Earl Bathurst Posted April 11, 2012 Share Posted April 11, 2012 Hi everyone As some are aware i have had a few problems with my current layout and have come to the point i feel like starting again. This is my first real go for a long time on a big layout and have made many mistakes which i know now next time i wouldnt do and know where i have failed. And i feel i have failed this time and need to start agian. I will now have a lot of work to rip this lot up and salvage asmuch as possible. What i need help with is a track plan, i want something to go around the shed and also have a spiral which i can use to split the contiuous run over 2 levels. Can anyone help me by seeing ehat i can get in the space which is available? My shed is 12ftx8ft but dont want the layout boards to be to wide because i find it hard to work on boards that are too wide. Its going to be 00 gauge and the era im modelling is 50s/60s. I have had great help on here which i find useful and hope ill be as lucky this time with people being able to help me Thanks Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grovenor Posted April 11, 2012 Share Posted April 11, 2012 A spiral would take a very large chunk of that shed, do you have room to put the spiral outside (in a weatherproof box)? Keith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earl Bathurst Posted April 11, 2012 Author Share Posted April 11, 2012 No not really the spiral i have is 3ft 6inches. And at present it fits in the corner nearest the door in my shed. ( the 8ft end had the door in the centre) The layout at present is a terminus station it looks good but will install a continuous run next time. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theakerr Posted April 12, 2012 Share Posted April 12, 2012 I would suggest that one of the 1st questions that needs to be answered is what you want out of the railway. For example, do you want to watch trains go by or do you want to "operate" a model railway. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earl Bathurst Posted April 12, 2012 Author Share Posted April 12, 2012 Well want a bit of both enjoy trains going round but then sometimes want to do some shunting. But i cant find a plan to which ticks all the boxes as such. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
definate maybe Posted April 12, 2012 Share Posted April 12, 2012 Hi, I think to help your fellow readers of RMWEB help you, an idea of what you would like to achieve may be needed. You have mentioned a Cornish terminal but are you looking at a certain era, a sleepy branch line, a busy holiday line, a certain type of traffic or stock? Is there a certain item you want to be included? - Turntable, clay works, harbour, viaduct etc and are there any prototype/ model locations which you feel would be of a similar style to your what you want to acheive? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earl Bathurst Posted April 12, 2012 Author Share Posted April 12, 2012 Hi I knew there was something i forgot to include in the opening post. I model 50s/60s period cornwall area or somewhere on the somerset and dorset. Can be fictional or real i dont mind. I want a coninuous run so i can watch trains run by. A station with 4 tracks maybe 2 through lines and couple of platforms. and a fiddle yard of some kind but would also want to include my spiral into the new layout so i can extend to another level with another station on a different level. I think i would want to move away from terminous station and see trains running through on secondary main line theme. And a mpd somewhere on the layout would be good to have with a turntable. Hope this is a bit more info which will be of help. The other question i cant decide on is do i stick with code 75 or code 100? The main section of the layout if you go through the door to the shed is on your left Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mod6 Posted April 12, 2012 Share Posted April 12, 2012 Two very similar topics merged and tidied. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tender Posted April 12, 2012 Share Posted April 12, 2012 Hi I knew there was something i forgot to include in the opening post. I model 50s/60s period cornwall area or somewhere on the somerset and dorset. Can be fictional or real i dont mind. I want a coninuous run so i can watch trains run by. A station with 4 tracks maybe 2 through lines and couple of platforms. and a fiddle yard of some kind but would also want to include my spiral into the new layout so i can extend to another level with another station on a different level. I think i would want to move away from terminous station and see trains running through on secondary main line theme. And a mpd somewhere on the layout would be good to have with a turntable. Hope this is a bit more info which will be of help. The other question i cant decide on is do i stick with code 75 or code 100? The main section of the layout if you go through the door to the shed is on your left Is the spiral something you have made/bought and want to incorporate into a layout or are you open to other suggestions. I.e with 12' x 8' to play with you could run a 1 in 50 incline around two walls to get you up to another level. You could then maybe have your roundy, round on the lower level with a mainline junction leading up the incline to a terminal station. A spiral could limit what you can run up it. Just a thought. