Dennis HO

That 3D view ain't rocket science .... just make your design as you normally do, and then get the 3D view ... easy ... Grts Dennis

I use AnyRail for the design work. Very good tool and easy to use also. I have a 2.5% gradient in the helix, which should be ok. A friend of mine has a similar one and doesn't has any issue with it. Also, the "up-track" is on the outside so it has a smaller gradient than the inside "down-track".

Hi folks, Have been working on the track in the helix area. The upper loop on the helix is the main double line that goes around the layout. I have a point that goes off this mainline, and into the helix inner loop (21,5inch radius) counter clockwise. Trains coming from the fiddle yard are on the outside loop of the helix (24inch radius), going clockwise, and get connected to the main layout at the main station. The fiddle yard itself isn't designed yet. We need to make some kind of list of the rolling stock we want, and make sure we got the space to store this. So, some more design work needs to be done. That's all for now, but more to come. Grts Dennis

Hey Neil, we will be using peco code 75 all over the layout, so a 2 rail dcc setup it will be. Must say I'm jealous of your series 55 collection there mate, especially that 5531, 5537 and 5541. I hope I can still get my hands on some, because they are hard to find, at least the good detailed ones. Greetings Dennis

Hey, that's really a cool small layout. And those Series 55 diesels are a must have on our layout also. We need a few of those for the goods trains running containers, coal or other bulk goods around the layout. I'll think about that mate. Both levels don't need to be joined at all. The station building will be in front of the tracks, meaning, on the inside, so the clear view of the trains will be partially blocked, but that is not really an issue. An other option here is to move the station towards the garage wall, and move that parade track that currently runs behind the station, in front of the station. Still, some thinking and tweaking the layout needs to be done here also. About the removable bridges, well, at first it seems to be a good solution, but considering us getting passed that section many times, the brigdes might get damaged over time (which is not something we want off course). Someone else suggested to skip the bridges and just have the base board of the layout run straight through, but without anything else underneat it, maybe a section with hinges that swings the section down. Since the baseboard on our layout will be between 45" and 48" above the garage floor, there is actually plenty of height to get passed underneat the layout. But, we're still considering the option on keeping the bridges as it brings some variaty to the scenery. Overall, I think we got something usefull, with most of the things in the layout we really like having. In the next months we will start collecting some rolling stock (see how far we can get with that). The actual build will probably start towards the end of this year. Greetings Dennis

Howdy folks, I've been quite busy with my dad, figuring out the new layout, and we think we finally got something. The main station is stil along the long wall of the garage, but we moved the scenery and show-off tracks away from the wall to get nice views on passing trains, which was one of the main goals of the layout ... trains moving along. Below a nice overview of what we got. Main station, now with 2 passing tracks and just 1 siding except the 2 we had before. Tracks are long enough to service trains 8 units long, but we will probably reduce the passenger train length to 6 (still thinking about that). This station will be at level 0 inch. Small section of the main station for the branch line, that goes to a terminus station in the middle of the layout. Since it is just a branch line, we scrapped the double track and went for single track only (thnx for the idea Joseph), with a passing siding halfway between the 2 stations. both these stations will be at level 0 inch. We might increase the height of the terminus station to make it look more confincing. A placeholder section (yellow piece of track) for a future TMD or logistics area. Depending on the progress of the progress, we might include this also. This section is at level +6 inch, so the other tracks can pass underneat this section. Trains will run around the layout twice, before entering the main station again. To prevent trains from running in the same direction all the time, we included 2 "reverse loops". One is at the left hand side of the layout, partially visible. The other one is completely hidden below the TMD area. At these points we got access to the helix in the left corner, that leads into the fiddle yard (this section still needs some thinking and tweaking). To get good access around the layout, we made an opening in the middle of the layout. The tracks here will be removable bridges. It will also be a nice sight to see the trains pass some bridges. Overall we got plenty stretches of track for running. In the middle of the layout, and also a long stretch along the main station (at level +6 inch) Below a 3D overview, so you folks can see the gradients and heights in the layout. Hope you folks like what we did so far. Still open for suggestions on improvement.

Thnx Joseph, good thinking. BTW, this Flickr album gives an idea of what we like on our layout (not my photos, just to make sure). https://www.flickr.com/photos/treinfotobelgie/page1 Greetings Dennis

Thnx for the warm welcome mate. If it's such a madhouse here, we will blend in perfectly . And also thnx for your remark on the "worthless setrack curved points and derailments. That is what we're looking for: a big nice layout with great diversity of use: long straight parade tracks, stations, a TMD, ... And you're right, good to be here, even if we Belgians are a minority here So you mean I should mix the different codes in my layout? And thnx about the remark on the slopes. The main lines in the current design are just a suggestion. Our intention is to keep grades below 2% First of all, thnx for the multiple useful replies. Basically you're telling me to use the Code 75 instead of the Code 100. We were thinking of using the Code 100 type because of its strength and durability. About the main lines and branch line on the layout, thnx for the suggestions. We will have a look at them this weekend and see what we can do with them. Our layout won't be having lots of hills and will be rather flat. BTW, good tip on having a single track for the banch line ... good thinking there. In Belgium, trains run on the left, which will be also what we will do on our layout. Will have to dive deeper in the code 75 vs code 100 thing ... maybe the code 75 isn't a bad idea after all ... For now, thnx for all the advice ... Keep posted for more progress Greetings Dennis

