My Layout To Be...
My Layout To Be...
OO gauge smallish layout i havedesigned, apologies, as im not good with Xtrk!
its 4 x 4, as we dont have that much space, and i also want it to be portable.
shall be running DC with te circle being for shunting, as well as passengers, the curved points however split with having passengers on the right, and frieght / storage on the left. (the bottom fiddle yard is both however, with a station on the left)
any comment appreciated, i know its small, but im a returning modeller with limited funds! therefore can only use track i have.how many controllers would i need for everywhere to be operational?
currently haave the HM 2000, and one normal hornby controller.
alas, here it is.
its 4 x 4, as we dont have that much space, and i also want it to be portable.
shall be running DC with te circle being for shunting, as well as passengers, the curved points however split with having passengers on the right, and frieght / storage on the left. (the bottom fiddle yard is both however, with a station on the left)
any comment appreciated, i know its small, but im a returning modeller with limited funds! therefore can only use track i have.how many controllers would i need for everywhere to be operational?
currently haave the HM 2000, and one normal hornby controller.
alas, here it is.
Re: My Layout To Be...
Any thoughts on this?
- Dale_the_noob
- Posts: 328
- Joined: Thu Apr 03, 2008 7:07 pm
- Location: Berkshire
Re: My Layout To Be...
Is there a reason it has to be that size?
If its a portable layout, you may get more out of a 2 x 8ft layout. It won't be a run around layout, but you can model a terminus and may have more fun doing that.
4 x 4 is limited and I was wondering if you would be able to get the turntable in the middle of the layout, wouldn't the radius be too tight? The only way I could see it working is if the curved point goes into a headshunt and then the turntable feeds off the headshunt, but even that might be tight.
I would also change the bottom around, use a normal or curved point to come down off the middle of the right hand side and follow the loop around and then use that to create the station and then have sidings coming off the station roads to the right for some sidings. You then wouldn't need to reverse the passenger trains in and out of the headshunt to access the mainline from the station.
If its a portable layout, you may get more out of a 2 x 8ft layout. It won't be a run around layout, but you can model a terminus and may have more fun doing that.
4 x 4 is limited and I was wondering if you would be able to get the turntable in the middle of the layout, wouldn't the radius be too tight? The only way I could see it working is if the curved point goes into a headshunt and then the turntable feeds off the headshunt, but even that might be tight.
I would also change the bottom around, use a normal or curved point to come down off the middle of the right hand side and follow the loop around and then use that to create the station and then have sidings coming off the station roads to the right for some sidings. You then wouldn't need to reverse the passenger trains in and out of the headshunt to access the mainline from the station.
Re: My Layout To Be...
You made a post whilst I was typing this so I'll start again
As is the plan looks to have a few too many tight curves, and the disconnected ends mean that you may have to curve flexitrack into very tight corners, which is not a good idea as at this point 0-6-0s may struggle to get round and the current 0-4-0s are poor slow speed runners and so may cause other problems. Below 1st radius couplings will also cause problems.
I would suggest that you get rid of passenger trains, or restrict these to a small station-fiddle yard on a higher/lower level as bogie coaches will look odd on the curves and the coaches will take up room on the layout which would be better used for goods stock, which will look more at home on sharp corners.
The layout for goods only won't be too bad, but I think a Z-shaped run may be more interesting than circuits. There's a plan for an area not much larger than you have in the peco settrack plan book.
P.S. I've left my original post so you can read it
I agree with Dale - an end to end on longer but narrower boards would be better. It's easy to split them up for storage.
As is the headshunts for the bottom yard seem a little short, and i'm not sure where the second station is but you don't want to try to bring passenger trains off the main line.
If you want a continuous circuit then I would suggest N gauge. You can get longer trains and so larger locomotives don't look out of place, and you can go smaller - 4 by 2 foot and smaller is practical (something similar to what you have now would fit into a 2 x 2 foot square.
I doubt that the turntable will fit in the centre, as the curves will have to be so steep that only 0-4-0 tank locos will have any chance of getting in.
