Layout suggestions

Clint,

This doesn't really answer your question, but may help your planning.  To get a 6.5" rise (rail top to rail top), which would give you about a 6" clearance after taking in height of roadbed, you would need:

For a 4% grade, about 14'

For a 5% grade, about 11'

These are very steep grades but if you are running short trains they are manageable.  With a little wider table you could run the grade between the two loops with the grade around the top half of the layout and the reversing loop on the bottom half.

Mr U.P.,   

I have a much smaller double loop layout such as your plan.  I elevated the entire center loop about 6-1/2".  It adds interest, allows for tunnels for the outside loop to hide the curves, makes places for my 7 bridges and keeps my small layout from looking too busy.  I can't speak to your need for reversing loop but if you elevate your entire center loop section and all inside it you will get the elevation you need.

Hope it helps.

Chris Sheldon

hey Clint,

here's my take _ it would require almost another lap all the around the get to a second level at 6.5" - so,  you have a longer passing siding on the outer loop by moving the switches to the curve.

There are cross-overs between inner and outer

A way to get double reversing is a figure 8. This is modified.

The switches and in and out to the roundhouse /TT come off of the legs of the cross. A Millhouse River 34" is there for sizing.

You could get a few spurs in near the top or room for a city with some customer spurs.

This is FasTrack O72 outer, O60 inner, all O72 switches.

If you like the concept, I can do final fitment and adjustment to your liking.

The one thing I can see on that layout is going to be access, it looks like it will be at least 7' wide, and with a wall at the right side of the layout accessing the middle will be pretty difficult, and with the density of track in there (and I realize this isn't to scale),not going to be easy to create access panels to be able to get to the areas closer to the wall (reach is usually limited to about 30-36" IME), so if you need to work near the wall it might be tough. 

Dear Mr. Union Pacific:

I see the track plan.  Is this supposed to be a particular place?  A favorite railroad location of yours?  Or, is this just going to be a display?  It's tough to judge a track arrangement without knowing what the design is.

Also, assuming you go with this track arrangement, what is its purpose?  What is it supposed to do?  A lot of people over the years have lost interest swiftly because their layout had no purpose.

If your intent is to just turn on the trains and let them circle any arrangement works.  I'm thinking you may have something more in mind because of the sidings and turntable.  Are you planning to operate this layout and if so, what will it do?

What do you want: a display layout? or an operational layout?

I would respectfully suggest that you consider exactly what is is you want to accomplish and what your and others involvement is going to be.  The more there is to do, the more fun there will be.

It is really fun, interesting and challenging to operate a couple of trains on a single line of track and/or switch cars onto or off of sidings.  It provides interaction with the layout that directly involves the participant(s).

This is a good amount of space, where either two or three people could directly control individual trains and accessories.  It would be really cool to pick a favorite theme and location to emulate. 

There are three essential elements that successful layouts possess: plausibility, purpose and participation.  The plausibility may be disregarded for toy layouts.  Every layout needs a purpose and include participation for others.  I can tell you after being in the hobby for 45 years my personal observation is that layouts that have no purpose or participation are generally short-lived. 

With the Union Pacific Railroad, your choices of theme, era, purpose are HUGE!  UP is the ONLY "original" railroad.  If you are stuck, it sounds as you have a great deal to consider before arranging track.

Model railroaders for years have "planned" layouts backwards...they fit track to a space and then try to figure out what to do.  Do the exact opposite!  First, figure out your theme, purpose and participation, then arrange the track to assist in achieving your design outline.  That's "Design 101" for the night.  LOL

Food for thought!  Good luck and best wishes.    

   Cut 5 inches off your loops length, loosing the far left siding and putting the R loops ground level turnout on a first curve on the eight side you can grab more distance ... "just more"...I'm not up for the exact diameter vs pi & then grade equation's  right now, I'm thinking about pie vs coffee vs which train to fire up.  

Mr. Union Pacific- here is my humble  attempt.

If you move the TT lead onto the yard lead you can start the elevation all the way back at the other end of the yard lead. This should give you plenty of distance to get up and over the yard with another reversing loop. This would give you a double loop inner line for continuous running or switching. The upper level could use 054 curves assuming your rolling stock can handle the smaller diameter.

Two pairs of turnouts between the two lines would give greater flexibility as well.

Good luck.

Bob

Excellent suggestion IMO.

I must be missing something because I see a lot of access issues with a 7' deep layout against the wall. Adding a raised reversing loop above all those tracks seems to just add to the problem.

I agree but not my layout so.....