design sizes

I would avoid a track plan that is rectangular, with curved corners.

for such a size, I would aim for, more or less, continuously-curved trackage..........this would allow you to avoid the 'jerk' 'tween straight and curve?

Imagine an elongated, 'waisted' oval?.......or even, an 'egg' shaped plan?

By limiting board [shelf?] width, this also saves on scenery?

Also, any minimal radius curve is more tolerable if you employ transitional curves on entry and exit.....by not having to 'meet' a straight-line run of track, these transitions could be better accomodated.

Another 'advantage' of a gradual transition curve into your minimum radius is, that in fact, as the trains are ''led in'' to the tight curve, even a slightly smaller minimum radius curve could be employed.

you could employ minimum radii in excess of 1 to 1.5 meters?

lots of curved turnouts, though?

Above is shown roughly baseboard wise i came up with. The section across the en-suite door etc is going to be covered, on top will be an 009 end - end section modelled on the new welsh highland railway. Please make alterations if you see fit! Any suggestions welcome

Walk in wardrobe is going to house all the electronic gubbins and my lenz set 100 boxes etc, i thought maybe i could have my self a small fuelling depot and would provide a switched dead section for easy addition and removal of trains without causing short circuit. This would be accessed by a small hole through wall as indicated.

Layout design wise, im looking for 3 lines, a double main and a branch, all three will loop but will alternate between visible and hidden by scenery etc to provide a realistic view.

JK

That's an impressive size available for the layout; I'm envious!

While, in principle, I agree with much of what Alastair says, I think that a continuously curved layout of that size would come a long way out in the corners. With that length available there is nothing wrong with a bit of straight down each side as long as you enter the corner curves very gently with as Alastair says long transistion curves. I would have a minimum radius of at least 1m but this for only 45 degrees of each corner. It will allow close coupling of coaches as a nice extra. As we discussed on another thread recently, transistion curves really separate the realistic model railway from those that are toy-like.

Also you might consider not packing in too much railway. I think that overcrowding also looks unrealistic. Your idea of a double track main line and a single track branch sounds really good and could be made to look very realistic in that size. Your space is large enough to take two stations but it depends on how much covered area you want for a fiddle yard. If you are going to run long express trains then you might need all of one side or one end.

Good luck; let us know how things progress.

Thanks for your input, i always know what im looking for in my head but never really know how to make it look realistic when placing it on the baseboard. Ive always had tail chasing layouts before never being big enough to run long convincing trains, this should be a chance for some of my express loco's to stretch their legs rather than being sat in my display case! Being away from doing any modeling for a bit has been sparked by various visits to my local WSR (West Somerset Railway) and being a member of the Welsh Highland Project. I wish to try and include both 00 and 009 in a convincing way using modern image. Hopefully successfully running the modern mainline locos and steam narrow gauge locos without looking to fake.

The room has just been converted from a cider barn adjacent to our house and is being plastered on mon. As soon as its painted i will be starting the baseboard. I cant really deviate on baseboard sizes as the room has to be used as my bedroom, and for all that hard studying to get into architecture school! (Hopefully i wont get to distracted!)

If anyone has any layout design ideas please share!