Layout design for comment -- 25' x 12' Twisted Oval

I like it!

Peter

Hi Matt,

I like it!  You have nice wide radius curves for running long trains, at 25' you've got nice straight aways, a tunnel so the train disappears, lots of room for scenery, good access, and a switching line as well.  A reverse loop to reverse direction would be nice but it's your railroad.  Looking forward to seeing your progress as this layout comes together.

John

I always look at plans from an "operations" perspective.  As it stands now, you have 3 places to pick-up and/or drop off cars, the two areas within each "loop" and the 2-track yard just off your main line.  The main problem is that your "yard" and your industries connect to the mainline at nearly the same spot.  The second problem is that your "run-around" siding is very short.  With an engine and a caboose, your trains can only be about 2-3 cars long to make effective use of the run-around.  Otherwise, your "peddler" will have to block the main while it switches the industries.  Finally, to really improve operations, I would try to add an interchange with another railroad (including even a "faked" crossing with signals and a small interchange yard), preferably away from your yard.

One last thought; are you forbidden from using that extra space in the lower right-hand corner?

Chuck

Minimal yard space is one deficiency I see, I think you'll come to regret that omission.

I understand what you are planning from your description, and it looks good to me.     I count 6 industrial switching locations and each may have more than one SPOT - in other words, some cars specifically to door #1 and some specifically to door # 2 etc.     I like the idea of the inbound cars coming and going from the interchange tracks.    Your through trains could also set or pick a car or 2 there.     There is no yard per se, but that is the way you planned it.

Some suggestions I see as possible that are not major.    It looks like the interchange tracks are on a level higher than the loop tracks.    Consider extending the interchange tracks either straight to the wall, or along the main.    That would add space for about 6 more 40 ft cars.     Another thought is to add a small engine house.    Two possibilities.     One, if  you extend the interchange tracks put it off the track nearest the aisle about where the station is.    this would be for the switcher and maybe a caboose.     The other option for an engine house is straight off the curve leading to the industry at the "bottom" of the drawing.

If you want to make some major changes, you could extend the right hand loop toward the bottom of the page and pull the whole upper straight track where the interchange and runaround are located to parallel to the top (back) of the layout.     This would give a lot more space for the interchange and possibly a yard track and the engine house and maybe another industry behind the mainline.

Note that many shortlines that serve some industries have very little or no yard trackage, so this makes sense.

Thanks for the suggestions. Unfortunately, the lower right area that's unused is where my water heater is situated and I plan to put a couple of storage shelves in the area as well. I stuck the interchange tracks across the main to make things interesting and force scheduling. The run-around siding for the switching portion of the layout uses a portion of the main to add interest.

There's no staging/storage yard [yet] as I'm trying to figure out where to put it (probably underneath along the back wall). I just have to figure out how to implement the access.

OK, you can't use the lower right area.    The plan is still good.

From the drawing it looks like the main loop goes down under the switching area and there is a "passing siding".

I still think you could  use more interchange.     I suggest you change/move the switch to the interchange to right where the main curves into the diagonal.    Use an LH switch whatever size to maintain the same curve and send the interchange straight out along the top of the drawing which I assume is the wall.    It appears that would double the interchange space.      then the area where the current interchange tracks and station are could be used for a small engine house for the "shortline" and possible a  yard track or 2.    It just adds a little more work to access the interchange from the other side.

Then look to add a 3rd track on the lower level so you have 2 passing sidings and a main.    This would allow you to store/stage a through train in each direction and still have a through track.   

I envision a possible operating scenario as follows:     A string of cars would be on the interchange for 3 destinations.    Roughly 1/3 would be routed to local industries, 1/3 to the eastbound through freight, and 1/3 to westbound through freight.   When a through train come through, it would have about half its cars for set out at the yard/interchange.    And it would pick up an equivalent batch of cars routed in its direction.   The local switcher may or may not be used to make these moves.    the cars set out would be sorted onto the interchange tracks and possibly a 3rd track for local deliveries.