If you want to stick with the plan I would suggest you split it up. If you put the turntabe area on a lower (or higher) separate level and use it to display your locos, the main line on a second level and have the goods yard at a third higher (or lower if the shed is higher) level and use it for shunting. This way both can intrude on the main line and it gives you more space. If the scenery is of an inner city it won't look odd.
This will however affect the portability of the layout as it will be very deep.
As is the plan looks to have a few too many tight curves, and the disconnected ends mean that you may have to curve flexitrack into very tight corners, which is not a good idea as at this point 0-6-0s may struggle to get round and the current 0-4-0s are poor slow speed runners and so may cause other problems. Below 1st radius couplings will also cause problems.
I would suggest that you get rid of passenger trains, or restrict these to a small station-fiddle yard on a higher/lower level as bogie coaches will look odd on the curves and the coaches will take up room on the layout which would be better used for goods stock, which will look more at home on sharp corners.
The layout for goods only won't be too bad, but I think a Z-shaped run may be more interesting than circuits. There's a plan for an area not much larger than you have in the peco settrack plan book.
P.S. I've left my original post so you can read it
I agree with Dale - an end to end on longer but narrower boards would be better. It's easy to split them up for storage.
As is the headshunts for the bottom yard seem a little short, and i'm not sure where the second station is but you don't want to try to bring passenger trains off the main line.
If you want a continuous circuit then I would suggest N gauge. You can get longer trains and so larger locomotives don't look out of place, and you can go smaller - 4 by 2 foot and smaller is practical (something similar to what you have now would fit into a 2 x 2 foot square.
I doubt that the turntable will fit in the centre, as the curves will have to be so steep that only 0-4-0 tank locos will have any chance of getting in.
If you want to stick with the plan I would suggest you split it up. If you put the turntabe area on a lower (or higher) separate level and use it to display your locos, the main line on a second level and have the goods yard at a third higher (or lower if the shed is higher) level and use it for shunting. This way both can intrude on the main line and it gives you more space. If the scenery is of an inner city it won't look odd.
This will however affect the portability of the layout as it will be very deep.
Humour is subjective, so please supply your own witty statement.
Re: My Layout To Be...
There's only a couple of things I can see here:
At the front right where you have the y point - the two roads formed will probably take up too much room in this area and I don't think be able to get them in petween the lines either side. Even if you can I don't think it will be easy to use both roads at the same time as stock may well overlap.
I would probably remove some of the crossovers and move the sidings around a little (prehaps remove one or two) to allow for some buildings (factories/warehouses etc.) and expand the scenery.
Are you going to have a fiddle yard? If you arn't the points are too close to the right-hand end to be useable. If you are then it needs to be at this side (for the same reason). If you don't have one move the point at the far bottom right left otherwise it will be useless.
At the front right where you have the y point - the two roads formed will probably take up too much room in this area and I don't think be able to get them in petween the lines either side. Even if you can I don't think it will be easy to use both roads at the same time as stock may well overlap.
I would probably remove some of the crossovers and move the sidings around a little (prehaps remove one or two) to allow for some buildings (factories/warehouses etc.) and expand the scenery.
Are you going to have a fiddle yard? If you arn't the points are too close to the right-hand end to be useable. If you are then it needs to be at this side (for the same reason). If you don't have one move the point at the far bottom right left otherwise it will be useless.
Humour is subjective, so please supply your own witty statement.
Re: My Layout To Be...
Looks a good plan, the only thing I would change is to reduce the length of the front siding a little (prehaps take off the shorter sections) as it seems overly long considering that to move stock from it to anywhere other than the next road up requires a runaround move. Prehaps add a loading platform on the end or something.
That's jsut my opinion though
That's jsut my opinion though
Humour is subjective, so please supply your own witty statement.
- Dale_the_noob
- Posts: 328
- Joined: Thu Apr 03, 2008 7:07 pm
- Location: Berkshire
Re: My Layout To Be...
It looks like you are trying to cram in as much track as possible. A lot of the points aren't needed.
What do you want to do on your layout?
What type of locomotives do you want to run?
What sort of traffic do you want to run?
Do you enjoy trains running around or do you prefer driving/shunting them?
What are the space limitations? is there somewhere it is going?
