Layout Plan challenge 18ft along the wall "dogbone" HELP

1. If you are looking for track design help, you're going to have to provide a lot more information such as overall dimensions of the railroad room, locations of design elements and hinderances (stairways, doors, windows, closets, utilities, space that can't be used for whatever reason, etc.), explanation of how you plan to operate your railroad (freight, passenger, loop runner, realistic operations, or a hybrid of the two), and any other givens (what you limited by) and druthers (what you would like to do).

2. If you are willing to buy more track, and have the space, you could actually run an O36 dogbone inside of an O72 dogbone.  Just realize that an O72 dogbone is going to require a 6.5ft nearly complete circle at each end, leaving only a 5ft connecting mainline.  This problem is partially resolvable if you have the space to build waterwings at each end to locate your dogbone curves.

3. The other thing you have to watch out for is access to all the track you've laid.  If you plan to use the whole 18ft run to build your dogbone and the room is only 18ft wide (or long), you will have to build on wheels (to get access to the curves furthest from the front or you will have to build in access hatches allowing you to crawl under the layout to reach problem areas.

4. You should be able to squeeze your turntable within an elongated version of a dogbone loop.

Chuck

For the last year I've been practicing and tinkering with my layout design on the floor of my spare room over the garage while also using it as my office and TV/Game room.    Essentially I've settled on a loop-to-loop, loop one is larger and has three stub sidings, the other loop has two longer stubs.   The loops are connect with a three section truss bridge (that will pass in front of the window).      Inside of loop one is an oval of 036 for traditional small locals.   My min radius is 060 but I might try expanding to 072 or even sections of 096.

Several locations (since on the floor) are protected by temporary tunnels, I might work some into the final plan.     Operation can be continuous single train,  18 car max, or more challenging with another one or two trains following.   Structures are set up on a temp basis and building flats work well.     I tried a lift out/up section for the doorway but wasn't satisfied with the overall look so went back to the loop-to-loop.     Fastrak remote switches automatically throw for approaching trains so that switches train direction each time one enters a loop.   

I'll probably start module building in the fall if I'm still satisfied with the track plan.  In the meantime I can sit back and run trains on the carpet and tweak as necessary, which is easy when not on benchwork.

@PRR1950 posted:

1. If you are looking for track design help, you're going to have to provide a lot more information such as overall dimensions of the railroad room, locations of design elements and hinderances (stairways, doors, windows, closets, utilities, space that can't be used for whatever reason, etc.), explanation of how you plan to operate your railroad (freight, passenger, loop runner, realistic operations, or a hybrid of the two), and any other givens (what you limited by) and druthers (what you would like to do).

There are no hinderances IE wall mount is clear ! Operation (running trains) Mix of passenger and freight.

2. If you are willing to buy more track, and have the space, you could actually run an O36 dogbone inside of an O72 dogbone.  Just realize that an O72 dogbone is going to require a 6.5ft nearly complete circle at each end, leaving only a 5ft connecting mainline.  This problem is partially resolvable if you have the space to build waterwings at each end to locate your dogbone curves.

I expect to purchase additional track as needed   Want to keep the section between  water wings  about 28" wide at most

3. The other thing you have to watch out for is access to all the track you've laid.  If you plan to use the whole 18ft run to build your dogbone and the room is only 18ft wide (or long), you will have to build on wheels (to get access to the curves furthest from the front or you will have to build in access hatches allowing you to crawl under the layout to reach problem areas.

Will need to keep accessible  Perhaps I'll need to reduce main curves to some thing other than the O72

4. You should be able to squeeze your turntable within an elongated version of a dogbone loop.

Chuck

@PRR1950 posted:

4. You should be able to squeeze your turntable within an elongated version of a dogbone loop.

A 30" TT is going to require a lot more space I would imagine!  You need at least 20-25" of straight lead into the TT to insure you can get larger locomotives onto the TT.

Hmmm I was hoping someone could use track planning soft ware to give me some ideas! Thanks in advance

Unless this building is like a barn (and even a barn has at least one hinderance, the barn door), there have to be some hinderances, and two dimensions (length AND width) will be necessary to provide you any semblance of a plan.  Further, you can have a dog-bone style layout with just O72 loops at the ends (will not allow for much action between the loops in 18') or with O72 ovals at the ends (allowing for some action inside the ovals as well as between the ovals).

Does "operation" mean just running trains in loops with a yard and roundhouse to make-up and break-up trains?  Or, does "operation" mean multiple train stations for passengers and places to drop off / pick up freight cars along a mainline?  In either case, do you want separate freight and passenger yards?

Do you only want to run like a Class 1 railroad or would you prefer a branchline operation with a Class 1 junction?

Please be as detailed and specific as possible in your answers.

Chuck

@Tom weaver posted:

Hmmm I was hoping someone could use track planning soft ware to give me some ideas! Thanks in advance

You might want to at least post a rough sketch of the room dimensions and basic track layout of what you are looking to accomplish. That would be a starting point for any of the Forum designers and, if you can do it on graph paper, so much the better.

