JStewart204 New Train Room Layout Build

The floor layout is gone. My wife helped me inventory the track as I disassembled. She also helped box up the locomotives, told me it was one of the most tedius things I have ever asked her to do. Got everything stored in the new train room for now.

I need to compare the parts list in the anyrail plan to what I have on hand and place an order for any additional track this weekend while many of our fourm sponsors are running sales.

We discussed height of the main level of the new layout, sounds like 40" will work so she can help with the scenery and the kids will be able to see.

Might try tweaking the track plan some more. Any comments or suggestions to improve the plan are welcome.

Progress Pictures

Looks like you're off to a good start.

Will stay tuned.......

Streamlined the track plan a bit, fixed some errors (2 036 full curves made it out there somehow), and addressed some of the messy connections. Updated anyrail file attached.

I cross referenced the track inventory from the floor layout teardown with the track list from anyrail and placed an order for the additional track I will need (took advantage of Labor Day sales).

Next, I am going to start roughing in the footprints of structures I own and some I plan to purchase.

Nice. I'm working on ideas for my own layout. What size curves do you use? Also, which control system(s)?

@Dylan the Train Man posted:

Nice. I'm working on ideas for my own layout. What size curves do you use? Also, which control system(s)?

Dylan, thanks for asking, I should have included that information.

I'm using a mix of 048 060 and 072 curves. Generally, a mix of 048 and 060 on the stageing level, 060 on the outer main loop, 048 on the inner main loop, and a mix of 072 and 060 on the upper loop with some 048 in there to make the reverse loop work.

I run modern scale diesel locomotives and modern scale rolling stock. Everything I own has been run on 048 with no issues.

Right now I'm only using legacy control. I may look into adding DCS in the future but that may be a few years out, I don't have any MTH powered units and it's an extra cost I'm not planning for right now.

What sort of space do you have for your layout?

I don't have the space right now for my new layout, but I currently have a loop of Fastrack with O36 curves on a shelf around my bedroom which is 10 X 14 feet. I run Legacy as well, but I also plan to buy DCS and larger curves in the future. My future layout will be built in a 12 X 24 foot detached shed that will also serve as a guest room, so I will get about 11 X 17 feet (or so). The layout won't be started for a while. For now, I will save money and work on plans for the layout. I will also be using Fastrack for my layout.

Dylan, sounds like you have a great plan forward. You will be able to do a lot in a 11 x 17 foot space. Hopefully, it won't be too long before you can get started.

Some goodies have arrived.

Layout supplies I bought during labor day sale from Trainworld

Some used items I picked up from Trainz to help complete the layout

My order of Atlas 62' bulkheads and 68' flats I placed with MrMuffin months ago arrived

Some items I ordered from Brady's Trains as a b-day present

And a like new Lionel BNSF ES44AC from the 2019 catalog I found for sale locally at a price I couldn't pass up (I had to ask my wife nicely before I bought this, didn't want to end up in the doghouse for coming home with another train)

I also received the BNSF SD70MAC I pre-ordered from my LHS (haven't even taken it out of the shipper yet), an order of wire, terminal blocks and 110 fastons. I still want to play around in anyrail and place the structures I currently own on the layout and see what additional structures could be added. I also need to inventory all the scrap 2x4s and plywood I have scrounged from work to see if I have enough for the benchwork.

My wife and I discussed some of the scenery, some elements we would like to incorporate, she is going to do a lot of the heavy lifting with the scenery. She reminds me she went to art school and took classes on how to carve foam. For some of the elevated sections I leaning towards using the Scenic Express Girder Bridge Plates.

I also need to upgrade the lighting in the room and discuss backdrop options with my wife. Still lots to figure out before I start laying track.

-Josh

I like that BNSF ES44AC. I'm a huge BNSF and Santa Fe fan, as well as UP, SP, and other western railroads.

