Ideas for a 2x12 shelf layout

Some pics for inspiration 

I was looking at this a while back. It's roughly John Allen's Timesaver switching layout in O scale, about 2 x 13'

http://www.carendt.com/small-l...arch-2009/#timesaver

@firewood. Man I have spent hours on carendt and not seen that one. That's cool I like that! More to consider. The timesaver plan would be a great puzzle for shows with the local club too

I would go 2-rail with handlaid track. A shelf layout is ideal..The area is small enough to create a super detailed diorama.

Can't do 2 rail. The reason is for years I was in two rail. Even proto 87,and I would never get anything accomplished cause I was to concerned with track work and wheel tolorences. So now that I am mucking with 3 rail I get stuff done. Cause no matter what there is a extra rail running right down the middle to slap me in the face and remind me not to get too serious about it. In a few years. Maybe I'll switch to proto48. But for now I am sticking to 3 rail for the fun factor 

Having 12 linear feet plus and additional 6 feet for staging sounds great.  Your plan is an inglenook, which for me would get a bit dull once the construction process is completed.  You don't really need a lot of turnouts but a run around of some kind on the main layout would afford you some operating variety.  There is another web site, not sure of the name but search Lance Mindhelm.  He has great designs for industrial switching layouts that can be extrapolated to O scale

I personally prefer the Inglenook Sidings over the Time Saver, it looks more prototypical and fits better with your look.  I built it into my layout so that I could pick either switching or loop running, or even both.  And it's one that you can compress (3-2-2) and still enjoy in case you can't fit the full spec one (5-3-3) into your space.

There were a few switching layouts in a book, don't remember the title, that, if done to TT standards, with 027 track, would fit in your space. Would have to modify the clearances though.

I too seem to prefer the inglnook style over the timesaver. The thing with this layout is I want to take it to local train shows and let the public take turns operating it. Show them that 3 rail doesn't always mean toy trains. All my engines are fixed pilot with Kadee couplers tmcc and sound. I figure that I could get a pretty easy 30 min operating session out of a slightly compressed inglenook. The 6 foot staging should add some variety as well by representing the rest of the world. Should I add a run around do you think? Maybe go more towards this

Or stick with the inglenook? Thoughts?

theteejmiester posted:

@firewood. Man I have spent hours on carendt and not seen that one. That's cool I like that! More to consider. The timesaver plan would be a great puzzle for shows with the local club too

Hah! Me too, those endless ideas from Carendt are distracting, aren't they? I tried the Inglenook as others have mentioned, and its simplicity is deceiving. It can keep someone busy for a while.

If you look around some more on that site, I remember seeing a 3-rail switching layout too.

Well, now that I corrected my spelling in my first reply the second plan posted would be very frustrating given the desire to bring to train shows and let others operate.  Those industries along the rear are stuck in a location that I doubt would have been constructed in real life and would turn off your target audience.  Given the choice of the two the first is a better fit.

An Inglenook is a great challenge and can keep you busy for quite a while. Interestingly enough, there are several prototype Inglenook track arrangements s out there, though most are switched out loads for empties or vice-versa.

Yes there is. Found a few on google earth 

What about a stretched Pine Ridge II?

@Texas eagle 77. Pine ridge 2? Not familiar with that one. Have a track plan or link? 

Pine Ridge II - scroll down on this site to view

http://www.carendt.com/micro-l...tymesaver-designs/#9

Good luck with your layout. My last one was an 11x4 switching layout based roughly on John Allen's Timesaver. I used Gargraves switches and flex track. I enjoyed it very much and you should, too. 

Tom 

Yet another plan I stumbled on. Deceivingly simple yet very interesting...

Thoughts ?

I have done several 12-foot by 32-inch designs for switching. The trick is using related industries. Here's one that was designed around the citrus industry so it has a packing house, an ice dock, and a fuel dealer (smudge oil and diesel). I've been working with L-shaped variants on this and ways it can be integrated into a larger layout. This was designed for North American equipment. Many, if not most, of the O scale layouts on the Carl Arendt [memorial] site are designed around European equipment which is about half as long as North American equipment.

