[isopyl]

Hi,

I am looking to build my first OO layout and I have been playing around with various track plans, the latest of which can be found below (8 foot x 4 foot).

I found it quite tricky to come up with a layout that didn't have an engine and three carriages blocking the main two loops (I abandoned four carriages as this made running two trains almost impossible). I have noticed that many small layouts have very small sidings and stations so I'm not sure how they actual work when using even modest length trains.

I have included a small bypass on one of the sidings to allow the engine to be moved from one end of a train of wagons to the other. I haven't seen this on many layouts even large ones. Is there a reasons for this? Do people generally just lift the trains off the track and move them around?

Any comments appreciated.

Thx,
Stephen

 

[isopyl]

Thx for the input so far

In answer to TVG, I have seen layouts with return loops which are quite large. All I was really saying is with most layouts I have seen so far around the internet and in Hornby's Track Plan book, even large ones, the siding are quite simple and wouldn't allow for moving the engine from one end of a set of wagons to the other. I'm really looking for a general purpose layout that can run a combination of passenger trains and a bit of shunting using three of four wagons. This I have found to be quite difficult when trying to fit it on an 8 x 4 foot board and leaving some room for scenery and buildings. I have to say that I do quite enjoy that fact that trains running in oppsite dirrections on the two different loops will seem to head towards each other until they hit the crossovers at the bottom (A bit too Adam's Family maybe?)

In answer to Doug, I will bear that in mind although this is the great thing about using Hornby VR2. It is not the best software to use (I found XtrkCad easier) but it is easy to test run trains. It allowed me to try out a passenger train with three carriages and a goods train to make sure they could move around with blocking the main loops.

First layout is always going to be a bit hit and miss but I might as well ask around and do the best I can.

Thx again.

 

[isopyl]

Once again, many thanks for all the useful comments.

I have the 60 Plans book on order and I will try and get the other companion book as well.

I think I would prefer the layout on one level to keeps things simple construction wise.

Anyway, I've played around with the plan this afternoon and made it even more complex. I've added a return loop, an extra station so the passenger trains can go between them and an extra goods area again so goods trains can travel between them. The junction area at the bottom is now looking pretty complex. I have also hinted where the road that services the main station will sit.

 

[isopyl]

Well first off I looked up "double slip" and now I know what one is, Hornby don't do one and therefore isn't included in their software.

Nice idea though

 

[isopyl]

Well I finally took on board what had been said or hinted at by double00 and ChrisE and scrapped my origanal plans. I would have found it very difficult to man handle an 8x4 board and the space it was to occupy would have left very little room for access, construction and to get to the windows.

So, I've decided to scape ideas of long passenger trains, loops and DCC for the moment and have gone for an end to end design based on two destinations separated by many miles reprsented by a hilly strip down the middle of the board and a tunnel (not shown on the plan below).

I will look around something like the Backmann Junior 0-4-0 locomotive and some short wagons along with some short passenger cars.

Anyway, comments as always appreciated.

 

[isopyl]

Again, lot's of useful comments and here are my answers to some of the comments and questions:

QUOTE add a further board of 2' square at each end of your present design
That seems reasonable idea but even first radius curves take up 15" and that is assuming the feeding track is tight against the edges and so this would leave very little extra usable track area. All the L and U shaped plans in the "60 Plans for small railways" are quite large (e.g. 13x8', 9x7', 7x6', etc).

QUOTE When designing a fiddle yard and station platform, a common fault made ... is the length of rail to accomodate the number of coaches and wagons
Fair comment but the physical space restricts the length. I will just have to use small engines and small wagons. Can't see a way round that.

QUOTE You might be 12 years old small & agile or like me you might be 50+
Somewhere in between but living by myself so I need to move things around by myself. The physical floor space I have available at a maximum is 8.5x4' and of course I need access to all sides to built it in the first place (lay track, add scenery, etc).

QUOTE The second question is what do you want to run?
I want to run two continuous loops and two trains going at the same time and lots of interesting sidings and junctions. Trouble is that really takes an 8x4' board minimum and the only space for it is under the window and so that plan is out (I need access to the window really). Even a cutout in the middle doesn't work and I'm not prepared to duck under the table to open the curtains or the window, such practical matters I know

The end to end idea I still like but I don't just want one 'end' of a layout which is why I have gone for two destinations with a hill down the middle separating them.

I can't really get enthusiastic about N gauge. I want to do OO gauge as I have some track, some wagons and some models I want to re-use.

Thx again for your time

 

[isopyl]

QUOTE Might I recommend that you spend a couple of hours looking at: http://carendt.com/
Hey for once I was ahead of the game. That is the site I used as inspiration for my end to end layout.

Right, I have had another think and this time I have tried to figure in as many different practical considerations as possible.

I can get 3 915x610mm boards from homebase to create a 1830x915mm layout. That makes the cutting easy and will fit nicely into the space and allow me access. It also has the plus point of fitting on my dining room table (just about) which I could use for some of the track laying and some of the scenery.

I then took some of the ideas from http://carendt.com and put them inside a loop that uses 2nd radius curves for the outside curves and 1st radius curves for the inside. This acts as an easement which may help me run more stock. I still can only use short trains but it seems like a nice compromise.

I have run through the layout using some sample trains and as far as I can tell, this will work as long as I keep the rolling stock on the short side.