Liam_uk

Interesting you say that. I had wondered. However when the loft was boarded out etc I asked the questions and they said it should be ok? I do have brackets onto the wall as well as supports onto the floor as well. I have used the trusses as supports for the boards, they are also more rigid. I will have to make enquiries to double check......

Here is the next section to go in, the loco spurs. I also laid out the next section to the staging to get a feel for it. I went with the modified idea of the 2 railroads having their own access to the industrial spur, but each has on industry each to service on their access lines. Again any help or ideas or advice welcomed.

Had an hour in the loft today. Managed to get the 2 spurs (think that's right) laid. The top track will be to access the loco area with either a team track/rip track spot at the end. Which ever works best Then added some cars I'm thinking of extending the middle road to be 4 car lengths (length of car depending). That would give the yard an 8 car capacity plus 1 spot for the team/rip track...

Might have to go "proto freelance" and say from the curve onwards is shared track access but they don't go down each others section from the junction....

Layout looks great!! It has given me inspiration for Oliver Springs.

Thank you for the input, it is a horrible thing to use. So much so I took everything up and relaid the track minus underlay. The layout will be in HO scale. The top and bottom boards are 17ft x 18in and the right board is 11ft (top to bottom) x 22 in.

Sounds a good suggestion. I am still new to all this on the American side, I have drawn up 2 different ideas. Could you tell me if they would be feasible Personally I prefer the second one. Maybe even look at slightly raising the NS line going up towards the fiddleyard/staging area. I am also tempted to have the staging area with scenery and add to the operation by switching the cars ready to come onto the main layout.

Ive took a few ideas from Thomas's shortline layout. The yard is a direct copy really. Think I may have put too many industries instead of thinking about operations and car spotting.

I will look out for the books, I have seen a few of the videos about Lance Mindheim's layouts and workings

I've just caught up with the full thread. I originally found the layout from Youtube videos, but I have really enjoyed seeing the layout developing. Please keep up the good work, and I will be keeping up to date with the layout

Evening all, Just wanted to start sharing my American outline layout. After looking at N Scale and Then trying to fit a "roundy" HO in the space available I decided the best option would be to go for an Industrial Spur. As you can see from the track plan the layout will come from the staging area into the scenic section, through a few industries to the small exchange/sorting yard. The layout will then continue round the corner down to the end with a run round at the end. I only know a few industries which I would like to include (after seeing them on Youtube videos and other layouts). Any help, advise or ideas would be gratefully received. As Ive said before I am still relatively new to the American "scene" and mainly like the operation side of the railroad, so dont know if Ive made mistakes or got things wrong. Today I have laid my first tracks on the layout. I am starting with the yard and working outwards. It is also the first time I have used Cork underlay, cant say I am impressed, but seeing as the railroads seem to be deeply ballasted I thought it would be necessary to create the correct ballast shoulders.

Hi all, So I've been thinking about this question, whilst spending most of my free time as "death by Woodwork". With most of the larger side nearly complete I borrow some of my uncles N scale stock. Whilst it did look good on the board and would be very fitting as trains in the landscape, to make the train look a decent and not lost it needed 20 - 25 cars. This meant that by the time most of the train was out the yard it was nearly out the yard it was already heading back in (if that makes any sense!). Maybe if I had a staging area underneath it would negate that as you could run onto the layout, around all 4 sides and back off again. I've also been looking at smaller layouts on Youtube and the internet in HO scale. I've decided to go for the best of both worlds scenario. I am going to collect NS Coalporters to go with the 2 Kato SD70s in NS that I currently have. This will then run on my uncles layout at exhibitions. In the loft I will then go to HO and make a small yard with industries with NS as the operator, maybe even a few others tbd. So thats the way forward from here once I have finally finished gluing, screwing and getting covered in saw dust. Thank you for everyone that responded, and if anyone is interested I will make a thread to keep people upto date with layout as well as me asking loads of questions....

