What would you do with this space? A new layout

OK Z scalers, now that I have officially gone to the dark (I feel enlightened) side I am starting my track planning. Here is the space I have to work with. It is basically a 13' x 16' room with the top wall 16' as well. That gives me 45 linear feet of wall to work with. The plan below shows the room configuration as it is right now. The dashed line around the perimeter is the space I can use to build a layout. I can NOT use the center of the room as it must remain open to other uses. I have allowed myself ample turn back space at each end for nice, wide radius curves (18"). All of the modules shown are 2'x4', corners are 4'x4', and ends are 3'x6' and 3'x5' respectively. All are 24" wide minimum. The 2 left hand modules will be set up per Z Bend standards so I can remove them and take them with me to shows or rotate them around with a different scene on the other side per a comment in my other post.



What would you do with this space? Think FEC or Milwaukee Road. I want some switching to occur so at least one good size town is in order here, possibly two. I would prefer a somewhat mountainous area over a flatland area so I can make some vertical scenery features.

Any thoughts are appreciated. I am not a track planner by any stretch of the imagination so anything you think of is likely to be better than what I can think of. I can't design but I can draw so please feel free to give me your thoughts. I will draw up your ideas and post again to make sure. Sketches are not necessary but helpful if you feel they would help me visualize an idea. Thanks in advance to all offer questions or comments.

 

John,

This is great space to work with! Yes, you will be able to incorporate a large city, yard, muntians and more in this space. More importantly, it won't look cramped. Take a look at the image of my home layout below. This shows roughly 14 liner feet on the wall. There is quite a bit in this scene!



Here is a look at the corner piece that is in the left of the above image. This is after the skyboards were added:



In these photos, I have hills, rivers, city, yards and more! Also, you may have room for a peninsula on the long side of the layout.

As for prototype, there is not too much for the FEC. The MTL Husky double stack is the only commercial car release I know of for FEC. We have had some Milwaukee releases over the years. Marklin and MTL have offered a F7s. AZL offered a SD45 in brass in 2003. Also, MTL is planning a MILW GP9 as their next release. MTL has released some Milwaukee rolling stock. Also, Ztrack made their 2006 subscriber cars MILW PS2-cd hoppers.

I can't wait to hear how your planning progresses!
Rob Kluz

 

No mountains for the FEC either (unless you interchange with another railroad).

Robert Ray also made his 2 bay covered hoppers with MILW decals once upon a time.

Nice space to work with. I like the idea of having a couple sections built as modules that you can pull out and use elsewhere. There is at least one guy, Graves, in NC and Tim B. and Jeffrey White are in Atlanta, but have not met any Z scalers from SC yet. I think Graves was talking about building modules at some point and Jeffrey and Tim have/are working toward more of a sectional layout (not really meant to be taken apart but can be. Yes, Jeffrey and I were the last ones to leave the expo hall in Cincinnatti after tear down and about 30 seconds before they kicked us out).

Rob didn't mention it yet, but if you are interested in trying to connect with other local Z scalers if there are any and want to start a club in your area, Rob can help get the word out.

Randy

 

Just looking at your space again. If you did want to try to have some elevation or grade and wanted to tackle it, you could even put helixes in with your end loops. Where you have the modular sections could even be high points on the layout and if your module frames were shallow enough, might even be able to run another mainline underneath through a tunnel.

Rob, can you post some photos of your module with the mainline running in the tunnel under the elevated mine loop as an example?

Randy

 

Randy,

Sure thing! Here is a look at the upper loop with the mine complex and continous operation:



The is look the the modules. They are 8' in length.



The lower level and upper level are connected, but it is a bit of a grade.

Rob

 

Thanks Rob. This is an illustration of the mainline being hidden underneath somethingelse on top. It's a little hard to see from these photos, but on one side the mainline is in a tunnel (exposed and open at the edge of the module) for three or four feet.

What I was thinking was actually having a mainline that would be under the entire module frame for the removeable modules. You could still have normal tunnel portal, etc. on the section to either side of the modules. This would be a higher elevation though and you would likely have to make use of helixes to get that kind of elevation, even with the ample room that you have to work with.

I've seen lightweight modules as shallow as 3" deep. That's about twice as much clearance as would be needed for vertical separation on a crossover.

