I have Created my latest track plan for my Taylor Branch. I did not post 7.0 on here because I was not happy with it. (it is on my webpage). http://www.geocities.com/pebcak2000 8.0 is basicly a single line main line with lots of passing sidings, a switch yard, intermodal yard, auto loading area, turntable (no wyes or reverse loops on this plan....no space) and three differnt scenes. The majority of this layout is still urban based. Scene two (top of layout) is much like it was in version 7.0 a mid sized town with some industry. Scene three is only contains a coal flood loader. A small river may be added to this scene. The season for this scene will be fall (fall trees looks nice ) All track is still Atlas snap track with Custom N Line switches except for two remote switches for the crossover next to the city pasenger station (these may be hard to reach). Track cleaning again will rely heavily on Aztec cleaning cars (I have never used these yet...but they seem like they will work). Take a look and let me know what you all think. I am very please with this plan. Of course...I still want more space to build my empire Have a good one. http://www.geocities.com/pebcak2000
Matt, hope you didn't mind me posting your layout plan here. It is amazing how your design has transformed from your origianl design. It is also heartening to see what an improvement this latest design is. you have taken on suggestions by members and improved your design even though at one stage I was worried you were becoming disheartened. My only suggestion and this is only because of my personnel preference to continuous running would be to remove your stub ended yard and increase your passing loop (12) with a through yard, that way you can run trains in and out of a yard? All in all it looks great I look forward to seeing your progress
Much better Matt! See how much longer a main line run you get with the U shape? This plan is really coming together. Here are a few suggestions to help get you going. The track work that leads to the power plant (to the right of the number '5' on the plan) seems to be overly complex - combined with the fact that it is near the backdrop seems to be asking for derailing problems. I would take a second look at that portion of the plan and possibly rework it into something simpler But I am most concerned about the other end of the yard. After rounding the curve from the mine, in order for the main line to take the first turnout on the straight leg it will have to use the yard ladder. It would be better (and I think this is what you had in mind) for through trains to take the siding so a swither can continue to work the yard without interruption. The problem is that the main will now go through the diverging route of the turnout. This is usually a bad idea, and since the main hits this turnout right after a curve in the other direction, you have a rather severe S curve through a turnout. This should not be too hard to correct, just flip that turnout around. This would be a really good place for a curved turnout or two they are great space savers! You should think about swapping the auto unloading area and the engine service area. This will give your engines a place to go when the train gets to the yard, and will give you a destination for auto rack trains on the main. You won't be able to fit the 360 degree turntable, but those are pretty rare in modern railroading. It would give the whole of the left side peninsula an urban business setting and would keep the railroad specific business located together. One more tip: don't extend the backdrops all the way to the benchwork edges. It is easier to squeak the mainline around the edge of the backdrops than to punch a hole in the sky. The edges can be hidden down low with stands of trees or smoke stacks - and up high, just paint the edges blue. You're doing a great job Matt. Think about what Colonel said too - it will eat up some space in the industrial area, but to double end that yard will really make a big difference in operations.
Thanks for the praise and advice. Ooops, I did not see that S curve by my yard...that is a ouch. I am going to keep the turntable for a couple of reasons. One, I do not have any turnarounds, wyes, or reversing loops to change the directions of my locos. Two, I can store allot of engines in a small area. If you all have any suggestions for this, I am all ears. Paul, I see what you mean about adding a yard on the coal loader side. Any ideas about what to do with the coal loader? where to put it? I included a coal loader to add more operations potential. Load coal trains there and deliver to various industries on the layout. I feel a coal loader may look a little weird in the city area I can see many advantages to moving the yard though. It would free up allot of space in the city side. The negative side is that I may loose my coal loader, possible river scene and fall foilage (could still do some) by making a runthrough yard. Any ideas? Yes, I like the "U" shape much better. I guess I did get a little dishearted but, it was all constructive advice and I could see the merrit of all that was being said. About the Auto loading facility. Here in Saint Paul, MN BNSF has a auto loading facility next to a switch yard (Hoffman yard?) This is where I got the idea to place them next to each other. Again, if any of you guys have any ideas on a compact but usefull engine service area, let me know (read somwhere to store all them darn engines ) 8.1 hangs on if I move the yard or not. Have a good one
Matt - you may have misunderstood me - I wasn't suggesting removing the turntable, just moving it to where the auto loading facility is. The advantage is that it will be near the yard (so engines have a place to go when the trains go into the yard) but the disadvantage is that you won't have room for as many engine tracks. You are correct that it is very prototypical to have any and all intermodal facilities near major yards. I just feel that it is more imortant to have the engine facility near the yard.
