[fooldancing]

Hello again everyone,

I have been away from the forum for a very long time (too Long), and I am ready to get back into my outdoor layout. Here is a picture of what I have so far. I put some heavy fabric down so I wouldn't have to mow or weed in between my track and layout. It's not much, but it is much bigger than the layout I have out front that is being over taken by weeds as I write this...LOL What I was hoping for is some help with a track plan. For the life of me I can't seem top come up with something other than a "L". I don't have any switches yet for siding or or anything. I don't mean to sound like I want you to do my work for me. On the contrary, I am hope to combine our collective ideas into one great little railroad. I have about 300' of track and my curves are 8' diameter. I probably have close to 3 full circles of 8's.

Thank you and I hope you can help me out.,
Matt Myers (central PA)

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Here are the dimentions.

The upper "L" is 13'10"wide the side of the "L" is 30'long the long staright is 58'long and the right edge is 20.5' deep.

 

[DKRickman]

Matt,

I'd be happy to ofer my two cent's worth, but a little more information would be useful.

How large is the available space?

Do you want a point to point, or continous loop railroad?

Do you like operating or watching trains? Yard switching? Locals? Passenger trains?

What sort of grades do you want? Your site looks relatively flat - if not, how much elevation change is there across it?

Do you want lots of scenery, lots of track, or a little of both?

Do you plan on buying more track, or do you want to keep it to what you already have on hand?

Any information along these lines would be a help in creating something you'll be happy with. Otherwise, it's truly a shot in the dark.

 

[fooldancing]

Kenneth,
I would like to have a continuous loop with a mix of both track and scenery. My budget right now won't allow me to purchase more track, but I would like to have so sidings and a yard in the future.
I like just watching the trains with my kids, how ever I do have digital sound and like to play with that..LOL
I have both a passenger train and a freight train.

I hope I answered all of your questions if not I would be more that happy to try again,
Thank you,
Matt Myers

 

[fooldancing]

OH,
My site is pretty flat with only a slight grade. I don't know what the grade is, but I shouldn't have a problem running.
When I get home this evening I will draw a better map of the dimentions.

 

[jimtyp]

Matt,

Some things to consider for your layout.

- Plan big but start small - allows you to start running trains sooner as you don't have to wait on the time and money for all the stuff in your big plan.
- Double track - allows for trains to be running side by side or approaching from different directions while relatively close - looks cool in my opinion.
- Build a storage unit or run the trains into a shed or garage, this allows for less handling of the rolling stock and more time for running trains.
- Allow for a trestle
- Allow for a bridge over some water
- Allow for one train to cross over another
- Keep grades low as trains can run slow up and very fast down
- Tunnel
- Rail yard
- Engine house with turntable
- Sidings for passing trains and picking up goods from different industries
- If you have a favorite railroad sometimes folks will simulate it, like the main towns and stops, etc.

 

[Pete Chimney]

A few issues come to mind in looking at your fabric patch.

1. Is the fabric UV-proof? In other words sunlight won't break down the fabric.
2. Is the fabric cotton or other natural product? Laying a cotton product on the ground will cause it to mould and rot.
3. Is the farbic well fastneed to the ground? If the fabric is at all loose the act of walking on the fabric may cause it to pull and this can distort your track out of alignment.

Finally, how spongy is this base of fabric sitting on the ground (on grass)? In other words will your track flex laterally or up and down as a train moves along the track due to a soft base. This is a concern for derailments.

 

[fooldancing]

Pete,

I'm not sure what the material is made of it is from a paper manufacturing plant. I have been told by people who have used it for other things outdoors, that it will last for at least a decade. I covered the grass, I probably should have excavated it in hind sight.
I have it secured pretty well to the ground, and I am planing on "staking" the track with a medium to heavy gauge stainless steel baler wire so it shouldn't move.

You guys are asking great questions and I hope I am answering them ok.

 

[fooldancing]

The fabric under the swing set and slide deal won't have any track on it. I just got tired of mowing under and around them.

 

[DKRickman]

Matt,

How's this for a start? It's a pretty basic figure eight, but it has plenty of room for scenery and future expansion, if you want to add a yard, more sidings, etc. I made the assumption that you're using LGB R3 curves, or comparable, and that everything else is straight. Personally, I think the resulting plan is a tad bit rigid, but it could be of course be smoothed out if you can bend your own track.

I assumed 12" vertical seperation between tracks, which results in a 1.9% grade. The two sidings are 12' long. Below is a parts list - flex track is measured in inches, so that's just under 147'.

