Model Railroading > Layout plan feedback

Here is my n scale layout plan so far. I am looking for feedback/suggestions/ideas. A little about it. I am modeling the BN St Joe line, mid 90s, SE Nebraska. Mainly coal traffic. The top left is modeled after Falls City, NE. The diamond is across the UP Falls City sub with an interchange track and small UP yard. There is also a siding top left. Bottom left, the wye represents the Table Rock, NE area. The highway and crossing will likely represent the flour mill/elevator at Humboldt, NE. Again another siding there. Below the blue line at the bottom is a "hidden" siding. This is the area I am most "concerned" about as the reach may be a little far. I thought about hiding it behind a short 6"ish something just to get it out of view but still be able to hide it. Thoughts, opinions, suggestions? Thanks!!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/12/17 09:56 by BN6339.

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Lots of room for more industry tracks especially on the island if the highway is angled more.

i REALLY like the way u hide the staging yard. maybe at least 2 more industries.....

66

i like that plan

goneon66 Wrote:
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> i REALLY like the way u hide the staging yard.
> maybe at least 2 more industries.....

Thanks. I am struggling knowing if I can hide it but also make it easily accessible. It is surprisingly hard to get a staging yard that can enter and exit a layout going both ways. A stub ended one is easy, but then you have to back in or out. I have thought several times of how to use the UP interchange tracks as staging but then I end up with either stub tracks or a balloon (no room). I haven't gotten too far "in the weeds" as far as planning little industries/towns yet. I am still very early in this plan and want to get the mainline and overall operations figured out. Although this line has very few industries, I will for sure add more spurs to service something. Of course just plan single mainline running sounds fun too.

goneon66 Wrote:
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> i REALLY like the way u hide the staging yard.
> maybe at least 2 more industries.....
>
> 66


Great in concept; the way you have the hidden staging yard is common but, believe me, you never want to hide something without being able to reach it. How do you intend to gain access? Is that backdrop divider removable and can you reach the farthest track?

Rick

rschonfelder Wrote:
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> Great in concept; the way you have the hidden
> staging yard is common but, believe me, you never
> want to hide something without being able to reach
> it. How do you intend to gain access? Is that
> backdrop divider removable and can you reach the
> farthest track?

Never tried this before, but I thought about putting a "view block" 6-10" high thru there letting the wall behind take over as the backdrop. I could reach over to get to the trains, even using a step stool if needed. Normal viewing would hide those tracks. Does that sound doable? Has anyone tried that? Better to go higher and make it removable?

If you put the diamond where the switch is and vice versa, access to the UP interchange might look more natural, unless that's how it's set up on the prototype.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/12/17 12:10 by CPR_4000.

CPR_4000 Wrote:
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> If you put the diamond where the switch is and
> vice versa, access to the UP interchange might
> look more natural, unless that's how it's set up
> on the prototype.

That is actually identical to the prototype. https://www.google.com/maps/@40.049127,-95.6025433,843a,35y,180h/data=!3m1!1e3 You can see the diamond, interchange, the small elevator/track and the highway. Pretty much exactly how I laid it out. :)

BN6339 Wrote:
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> Never tried this before, but I thought about
> putting a "view block" 6-10" high thru there
> letting the wall behind take over as the backdrop.
> I could reach over to get to the trains, even
> using a step stool if needed. Normal viewing
> would hide those tracks. Does that sound doable?
> Has anyone tried that? Better to go higher and
> make it removable?

Doing that would give the impression of more depth to the scene. Can you do it in a way consistent with the topography/landscape/development of your prototype location? I would tend to make the layout higher to give more of a ground level view and use step boxes (more stable and safe than a stool) to reach the hidden trackage.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/12/17 12:27 by ts1457.

ts1457 Wrote:
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> Doing that would give the impression of more depth
> to the scene. Can you do it in a way consistent
> with the topography/landscape/development of your
> prototype location? I would tend to make the
> layout higher to give more of a ground level view
> and use step boxes (more stable and safe than a
> stool) to reach the hidden trackage.