Randy

 

John, First of all I would not recommend building your layout in this type of 'U' shape. In the middle of the 'U' why don't you make another buldging section like the upper arm of your 'U' has. This allows you to do so much more with your layout. Also another 'ball' on the lower end of the 'U'. Please join us over at Z Central Station. There you can look up my photos of the aboved described layout. It was published in a big article in Z Track magazine. Our site is strictly Z and very easy to navigate. Thousands of Z photos and many thousands of lines of info in our forum section. Everything you have asked for has been answered on Z Central more than once. Drop in. Cheers, Jim CCRR

 

Hi Robert, No I'm not fishing. However, it seems to me that if a person has decided on his scale the they should start narrowing down their sources of info. To that end CZS and Zyahoo are simply Z, and both can answer all the queries. I've noticed here on Trainboard you can post a topic and it may never be seen, let alone answered. Just depends on how many Z people are about. Also, this site seems to be hard for me to figure out. I guess I don't know how to browse through topics. Hell, I can hardly figure out where my photos are. Go figure. Cheers, Jim CCRR

 

Rail Images

Hi John, Yes, I guess that is what I meant. I know I posted that photo, but I can't find it. Did you get your diorama yet? Jim

 

Jim,

I can't disagree more. Especially if you have decided to go with Z you should get as much information as possible from different sources to make your own opinion and not following one opinion in one forum from one person!
Just focused on one thing has never brought things forward...

 

Jim,
Welcome to Trainboard:tb-wink:...

Kim

 

Gerd, Of course you're right. I myself am a member of 3 different groups and couldn't agree more. While I have trouble finding things on Trainboard I am still here aren't I? I don't believe I stated that ZCS or ZYahoo was the only answer, or at least I didn't mean to imply that they were. That being said I for one couldn't only be a member of Trainboard for example, not enough Z specific info. Take scenery for example. Scenery in N and Z conceptually, and in practicality, are hardly the same as scenery in the larger scales. I think a person can find pretty pictures and good ideas for their Z layout, but I can't find specific how to's for Z scenery here. So as they say down the street from you, "No worries mate". Cheers, Jim CCRR

 

Thanks Kim, Gees. Is there a double meaning there? I've actually been a member for a year, but I guess I don't get out much! Cheers, Jim CCRR

 

Focus. Focus LOL Back on track, I did some more planning earlier on the overall layout but did not post it to my fotki site yet. Tommorrow morning I should have time to work on it for a couple hours and once I get to a point I can post it I will. I am taking everyones suggestions and trying to make sure I get a good start on a good layout.

Jim, you have some damn fine modeling skills. That photo is pretty damn fine as well. I will be bumping out the left hand side of the plan about 12" in the morning. It will give me some more options for sure.

 

Charlie, LOL. Please don't. Hopefully you read my other post to our friend in Oz. Anyway, I'm not on here that much as I seem to be a full time modeler as well as the moderator over on Z Central Station. Between reading everypost there, modeling, senior softball, golfing, playing with the cat, I don't get out much. At least in Z scale virtually all participants know each other and what may seem 'different' today isn't really tomorrow. So, No Worries, Mate, all is well. Thanks also for your comments on my photos and modeling work in Z scale. I'm socalz44 if you've forgotten. Cheers, Jim CCRR

 

Jim,

No problem. You do a very good job modeling. In about 10 minutes or so I will be posting a very rough track plan so far with just the mainline. I think it looks pretty good so far

 

All right. Here is my first hack at a layout plan. Still a rough draft but you can get the basic idea.



I went ahead and did a single mainline although it looks like a double. The single mainline passes through each town twice but only on one pass through will there be any sidings. The words town on the plan indicate the side of the mainline the town will be located on. There will not be any crossovers between mains so I do not have any polarity issues or reversing sections.

Trains will originate in the yard at the top of the plan. This yard will consist of 3 double sided modules. I am thinking of having a transition era yard on one side and a modern yard on the other with a city skyline between. Still working that idea out. The yard will also represent to separate ends of a division. Since this plan is a continuous run I figure each end of the yard will operate separately from the other with its own engine servicing facilities and such. I can do an overpass or something similar as a view block. Or I can ignore this and just consider this yard as 2 separate locales in my head.

I will keep all towns flat and grade will be max 1.5%. I still need to adding passing sidings and such along the line.

Please let me know what you think about this look. I like it and hope you will too.