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earl Bathurst Posted April 12, 2012 Author Share Posted April 12, 2012 Hi Thanks for the reply. I am looking at a couple of plans which have taken my fancy and i am thinking of not using the spiral now (shame of it is i have just bought it). Any plans as i said would be welcome Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earl Bathurst Posted April 12, 2012 Author Share Posted April 12, 2012 I know im bit gutted i bought it now. (anyone want to buy a spiral lol) Tbh the spiral was a big head ache. Im thinking of going dc for this layout tho. seeing as im really wanting to run 2 contious trains and have a small yard so if i want to shunt then i can. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earl Bathurst Posted April 12, 2012 Author Share Posted April 12, 2012 Well had a rethink of the 4 track and that was me being to ambitious. I have now put my self right and decided to go with a 2 track continous run and a small yard for shunting. What do you mean got to get the feeling? Well i have done dcc before but never dc and fancy having a go at dc, my prob is all my points at the moment are live frog so need to learn how to wire dc? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earl Bathurst Posted April 12, 2012 Author Share Posted April 12, 2012 right i know what you mean. As for control for the layout that is something i need to learn again Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardEyre Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 I wouldn't worry at this stage about DCC vs DC as that won't affect the track layout in any way. And actually, the wiring between the 2 is very similar and live frog points are identical. For me, the first step is to figure out what sort of trains you want to run (passenger, frieght, etc.), when it is set (you've said 50s/60s), and where in the country it will be (roughly). After that, decide how 'intensive' you want the operating experience to be, which will help determine what sort of facilities would be best. A terminous station or yard forces you to 'do' something frequently to keep trains moving, where a loop lets you sit back. It's possible to mix the two. Once you have a picture of that, the sort of track plan you're looking for will hopefully become a lot clearer. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Donw Posted April 15, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 15, 2012 Everyone makes the mistake of trying to cram in too much when they first start. If you want an interesting station look at Dulverton I know it was on single track but with the junction for the exe valy line up the line a bit although the exe vally line trains terminated at Dulverton. Another one to look at is Brent on the main line to Plymouth and also the terminus for the Kingsbridge line. These junctions give some operating interest. Lostwithiel with the Fowey trains would be a cornish example. Don Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crewlisle Posted April 25, 2012 Share Posted April 25, 2012 My exhibition 00 gauge layout 'Crewlisle' is 8.5 ft x 7.5 ft and is designed for entertainment. Many of you will probably have seen it at the NEC 2009, Alexandra Palace 2011 or Taunton 2011. It always provokes comments as to how much you can get in this area without looking out of place. There is always a minimum of two trains running simultaneously and sometimes as many as four. I am sure a modified version of this plan would give you plenty of flexibility and entertainment whatever region you choose to model. It has something for everyone. It is representative of a section of the WCML in NW England on three interconnected levels with the mid level a continuous double track mainline with 25 KV OHL equipment, high level has a four platform terminus for 6 coach expresses + steam/diesel sheds + goods yard and the lower level is a reversing loop which goes right under the layout. No space is wasted on a fiddle yard but is replaced by a 14 cartridge exchange system holding complete trains on the reversing loop inside the operating well. Layout is Lenz DCC, track Peco Code 100 + 32 unmodified electro frog points fitted with Peco point motors. Decoders are Hornby, Bachmann, ZTC and 10 ESU sound decoders. At exhibitions the reliability of the track, points and my 'cheap and cheerful' decoders has never been a problem. There is a track plan and more detailed description on Page 5 of this section 'Layout and Track Design' under the title 'What can I fit in here?' started 10 December 2011. My entry was on 21 Dec Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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