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by yankinoz: Matt - you may have misunderstood me - I wasn't suggesting removing the turntable, just moving it to where the auto loading facility is. The advantage is that it will be near the yard (so engines have a place to go when the trains go into the yard) but the disadvantage is that you won't have room for as many engine tracks. You are correct that it is very prototypical to have any and all intermodal facilities near major yards. I just feel that it is more imortant to have the engine facility near the yard.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> All now it is clear I will have to play with this. I flipped that pesky switch around to avoid that nasty s curve. I dont think well cars, passenger cars or autoracks would have liked that too much. That was my idea, of having thru traind bypass the yard ladder to allow switching operations. During lunch today, I toyed around with moving the yard to the coal area. I dont think it is going to work with the space I have. Only four tracks and that is after more than doubling that area (moved the scenery divider. Back to the turntable. Perhaps I could have a few tracks in paralell (how spell) to store some engines on. I will have to play with moving the turntable some Thanks again for the advice.
Track Plan 8.2 has been posted. http://www.geocities.com/pebcak2000 I moved the Turntable closer to the yard and relocated the Auto loading facility. Also modified the spur into the industrial area near the yard. In Plan 8.1 (and 8.2) I fixed the "S" curve by the yard ladder and adjusted the power plant. However, the trackwork for the power plant will remain virtually the same. This is due to space issues. This swithc may end up being a remote switch as well. Currently the plan calls for four remote switches. This is not including the switch for the power plant. Also, the spurs for the power plant, Furniture co, and the printing co may use Magnets for switch operations...have not decided on this one. The Power plant is a very strong candidate due to location. One last note. I plant to add a Atlas three stall roundhouse (heavily weatherd) to the turntable area. also to be added will be diesel service structures and other yard items. More details to come. http://www.geocities.com/pebcak2000
Oh and by the way, Thanks for the advice about not having the track "Punch" through the backdrop. The plans do not reflect this change but your advice will be used. Thanks again.
Disco! Just don't forget to leave room for the auto ramps in your auto rack yard! Those babies need some space on the stub end of the tracks. You can easily move those tracks further toward the top. I think you know how I feel about sectional track so I won't say anything more about it. It is your railroad after all
OK, first of all this is a GREAT discussion! This should be a case study in layout design. Secondly, and this is more of a question than a suggestion, but wouldn't this be the perfect layout for a "loads in/empties out" scenario with the flood loader/power plant? Is this considered too much of a gimmick? Bring the power plant lead off the other side of the curve (which also frees up the entire intermodal yard) and "punch out the sky" and through the flood loader. Leaving the second line would be optional but would allow two full coal trains to be handled at the same time. The downside would be a diverging route for the yard lead on the power plant turnout, but maybe a curved turnout could be used to minimize this problem? Anyway, just my two cents....this is gonna be an AWESOME layout!
Wow! I can't believe it is the same layout. I disappeared for a bit while your track was developing. You have shown excellent patience, openess to criticism without taking it personally, a willingness try out different ideas, and an enthusiasm to carry you through. This is only speculation, but I suspect you are much prouder of this track plan, than the one you started out with, and justifiably so. As I look at your plan, your track work appears all on one level, which means with plywood, flat bench work which will work well for you. I think I have suggested this before, and if you decide to use it, unfortunately its back to the drawing board. Under your table top, you have gobs and gobs of space. Space that you can use for staging. I figure the minimum clearance that you can comfortably get away with is 4 inches of free space, in reality assuming you use plywood, you will need about 5 inches, about 1 inch for the plywood, and 4 inches for the clearance. Assuming a 2.5ish grade, a tad more, you will need 16 feet to get the train down to the staging, then the staging area which would be around 8 feet, then back up 16 feet to get the train back up. This would give you through staging. There is no reason why you couldn't put a couple of tracks going down the grade and a couple of tracks going up the grade. You could have trains staged on these sidings as well. You would need to inset your table legs around 4 inches or so in all the locations you have planned to make room for this staging. What you would do is lay the track work to run off for this staging, finish building the layout, then add staging latter on, but the two track runoffs would already be in place for you to do this. This is why flex track is better, you won't be locked into snap track geometry. Basically to visualize what I am saying is that you are running a 40 foot highway, underneath and on the outside perimeter of the lay, that is around four inches wide. This will give you lots and lots of operational potential on your layout. I am assuming a train lenght of 6 feet in this calculation. 16 feet down, 16 feet up, 6 foot length train, 1 foot on either end of 6 foot lenght for turn out and clearance (8 feet in total). So 16 + 16 + 8 = 40 feet. Construction method: cut L shaped brackets (sabre saw) from 3/4 in plywod that are going to be attached at the top of the L, underneath you table top. The lenght of the L is to be determined by the lenght of your grade. I would have an L about every 16 inches along, using 3/4 plywood. So as the grade goes down, the L get longer, as the grade goes up, the L gets shorter. The road bed would be cut from 3/4 in plywood at around 4 inches wide (the width of the L). You could have the staging be your "interchange" track with other railroads, as well as trains from other parts of the country: through freight, passenger trains, pokey way freights, trains coming from other yards, etc. Keep up the good work.