I do think I will go higher with the deck. I think n scale looks better when you are not looking down on it. Prob around 50" high. I need to setup something that high and see what it looks like. That is hard for me to picture until I see it in person.

I'm in the keep it high group along with some type of stool to reach the back tracks. But if the 6" high view block is higher than your eyes it will work ok. Putting in re-retailer sections of track on both ends of each of the staging tracks will lesson the need to go back there any way. Have find!
John

BN6339 Wrote:
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> CPR_4000 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > If you put the diamond where the switch is and
> > vice versa, access to the UP interchange might
> > look more natural, unless that's how it's set
> up
> > on the prototype.
>
> That is actually identical to the prototype.
> https://www.google.com/maps/@40.049127,-95.6025433
> ,843a,35y,180h/data=!3m1!1e3 You can see the
> diamond, interchange, the small elevator/track and
> the highway. Pretty much exactly how I laid it
> out. :)

Well doggone, it sure is! Carry on. :-)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/12/17 15:31 by CPR_4000.

a folding-step device that u can stand on would work fine for reaching into your staging yard and you probably wouldn't have to use it much.

I noticed that there is a "duck-under" on the e/end of your layout. I have a "duck-under" at each end of my layout. I use a cheap rolling desk chair to sit down and roll under the "duck-unders." it works great......

66



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/12/17 13:18 by goneon66.

goneon66 Wrote:
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> I noticed that there is a "duck-under" on the
> e/end of your layout. I have a "duck-under" at
> each end of my layout. I use a cheap rolling desk
> chair to sit down and roll under the
> "duck-unders." it works great......
>
Hey, that's pretty slick. Of course I have an exterior door with a threshold there so the chair would likely throw me out. haha

I think I am going to rig up a deck and play with different heights and see if the depth is ok and how tall the block would need to be. I also thought about dropping that staging area down but I don't think it is going to go down/back up enough quick enough to make a difference.

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I like the trackplan, provided you can have sufficient access/reach into staging to address issues when a car or locomotive will inevitably derail, stall or split the switch heading in an out, or to uncouple cars back there without damaging whatever you have in the foreground.


Just offhand, what track planning software are you using? Looks slick too!

Cheers,
Harry

I like the track plan software too. Generally I prefer paper and scale rule and compass but that looks tempting.

Cheers, Jim

Always do a proof of concept, right? So I took a portable workbench, added a couple legs to get some height and threw on a sheet of plywood I had, which happened to be 3' deep. I chose 51" deck height to start with. The reason? That is the height of the top of the light switch plus a 1x4 plus plywood thickness. haha I first I freaked out. First glance it seemed way too high. After I put some stuff on there and was working with it, I actually like that height. It is below arm pits and gave a good feel for the trains "in your face". My kids at first didnt think it was so cool but as soon as i gave them a stool they liked it a lot. If anything, being higher made them not want to "play" with the trains but instead watch. I then added several tracks with motors on them at the back of 3'. I first put up a 6" view block but decided that was way too high. The photo here shows a 4" view block which I think will work nicely. It is not too high and with some trees and structures may blend in nicely. With a 1' step stool I was easily able to reach in and do whatever I needed to do. I think this was a successful test and proved that corner on the plan may not be as big of deal as I thought.

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Not sure why that last photo is upside down. Guess you need to turn your head to get the idea. :)

I am using anyrail software. I have done paper in the past and worked for the general idea. I got myself in trouble because it allowed me to make too tight of turns and other issues. This software will warn you if you get too small of a radius, etc. I tried several and anyrail seemed to be the easiest for me to pick up.

I like your choice of prototype area. including some UP Fall City will add some color. There was an N scale
NWP layout on the tour at NMRA Sacramento Cpnvention that was stunning and your 51" height is very close to
what they were using.

Out