Update, found some time to post as I lay in bed holding my 6 month old to keep him asleep so my wife can get some rest. He had the flu and an ear infection and won't sleep more than 30min to an hour unless held, too stuffed up.

Benchwork started! (1/8/23)

This is the start of the staging level. I set the height at 36" from the floor. That will put the main level at 46" and the upper loop at 54".

The plywood I scrounged is 5/8" and is all cut to 2x8' works well for the area where the layout is only 2' wide and much easier to lug around the house and up the stairs. Bit tougher to use it to fill in the rest of the table top area without too much waste.

Still working it over in my head how to best approach building the ramp from staging to main and then main to upper loop. I stacked the ramps to be efficient with my available space but it does make it a bit more complex to support the slope to the upper loop. I also need to consider how I build the benchwork in this area for both the main and staging levels.

Bit of a pain working around a moving all my boxed up stuff but there isn't any room elsewhere in the house for them to hangout for an extended period. Once the full staging level has plywood I will have plenty of room to store my stuff underneath.

I also installed a new light fixture and some curtains (she bought the fabric and sewed the curtains) and yet to install the pull back hooks made from rail spikes, all gifts from my wife for Christmas (she likes the green NYC E8s in the new catalog, I may order them so she has her own units to run on the layout, I will also need to find passenger cars for those).

I also purchased a Menards Vetter Sash and Door from my LHS with Christmas money and the Lionel graffitied husky stacks I ordered came in. My brother also gave me an atlas 62' bulkhead flatcar for Christmas.

My goal is to finish the staging level this weekend, my little engineer is getting impatient, she keeps asking about Daddy's trains, at least there was one around the tree she could run ☺️

Pretty awesome layout you have started! I don't know how I missed the thread for this long.

Good call on putting an upper level that is higher. I think you'll enjoy having trains closer to your standing height. That's how I arrived at 48" for my own layout.

Good luck, with the layout and kids. I have a 4 year old, and while it was a great excuse to get back into trains, wow is it a lot of work. Lol.

Just noticed this, and I do have a question.  How do you get to the windows if you need to?

@GregK posted:

Good luck, with the layout and kids. I have a 4 year old, and while it was a great excuse to get back into trains, wow is it a lot of work. Lol.

Greg, I don't mind the work, it's relaxing and refreshing. I enjoy tinkering, building and figuring out solutions to problems. The hands on work is nice since I moved into project management I don't do much hands on field work anymore. The issue I am running into is finding the time to work on it. The kids are a lot of work lol but I wouldn't change that!

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

Just noticed this, and I do have a question.  How do you get to the windows if you need to?

John,

Great question, I will be able to open them from under the layout and push them up with the wood used to prop them open. It's an old house with old windows. In the 5 years we have lived here the windows have been opened maybe once a year. There are other windows close by that are better positioned for moving air around the house.

Josh

I was more thinking of maintenance, say one gets broken, or you have to work on the window frame...

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

I was more thinking of maintenance, say one gets broken, or you have to work on the window frame...

I’m always thinking of layout ideas for my basement, but then I get this voice in my head that says “No you can’t do that, what would gunrunnerjohn think of you blocking access to that drain clean-out.” 😂

In all seriousness the access stuff is super important. Can’t compromise on it..

John,

Thanks for bringing this up, it is not something I had fully considered. I'm building some space into the benchwork that will allow me to cut away access if needed. Not the best solution but if the windows need that sort of maintenance then it maybe a good time to rework things.

Also, these are single pane windows each pane glazed to the frame from the outside. I bet some of the glass in the windows is around 100 years old or older (house was built in 1836). If the glass breaks I would access it from the outside, layout or no layout.

WOW, single pane windows!  I'd want to access them just to put decent windows in!

Duel pane makes a huge difference! I just spent $18K to replace the single pane windows in my house, can already feel the difference inside and the AZ summer is still a couple of months away!

My wife and I looked into replacement windows, the cost vs energy savings wasn't there. More cost effective to focus insulation in the attic and the basement based on the results of the engery audit. I'm in New England for reference.