The challenge today is to design around modern equipment , 50-68' cars and 6 axle diesels for the contemporary modeler.

Potato chips?  Herr's in PA  and Lay's in New York have their own sidings and operations. Google for some photos. tankers for cooking oil and waste and hoppers for taters.

@hibar. You are correct in the longer cars and six axle locos. That's why I am going igelnooke . I laid out the track on the floor and I think it is my best bet and will keep people entertained in the space I am working with

@moonman. Very good idea! I had not thought of potato chips and such. But it fits the bill! Thank you. Now to do more research 

here is Herr's factory from a Google satellite view You can see a potato hopper unloading and some tankers a short distance away.

I cannot find the thread on Lays or FritoLay factory. It appears that they moved the manufacturing to NC. Their operating is monster compared to the herr's plant.

@moonman. Very nice. Thanks for the idea. I have been googling various food processing plants and it does cover a lot of my requirements for the layout. And the structures would be fairly easy to scratch build as well. And with the layout planned to be 50 inches above the floor at railhead it will provide that industrial canyon look I want 

http://www.wymann.info/Shuntin...s/small-layouts.html

Very cool little site for those interested in a good read about small inglenook and timesaver layouts. Very interesting history as well

One thing lacking form most small switching layouts is either a staging track representing the connection to 'the real world' elsewhere or a foldable staging portion off the scenery where trains can be put together once they've left the 'stage' portion of the layout.

theteejmiester posted:

Yet another plan I stumbled on. Deceivingly simple yet very interesting...

Thoughts ?

That's something you can build quickly and lay out a few mock-ups for switching, just to see what works. My pics from years ago are gone, but I had a British O scale switching layout in 2' x 9' with a single fiddle track extension. Two switches, so just a runaround loop. One end extended onto a pier with a small freight house on it. There was a station building on one side of the loop, and the other side had three "unloading" areas for whatever freight I decided. That made six or so car-spotting areas. Switching was interesting because of the Brit 3-link chain couplings, but very prototypical, hah! 

One way to get hot staging realisticly involved in operations is to add a car float and terminal to one end of your layout.  Cars enter and exit via the float.  Since you will be using road locomotives you will need idler cars to push/pull cars on/off the float.

Also in your case  cars would be delivered to be sent via float to an isolated  harbor railroad.  Therefore you can serve any distant industry an  not just those on your layout.

Jan  

A railroad float is a great idea.

I like the car float idea. But that would mean changing my local. I am not entirely against that though cause I am proto freelancing so I have some flexibility.  And the thought of adding some water even at the expense of slightly wider bench work is appealing. Hmmmm. Well so far I know I am sticking with the inglenook. But local may be up to change. Seattle harbor layout sounds fantastic really. 

Please forgive me if my question deviates too far from the original 4.24.16 thread. If it does, I'll submit it as a new thread.

Has anyone built a narrow S scale (shelf-type) layout with a passenger train theme? My initial thoughts are for a combination stub-end and through station (more realistically, just a "hint" of such a station), at least two stub-end tracks beneath a covered passenger platform adjacent to the station, a single through track (running between two hidden reverse loops or staging areas), and a two-track coach yard. 

Bob G (WNY) posted:

Please forgive me if my question deviates too far from the original 4.24.16 thread. If it does, I'll submit it as a new thread.

Has anyone built a narrow S scale (shelf-type) layout with a passenger train theme? My initial thoughts are for a combination stub-end and through station (more realistically, just a "hint" of such a station), at least two stub-end tracks beneath a covered passenger platform adjacent to the station, a single through track (running between two hidden reverse loops or staging areas), and a two-track coach yard. 

No reason it couldn't be done with S scale. For passenger, you might want to look at two or three-car commuter trains to conserve space.