Wrapping Paper Box Track Plan

[noctilux2]

Having built three OO gauge layouts in 22L Really Useful Boxes and being totally sold on these containers for layouts, I am struggling to come up with a new track plan to fit the 29 x 8.5” space of my newly acquired box.  My previous efforts may be found under “Kidmore Boxed” (originally built in one but expanded to two boxes) and “Dead End”.  Thought perhaps a fresh pair of eyes on the subject would help my mental block !

 

Any suggestions greatly received.  My partner has suggested a sea wall or dockside but can’t see how that could fit the restricted space.

 

[Alex TM]

Hi,

 

Just had a look at the above layouts on your website.  Nice work, and entertaining looking too.  Something for me to learn from.

 

Good luck with the next one.

 

Regards,

 

Alex.

[TechnicArrow]

You want ideas, I've got them... what follows is the result of a student downloading AnyRail, and having lots of time (read: procrastinating) but no space or budget at that time. Maybe this thread could be used to collect other track plans for this size into one place.

 

All of these plans are pretty track-intensive, supposedly representative of urban goods yards or similar, but they might work as more rural layouts as well.

First, a fully self-contained box. Back left is a warehouse with loading platform, with canal and crane at the front of the scene. The left-hand end can be open or could be a further warehouse, perhaps with one or both of the tracks continued to hidden sidings behind doors. On the right the sector plate is concealed by a taller warehouse with wagon-turntable accessed hidden siding. Rope or chain shunting is essential to make this layout work, and makes for very "hands-on", not auto-uncoupling, operation!

The second layout requires a fiddle-stick or traverser, but provides easier shunting. It's effectively an inglenook with a kickback siding, allowing an engine to haul a train in, run round, shunt, and leave again, all on stage. The canal basin was the primary function of this layout, but it could be removed and the front-left point replaced by a Y, to slew the headshunt forwards and give a more open feel.

In both cases the track adjacent to the canal could be inset, but further away modelled as in poor condition with typical industrial-grade trackwork.

 

I've also drawn out a couple of 2-box layouts. The first is an expansion on fairly common two- and three-point layouts; in fact, both boxes here would work on their own, to an extent. It features a run-round loop and multiple sidings that can be "destinations" for various wagons or industries. The fiddleyard/stick could be at either end, or both.

The final plan is pretty that of one of @NHY 581's fantastic layouts, which I felt had a believable but interesting trackplan when I saw it at the Cardiff Small Show earlier this year. I can't work out exactly (or roughly) which layout it is, but I'm pretty confident it's NHY's or at least inspired-by, given it's saved to my computer as "sheep lane"!

 

Feel free to build any of my drawings, as it doesn't look likely I'll get the chance to soon, and it'd be excellent to see them in 3D rather than flat lines!

[NHY 581]

Thanks for the mention, Techie. 

 

You're right. I had Sheep Lane back out for the Small Cardiff show this year. It has since moved on to pastures new, up north and already has a number of exhibitions booked with the new management. 

 

Dimensionally, it's 170cm x 26cm. Scenic section is 110cm. Points are all PECO code 75 short radius if that helps. 

 

Here's a couple of photos just to show what can be done. 

 

 

Rob

[noctilux2]

Many thanks both for your input.  Particularly, this time at least, want to use just the one box so the very first Anyrail production would certainly fit the bill..

[Marly51]

16 hours ago, TechnicArrow said:

You want ideas, I've got them... what follows is the result of a student downloading AnyRail, and having lots of time (read: procrastinating) but no space or budget at that time. Maybe this thread could be used to collect other track plans for this size into one place.

 

Some interesting options, TechArrow! Like you, I have drawn up many plans for medium and small layouts, using AnyRail. Mine are all based on real locations, which I hope to eventually model a few over the next few years! 

Edited September 2, 2019 by Marly51