The local switcher wold sort out the interchange tracks at the beginning of the session and assemble them into the westbound and eastbound through groups and any the might routed to local industries.     At some point the switcher would take the local stuff over to the industrial area and bring back outbounds.    The outbounds might go in one of the through freights or onto an interchange track.

this is just a simplified overview to show one way to operate the layout.

@prrjim posted:

OK, you can't use the lower right area.    The plan is still good.

From the drawing it looks like the main loop goes down under the switching area and there is a "passing siding".

I still think you could  use more interchange.     I suggest you change/move the switch to the interchange to right where the main curves into the diagonal.    Use an LH switch whatever size to maintain the same curve and send the interchange straight out along the top of the drawing which I assume is the wall.    It appears that would double the interchange space.      then the area where the current interchange tracks and station are could be used for a small engine house for the "shortline" and possible a  yard track or 2.    It just adds a little more work to access the interchange from the other side.

Then look to add a 3rd track on the lower level so you have 2 passing sidings and a main.    This would allow you to store/stage a through train in each direction and still have a through track.  

I envision a possible operating scenario as follows:     A string of cars would be on the interchange for 3 destinations.    Roughly 1/3 would be routed to local industries, 1/3 to the eastbound through freight, and 1/3 to westbound through freight.   When a through train come through, it would have about half its cars for set out at the yard/interchange.    And it would pick up an equivalent batch of cars routed in its direction.   The local switcher may or may not be used to make these moves.    the cars set out would be sorted onto the interchange tracks and possibly a 3rd track for local deliveries.

The local switcher wold sort out the interchange tracks at the beginning of the session and assemble them into the westbound and eastbound through groups and any the might routed to local industries.     At some point the switcher would take the local stuff over to the industrial area and bring back outbounds.    The outbounds might go in one of the through freights or onto an interchange track.

this is just a simplified overview to show one way to operate the layout.

Thanks Jim. Great ideas. I checked my inventory of turnouts and it turns out that my last pair of #6 turnouts are both lefts, so moving the interchange turnout to the right works perfectly. Your switching/mainline scenario is pretty close to how I planned to operate the layout. I like the idea of putting another siding in so I can park an additional train. I'll see if I can squeeze that in.

Matt, neat layout, looking forward to your updates.

Tom

Matt,

For the lower storage yard, have you considered a 1 loop helix to keep your grade manageable and give you use of the space under the layout?

I am planning something on this order when I build my new layout next year.  I am also going to pick your brain at the layout about passive mode.

Have you considered a grade down to a lower level for the storage of additional trains? Jdstucks on yt has done this well and it is something I'd like to replicate on my next layout.

@bigboy25 posted:

Have you considered a grade down to a lower level for the storage of additional trains? Jdstucks on yt has done this well and it is something I'd like to replicate on my next layout.

Been thinking about that.

can anyone scale this down to 6x12 for me with 031 curves

@DCtransit posted:

can anyone scale this down to 6x12 for me with 031 curves

I'll take a look at it, but the grades might have to go.

Hey Matt, can you share the file? I'd like to play with the design a bit to see what I can do about adding a lowest storage level. I think the best place to do it would be in the center under the crossover and have the outer track have a switch going into a tunnel portal that then ramps down around the right side loop and ends in several stub ended sidings along the back wall. This could provide storage for 3/4 decently sized trains.

@DCtransit posted:

can anyone scale this down to 6x12 for me with 031 curves

Challenge Accepted. Here you go, including the track component list. You'll have to do some cutting (half-curves and short straights), but it's doable. The grade is 3% and the track elevation on the high level is 5.5".

@bigboy25 posted:

Hey Matt, can you share the file? I'd like to play with the design a bit to see what I can do about adding a lowest storage level. I think the best place to do it would be in the center under the crossover and have the outer track have a switch going into a tunnel portal that then ramps down around the right side loop and ends in several stub ended sidings along the back wall. This could provide storage for 3/4 decently sized trains.

Here you go. It uses the ScaleTrax library. I also played around with adding another siding, but it started getting busy.

Matt -

I really like the long, gentle, sweeping curves.  That will turn any train into instant eye-candy.  Go for it and post some running videos when you are done.