I’ve been a long time lurker that rarely posts but I love reading about model trains. My own history has been strictly with temporary Christmas layouts since 1979. My children are grown and gone. Now I have three grandchildren ranging from 7 years to 9 months old and another on the way. We gave our dining room set to one of our sons. This resulted in an empty dining room. It's approximately 11' x 22'. My wife graciously is going to allow me to set up a permanent model railroad in the room. We are already calling it the grandkids room. I have some limitations. The chandelier has to stay. It's a family heirloom from my wife's great uncle. I think I would get bounced before I get to take it down. I have some ideas to provide enough light that won't interfere with the existing light fixtures.
My only experience with model train layouts are concentric circles around the Christmas tree with a switch or two for some operating accessories. My goal is to have operating accessories on the edges of the platform for the grandkids to play with as well as running the trains. Passenger trains that actually do more than go around in a circle and I would really like to add an ON 3 logging section that is detailed. The logging area is more for me than the grandkids.
I have been trying to come up with a good, solid layout for the last couple of months. I have been running into some issues. I can get enough space to place the accessories I want, turn the freight train and have some vertical changes but the one passenger set requires 72 inch turns so the best I can come up with this plan is concentric circles on the outer loop. That's plan 1 attached.
I found a way to turn the passenger set with a reverse loop but then I don't have the room for the freight-accessories or vertical height changes (plan 2)
I own some PW equipment and 2 MTH engines that I use for the passenger sets. Both are PS2. I would really like to run command and still have the ability to occasionally run the PW engines. From what I've read it's doable I just need to figure out how. For track power I have a z4000 and a PW zw. For accessory and light power I have a lionel Z and an ATC PC supply for accessories and lights. I have Gargrave track. I want to use Ross switches but don't own any yet.
I am attaching a couple of screen shots of the Scarm plans and a couple of pictures of the room.
Can someone please take a look at what I've come up with so far and offer some suggestions? Thanks in advance.
Bill
Plan 1
Plan 2
Existing room. Excuse the mess. I am using it as storage for a remodeling project I'm doing to another room
