Track Plans for North American Layouts

[Talltim]

Hmm, trouble is then you lose the canyon

[trisonic]

Can I remind you of Three Bridges, NJ? Freight cars are propelled through this very tight S curve every time a move is made off the main (Conrail) NS Secondary:

 

http://www.mapquest.com/maps?city=Three%20Bridges&state=NJ

 

Sorry, Zoom in on satellite and shift slightly to the right.

 

 

Best, Pete.

Edited July 29, 2014 by trisonic

[Glorious NSE]

Hmm, trouble is then you lose the canyon

 

Will keep juggling the elements till I find something that looks and feels right - at least these show that it's feasible within the space...

[Adrian Wintle]

For an idea of a factory, this is the Invista (formerly DuPont) factory in Kingston, Ontario. I believe it mainly produces nylon and the like. Tank cars and covered hoppers, but the leads and storage are on the nicely manicured front lawn.

https://maps.google.ca/maps?hl=en&ll=44.218143,-76.553196&spn=0.003122,0.004801&t=h&z=18

 

Adrian

[Glorious NSE]

With a quick rejig at home - angled rolling mill, and including the "canyon" - interestingly angling the mill freed up enough space for the loco spur to fit between the yard and the buildings, suspect it will sit there better, and it frees up the R/H end for scenery, not that steel mills tend to be very scenic places! I don't think i've lost too much in spur length either...

 

Building the rolling mill, and making it transportable, is going to be a pain.

 

I suspect in real life the yard can be done with a pair of #5 LHs curved to shape in much less space than the huge #7 Peco curves, and that will even up the yard track curvature (which currently hits 18" rad in places, a bit too sharp for my liking even on a yard track)

 

Edited July 29, 2014 by Glorious NSE

[Talltim]

With a quick rejig at home - angled rolling mill, and including the "canyon" - interestingly angling the mill freed up enough space for the loco spur to fit between the yard and the buildings, suspect it will sit there better, and it frees up the R/H end for scenery, not that steel mills tend to be very scenic places! I don't think i've lost too much in spur length either...

 

Building the rolling mill, and making it transportable, is going to be a pain.

 

I suspect in real life the yard can be done with a pair of #5 LHs curved to shape in much less space than the huge #7 Peco curves, and that will even up the yard track curvature (which currently hits 18" rad in places, a bit too sharp for my liking even on a yard track)

 

Nucor.jpg

I think that looks much better, and you've got the features in that you wanted, although at the cost of a some spur length. Perhaps build the turnouts for the exchange yard yourself to get the best curve to space balance?

[Glorious NSE]

Whichever way, i'm confident enough from the drawing that I have enough space to have a better alignment than the out-of-the-box Peco geometry allows.

 

Might also see what the smaller c75 curved points enable...

[skipepsi]

OK this might not be the right place but I would like to know what people think. I have two IKEA wardrobe sides 6ft 6ins long and 23 ins wide and I want to develop a switching layout should I slim the width down to 15/18 ins and buy a Lance Mindheim book?

[trisonic]

Sounds like a deal. Suggest that you choose another location rather than southern Florida, though. There’s a lot about... you can still use his plans for anywhere.

 

Best, Pete.

[switcher 1]

My ISL will be 10ft x 1ft in H0, it has a staging track of around 4ft, a loop/passing track to hold 3 x 50ft cars, with a lead/headshunt that holds a 50ft car & loco, & 3 spurs/sidings, using a 'diamond' to give greater usable length (one is 2ft, another is 3ft, & the 3rd approx 5ft).

 

On this layout I will use flats or very low relief buildings for the 'spots'. I intend to set the baseboard height at around about 45", & use hand uncoupling of Kadee type couplers.

 

(In 0 gauge I would only have got a small 'ProtoNook' in the space, but I wanted more interesting switching.)

[skipepsi]

Thanks for that Simon much as I like O gauge three lengths of Peco code 75 flexitrack is a considered purchase so even second hand O loco's are beyond me. HO it is and at the moment I am thinking two eras a winscosin central GP9 with relatively modern stock and a CN loco in the old livery.... with older rolling stock. Switcher1 your ISL? sounds good to me my total length will be 13ft so a little stretching maybe involved but if I aim for around 1975-80 for buildings and then vary cars and trucks to suit....

 

 

 

 

 

Edited to make more sense hopefully.

Edited August 1, 2014 by skipepsi

[shortliner]

My ISL will be 10ft x 1ft in H0, it has a staging track of around 4ft, a loop/passing track to hold 3 x 50ft cars, with a lead/headshunt that holds a 50ft car & loco, & 3 spurs/sidings, using a 'diamond' to give greater usable length (one is 2ft, another is 3ft, & the 3rd approx 5ft).

