Ideas for 6' x 16' Track Plans

This 6 x 16 layout looks great! I am trying to design something similar for my father's layout and stumbled on this thread. These are some great ideas! Thank you all for posting these rtt's and photos.  Peter, if you have the rtt, I will be in your debt for sure as it will save me some time.

I have to look for it.....itmay take a day or 2......That was designed Spring 2011. In 2013 my kids got me a MAC and I have switched.

Comments on the plan:

1. I run DCS and TMCC/Legacy and love slow prototypical speeds. Small engine loose power at slow speeds on the O54/O72 curved turnouts... I have redesigned with O54s.

2. I like scenery. I took out the rear passing siding to give me more room.

Peter

Thanks Peter. If you find it, fine, otherwise don't worry about it. I have started to re-create it, or something similar to it, in RR-Track and... well, let's just say I have no doubt my RR-Track skills will improve drastically as a result. 

Kevin

I was thinking I tried to recreate something similar to Peter's plan back then, but I can't find it? I'll keep looking and will post here if I find it. Learning more about RR-Track is also good though. That will come in handy down the road too. If you do get it recreated could you post it here? 

The other thing about this thread is that I am not much further along with my expansion in all this time.   However, I have accumulated many more train items for when I finally do get a round tuit. Other things have gotten in the way the last couple of years. Hopefully those are almost behind me now or at least will be soon.

Good luck with your layout and RR-Track. There are some folks here on the forum that are very good with RR-Track, but I am not one of them. If you need help with it just ask and maybe one of the more knowledgeable will help you out.

RTR12,

I have only one concern about Plan 2. I am not certain how an engine will behave electrically with the switch directly adjacent to the cross track in the center. One would think it would be ok, but then there's pick-up rollers, trucks and such in various locations simultaneously.

Is the 24" clearance enough to squeeze in and access the layout?

Table 2 -

• Will it connect to table 1 track?
• More scenery less track than Table 1 would complement the entire L
• Table 1 looks like city/burbs and railroad headquarters Table 2 could be country and mining/logging or a seaport

Great advise from everyone. Thanks.

I have attached the RRT with just the outer loop done so far. I am slightly concerned that the joins are not perfect in a couple of spots. I keep trying to get it perfect, but as I don't have a lot of experience with Atlas O track or the RR Track app, I am wondering if I should be concerned, or is this just a software rendering challenge that's making me crazy. 

kevin

Kevin Mahoney posted:

 I am slightly concerned that the joins are not perfect in a couple of spots. I keep trying to get it perfect, but as I don't have a lot of experience with Atlas O track or the RR Track app, I am wondering if I should be concerned, or is this just a software rendering challenge that's making me crazy. 

kevin

Hey Kevin. DO not get too hung up over making a track plan that appears to be perfect in a computer program. You will spend way more time trying to make it all work.

My advice, you have the basic design. Now get some track and start building. Use a straightedge and a tape measure and "work out all the kinks as you go", so to speak. With preformed curves and switches, it will all fit as planned. Plus, as soon as a loop is finished, wire it up and run some trains!

Atlas track is fairly easy to cut with a Dremel and large cutoff wheel for any minor imperfections.

Just my two cents.....I see too many guys spend way to much time on computer generated designs and not enough time building. 

Donald

Got a couple of questions.

How do you level the pieces?  Can they be adjusted after the entire layout is built?

What is the height?

Can they build 36" wide sections?

I'm really considering using Mianne bench work on my next layout:

It's approx 12' wide and 30' long, 2-rail code 148.  Most of what I've drawn is 36" wide with one place 24" (could changed to 30").  Some 36" places could be narrowed down to 30" (which I would prefer, but can't get all the track in I want).

I can move this to a new topic, these questions came to me while I was reading all these posts.

Moonman posted:

RTR12,

I have only one concern about Plan 2. I am not certain how an engine will behave electrically with the switch directly adjacent to the cross track in the center. One would think it would be ok, but then there's pick-up rollers, trucks and such in various locations simultaneously.

Is the 24" clearance enough to squeeze in and access the layout?

Table 2 -

• Will it connect to table 1 track?
• More scenery less track than Table 1 would complement the entire L
• Table 1 looks like city/burbs and railroad headquarters Table 2 could be country and mining/logging or a seaport

 

 

I am not sure about the cross either, have not yet tried it out. I have one, but I am not now even sure it's the proper one that matches that drawing. That was all done a couple of years ago and I haven't done much with it since, other than run trains. It is currently close to plan 1. I have not gotten table 2 either, so that could easily be changed. Table 1 can easily be changed as well as it's Mianne benchwork. The original plan was to get going on table 1 and then enlarge things later on, but other things have taken priority the last couple of years. Hopefully I can get back to it in the near future.