Some more progress on the staging level benchwork. Not quite as far along as I wanted to get this weekendbut getting there!

Every layout incorporates geometry, carpentry, electricity, and scenic aspects. There's also the "human factor;" you are committed to the project, you're blessed to have an accommodating wife with artistic skill, and you are nurturing a young daughter who is eager to become a Junior Engineer.  It doesn't get any better than that!

Mike Mottler   LCCA 12394

@Jstewart204 posted:

Not quite as far along as I wanted to get this weekendbut getting there!

I hear that!!

Good progress on the benchwork though. Seems like we are our harshest critics

@Jstewart204 posted:

My wife and I looked into replacement windows, the cost vs energy savings wasn't there. More cost effective to focus insulation in the attic and the basement based on the results of the engery audit. I'm in New England for reference.

WOW!  Double pane windows didn't make sense in New England?  I'd have to question that Energy Audit!

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

WOW!  Double pane windows didn't make sense in New England?  I'd have to question that Energy Audit!

Haha John I was surprised too! It was on the list of things we thought we would need to tackle after we bought the house. All the windows also have storm windows over them that act as a sort of second pane.  Honestly, there is no noticable draft from any of the windows in the house. Some of the outlets and light switches located on exterior wall, those feel like someone installed a fan in the wall on real cold days.

@Jstewart204 I love your design!  Honestly I'm amazed at what you were able to fit in what amounts to a fairly small room.  Major kudos, too, for doing it with a minimum radius of O48.  As you said, that allows you to run most trains including full scale models.  That being said, please allow me to share one concern, and one suggestion:

My concern is that your ramp tracks are too steeply graded.  During the Postwar and MPC eras, the Lionel graduated trestle set created a grade of about 5%, and that was considered steeper than ideal.  Before you build anything, I suggest that you "mock up" your ramp track and try your locomotives on it.  See if they can navigate the slope without scraping the front pilot on the rail.  Also, whether it can pull a typically-sized consist all the way up the ramp to the next level.

My suggestion is that you add at least one "industry" or station on the upper level, to give your trains a reason, or purpose, to go up there.

I will be following your build thread.  I've been experimenting with designs similar to yours, and I will be learning along with you as you figure out how to support the two "ramps" stacked on top of each other with risers, etc.   Thank you so much for sharing a brilliant design!

@Ted S S Thank you for the comments and feedback on the design, I really appreciate it! I haven't heard much from the forum good or bad on the design. It took some trial and error to fit in the things I wanted but I'm pretty happy with how the plan turned out. I'm glad you like it too.

Thanks for your suggestion to add an industry to the upper loop, I had been thinking about inserting a turnout on one of the bottom corners for a spur that would hold one to two cars. That way I can run a local from the yard on the main level up to service the industry on the upper loop. Going to wait until I have the track in to see which corner and what direction I want the turnout to be.

For the stacked ramp support, I have been thinking about it and I'm going to try running supports that run from the staging level all the way to the elevation the ramp from the main to upper loop will be along the outside edges. I will add cleats to the supports to attach the ramps to. We will see if I stick with this plan once I start building the ramps, something else may pop in my head once the pieces start coming together.

Your concern about the slopes is noted and one that I share. I had similar slopes on my floor layout and 10 to 14 car consists with 2 powered engines ran them no trouble. The speed control with legacy units is amazing. I may be able to lower the main level by an inch if I have to but that makes things tight for the husky stacks I have that need 7 1/2" plus room for the main level support, wiring, and my hands to fit. I do plan to test the ramps before tacking everything down.

Josh

The attached file modifies the layout to reduce the grades to about 4%, and uses two of the new 3" track pieces. The staging loop extends off the table, not sure if that is possible or not. See what you think.

@EAW posted:

The attached file modifies the layout to reduce the grades to about 4%, and uses two of the new 3" track pieces. The staging loop extends off the table, not sure if that is possible or not. See what you think.

