kind of a weird question.......

[trainsteve2435]

help with my layout plan please!

hello everyone, i just came accross this forum and liked it so i decided to join it. this is my first post, and i hope it isnt a stupid question, but.... how does a person go about finding a buddy or two to lend a hand on building a layout? i have checked my local clubs, and hobby shops, but no one seems to be interested, guess there all busy with their own projects. i am modeling in HO scale and have benchwork built in my room. it measures 11' x 16' square around the walls of the room. the shelves are 2' wide and i built all the units seperate and botlet them together in case i ever move. i have tried for 9 months to come up with a track plan, but it seems impossible. i have used Atlas freeware, as well as a few others with no avail. i have also tried drawing it out to scale, but i cant quite get the hang of it. i have tried to make new friends in this hobby, and i have made quite a few on the forums. i always heard a second set of fresh eyes are better than one, i guess its true. my bench work is really top notch and built to NMRA standards, so i would hate to just throw track down and end up tearing it up. i have done a lot of research on what type of track plan i want, i just cant get one down on paper. any help or suggestions are always welcome. thanks!

steve

 

[Pitchwife]

Welcome to the Gauge Steve. You've come to the right place for help. There are a couple thousand years worth of experiance here and people willing to share it.
First thing, you should let us know what kind of a laayout do you have in mind, in other words, what are you hoping to end up with. Do you want to do a lot of switching? What industries if any do you have in mind? Have you looked at any books or magazines for ideas?
Sounds like you've got a solid start. Once we know what your expectations are you will probably be flooded with ideas.

 

[Will_annand]

Welcome Steve, I am sure there are many here who could give you some good ideas. I am just starting my layout as well, it took 6 months to get the track plan to a point where I wanted it. What you should do is list out your requirements.

1. What era are you in? Older rolling stock was shorter and can handle tighter curves than newer rolling stock.

2. Do you want continuous running of your trains or "point-to-point" operations, or a combination?

3. What geographic location are you modelling? Will there be rolling hills, flat plains or high mountains? Will there be rivers, or a lake port or seaport? Will it be rural with small towns or a large urban centre?

4. What industries will be serviced by your line? Logging, mining, farming, refinery, etc.

5. Will you be having a yard and turntable? Steam or Deisel facilities, or both? Will the yard be a through yard or an "end-of-the-line" stub yard?

Once you have answered these questions you will know what you need to include on your trackplan. If you share the answers with us, we can give you our suggestions.

I took mine plan from a prototype RR, The Credit Valley Railroad, that was the first to service the area I grew up in (1871-1885). I used the actual track plan and then just bent it for my layout. I did not want to worry about a duck under so I went with an "M" shaped layout. The track plan is up on my website. My layout will be a proto-lanced project as I have set it in 1900, using the "What if the CVR was not sold to the O&Q when George Laidlaw retired."

Hope my rambling give you an idea for your layout.

 

[trainsteve2435]

thanks guys for the response. i will attempt to describe in this reply what type of layout i want. i have read through a lot of books on track design, plus the big book of model railroad track plans. if it would help, i could post a scale diagram of my bench work, just let me know. ok, here it goes.........

i want a layout set in the appalachin mountains region where coal mines are serviced. i want the era to be around the transition from steam to disel era. i have a 90' turntable, walthers round house, walthers golden valley canning co., O.L. King & sons coal yard. i am planning on purchaseing another larger industry, but not sure what it will be, so if you have any suggestions, please let me know. i also have a few smaller industries such as a disel service facility, a 3 stall service garage, a coaling station, and a water tank. im open for suggestions as far as what structures to use. i want continuious running action with a switching yard. it dont really matter how many lines i have as long as one crosses the other, thats a must for me because it looks good. i plan on running older 4 and 6 axle disels such as GP30's SD's, coal cars, flats, bulk tankers, nothing big, maybe a 4-8-4 or two. i dont care for passenger cars too much, so i dont really want to run them. i would like to include a river or stream to cross also. as far as my yard, i would like the run through type. as of right now i dont have any steam engines, so the round house and turntable arent a big deal, might not even use them. the hills and mountains i want are the type seen in WV and Maryland. if i have forgotten anything, please let me know, as i have tried to include about everything i would like in a layout. as i mentioned earlier, i can post a diagram of my bench work if it would help. as always, i really appreciate all the help and suggestions from all of you. thanks!

 

[mykroft]

Well, GP30's and most SD's, being second-generation power are a bit late to run alongside steam. I'd look at GP7's & 9's, SD7's and 9's, RS3's RSD4/5's and Trainmasters, as well as F units for the era you're looking at.

You may want to get in touch with the LDSIG, as what you need is what they do. They have a yahoo group called ldsig.

 

[cidchase]

Hey Steve,
We would enjoy seeing a drawing of your benchwork!!
It gives us a lot better idea of your requirements! :thumb:
Then we can make all sorts of crazy suggestions!
When we all get done, you will:

#1 Know what you want to do :thumb:
or
#2 Know what you DON'T want to do :curse:
or
#3 Know you need to get another opinion!! :cry:

Anyway, we'll all have fun tryin'!!

 

[neilmunck]

It seems likely to me that if you want another structure and you like appalachian coal mining then the Walthers New River Coal Mine would be a good choice.

http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/933-3017

another piece of information that might be useful is whether or not you want a dual track main line. I prefer single track mainlines as it is more challenging (read "fun") and takes up less space.

Neil

 

[trainsteve2435]

ok guys, here is what i hope will be a picture of my bench work. thanks for looking and remember, all suggestions welcome.

 

[cidchase]

Hi Steve, look at some of shamus' layouts on:
http://www.cooncreek-and-tumbleweed-springs.co.uk/
Go to the Badger Creek RR and click on Trackplans

Have you looked at some of the plans in the "Track Planning for the Future"
forum?? This thread might should be in there, but here is OK too.

There seems to be a foot of width missing from your sketch, could you clarify?
Have you considered any kind of peninsula coming out into the center?
Is ther 6' or 7' clear inside installed the benchwork now?

 

[Fred_M]

Welcome to the gauge Steve. Fred