I am strictly a subway guy. If any of you have been over to the subway forum you can see a lot of my work. That being said I have a current 14x51 layout that snakes through my basement and there are obstructions. There is a reverse loop and the design is for a single train. It is possible to run two but I must beware of one train catching up to the other. This layout has 4 stations (2 built, 1 partially built and 1 not built)
My new design is 15x40 that includes both subway and elevated. This is all dependent on a possible future move. This layout can run 5 trains independently and there is a 4% grade ramp from the subway to the elevated portion. I will also plan on using a lot of the old layout on the future layout. This layout has 6 stations which include the 2 already built stations and the 1 partially built station. The yet to be built station on the old layout will not be built, but there will be 3 new stations (2 subway, 1 elevated)
I have made a commitment to this new design by building my first piece of steelwork (track girder bridge) out of styrene and ABS plastic. There will be over 100 of these girder bridges along with other parts for elevation. All based on the 1915 Dual Contract design for the NYC subway and elevated lines.
I have attached the track design for both layouts along with the 3D views of the elevated steelwork. I created these objects making extensive use of the Z-axis capabilities in RRTrack. The design for the elevated steelwork has yet to be completed.
Current Layout
Future Layout
Elevated Steelwork
Elevated Steelwork Showing Ramp
More Elevated Steelwork with Some Subway Stations
Track Girder
Track Girder Cross Bracing
Another view of the cross bracing.
