Loft Layout Plans - Input appreciated

[Alex3410]

Hey all, i am planning my new layout in the loft and have got the baseboard frames sorted which means i know the dimentions and can start thinking about the plans.

My main aims for the layout are:
[*]Keep things as simple as possible
[*]Continuous runs to watch the trains go by
[*]Some shunting options
[*]Fiddle yard to store trains
[*]Scenery focus

I have started to play around with plans and was hoping to get your input on them to refine them to get the best result.

Anyway this is my first attempt:

V1 combined by Alex, on Flickr

Ignore the green bits, they just show where each section of the plan runs out (using free software that limits to 50 bits per plan so photoshopped them together)

[*]The lefthand side of the plan is the fiddle yard (no plans for scenery on this section)
[*]The bottom section is a station area
[*]The right top section that comes off the inside loop is an exchange siding
[*]The section at the top that comes off the exchange sidings is the inglenook siding for shunting


Any thoughts?

[luckymucklebackit]

Hi Alex - Looks a fine plan, the only change I would make would be to move the two crossovers out of the station area to the straight section on the right of the layout, that would give better platform length and allow platform selection clear of the station area, you could also then extend the top platform road round the curve.

Jim

[Alex3410]

Hi Jim, thank you for your comments i really apprechiate the input

I should have mentioned that the top track in the station area cuts of there as there is a loft rafter in the way


I placed the crossovers in the station area to use them as a run around but your points a good one i will have a look and moving them out a bit to see if i can make more room at the platforms for longer trains.

I have made up the plan using standard Hornby points but i am hoping to use peco medium ones where possible so they all might need tweaking (the software only allows one type/scale of track to be used at a time)

[Emettman]

I agree about moving the lower crossovers.
The right pair of points can be moved a simple 6" to the right, flipping the lower point's handedness and eliminating a double S curve.
I *think* the left pair can be taken a lot further left starting from near the green points (but leaving just enough room for a loco run-round)

Similarly up and right, the run-round length on the exchange siding can be significantly extended by taking the loco release line off a half curve earlier (making the the delivery/pick up line the 2nd not the 1st away from the main line)

On the points, it is my thought that the smaller Peco Streamline points would serve your purposes better.
That 2" saving of extra room per point over the as-drawn layout will be quite a lot, cumulatively, and while a lot better than the Hornby points won't contrast so much with the tight mainline curves. Just a thought.

I'm not sure if it holds for the free version, but under "Settings" "Behaviour"(on far Rt), my Anyrail has an "allow mixed rails" option.

Chris.

[Alex3410]

Hi Chris,

Thank you for the help, i have updated the station area by moving the point across and changed the direction of them:

Bottom by Alex, on Flickr

I was avoiding moving the purple ones any further to the left or the yellow right as in their current positions i can use them to run around while not blocking the outside loop.

With the exchange siding - is this what you meant?
top Right by Alex, on Flickr

The blue length shows the maximum length of train that can be dropped off/picked up?


I really do appreciate the input on this so thank you for taking the time

[End2end]

I'd be sorely tempted to connect the right hand side green tracks to the exchange sidings somehow.
Not connect directly the to end of the siding but further along to create a bypass road from the mainline and also a way for trains to enter the main running lines from the top dead end sidings easily.
Hope that makes sense.
Thanks
End2end

Edit: This is what I mean visually.

trackeditE2E.jpg (23.54 KiB) Viewed 1549 times

With added pointwork so the outer track can also access and be accessed by the bypass road.
Thanks
End2end

[Alex3410]

Its a good idea, the issue is the green section of track in the bottom right is going to be a viaduct so the baseboard level is going to drop quickly after the exchange sidings to accommodate it. something along these lines

It does however highlight the fact there is not direct access to the sidings at the top of the layout, i might have a look at joining them up to the fiddle yard to give additional routes in/out.


Thank you for the input, I want this to look good but also work/operate well so all thoughts are more then welcome