layout will only be about a foot deep. To get more mainline run I will habe obstacles that make more sense to go around. Hopefully it will still look prototypical.

 

-How deep can the "self" be ?

-Are you going to use a duck-under, or removable section at the main door ?

As for multi-level.. you'll need a minimum of 8 feet of run to clear another track.. a minimum of 25 feet of run to get 6" of seperation between levels.. and abviously 50 feet to get a full foot between levels (all based on 2% grade). In order to have two, complete levels.. and a foot of seperation.. you're looking at a helix.

With that much wall to work with; I'd avoid head-aches like a helix (two), or a duck-under.

If I could be sold bold to suggest.. I'd go with something like a dog-bone; where a good portion of it is another level, but only 5" or so. You can get that 5" seperation at the bone-ends.

I'm attaching a scetch.. The "upper" level is the red benchwork, reached by the bone-end grades. This, rough idea would give you a massive main-line, and allow for a branch-line that shares the main for a while.. you can see the possibilities..