Hey Mike, Yeah, those series 55 diesels were the trains from my youth, and we will definitely get a few ones on our layout. They were widely used back in the days, for both passengers and goods. And I must agree with you, modern trains are slightly less interesting than they were back in the days. Now, back to the design for the layout we are about to build. The first one gives an idea of what we're looking for in our layout. The garage is big enough to fit a nice layout. On the top, there are two windows, on the right the garage door (secional door, opens straight up). There is also a door that goes to the corridor. Basic idea is to have two stations, and a TMD area. On the layout, trains will ride left. On top, there is the main station, with long platforms for the long passenger trains running on the main line. There are a few siderails in that station for the branch line which goes to the terminus station, that is linked to some sort of TMD area. The main station will be against the wall, the terminus station with the TMD will be operable from both sides, mainly because it will be a busy area in the layout. We're still figuring out a few things: how we will have the main line and the branch line laid out how to get from the main layout to the fiddle yard (using a slope or with a helix) track spacing on the main lines will be 2" center-to-center. That's why we're looking for long radius curves for the visible tracks, but we probably will have to place them further apart in some curves or areas In the fiddle yard we have a reverse loop, but we also need two in the main layout. We're still figuring out where to place them. Where to go from the main layout to the fiddle yard The fiddle yard will be located under the main station. A secondary fiddle yard might be added below the TMD, but for now, we will go with just the one below the main station. There are a few long tracks for the long goods trains we like to run, some less long for the passenger trains, and a few short ones for the short (2 coaches) trains that will run on the branch line (we might add a few more of those). On the left in the reverse loop, there are a few short pieces of track to 'park' a single loco. If you folks have some suggestions to put more interest in the layout, please let us know, we're open for ideas. Or, if we have some "stupid mistakes" in our design, just tell us (we don't bite ). So, still lots of things to figure out, but hey, that's part of the fun. So for now, back to the drawing board . Greetings Dennis

Howdy folks, I'm new here, so let me introduce myself. My name is Dennis, 44 years old, and living in Belgium (non-UK, sorry ). I joined here basically to learn new stuff about building a digital HO-scale layout. Back in the days, when I was still living at my parents place, we had a rather small, but nice analog layout. Nothing really fancy, or with lots of detailed scenery, but we (me and my dad) had great fun with it, although the layout was pretty small, with just 3 locs and some other rolling stock. . Due to circumstances, the layout is no more ... sadly. That's about 20 years ago now ... In the meantime, my dad retired and a while back he came up with the idea to build a new layout again. We talked about it alot in tha past months on what to build, and also, where to build it. We definitely want the layout to be significantly bigger than the old one. My dad hasn't enough room to build it, so we are going to build it together, here at my house (just a few houses away from my dads place). At first we were thinking about building it here in the attic, a nice large open space (but full of rubbish and other stuff). So, we decided to build it in my garage, which is currently used for my car, but I will get an electric one from work and I don't have it inside the house when charging (potential fire hazard), so the garage will be "un-used". There are more benefits to build the layout in the garage rather than in the attic: garage is on the ground floor , so easy access with building materials needed for the layout windows to look outside, so a nicer space to build no need for a small ladder to access the layout area. My dad is currently 66 years old, and if he gets older, he still needs "easy access" to the layout. An attic ain't a good option ... building it in the garage will give the opportunity to move the layout (if needed in the future). When building it in the attic, moving the layout is impossible. Here is a list of "requirements" for the new layout: location: garage - basically 23ft by 11ft - lots of "opportunity space" Layout will be HO-scale - DCC controller We want to run trains from the year 2000 or more recent (not really a specific country) - European trains, but that doesn't mean we won't like older trains on the layout, such as a nice old diesel (such as my avatar) or steam loc with matching coaches. Basic setup: big main station on one side of the room, a TMD / terminus station on the other side and a few nice running tracks to let the trains run. We were looking at the Dean Park Station layout, and that is kinda what we are looking for We like to have passenger trains running 6 or maybe 8 units long, goods trains can be way longer than that. Also some short local passenger trains that will run between the main station and the terminus station. the layout will be DCC-controlled track: peco streamline code 100 for all visible tracks, peco setrack code 100 for hidden tracks and fiddle yards all visible track will be smooth with long points and smooth curves (30 inch raduis or larger) for realistic scenery We already have made a few designs of the layout as we would like it to be in AnyRail. I will post them here also ... We are also aware of the size of the project: it will takes a lot of time and money, but hey, it's a hobby and we both like it so we can share costs. We hope to find good info and help here on the forum, but I'm sure we're at the right place here. That's all for now .. more to come folks ... Greetings Dennis