Layout Plan

[Garyh]

Hi I'm after some help please I have made room in my garage for a area for a layout board space is 11.5 X 8 feet have made baseboard and have been Scratching my head trying to devise a plan after loads of attempts I've come up with below plan, The board has been lowered for the Viaduct scene, I don't want loads of track as I enjoy the modelling side of the hobby but do want trains to be able to run around so have a main line plus branch line and some sidings and this is the bit I think I need help with.

 

The darker square is a lift up section for access which limits me (I think) as what I can do in that corner, i am using Digitrax DCC with a PM-42 thus the different coloured sections. I am going to manly run diesels 60's 70's with a few Steam loco's there is no location I am try to recreate thinking a hill in top right corner with all track's going through (Lift of top)

 

Hope this makes sense 

Gary

[Pete the Elaner]

The lifting section looks problematic. Track needs to go as much at right angles as possible across board joins. This is fine for the purple lines & the yellow/orange ones at the bottom but may be an issue at the far right where they move from 1 board to another by a more gradual angle.

[Nick Holliday]

8 hours ago, Pete the Elaner said:

The lifting section looks problematic. Track needs to go as much at right angles as possible across board joins. This is fine for the purple lines & the yellow/orange ones at the bottom but may be an issue at the far right where they move from 1 board to another by a more gradual angle.

Would it make more sense if the lifting area was increased out to the wall, so that the yellow and orange tracks fit on it, so that the join to the fixed baseboard is a right angle?

[5BarVT]

Definitely less likely to give problems.

Paul.

[Garyh]

Thanks for the reply's I'll look at that tomorrow sure its do able, didn't like lift up section but cant keep crawling under boards, might need to get another piece of board but that's easy enough

 

Gary

[aleopardstail]

if you do take track over a join at an angle make as sure as a sure thing the board will align the same time each time (there are dome shaped alignment thingies for this), also get hold of some PCB sleepers for maybe a few sleepers each side, get the track laid then cut it once the sleepers are never going to move again

[5BarVT]

9 hours ago, aleopardstail said:

there are dome shaped alignment thingies for this

I use DCC concepts alignment dowels - very accurate. They are easy to fit as long as you can get your drill in straight (mine needs 40mm clearance so had to do it before fitting the top on 50mm sides). They do a pack with the right set of spade drill bits too.

Paul.

[aleopardstail]

4 hours ago, 5BarVT said:

I use DCC concepts alignment dowels - very accurate. They are easy to fit as long as you can get your drill in straight (mine needs 40mm clearance so had to do it before fitting the top on 50mm sides). They do a pack with the right set of spade drill bits too.

Paul.

 

I think they are the ones I'm thinking of