Count | Description
------+------------------------------------
47 | LGB 16000 Curved R3 22.5°
1 | LGB 16050 Electric Switch R3 Right
3 | LGB 16150 Electric Switch R3 Left
0 | 1760.664 G Flex Track
------+------------------------------------

 

[fooldancing]

DK,

Very nice, Thank you. Yes, my curves are R3, mostly Aristo with a mix of LGB.

I really appriciate the help,
Matt Myers

 

[DKRickman]

You're welcome, Matt. When I can't work on a layout or a model itself, layout design is another aspect of the hoby I enjoy.

A couple comments about the plan I posted. I drew the lower (straighter) line coming up and over the other, but I think it may look better the other way around, if the water goes in as drawn. Otherwise there's too much vertical separation between the water and the track.

If you have anything you'd like to see changes about the plan, I'd be happy to try to adjust it. I can send a more detailed plan if you can use it, also.

 

[VillageRail]

The track planning programs can be downloaded, and useful as well as fun. You can layout a grid and choose from actual track pieces you have on hand. I have done this to come up with some creative options on layouts. After getting some ideas on paper, I like to take the track out and lay it down roughly where it might be. This can be very helpful in visualizing the location with respect to the different points of view you will be watching the train from. Or simply how it might look from the deck, picture window, etc. After looking at it for a day or two, I start moving it around to try out different options. I have been doing this now for a couple weeks with a new loop I'm putting in. So far I have narrowed it down to perhaps a half dozen options. However, I have to work around trees, bushes, ponds, and existing track as well as a slope. You have the perfect location, so the only restriction would be how much track you plan to use.

Paul

 

[jimtyp]

Ken, very nice plan. Can you throw in a rail yard and engine house with turntable, just for grins. I may use this for my next layout

 

[Torby]

There are a couple things I like about it:

1. Some senic sections where the track wanders through the garden.

2. A nice long straight where the train stretches out.

3. A siding where you can set up a train while you're running another.

I've always wanted 2 passing sidings spaced about evenly so you could run 2 trains in opposite directions

 

[DKRickman]

Posted By jimtyp on 05/15/2008 8:59 AM
Ken, very nice plan. Can you throw in a rail yard and engine house with turntable, just for grins. I may use this for my next layout

Jim,

You mean like this? I added 3 classification tracks, an arrival & departure track, a runaround track, and a cab track. The a/d track and the switching lead are 145", the same as the sidings. That's a 30" turntable, which works out to 50' in 1:20.3 or 72.5' in 1:29.

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This brings the parts count to:

Count | Description
------+------------------------------------
49 | LGB 16000 Curved R3 22.5°
5 | LGB 16050 Electric Switch R3 Right
8 | LGB 16150 Electric Switch R3 Left
1 | Turntable, diameter 30.000
0 | 2685.875 G Flex Track
------+------------------------------------

Any other suggestions/requests?

You know that if you use my track plan, I expect royalties, in the form of visitation rights! /DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/hehe.gif

Seriously, though, anyone is more than welcome to the plan. If anyone gets rich publishing it, I'd sure appreciate a little consideration, but otherwise use it as you wish

 

[DKRickman]

A couple comments about the plan I just posted, in case anyone is interested:

The yard as drawn can handle trains in both directions. Trains travelling left would have to back in, while trains travelling right would have to be run around in the siding and then shoved in. The opposite would obviously be the case for trains departing.

I used R3 curves and turnouts for convenience. There is no reason whatsoever why any other curve and turnout wouldn't work, as long as your equipment can handle it.

I drew the line closest to the yard as the higher one, going up and over the other. In retrospect, it would probably look better if the elevations were reversed, considering the location of the water.

 

[jimtyp]

Thanks Ken! Yes, I like. It may be a couple of years before I move and rebuild but I'm keeping this plan! And yes, if for some reason it ever gets some praise I'll call it the "Rickman" plan

 

[DKRickman]

Glad you like it, Jim.

I hope the small yard will be enough to keep things interesting, while still allowing plenty of "sit and watch the trains go by" entertainment.

You know, I've never been a big fan of loops of track. My expereince is in HO, and point-to-point with lots of operation is where it's at. But I'm beginning to like this plan myself - maybe I'll build it too!

 

[fooldancing]

Ken,
The additions look great, and of coarse if you are ever in Central PA (Penn State country) you are more than welcome to come and visit. I am going to go with your plan, thanks again. There is an open invite to anyone here if they are ever in my neck of the woods.
Matt Myers

 

[fooldancing]

Well, I have my track laid out. I didn't have enough curves for Ken's exact layout, so I made do with what I have. I hope you like it. I can't run trains yet, put the track plan is done. I have to make the bridge, the metal one is temporary for right now. I am going to get field stones from my father-in-law's farm. The far left side is where I am going to put in a tunnel.

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