Are there any recommendations who to hire to help design a layout?

Do you have the track plan your first guy came up with?  I suspect that folks here can help you come up with what you need.

IMHO, the "top drawer" designer/builder is Roger Farkash & crew at TW Trainworx in Dallas, TX. The website address is:  twtrainworx.com.  The company has designed & built museum-quality O-gauge layouts for Lionel LLC and many others. Yes, their services are pricey, which goes with being the best!

However, if you only want a track plan that you can build as a DIY project (i.e., no follow-through to construction by the designer), then there are numerous players in that field. I suggest Mr. Muffin in Indiana, a well-known train dealer, layout designer, and builder -- including the "golly gee whiz" layout in his store. With a finished track plan in hand, you could place orders for track, switches, control gear, trains, buildings, accessories, scale autos, figures, and all else through him.

If you live far away from Indiana and prefer an arms-length connection to a designer, then do a GOOGLE search for:  "O-gauge model railroad designer" who may live and work in your vicinity.  There is a "rub-off" benefit from working with a designer in your area during the process.

Carry on ...

Mike Mottler    LCCA 12394

If you post room dimensions, some pictures, and a rough idea of what you want here, someone would likely help.  Many of us have track planning software.  I can’t guarantee I’d get it done on your timeline, but I’d be happy to give it a shot.  

Here are some designs I’ve done:
https://ogrforum.com/...8#148675927190992568

https://ogrforum.com/...4#155152949802973264

Once its done the SCARM software I use will give you a parts list for track.

There is a guy who goes by kenoscale here on the forum who has designed a number of teriffic layouts on the forum and in the magazine.  He might also do this for hire.  Worth asking, his stuff is great.

I was thinking of posting this exact topic,since I'm in the same boat.

Looking to hire someone to see if I can fit a 2 track mainline U in a 11x11 room. (Thinking o31 and o41 ) .  Basically the below track plan minus the yards.

I tried using scarm and couldn't get it right

Hi John, good morning. I have the track plan and will post it below.

Mike, I didn't think of TW because I thought they did turn-key buildouts and didn't realize they can do only track plans. In addition - wow, why didn't I think of Mr Muffin? Once again I didn't realize he offered design services.

RPLST8 - nice designs and my timeframe is having trains running in the late summer / fall. I'll post my diagram below.

NECRails - Thanks for the tip, I will reach out to kenoscale.

Here is my room diagram and track plan as designed. I am not sure I like this plan - it is nice, but I don't get any reverse loops or a good yard area to build trains. The size available is pretty good - but it is two rooms joined by my recent "daylighting" of the wall between them so it is a little funky in shape.

Besides the reverse loop I'd like one loop of 072 (even though I am still fighting the internal battle of whether I really need 072) and a passing siding. I'd also like a decent yard lead to put together consists without fouling either of the two mains. I'm also thinking of either a elevated line or varying height of the mains.

Thank you gents for your input and any further suggestions / ideas that can be offered.

Paul

Room Diagram:

Here is the layout first design. It is nice but wondering if something else would be better

A couple still images of the space: Below is the "2nd" room shown at the top of the above diagram.

A have a short video to provide more room detail but it is over the 100mb limit to attach.

Once again - thank you everyone for the input, it is appreciated.

Paul

@Railrunnin posted:

A have a short video to provide more room detail but it is over the 100mb limit to attach.

I upload videos to Youtube and then link them here, no problem with larger videos.

@Railrunnin posted:

...Here is my room diagram and track plan as designed. I am not sure I like this plan - it is nice, but I don't get any reverse loops or a good yard area to build trains. The size available is pretty good - but it is two rooms joined by my recent "daylighting" of the wall between them so it is a little funky in shape.

Besides the reverse loop I'd like one loop of 072 (even though I am still fighting the internal battle of whether I really need 072) and a passing siding. I'd also like a decent yard lead to put together consists without fouling either of the two mains. I'm also thinking of either a elevated line or varying height of the mains.

...

Room Diagram:

Here is the layout first design. It is nice but wondering if something else would be better

...

My 2 cents (worth every penny!) from someone who is in a similar dilemma...

You have a beautiful space that affords you a lot of flexibility.  That's both a blessing and a curse.  So many things you can do - hard to choose.  I'll be following this thread to hopefully glean some ideas.

Have you nailed down your preferences, such as loop running vs. switching, long passenger trains, accessories, type of scenery?  Answers to those questions can help you narrow down the details.

Given the size of your space, I'd definitely recommend at least one full loop of O-72 or larger; even if you don't have anything that needs it now, you probably eventually will, or a friend might bring something to run.  A lot of stuff just looks better on O-72 anyway.

Edit:  A yard for building trains requires a LOT of real estate. I think that what you have in that plan can give a nice illusion of a yard.  IMO, the existing plan is pretty good. 

You plan looks great; nice use of the space.  Keep that 072 main.

If you fill that back room with tabletops and track, you wont be able to see a thing, let alone work on it. It sounds appealing to cram every square foot possible with layout, but in reality that doesnt often work well. The yard laid in there like that is novel, but unworkable, as you cant reach the far end of it when something picks a switch. You need access to that back room, instead of all those loop de loops, consider doing it as a perimeter shelf.

I have watched many Youtube videos by the layout designer linked to below and I have been very impressed with his work and professionalism.  While he typically works in HO scale, his website is worth a look regarding some considerations with professional layout design.

Custom, Model Railroad, Builder - Superior Model Railroads

With exact room dimensions, there are plenty here that would help you for free.

Depending on what you may want to run now and in the future, the O-72/O-80 double mainline will not support certain combinations of trains (engine with lots of overhang on inside, long cars on outside).  4” C-C is not enough.  I bring this up again because I needed to relay some track on my previous layout when I bought my Y3, an engine I thought I would never get.

As a minimum I would look at using Atlas O-81, or using flex track for that size.  That extra half inch makes a difference.

I'll second the notion that 4" center-to-center is not nearly enough!  A Big Boy will clean anything off the layout within 3" of the centerline of the track on an O72 curve!  The scale T-1 Duplex is similar, and the Challenger and Y6b are not far behind.  I have 5" center-to-center on O72 and larger curves, and I see some pretty close calls.