Table 1 has about 12" to 15" of clearance all the way around and yes, I can get in there pretty easily to access things. 

Yes, table 1 and table 2 track will be connected and I have been also wanting to add an upper level or some type of elevated track for added interest. I would like to have the elevated track connect to the lower levels as well.

I have also purchased several accessories that I need to find a place for. I have the Gantry crane, culvert loader/unloader, some dump cars (log or coal) and it seems like there are a couple more, but I will have to look. Seems like I ordered more than that? There are some misc Ameritowne, Plasticville and other small buildings as well, probably a half dozen or so. I also have the hobby shop and radio tower on order.

I do have too much track on the current table 1, plan 1. I would also like to have a yard somewhere, but I would probably have to expand further to do that. 

I need to start thinking about all this again, I have forgotten a thing or two during time off with other stuff here.... I appreciate the help, but I really do need to think through some more stuff before finalizing anything. 

To add, I guess you can see I have O63 and O54 loops from the RR-track plan. I also have more of each size as well as a loop or so of O45. I have diesels only, no steam, so I think everything I have will be fine on O54 and I think almost all of mine are O42 min. Switches are all O54. I have 4 - O72s, but would rather have all O54s (I have more) and plan to get rid of the O72s.

Bob Delbridge posted:

Got a couple of questions.

How do you level the pieces?  Can they be adjusted after the entire layout is built?

What is the height?

Can they build 36" wide sections?

I'm really considering using Mianne bench work on my next layout:

It's approx 12' wide and 30' long, 2-rail code 148.  Most of what I've drawn is 36" wide with one place 24" (could changed to 30").  Some 36" places could be narrowed down to 30" (which I would prefer, but can't get all the track in I want).

I can move this to a new topic, these questions came to me while I was reading all these posts.

Mianne provides adjustable legs for all the benchwork, they have tee nuts with I believe somewhere around 2" bolts for adjusting. So yes you can level it all after it's built, while building or whatever you prefer. 

I think their standard leg height is 40", but you can get any leg height you want. They even have a two tier leg that allows a shelf (or whatever you want) above. 

It doesn't really come in sections so to speak, but you can get any size you want in 6" increments. It's designed by them to your size requirements and there are legs and cross pieces that connect together to form the benchwork. All hardware is included and it is very easy to assemble and goes together quite quickly.

From your plan above it looks like they could easily make you something to fit your space. Only thing I am not sure about is the angled part in the upper left quadrant. They can do angles, but I don't know how they do them?

Your post is fine here, all part of layout discussions and the more track plans the better! I am very happy with my Mianne stuff and I have already added some lower shelves and a transformer cart. They customized my initial order by adding holes in the legs for the lower shelves, so I just ordered the cross pieces and added them in a bit later. 

I would recommend looking at their website, some good info there and then you can call Tim if you have more questions about their stuff and what they can do. I talked to him a couple of times before ordering, he is the one that suggested the extra holes for my lower shelves. He also suggested 1/2" sandply from Home Depot for the top, which I used and it worked out very well and is also quite sturdy. 

Thanks!!!

That angled piece is necessary for coming up the stairs, the stairs turn right where the ceiling would otherwise whack my head (the 6-7 feet of track at the small stairway landing will have to be done on a narrow shelf).

I can adjust the taper of the angled part you spoke of, make it come off at 45 degrees at the 1st 12' on the left, just clear of the narrow shelf track.  that would give me enough room to get turned up the 36" stairway.  The railing is removable which lets me bring things into the room.

In order to utilize as much space as possible I need to make it 36" high, which is what my current layout is.

I've looked over their website, next thing is to email Tim and find out what he can do.

They can do 45 deg angles. Legs are eight sided where the cross pieces are attached so that is not a problem. I don't know about other angles though. The 36" legs should be no problem for them either. It's all able to be pretty much customized and they give you detailed, color coded plans to make it all go together easily. They supply really nice drawings with your order.

You can email Tim your plans too, I did that with one of mine. I' m sure he will fix you up with something. This might be a busy time for him though, he goes to York, I think, so has to get all that ready, etc. My first order came really quickly, but my second order was around this time of year and York and it took a fair bit longer.  