What do you want to do on your layout?
What type of locomotives do you want to run?
What sort of traffic do you want to run?
Do you enjoy trains running around or do you prefer driving/shunting them?
What are the space limitations? is there somewhere it is going?
Re: My Layout To Be...
well, ive been thinking, i may leave it like that, but put the buffer about where the two short sections join the larger peice and weather the track after it, ie wagon crash, overgrown etc.
Not sure yet, am now going to try and work out the cost!
It looks like you are trying to cram in as much track as possible. A lot of the points aren't needed. - which would you suggest be removed?
What do you want to do on your layout? -i want it to be a sort of marshalling yardy-industrial area
What type of locomotives do you want to run? either small 0-4-0 or 0-6-0 shunters or steam engines,
What sort of traffic do you want to run? freight
Do you enjoy trains running around or do you prefer driving/shunting them? a bit of both, but i would like a smallish shunting area.
What are the space limitations? is there somewhere it is going? Well, my room isn't big and so i would like it to be small, also it will probably be moved alot, upstairs, downstairs, and to my dads house.
Not sure yet, am now going to try and work out the cost!
It looks like you are trying to cram in as much track as possible. A lot of the points aren't needed. - which would you suggest be removed?
What do you want to do on your layout? -i want it to be a sort of marshalling yardy-industrial area
What type of locomotives do you want to run? either small 0-4-0 or 0-6-0 shunters or steam engines,
What sort of traffic do you want to run? freight
Do you enjoy trains running around or do you prefer driving/shunting them? a bit of both, but i would like a smallish shunting area.
What are the space limitations? is there somewhere it is going? Well, my room isn't big and so i would like it to be small, also it will probably be moved alot, upstairs, downstairs, and to my dads house.
Re: My Layout To Be...
As an aside, Grounded van bodies, filled up with ballast, have been used as buffer stopsAlextrain wrote:well, ive been thinking, i may leave it like that, but put the buffer about where the two short sections join the larger peice and weather the track after it, ie wagon crash, overgrown etc.
Not sure yet, am now going to try and work out the cost!
I would say only take out the left crossover of the two identical ones at the front right, however I would then move the other pointwork towards the middle to take advantage of the extra space.Alextrain wrote:It looks like you are trying to cram in as much track as possible. A lot of the points aren't needed. - which would you suggest be removed?
This is more industrial - marshalling yard would be just a fan of sidingsAlextrain wrote:What do you want to do on your layout? -i want it to be a sort of marshalling yardy-industrial area
Then the crossover at the front left needs to be moved over. A larger 0-6-0T probably won't fit (I should've thought of that before)Alextrain wrote:What type of locomotives do you want to run? either small 0-4-0 or 0-6-0 shunters or steam engines,
Humour is subjective, so please supply your own witty statement.
- Dale_the_noob
- Posts: 328
- Joined: Thu Apr 03, 2008 7:07 pm
- Location: Berkshire
Re: My Layout To Be...
If we say the first line is the bottom line and they go up from there, you have 3 sets of points going between lines 2 and 3, are they all needed?
Which lines aree the connecting lines and how many (1 or 2?)
Have you got a line to store your shunters on? will there be some maintenance buildings for them?
Remember locomotives are 12" long, shunters and a small wagon will be 4 - 6" long, so think about the lengths of your sidings. The bottom left siding (line 2) will be next to useless.
I would probably get rid of the left points between lines 2 and 3 and also the points and crossover between 2 and 4. I would then move the middle points between lines 2 and 3 further to the left (but still leaving a 12" siding on line 3) so that there is a run around for locomotives bringing trains in.
Which lines aree the connecting lines and how many (1 or 2?)
Have you got a line to store your shunters on? will there be some maintenance buildings for them?
Remember locomotives are 12" long, shunters and a small wagon will be 4 - 6" long, so think about the lengths of your sidings. The bottom left siding (line 2) will be next to useless.
I would probably get rid of the left points between lines 2 and 3 and also the points and crossover between 2 and 4. I would then move the middle points between lines 2 and 3 further to the left (but still leaving a 12" siding on line 3) so that there is a run around for locomotives bringing trains in.