My layout plan

[grumbeast]

Hi Guys,

I'm a newbie to the group, but have finally grabbed
a demo illustration package and have produced an
online version of my trackplan for the Nova Scotia
Northern (N scale) which is in the process of being
scenicked. Any suggestions would be welcome, especially
for the left hand island, In retrospect I need more
switching to make it interesting.

Cheers

Graham

 

[rockislandmike]

what kind of industries you got in mind ??? what era ??? not knowing much about life in the maritimes, i'm curious.

 

[grumbeast]

Industries

Honestly, This is mainly freelanced.

Era is quite wide but primarily 60's -> 70's (no later)

I was hoping to build a chocolate factory, N.S.
produces a lot of very fine fruit.

There was a lot of coal in Cape Breton, and being a
welshman, I don't think I'm going to be able to resist
a mine, even a small one.

I'm really at a loss for idea's for anything else though.

I want to keep the loop intact and the reversing section
but the rest is pretty much open to change.

Finally, I really like boxcars

Cheers

Graham

 

[jon-monon]

Welcome aboard!

Looks like you have a mountain and a river so you could do a little logging and a small mine, that way you can join us on the logging forum run some log cars up and down the mountain with a cool little switcher and everyone can be happy

Now this left had island thing. I'm always first in line when it comes to picking on little plastic people, but don't you think it's a little cruel to outcast all the southpaws to their own island???

IMHO: Personal preference, if it's not too late, you might consider rounding off the outside corners with a saw and adding material to inside corners to round them. That wouls be my pref., but more important is what looks good to you.

 

[grumbeast]

corners

Actually, this is a fault of the plan,

I have rounded off the corners on the right-hand extension.
As I'm still thinking of extending the left hand one a foot
or two into the room, I didn't bother with it.

I guess its low tide too, as my island seems to be a
peninsular

There is an active logging industry here in N.S. but
I think I'll be happier with coal

Graham

 

[Tyson Rayles]

As it is it's a pretty decent plan. I would thin out some of the track on the left side (give you more room for buildings, etc.), probably do the same at the top. If you want to get into operations I would put in some staging (connection to the outside world) and maybe put some of the outer (high line) trackage in tunnels or behind trees so the loop wouldn't be as obvious. But then what do I know . Welcome to the Gauge!

 

[shamus]

Hi Graham and welcome to the gauge.
The plan looks great with plenty of scope for scenery, and quite large for N-scale.

Should look impressive.
Shamus

 

[RailRon]

Hi Graham,

my suggestion for the left island:
- build a hill along the wall and hide the main line loop partially under it
- prolong the short spur in the center and let it climb along the mountain side
- cross the river on a trestle and add a mine at the end of the spur
- let the main line drop a bit in this underground loop to gain clearance for the mine spur

As a 'partner industry' you could construct an ore or coal dock for loading barges, either along the lake in the center part or (by adding still more water) at the spurs along the front edge at right.

I'm adding a crude sketch.

Ron

 

[grumbeast]

I like that

Thats a great idea, I was thinking of something like that.

I could build an ore dock on the lake, I was thinking of
a port facility of some kind (I could add a warehouse
too, something for the boxcars and general merchandise.

With your plan I wouldn't have to clutter the left up too
much either.

 

[grumbeast]

New plan

Here's a slightly modified variant, Ive also added
some buildings (again the right hand side pretty much looks
like this but the left is more of a fiction.

Rather than extend the spur, I've extended a new spur
from the back giving me a longer run (and gentler grade)

Those tracks at the back are my staging, they're going
to be hidden by the ridge (even though the terminus approach
is part of them.

The three high level tracks on the right are going to
become a station (which I believe is clearer now).

Graham

 

[TR-Flyer]

Hi:
Help a "poor old blind man out" and tell me how your reverse loop works. I can't see it.
Thanks,
One eyed Ted

 

[Ralph]

Graham,
You're gonna have a lot of good times with this line! I like the revised plan quite a lot. That area in the loop on the left is a natural for the mine. Can't wait to follow progress on the NSN!
Ralph

 

[grumbeast]

reverse loop

Ok, the reverse loop is a kind of cheat one that works
for the terminus on the right. (so I can run passenger trains
out and back).

Its the line that connects top yard to the passing loop
on the left (has one spur on it). My intention (and
now having wiring it, I can attest to the fun) I can
take a passenger train out of the terminus in either
direction, run her around the main a few times
(possibly stopping along the way, I've just finished
builidng a small station next to the cross-over on the
right hand peninsular) and then returning her to the
terminus as an arriving train. Depending on the amount
of operating I want, I could lay up this train on the
passing loop at the top of the layout.

Graham

 

[Woodie]

Graham. G'day and welcome to our home.

Just looking at imaginery operations of that layout, and I note you have now made the bottom right into a station. That is the area I was looking at. If you were to take a train out of the yard/station "forwards" and then bring it back "forwards", it's one helluva reverse, all the way round the layout to get it back out on the mainline again. I was going to suggest you bring all those yards back together again, then connect onto the mainline(in the bottom right), to eliminate that huge reverse to get the train back out again. Also, with your 'reverse loop" operations, you could then bring the train in "forwards" into the bottom right yards/station, from either direction. Dunno. Just an "operational" thought.

 

[grumbeast]

Thanks for the welcome Woodie.

I'm not sure I understand what you mean though?

Graham

 

[grumbeast]

Time for Major rework

hi everyone.

I've decided that the left hand side of my railroad is rather uninspired and that I can extend the peninsular into the room. So here is what I propose for space. I'm not sure what to fill this side with now, so I'm looking for inspiration from the group.. If anyone has any idea's on plans for this space I'd be grateful

O one more thing. I'd like to keep a continuous run

Cheers

Graham

 

[Tyson Rayles]

I dunno Graham, I liked that last plan you posted.

 

[grumbeast]

Its more the fact that it wasn't laid that well, and I can
now have a little more space. I've learned a pile
and want to apply it (super-elevation on the curves,
painting the track *before* laying it etc) and it'll give me
a chance to put in a good back-scene

Graham

 

[jkristia]

Hi Graham.

I think you are a bit optimistic with the amount of space a #6 turnout requires. According to 3rd PlanIt, your left side staging ladder takes up at least 2 feet, and the same for the stub yard. So you may get a little surprise when you start to lay the track if you think you can fit everything as it is on the plan.

Maybe you are already aware of this, I just wanted to warn you.

Jesper

 

[grumbeast]

These aren't precisely to scale, and all of the track
in the latest plan is already down and running so
I'm not too concerned (actually, I'm using No.8's
for some of the mainline, they look and run nicer)

This is a live layout that runs right now, I'm just
looking to improve it.

thanks for the advice though

Graham