Some think the cost is high for the Mianne, but it was worth every penny to me. Easy, fast and no mess, I think it looks really nice too. Had HD cut all the plywood into smaller pieces and that was also very easy. It'a also very easy to modify if you want to make any changes down the road (like where I am now). I have some health/physical issues and I can't do what I used to, so that made it all the more attractive to me. I am a big fan!

Hmmm...you've got me thinking about an around the room layout again now after looking at your plan...

Good luck and if you have any more questions I can help with, ask away! 

I emailed him right after I posted, sent the plan too.

 I want to try to get the width down to 30” but I may have to lose some trackage if I do, or maybe just keep the yard side 36” and the rest at 30”.

 I figure this might cost $2000+, but my dad was the carpenter, not me.

I am thinking my original 6'x16' table was around $850 shipped to my door, of course this was in 2014. Then the extras I got were somewhere around $200 or so I think, transformer cart and cross braces for shelving below. The 3 sheets of sandply at HD were about $35 a sheet so another $110-$120 or so with tax, they cut it up for me for free. Might give you some ideas for prices here, but I would imagine things may have gone up a little in the 3 years or so since I got mine? 

Your layout being quite a bit larger and a bit different so you might be in the ball park with your estimate. Anyway, if you don't hear back from them I would call. They are busy with York this time of year and they will probably have orders to fill from York when they get back.

Thanks!

If it's under $2k, that will give me a nice surprise

If I don't hear from Tim by next Monday I'll give him a call.

Just for the fun of it, I expanded a layout to fit your 6' X 16' space.   One of the problems with that shape of a layout space is access.   Unless you have all-around access (and it seems this space fits up against two or three walls), access beyond a 30" reach is a problem.   So I came up with this idea that has an operating "well" in the center, with much better access.   All of the turnouts are within a 30" reach, as are all but one of the buildings.   

In the lower center are two lift-out 30" bridges.   When these bridges are out, the "twice-around" route and the inner "loop-to-loop" routes are still operating.   This arrangement solves the access for most of the layout in a convenient way.   And the inner operating "well" is a fun way to have trains running around the operator - lots to see and experience.

This layout plan is done with Lionel Fastrack, but of course other track systems would work as well.   The outer loop across the bridges is O-60 minimum diameter, so you can run O-54 locos and cars.   The inner return loop-to-loop is O-48 minimum diameter.   The approach tracks to the crossing in the middle are O-60.

The operating well is about 5' by 2.5' - deeper in the center, and a bit narrower toward the ends.   This is a comfortable space for one person - or two kids would be possible, but two adults would be tight.  Perhaps if two adults are seated with legs extending beneath the layout edge, it would be comfortable enough.

Kevin Mahoney posted:

Thanks Peter. If you find it, fine, otherwise don't worry about it. I have started to re-create it, or something similar to it, in RR-Track and... well, let's just say I have no doubt my RR-Track skills will improve drastically as a result. 

Kevin

 

Sorry....I've looked for it for the last few days....and it's gone .....

Peter

No worries. Thanks for trying. I really like the plan Ken posted. It leaves enough room for buildings and scenery.

If one is not concerned about access to the center (if there is access along both long sides of the layout, and if a 36" reach from edge to center is OK), then there is room for a small yard, and additional town, industry, or perhaps the two Menards tall buildings - they have a York Hotel and an International Headquarters "mini-skyscrapers" which would make a striking effect.

The yard has a short switching lead, so that the yard can be switched without fouling the "twice-around" mainline.

Here flipped to make connections with the existing RR.

With Engine Shed and curving yard lead with O-84 curves.  And modern trains and cars.

Kevin, I'm glad to see you planning a layout, just as I have been now.  I'm glad you have more room than I have; you have more options.  Ken always comes up with very interesting an practical layouts.  I don't have any suggestions right now, but want to follow along.

Hey Mark, I agree with you. Ken is on fire. These are awesome plans! I am building a layout for my 82 year old father, who for some reason has caught the model railroading bug (could it be that his son is always working on his own railroad layout and talks way too much about it) ... Anyway, he's a big Cubs fan and last year was his year! So, now he wants a layout with Chicago on one end and New York City on the other... His dream is to see a Cubs, Yankee World Series.

I was able to optimize this 6 X 16 plan a bit, with better curves from the O-60 route leading to the crossing, allowing the yard tracks to extend about 1" each.   Just for fun I added the lighted Fastrack bumpers and four block signals protecting the crossing.