Ideas Please for new layout design

Louis to save a bitmap or picture on rrt. 

Open your layout

Go to file

Click on export bitmap

Copy or save it to our desk top.

You can then email the files as an attachment or post it here at OGR.

This is from memory as I am not near my rr track program at this moment.

George

Thanks george. Im going to see if this works.

Yep! It worked

I'd start by thinking through some things:

What kind of track do you want to use?

What is the minimum/maximum radius?

How many trains do you want to run at one time?

Do you want loops or point to point?  Given the amount of space you have, a dog bone style loop would work really well.

Do you want a yard?

What kind of scenery do you want?  Foliage, hills, industrial, rural, etc.

Do you want any elevated track?

Are you going to model a particular rail road?

Are you going to model a particular time period?

How big is your budget?

Atlas track with possibly ross switches, but I do have quite a few (22) atlas 72 switches already

 

72 min and whatever the max is that will fit and work for the design

 

loops / benchwork the shape of a letter E if possible

 

I do want a yard

 

Foliage, hills, industrial, rural, etc

 

I do want elevated track

 

Im not going to model a particular rail road or time period

 

And my budget does not have a cap

Lewey,

 

where do the steps come down from upstairs?  Also i cant open the rrt file for some reason. Tell the good half i said hello  Furnace? Support poles? anything else that might need to go around?

Louis, unfortunately I don't have the Atlas library.  I would suggest you start laying out some track plans and posting them up.  I'm sure it won't take long before lot's of people start chiming in with suggestions.

 

Since you have a yard on the list, this link should be helpful in getting your yard started. 

 

James

First IMHO i would stake out the benchwork that will best fit your needs.maybe something like this ? RRT download below. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Looks good patrick. Now whichever one that you think will work best for a layout design that lets me get the most out of the space (yard/ town/ rural scenery/ upper levels/ LIKE YOURS) is which benchwork that Ill go with. I am TOTALLY helpless when it comes to the design of this stuff. I am no stranger to the work however. So Im going to leave it entirely up to someone like you and the guys on this forum, Im going to pick which one is recommended by the professionals like yourself , and Im going to make it happen. And fret not...... for all the effort you put in to this thing for me then Ill come up and help you finish that bathroom in your basement so that we don't have to go upstairs anymore! 

Actually, Now that Me and the good half just looked at these closer (by the way..... She said hello!) It looks like we would get more bench work out of the bottom one. 

Hopefully some guys on here will help you with some design Lois. That is definately not my deal. Take your time and ask for some ideas as well as look into some of the experts on here.

I did know that you wanted a double mainline with 080 n 072m thats why i suggested 4 - 84Inch penninsulas.

Hopefully. Well which benchwork idea do you think offers the most space? Or do u think they're about the same just depending on how I want to approach the layout?

You stated that you want a yard. Try to put the yard on the longest straight section of space you can.

 

If you like the recent design offerings, you may wish to have one for country/rural area, another for a different scene etc.

 

Also consider your available rolling stock, locomotives and stuff (Buildings etc) design how to use all of them or sell the few that don't fit.

 

You may have a few favorite railroad memories or spots that you enjoy being around trains. Use those memories as a basis to guide you as you go along with the design.

 

You are on a Journey, not a race. Build one section at a time and remember always that scenery can wait until you have worked out track troubles and wiring issues.

 

If your Spouse contributes by painting some houses or other craft type work, make some room too.

 

And finally but not last. Remember a story where a small party on horseback long ago was seeking a place to start a real life railroad. They got tired one afternoon, put the hatchet into the ground and said, we build it here.

 

"Here" turned out to be Cheyenne and they worked out in all directions from there.

Since no one else was stepping forward with any layout ideas it was killing me not to take a stab at it.  Since I don't have the Atlas library I did this in good old Lionel tubular.  But you should be able to redraw it with Atlas and Ross track. 

 

I left the islands on the left and right somewhat unimaginative, especially on the left island which has too much straight track.  However, it should easily facilitate having one track elevated.  I figure this will get everyone's creative juices flowing and the boring stuff can evolve to suit you.  If you like the basic plan I can play with the islands as far as rearranging the track and making it more interesting.

 

The yard follows the rules in the link I shared earlier.  I'm sure others with more experience will chime in with some suggestions, but I think it will work well for you.  The only thing I wish I could have done different would be to make the Arrival/Departure tracks a lot longer but even a big O gauge layout is going to have a few compromises.  I'll keep thinking about it and see what might be possible.

Not bad!

 

But maybe make that gigantic stubended yard into a Industrial area for some light switching.

 

Otherwise with those two yards you are going to be in the transfer business as your mainline freights pick their way among all those switches before being able to get up and run on the main.

A very nice sized layout

 

I regret having dead ended my freight yard.

The ability to enter one end and exit the other adds to the fun factor of recieving and making up freights, i think

 

If you used the left penisula for a freight yard, see nothing wrong with it on a curve. the PRR had plenty of those. And the cneter one could be used for the engine facilities.