WOW! I hadn't expected that much food for thought! Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to reply and give a reply. I will try and answer things best I can. This one maybe a long post..... I havent got a place in mind. I do like What I have seen in videos etc in Virginia and Michigan. I also really like the RS Towers layout and the BNSF Fall River Division in HO, which I recently found and it was the first layout that made me sit there and think I need more space. It is so well modelled and has the right mix of operation and scenic runs. Maybe somewhere in a woodland area/countryside. I saw Z gauge next to us at Milton Keynes and whilst I can see the appeal for some, its not for me. Thank you for the suggestion though I am mainly interested in operating. I do like to "play" when operating. but I would like to see some scenic area to run through as well. Ive not heard of Freemo and will give it a look. Thats alot of questions, but I will try an answer them, It will mainly be myself probably 60% of the time, with others the rest. Not fussed on having lots of trains running, maybe a maximum of 2 in some form. Not too fussed on the length of trains. Was thinking in HO probably a max of 15-20 cars and in N probably 30 or so. I like to operate and like realistic operations, and that appeals to me with american modelling as everything is done for a reason. But I also like to building (post woodwork!), and like to give scenery a go. I have only built one layout before attempting this, and it will be the top deck of a double decker loft layout. I like adding detail and making a realistic scene, but I dont want to go any bigger than HO. Ive watched several youtube videos. It was that that got me interested. I start by watching UK webcams and when nothing seemed to go past I looked further afield. I then came across Virtual Railfan. After watching those I saw the signalling and wanted to find out more, this is where I discovered Danny Harman (Distance Signal) and Delay in Block Youtube Channels. And this is where I saw Locals, which I was really interested in as they are the same as our old Speedlink and Enterprise Networks, which are an interest of mine. Dont have a type of train really, But Locals really interest me. Hi Keith, to answer No1 - as I said above I start by watching UK webcams and when nothing seemed to go past I looked further afield. I then came across Virtual Railfan. After watching those I saw the signalling and wanted to find out more, this is where I discovered Danny Harman (Distance Signal) and Delay in Block Youtube Channels. And this is where I saw Locals, which I was really interested in as they are the same as our old Speedlink and Enterprise Networks, which are an interest of mine. No2 - It is part of a double deck layout so I can progress with the English Deck whilst sorting the american deck. Hi Pete, thank you for the suggestion, but I want to stay with HO as the largest size... Im hoping the staging will be on show and be the yard where trains are sorted. Seen that alot are single line with passing sidings which I would model if I went N. I dont have thousands every month as I have a family etc, however I also understand that any hobby is expensive. It is cheaper than my last hobby of Rallying. Sound isnt the be all, but I do like having sound as for me it enhances the scene your trying to create. I like the locals and short lines that I have seen. But also like the larger trains. Although I wont be able to model them in full length in either scale. I would like to get some prototypical operations in, but will probably be a little freelance as I am still learning. A sort of Proto Freelance lol. I have more experience in 00. my exhibition layout started as a N gauge British. However I like the 00 locos and availability more so switched, I operate my uncles N scale and N gauge exhibitions and that is what lead me to look at N scale (picture attached). Ive never built a layout of this magnitude, just building one exhibition layout. However I suppose you have to start somewhere. plus as I have mentioned it is part of a double decker layout, so should always have something to play with.... Thank you for everyone who took the time and I hope my replies have answered everthing

Your right there, but I am just trying to get peoples opinions as well. What would you do in that space out of interest? If it helps I am looking to go DCC and eventually sound.... Looking at modelling 90s/early 00s

Hi, I've recently got into american railroads. I've decided to turn my new loft layout into an american railroad. Thing is I am unsure whether to do it in N scale and have a running line through the countryside with twin track and a few industries. Or do I go HO and have less of a line with a small yard, running line with several industries. I have attached a picture of the space I have available, with the 2ft wide boards being a yard/fiddleyard on show and scenic. Any ideas, plans or views are welcome. I am still very new to the american "scene" since only becoming interested during the first lockdown.

I have contemplated putting putting the 00 on the bottom, in the less is more approach and then have 2ft to 2ft6 wide boards on top for the american to give a big picture of trains in the landscape

The timbers in front of the layout doesnt bother me too much as you get nearly 2ft between each one. Its my compromise to having a longer run. Ive thought about having under fiddleyards and alsorts. And with the roof angle having a fiddleyard behind is more complicated. The double deck is best of both worlds...

In terms of the layouts, they have both been raised 2 inches since the picture. It doesn't sound much but makes alot of difference. Ive got some small stools that are perfect for sitting on the operate

The N scale layout will be East coast, mainly CSX and NS in about 95 - 05 ish.

Thank you for your input and thanks for watching my videos

I can fully stand in the middle of the loft, and sit quite comfortably on a stool close to the layout

Hope the pictures help. There will be 2 decks to the layout as you can see, so accessibility also has to play a part in the design