Moving from N to OO, L shape 12ftx9ft ideas

[fourtytwo]

Hi everybody, I have been modelling in N for over 30 years but recently took the plunge and sold it all with a view to moving to OO!
I have an L shaped space, prefer steam outline and of that era although the odd elderly DMU is ok! Goods are a must with shunting.
I did think of fairly small branch trains with large tank engines to avoid the complexities of a turntable.

Having seemingly sorted out a horizontal traverser to save space in the fiddle yard I am now left with a branch? station area to design, I must admit my own freelance designs have never felt very good so would welcome any suggestions, the attached plan shows what space I think I have available.

I have no stock presently so am basing my calculations on about an 11 inch length for a MK1 carriage with tension lock couplings, assume early Hornby as I have no intention of paying the eye watering prices of new stock!! Anyway it seems I might be able to accommodate the odd 4 coach train but 2 or 3 would also be fine. Ohh I must add dimensions are imperial because that seems to fit OO geometry but I am quite happy to chat metric too
Just thought of another note, pretty sure its gonna be code 100 rail to enable cookie cutters to run smoothly!

[Mountain]

I used to allow a foot for each coach as it was both easier to work out, and it would allow for any coupling slack etc, and it was rare that any locos were longer then this so it was a very suitable size to use.
It is good to start from scratch as one can plan what stock one will need and stick to it rather then ending up with an odd mix like I have done in the past!
But back to the layout. What width will it be? I assume it will be 2ft?

I don't get on with end to end layouts so much though many love them, but it is amazing what will fit in ones space if one is inventive. Ok, I take this to extremes by using short locos and stock 7mm narrow gauge, so if I had the dimentions you are suggesting I would do an L shape oval which your planned layout is over twice the size of my little layout.
Any thoughts on going DCC or DC?

[fourtytwo]

Hi Mountain thanks for the reply. I used to model in OO from my childhood till my 20's so I have some vague recollections but have tried to brush up on my knowledge. One of the conundrums was coach length, no official dimensions online but fortunately a few from forum comments just like yours so thanks for adding to the list, I think a foot is a good rule of thumb. Yes I am allowed 2ft width.

My last layout in N (Riccarton) was a round the room affair but upscaling and domestic pressures means there is insufficient room for round & round in OO, instead I am limited to end to end. If I was to try adding return loops they would be 12" radius well below anything I have seen recommended for OO (seems to be >17.5") and I just cannot have bulges in width beyond the 2ft.

I think I am sticking with DC (or modified AC sine) as IMOP DCC gear is expensive (again) and with a small single operator layout not worth it.

I was originally considering a very small branch station but having seen plans like the Minories and even Buckingham perhaps my scope is a bit wider now, as someone else mentioned from an N background all my layout plans books are N based but maybe I just need to have another look at them and scale up the dimensions.

[Bigmet]

Two thoughts.

Space is going to be tight, so shorter coaches will help. From earlier ranges, in addition to Triang/Hornby, there are shorter coaches various from Farish OO, Airfix GMR, Mainline, and the early 1990s productions of BR mk1 57' non-gangwayed from Bachmann branchline.

The plan shows set track curves, but these don't mean you cannot use Peco's 2' radius electrofrog code 100 points, if prepared to use flexible track for the station. The improvement in slow running - which is going to be what this layout is about - compared to set track dead crossing points, is very significant.

[fourtytwo]

Hi Bigmet thanks for the thoughts and especially the carriage advice.

It is very tempting to just fill the space with track but my original plan was a small single platform branch terminus, although there are many plans that show more could be fitted in I think they would be out of proportion with the available train length, it may well be that the baseboard width is to much for such a station but as these are intended to be portable modules to survive house moves I would rather err on the large size than have to scrap them later when perhaps building a larger station. I have much to re-learn in OO such as coupling systems, slow running and inching for shunting etc etc so I think I will apply the KISS principle!

I am sorry I did not mention any details in the plan, it was a knockabout to estimate train lengths and such like, the points are Peco C100 medium radius (36" radius) and the curves are just lumps of flexi at 2' & 3' radius to show me how much space the curve might take and where the ends might be. I would definitely use live frog points same as I used in N gauge a definite improvement since my last OO layout over 40 years ago, I think Hornby had just introduced super 4 to improve upon series 3!!

I am pretty certain I am looking realistically at 3 coaches max for normal operation so larger stations are not going to be in proportion, in any case starting from zero on a tight budget it will take many years to build an appreciable stock base again.

One thing that interests me is the issue of release crossovers, I am not sure in what era they started disappearing, but perhaps not until full dieselisation in a country branch, of course to do without one requires a replacement loco available at the station to remove the arriving train, another conundrum.

[fourtytwo]

I have sketched out what I think is the largest terminus I can get away with, two platform roads long enough for 3 coaches to be left with the engine running around plus some reasonable goods facilities. The approach curve from the traverser is 36" radius and all the points are Peco 100 long except the release Xover and engine shed that are medium. What are the obvious mistakes please
No Turntable as service will be by tanks and very occasional special leaving tender first.

[End2end]

Looks like a good plan.
Only thing I can think to add would be some wagon storage sidings leading to the right from the goods yard spur.
Perhaps 2 sidings with a run around?
Thanks
End2end

[fourtytwo]

Thanks e2e
I agree there's no crocks/brakevan road quite right
Hmm I think the extra siding & run-round might overcrowd it and a bit un-prototypical perhaps although its freelance anyway
I think maybe the platform with a release crossover could act as a goods arrival, so many branch termini have no separate run-round facilities for goods I assume that's how it was done OR pull out the goods with a pilot to release the arrival loco.

[Mountain]

I need to mention that in regards to planning, going from an N gauge plan to a 00 gauge plan is easy. You just douple it in length and width so a 2x4ft N gauge layout is a 4x8ft layout in 00.

As you were used to N gauge, this should help you visualize what will fit in 00.

[fourtytwo]

I have added some improvements, cleared the points from the baseboard break and added a kickback to the goods to allow independent shunting and protect platform 2. The loco/industrial area is still not right but then easy to alter later.

[fourtytwo]

Things have moved on a bit in the past month, the final plan that is now under construction is shown below.

[aleopardstail]

that gradual approach curve should look amazing in "N"

[fourtytwo]

Hi Leapord, that was one of the interesting things I found moving from N to OO, the radius remained the same (around 3ft). In N I always tried to get in the biggest in the space available, OO much the same and the same space. I have a picture of that curve from the traverser end

I see you have gone the U-channel route for servo-mounts, any chance of a closeup ? here are my L angle efforts (unfortunately lots of cuts & holes)

[aleopardstail]

Nice traverser, servo mounts are nothing special, 15mm channel from B&Q

shown with the microswitch mount on the side of the test bracket I made first

[fourtytwo]

Thanks for the vote Nearest B&Q to me is 15 miles so I use whatever I can find in my local hardware store, I had heard about the U-method, nice to see it in the flesh! I eliminated the micro-switches by using an extra pole on the panel mounted switch that operates the point, much simpler IMOP, sometimes if the point is far away I use a relay operated by the same method.

How are you getting on with servo-twitching etc, there are many lurid stories all over the net but I have not personally experienced any problems yet.