 

On this layout I will use flats or very low relief buildings for the 'spots'. I intend to set the baseboard height at around about 45", & use hand uncoupling of Kadee type couplers.

 

(In 0 gauge I would only have got a small 'ProtoNook' in the space, but I wanted more interesting switching.)

Do we have a trackplan, or have I successfully missed it?

[roundhouse]

Sounds like a deal. Suggest that you choose another location rather than southern Florida, though. There’s a lot about... you can still use his plans for anywhere.

 

Best, Pete.

You can never have too much Florida :sungum:

[skipepsi]

You can never have too much Florida :sungum:

I'm thinking Canada/US border area so anything within 20.000 sq miles approx but not Florida no definitely not.

[trisonic]

SMS Lines in Pureland, New Jersey is another interesting railroad. It may be small but it takes it’s business very seriously - also very friendly if you get a chance to visit. Nearest city - Philadelphia.

 

http://www.smsrail.com/

 

Best, Pete.

Edited August 2, 2014 by trisonic

[F-UnitMad]

 

(In 0 gauge I would only have got a small 'ProtoNook' in the space, but I wanted more interesting switching.)

To be honest that's really all my layout 'Portway Center' is; 12ft long in O, & not even any 'proper' car spots or industries to switch...

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/80236-new-layout-under-way-portway-center-o-scale/

 

However it kept my lad & I busy for the full 6 hours of the TVNAM Show back in June. Partly what helped make the switching 'more interesting' was to run two trains; basically exchanging freight between the Class One loco & the Shortline Switcher.

In O, sheer size helps make up for perceived lack of 'action'.

[switcher 1]

Do we have a trackplan, or have I successfully missed it?

Not missed it, I only had started documenting it on NMRA-UK forum.

 

So here is where I am at with it, (it was started as a winter project, with lots of help from forum members as I knew nothing about American Railroading).

I only work on it occasionally - I've got lots of time to finish it.

 

Originally conceived as 8ft x 1ft, but I found I could fit it along another wall which led to the increase to 10ft long.

(For those not in the know - I.S.L. = Industrial Switching Layout.)

 

 

 

 

 

Found another view.

Edited August 2, 2014 by switcher 1

[lakeview770]

You can never have too much Florida :sungum:

Oh yes there is lol, kind of sick of the beach and the hot weather. Today was perfect with a cold but comfortable 24C.

[DanielB]

Here's a rough sketch of an Urban layout I'm tossing around for a future exhibition layout - once Cane River is extended it's going to be increasing difficult to get it out from the layout room, plus it's not particularly great design for getting to exhibitions in it's current state.

 

This may or may not get built, but I figured I'd share it with anyone who might be interested.

 

[switcher 1]

You can certainly squeeze a lot in wiith N gauge, how big is it going to be?

[DanielB]

8x1 for the scenic section.

[F-UnitMad]

8x1 for the scenic section.

Took me a while to work out it's on two levels!! Can I ask if there's part of the lower level rising up to meet the descending line from the upper level? (i.e. the lead behind the freight terminal, labelled to low level storage).

Otherwise it just looks to me like the one connecting line might not be long enough - or end up steeper than intended. It's just a hunch - I may well be wrong.

On the other hand if the lower level tracks didn't actually go right under the high level, then the high level wouldn't have to be high enough for clearence anyway.

It's a busy plan, for sure. What Era is it set? With an Ice Platform & Coal Merchant I'd say 1950's or so?

Edit: Personally I'd change the feed to the glassworks, lower left. The switch lead for those 3 spurs looks quite short - I'd leave that spur there ("Team Track"?) and use diamond crossings to cross that spur and the passing siding with a line feeding the glassworks from the 'main', near the loco servicing, if that makes sense?

Edited November 1, 2014 by F-UnitMad

[DanielB]

Good call Jordan, always fun getting a diamond crossing into a layout

 

The era is late steam, early diesel, so anywhere between 1930's-1950's is the idea.

 

The switching lead only has to be high enough to fit a loco under it, so the gradient shouldn't be an issue. The idea was to see if the locos could manage it, and if not then to get the exit to low level storage to be slightly higher than the lower level industries and have the connecting track between there and the run around loop to be on a grade too.

 

According to SCARM the gradient should be fine as it is, as it's 2% exactly across the board.

[Gordy]

a few o scale 2 rail track plans I have been working on 

a few o scale 2 rail track plans I have been working on 

[k-59]

Here's a rough sketch of an Urban layout I'm tossing around for a future exhibition layout - once Cane River is extended it's going to be increasing difficult to get it out from the layout room, plus it's not particularly great design for getting to exhibitions in it's current state.

 

This may or may not get built, but I figured I'd share it with anyone who might be interested.

 

I like it a lot over all. But that switch back to get into the glass works would be a pain in any case, but only more so given the team track on one of the leads and the number of spots at the glass works.