If you are running all diesels may not be the best of options though

I was working on maybe something like this. You said you wanted some grades. The 072 on the left penninsula could up and continue straight past the yard connecting it as well. Might make for some awesome climbing winding scenes .

Iakabos, has a really good start as well!

.  Where you walk all the way up to the yard of course the benchwork will be alot neater than the lines drawn. A 2-4ft reach over the yard may be a big pain. Maybe some platforms in these 3 areas.

 

 

 Ok Lou some more imput

 

 

 

 

 

I should have known Pat would be busy. Pat your layout looks great. 

 

I reconfigured my plan so the arrival and departure tracks are longer.  I also squeezed things into the upper left corner to make it easier to get to those tracks if there should be a derailment.  I also added some curves to the tracks in the left peninsula to give it some visual interest.  The layout has a mix of 72", 84" and 96" curves.  After seeing the turn table on Pat's I realized it would be easy to do the same on my plan so I added it in.

 

On the long strait away against the wall at the top I took out the crossovers since they are redundant.  That will allow the track to be elevated all the way around the left side of the room out onto the peninsula.

 

One question I didn't ask earlier is do you want the trains to reverse direction?  If so that could easily be done on the left peninsula.

 

James

 

Tonight I played around with elevating the track.  The grades (3.2-3.3%) are in blue.  The elevated track, in green, is at 8".

I'm sorry Its taken so long for me to respond guys. I've slept only about 10 hrs in the last 4 days trying to meet a deadline here at work. The things I do for trains lol! Any who.... Both layouts look great. I'm getting more excited by the minute! I don't know how you guys do it, but that's what I can't do.... Envision what that space has the capability of being. Now for the good stuff. James - Yes. I do want the trains to change direction Patrick - You mentioned more input.... LOOKS GREAT! I have nothing to offer in this area except keep goin! Don't stop now. :-) lol. I do have 2 atlas double track bridges that I'd like to incorporate into the plan if possible. One at the very least if that's all that's possible Now for the bad :-( My wife prefers the layout that James is working on. I am leaning towards Patrick's, but haven't ruled James out. I sense a good old fashion argument brewing at my house :-) ill keep you posted lol!

Oh, this is going to be rich. 

Tell your wife I think she has great taste.  

 

What are the dimensions on the bridges?  We'll both need the inside and outside width and total length.

I have to tweak it a bit for the grade on the left to perfectly go under the return, but it should be real close to keeping it under 2%. Also you can push the loops under the upper yard to get  a longer run. I have 2% on my layout also but it is heck on traction tires when pulling over 25 cars. So this is  my basic idea.Of course you have to spend a few hours/days/weeks laying your own rrt file out perfectly yourself Compressing the yard so its within 36" of thr back wall and easy to reach each track.Needs another reverse. There are many who have great visions on here, i am just a meat and potato. There are 3 switches that are optional, i like to be able to reach all of them even in case later.

Hopefully some others will also give some idea as well as me and Jim.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Added both double track bridges plus one single track bridge with a river to boot. 

Also added switches that will let the trains reverse direction.

Hey Lou long time no see both drawings look real good you should let that good looking BOY beside you make the choice.  see you soon  Vince

Some of those remind me of a Grey Poupon mustard jar.  LOL!

Thanks Vince. Maybe I'll see you at Nicks if I can break away from this job. Marty - It looks NOTHING like Grey Poupon. Your seeing things!

LOL!  I like Patrick's drawing.  There's a lot of good ideas in all of them though.  See you at Nick's.

Yeah I think that either design should be  sweet, just dont let no Rif Raff around it

I see how it is, Youll be getting great value brand next time, things are tight up here now.Hope to see you guys soon!BYOB and bring Vince.

Value brands works for me!  Things are so tight here when I fart only dogs hear it.  LOL!

 

I definitely like the last one Patrick.  Still leaves room for folks to roam the room.

Marty your funny. Don't worry, I'm crashin Nicks Party in a little bit with some Riff Raff

I'll wear my Sunday jeans!

I think Im really leaning towards Patricks Design which seems like it will leave room to roam

 

I do want to thank you James for your time and effort. 

 

Now If we could fine tune the latest design from Patrick then I think that we would be good.

 

As Marty suggested on Vinces design, I would like to run multiple loops if I wanted, or throw switches on the layout and run just one huge loop combining all if possible. Im not sure if thats how its designed cause I didnt really try to follow the track. If not though could we tweak it?

 

By the way..... Wheres all the other guys on here that have vision like Patrick was talking about? I know they're here. Come on in 

LOU what's up I used patricks drawings to get a nice double main line with two lower and two upper reverse loops I can run four trains together or on separrate blocks also Igot a decent yard started to make a list for York take care  vince.

Sounds good Vince. Ill have to come help you make one of those benches that slide in and out from under your table.

LOU that would be great  thanks  vince

LOU as soon as I'am done with this bs I'am going through I'll hit my basement hard then I'll be over your place as a sidewalk superintendent vince

Very nice design, wish I had the room to do this

Lou how are you comming along I've been looking for a size 42 tennis shoe for you their hard to find take care vince