Thanks everyone for the kind words. I just like trains This so far has been a great learning experience and for the most part been a lot of fun. At times this process has been frusturating. The staging idea sounds like a good idea. It is something that I will certainly think about. In 8.3 I will modify the auto loading track (forgot about those ramps, I guess I need to railfan UP's loading area in Saint Paul, can get real close without trespassing. Also in 8.3 I will need to modify the benchwork a little. This will allow easier cutting of the plywood. The tabletop will consist of three sections. This will allow easier transportation when I move again (1 to 3 years from now?) Some scenery will have to be redone after the move. Of course, work for the next layout will start...more space I hope . Now it is almost time to start building the benchwork Thanks all and have a good one
Stated by RSN 48: Wow! I can't believe it is the same layout. I disappeared for a bit while your track was developing. You have shown excellent patience, openess to criticism without taking it personally, a willingness try out different ideas, and an enthusiasm to carry you through. I completely echo this sentiment. Great work. If I had enough space I'd copy your track plan! Ok, I wouldn't because that would be stealing, but mine would be real close Great Work! Scot
I have just added this short reply to bounce this topic to the top of the heap so I can use it as a reference for another thread here in trainboards. It will make it easier for this person to find it.
Hello all, This is the first post I have made to this site since May 2001. Let's see.....there has been so much since then. I never built the "Taylor Division" as soon real life overtook the nook in the basement for storage of military gear. After the attacks of 9-11 I re-enlisted in the U.S. Army National Guard in Minnesota. In Feb 2002 I lost my job in IT (third year in a row) and I ended up going active duty Army serving in the National Guard. In November 2002 I got married. For me the second time around has been the trick . In June 2003 I returned to my former life in the Infantry where I am still serving today. In July 2005, the family and I finally moved out ouf our very very very small townhouse and into our first home. It is an older house with allot of charater (built 1910) in Saint Paul, Minnesota. It just so happened that this house came with a very usable space in the basement for an N-Scale model railroad. So in between family life, the Army, deployments and paintball and biking in the summer.....I will be working on the twice delayed N-scale model railroad. The last operational model railroad I have built was in HO scale way back in 1983 and tearing that one down in 1988. I have been trying to build an N-scale layout since 1999!!! Announcing the "Canton Division" named after the street we now live on. The Mrs and I figure we will rot here (no need to move in the future). I have begun the planing phase on a new multilevel layout using 3D RailRoad Concepts and Design. Once I figure out how to copy and post an image of the layout design I will post the plans along with the now "classic" plans on my webserver and links to get there here (did that make sense) Over the last few years I have purchased some items here and there. I have a small empire ready to roll once the phase of operational trackwork is good to go. I am planning to start benchwork construction in early 2006. Here are some general details of the new layout. Canton Divison (BNSF, UP, CP, Amtrack) Most track will belong to BNSF with the small upper level (single track) owned by UP. CP will run on BNSF and UP tracks with limited service. Amtrack will run on all with light service (possible two trains) Major towns / cities 1. Canton - large city on the Canton River with large pass station, industry, intermodal, flour mill, and other industries. Canton also features a small yard with the BNSF and UP tracks connecting here. 2. Small/Medium City yet to be named. - The will be a medium sized city with the a small yard, pass station, paper mill, other industries such as warehouse and small factories. As with the layout overall, planning and replanning is underway. 3. wooded valley or rural valley with farmland. This section of the layout will be strictly underdeveloped as I want some nature on the layout. A double tracked BNSF main runs through this area as well as a BNSF branch line (goes to lower level staging). A small river with small rolling hills are the main features of this sectoin. 4. Have not chosen a name for the last section on the main level. This was going to be a medium to large city in the original Canton Division plan. But I was having some modeler's block with this area. My second eldest daughter (I have five daughters ) came up with the idea of making it a farm area. This idea has been chewing on me for a while. I think I am going to go with it and may name the town Desiree....my daughter's name (I do this at risk of being shot by my other daughters) Anyhow, this town will be small but may be the home of a large flour mill...or at the very least a large grain elevator. The large flour mill idea is sparked by the North Dakota Mill in Grand Forks, ND and featured in Model Railroader. Check out the mill here http://www.ndmill.com In the photos in model railroad, the backgound behind the mill is actually all wheat fields....SWEET. Of course Grand Forks is not a real small town per say so I dont know if a large flour mill would be out of place in the middle of nowhere. I am considering redesinging Canton or the other medium city to host a large flour mill just because this mill in ND is so cool. 5. Marion and the upper level - The uppep level is home to the town of Maron (my wife). The upper level will be winter year around. It will be home to a small grain elevator (in town), a pulp wood loading area (also in town) small pass station serviced by Amtrack, saw mill (outside of town). Thus far this is the extens of planned industry on this level. The upper level is serviced by UP and CP on UP tracks (single track with a small yard at the saw mill and in town. I hope to have pictures up and running of the plans soon..... It is good to be back!!!!
Welcome back to the model world! let me exstend my thanks and graditude for your time in the service of our country. There are plenty of us whe greatly appreciate the sacrifice. Sounds like you've had plenty of time to work out the details of the new layout. Having a Mrs. who's into it is a real bonus. I look following your construction. Showing pictures of our work has become quite easy thru a companion site Rail Images if you are interested in that. The one thing that hasn't changed here is if you have any questions or need help with anything, there are plenty of opinions to compare. WELCOME HOME