Fyi: you can't have O72 curves, a 28" width, and 18' length:

-Greg

18 ft sounds more than it is in o scale….In my garage I have about 18.5 and can go 6 ft wide . Limitations are my wife and I driving in and out of garage, we are not best and I did not want open doors hitting layout. Anyway I have went from 036 to 048 to 060 and the bigger the curve leads to the above demo by Greg. I am not ready to post mine as I keep changing my mind. Good luck

@Greg Houser posted:

Fyi: you can't have O72 curves, a 28" width, and 18' length:

If you want O72 curves, you best have a bit more than six feet of width to work with!   In my layout, I found out just how much room O-gauge really takes up!

@Tom weaver posted:

Fastrack Items:   072 Wye, 1 pr of 072 switches, 3pr of 048 switches, 2 uncoupling tracks, 2 6-12054 operating tracks, 16 0-72 curves, and 18 0-36 curves

This is like the Apollo 13 method of layout design

Brendan

@Tom weaver posted:

For power Lionel KW, ZW, a ZW-L, and MTH Z-4000.

I predict that will be just enough power.

@Tom weaver posted:

For power Lionel KW, ZW, a ZW-L, and MTH Z-4000.

@MikeH posted:

I predict that will be just enough power.

You just said a mouthful Mike!  I power my 24 x 12 layout with four Lionel PowerHouse 180 bricks, and I have power to burn!  The biggest problem I see is lack of space to connect all the transformers!

You can get O-72 curves in an 18' space, but you will be close the the edge.  If there is a wall there, it may not work well with a big articulated.

I would go with an oval with a lift up/drop down to get in the center.

Tried to figure out where to put your 30" turntable with the oval in an 18' X 7' area.  Not sure you will be able to use it.

Maybe stack your transformers on top of one another??

This is a control station with a umbilical cord that the user can move around as desired.

I use lower shelves for bricks and additional power sources.

Consider a module just for the TT.  You can attach it any where. You do not need the curved interface, a straight edge will do.

A spray foam perimeter will provide a scenery base & protect from run off.

Just a couple of suggestions for doing a loop to loop.

In a few  similar situations I used a loop at each end with a real long straight a way in between.  One was double track, the other one single track with a passing siding.

Maybe a TT in the center of a loop

060 Fastrack fits pretty nicely in 6' of width. Here's an over/under folded dogbone with 060 min (reversing route - always using outer track up/down) and 048 min (loop route). The turntable in this design is a 33" Ross, so you'd actually be able to get a little more length on both the lead track and the storage tracks and maybe add one or two more storage tracks. I didn't add any sidings, bit I think you could fit some sidings on both the upper and lower levels.

Some interesting suggestions here, but we still don't know the second dimension of original poster's space.  Would suggest that further comments wait on the "facts."

Chuck

@PRR1950 posted:

Some interesting suggestions here, but we still don't know the second dimension of original poster's space.  Would suggest that further comments wait on the "facts."

Chuck

Please forgive me if I am slow in replying  will try to do rough drawing this weekend.  I guess as I approach 4 score  I'm slowing down a bit!! Also finally completing a replacement  of a replacement  knee a process called "Revision "  the "Process"  required 2 surgeries,  3 hospital stays for a  total of 16 days,  3 stays in a "swing bed" for physical therapy for 87 days, and a total of 188 days in a hospital bed!  Of course had to learn how to walk again! I told one of the nurses it seemed easier to learn to walk when I was a year old!!! She laughed and said" Yes and you  didn't have as far to fall"   anyhow  sorry for delay!!

Here is rough drawing

The left wing can be 10ft  into room     The right wing can be 8ft into room  the connector part 28" to 30"  as the 18 ft run will be against wall !

@Richie C. posted:

You might want to at least post a rough sketch of the room dimensions and basic track layout of what you are looking to accomplish. That would be a starting point for any of the Forum designers and, if you can do it on graph paper, so much the better.

Posted!!

@MikeH posted:

I predict that will be just enough power.

Mike, I left out 2 LGB Jumbo Transformer, another 10 amp transformer, and USA  Trains 10 amp supply.   paraphrasing the hot rod days "aint no substitute for watts and amperage"

OK, now we are getting somewhere, but still need to know a few key dimensions to determine whether or not we can use the full 18' along the back wall.  Will the 10' side and the 8' side be completely against walls, or some other objects, if the full 18' length is used?

Why do I ask?  Because you still have to allow room to reach the two 18' corners, probably narrowing your long run to only 14' so you can have two aisles that are minimally 2' wide.

Let us know when you can.

Chuck

@PRR1950 posted:

OK, now we are getting somewhere, but still need to know a few key dimensions to determine whether or not we can use the full 18' along the back wall.  Will the 10' side and the 8' side be completely against walls, or some other objects, if the full 18' length is used?

Why do I ask?  Because you still have to allow room to reach the two 18' corners, probably narrowing your long run to only 14' so you can have two aisles that are minimally 2' wide.

Let us know when you can.

Chuck

The  8ft wing (right wing) has limited access  from right side , full access from lower edge and inner edge.

The 10 Ft wing  has full access from Right Side , Lower side , and left side .

The Eighteen ft  side is against a wall. I guess might be called a shelf railroad 18" long a 28" to 30" wide. that have wings added on to the shelf. I think.