Thanks for the updated plan. I think the loop extending out farther may make things a bit too tight at the doorway. I had considered placing the ramps on the outside edge like you have them in the plan but I felt like it wouldn't work as well for the visual atheistic of the layout, I will think about it. I noticed you were able to leave almost all the other track work unchanged, great work. Do you know when the new 3" track pieces will be available?

I do not know when the new 3" track will be available.

@Jstewart204,

The attached plan moves the staging loop back onto the table you drew.  It adds a few more of the 3" track pieces. I circled each of the locations so you can see where they are located (six on staging level and one on the upper level). Don't let the availability of 3" track pieces hold you up too much if you like the plan as they are not required on the main level or ramps and you may decide to make changes after you start laying track and running on it.

My concern with the ramps as originally laid out, is that the supports may block your access to any tracks place behind them should something derail. Also placing the ramps at the back provides you a longer run (flatter slope).

The pictures suggest you are making progress, keep at it.

Eric

@EAW Eric,

Not sure how I missed your post, been busy with work and the kids and didn't check my own thread until now. Sorry for the delay!

I agree with the points you made about the original ramp locations, possibly blocking access and moving them to the back will allow for a longer run. I am concerned the length of reverse loop as you show in your plan will be too short for the consists I plan to run, that is why I have it setup the way I do in my plan. For now I am going to stick with the ramps in front, it gets me a longer run on the upper loop and outer main line, and will fit with my vision for scenery. I think I will have room to cut some access in the back corners to get to the track behind the ramps for maintenance.

Update,

I have made slow progress over the last month, only able to get an hour here and there to work on the layout. While test fitting track it seemed it was too far off the wall and I discovered the room was a bit wider than I had originally thought.

At the height of the benchwork the room is 106" wide, at the floor it was 102" (got to love old houses), this allowed me to stretch the layout by adding in some 4 1/2" pieces to the track plan (updated wide plan attached). Fortunately it was February and I was able to take advantage of the fastrack sale Nassau hobby runs to pick up the additional twelve 4 1/2" sections I will need.

This updated version will give me more room and the reverse loop doesn't stick out in the room as far, I was also able to extend the loop back toward the door a bit. Current pictures of test fitting with the new plan below:

Next steps: Fill in gaps in plywood top, trim plywood to final footprint, lay more track, test lower ramp, buy lumber to support main level.

I plan to use 2x4 sections as pillars to support 1x3's with 1x2's over them as joists in a sort of L girder style. Seems like it will work in my head. This will give me the clearance I need for the tall rolling stock I have to clear on the staging level and allow me to use plywood on the main level just where track will be laid and play with elevation a bit on the main level to potentially help with my ramp grades. I will install foam in other areas that will just be getting scenery and buildings.

Thanks for checking in if you read this far!

Josh

Nice! Finding four inches is a happy surprise!

I also suffer from the hour here and there affliction. I can usually afford a few hours on Saturday but that's about it.

Bill then there are the "helpers" they help to make tasks take longer, haha.

Yep! I used to have a dog helper that had to sniff every single thing I touched and be right next to me at all times. Now I have a cat helped that wants to take anything she can fit in her mouth but helpers do make the task more enjoyable I find!

I just saw your topic, Josh!  That looks like a nice plan and good start on the layout.  Your room is about the size of mine.

Josh,  I follow Mark's posts and also just found yours. I do not have Anyrail - without seeing the detail I would be very concerned over the slope of the track connecting the upper and lower levels. The MTH stack cars are incredibly tall and as you note require a lot of clearance. The transitions may give you the biggest headache. You may be OK if you stick with diesels, but even still I am guessing you are trying to get 9 inches vertical out of 8 to 10 feet of length - in the range of 8% to 10% grade - that's pretty steep. Hope it works out for you.  My first real layout was 9x12.

My new build is using 36 feet of run to get 9 inches - about 2% grade.   

Cute helpers there, just waiting to build great memories.