Ceiling loop - One track or two?

Well mine is some what of a combination of the two. I have a single track on a 6" shelf that has has passing siding that extends out to a 10" shelf. The siding has Ross #6 switches on each end and is about 25' long from clearance point to clearance point. I can park one train and run the other around it. When people see it for the first time, they think the trains are going to crash into each other because you can't see the other track up there.

... not a bad idea!  I was a bit concerned about switches up in 'de air.  Seems like the only time I've ever had a derailment, it was always at a switch (and a derailment at 7' could cause a few problems!)

I was also thinking about 2 stacked loops, one over the other. I need to measure the height to see if I can fit two tracks vertically.

Ed

Definitely 2 tracks.  Use the inside track for sidings.

My double track ceiling diagram is here

http://www.slsprr.net/photo_gallery/tour-ceiling.htm

Derailments on turnouts are easily corrected with a good step stool.

I ran a ceiling loop, about 20"x24". It went along 1 wall and than came out into the room. I ran an O scale on the outer loop, and HO on the inner. I took a 3" trim head screw, and put them in every 12", then ran a very thin wire along the top of the screw, made into a hard to see safety guard. I never had a cannonball to the floor, but I didn't have any switches either. I took the system down a few years ago, but will put it back up in a different room. I am using an 8" wide, 3/4" thick shelf, supported by crown molding. toss another piece of fancy trim, paint the same color as your room trim, and the entire thing looks classy, like it is part of the room. I plan on a single loop, with flats in specific sections to add some interest. The new layout will be made with some quiet board or homosote, and have street lights, illuminated signs in for fun. It has to look nice, not some "very obvious" addition to the room, or the wife will case a Veto vote on the project. I do vinyl sign work in my spare time, and just finished the Isaly Dairy Logo, so one of the flats will be a dairy plant with the red Isaly logo on it to compliment my MTH Isaly collection.

EddieM, Our first layout was a ceiling layout. It was about 18'x12' and 8" below the ceiling. We had a double track with O-54 curves. In the pictures below you can see we used a little larger board in the corners so that we could keep the cars and engines from touching. Good Luck!!!

I would recommend the shelves be a minimum of 13 inches wide. This would allow for dual main line. The pictures I have attached are from 4 feet away in a room that is 12  by 14. Hope this helps you. CTA

Popsrr,

I appreciate the pictures... I really would like to do 2 loops, but your layout illustrates my concern.  If you hadn't put some husky stack cars in the back, would you see the train on the track closer to the wall... on the other hand, I do have some cars that won't fit on my "lower" layout because they are too high for a few underpasses!

CTA,

You cheated! (just kidding) , but you took the pictures with the camera way up in the air.... it would be interesting to see the same pics with the camera at about 5'3", my eyeball height.

On Seacoast's layout, the track isn't against the wall so both loop are close to the edge.

Thanks to all - I'm still not sure which way it will go... leaning toward a single loop, but really want a double!

Updates to follow...

Ed

a true ceiling layout, I fail to understand how you can see the outer loop, in a double loop system, especially with a 10"-13" shelf,7' from the ground, from the normal eye level of 5'8". It is a simple circle around the perimeter of the room, correct? With a shelf & not see thru girders, correct?

I seem to remember another ceiling layout a few years back. It was made  out of clear thick pieces of plexiglas glass with supports throughout. One could see the trains/track

Clearly (no pun intended).

Just watch your clearances on curves with two tracks.