Lionel's Ideal Layout Reimaginged in Run 306

Read your article in run 306 and started re-imagining that track plan in my 15x13 layout room.  Might squeeze it in and boy would it be fun!  

But it would completely dominate the room, which I don’t want for my next layout. Very nice re-imagining of the Ideal Layout, thanks!

Question, do you offer the AnyRail files?

Great work, Ken.....you are amazing!

Peter

Maybe the OGR staff will build this as a project layout and present a series of articles on how they did it.

Thanks very much for the positive comments!!

Kelunaboy:   I can provide the AnyRail file for the track plan.   If that is what you are after, I could email it to you or upload it here to the forum.

TNCENTRR:  this would be cool as a OGR project RR!

Terrific work.  Thanks for sharing.

Sweeeet!

Ken, from your previous postings I've seen a pattern of many very creative solutions, but this one tops the cake in my opinion.  Unlike the others, which have generally accommodated odd or unique limitations, e.g. oddly-shaped rooms, the need for strange combinations of curves of different diameters, steep grades, etc., this one is important because it was created with no such restrictions in place.  To be sure the others are all superb, each in their own way, but this one is extra special.

Over the last couple of years I've looked at most if not all of Lionel's showroom, dealer, and dream layouts from back in the day without finding one I like.  For obvious reasons none were created with today's track options in mind, and so are rather limited in "play value".  (Maybe we're spoiled).  Until I saw this one I was beginning to think that I'd have to go with a massive, custom, around-the-room arrangement to overcome this.

I think I've finally solved my problem, thanks to you.

Good work.  Thanks immensely.

The prolific Ken O Scale!!!  Hey I admire your work(s). Like Mellow Hudson, I also like whay I see as a contender for a future layout! 

tncentrr posted:

Maybe the OGR staff will build this as a project layout and present a series of articles on how they did it.

Well, that might have been a possibility some years ago when we (OGR) had a central headquarters here in Poland, Ohio, but these days there is no such animal (I believe a real estate firm or some such is currently occupying our old HQ). I work out of my home office in Poland, Ohio; Alan and LaKeeta Arnold work out of their home office in Arkansas; Jim Barrett works out of his home in Cincinnati, Ohio; and Ed Boyle works out of his home in Poland, Ohio. That's pretty much the complete core staff, not including my copy editor/proofreader, who is somewhere near the Ohio/Indiana border, I believe; my designer in Easton, PA; our fulfillment person in Indiana; and our printer in the Milwaukee area. So a project layout is, by default, no longer much of a possibility.

Besides my home layout, which is still very much in the "raw" state, the only other layout I am planning is a small all-tinplate layout with a winter/Christmas theme, just because I need a bit of a diversion to fuss with.

By the way: Plans are afoot to make Ken's track plans, which appear regularly in the pages of OGR, available as a Digital Subscriber Extra so folks who have a computer can view them in a much larger size on their home computer. Given the limitations of size of the printed page (we will nevertheless continue to publish them in the magazine), after such publication in the magazine we'll make them available in digital form for enlarged viewing. At least that is the plan.

I too had seen the article and other discussions about the ideal layout. Great to see one with fastrack. If it isn’t too much trouble could you post the anyrail file or just send to me by email - see contact.  Your work is amazing and I would like to take a shot at trying to use as is or squeeze into a slightly smaller space. No problem on width. I can go up to 15’ but depth could be tight for my space. Thanks 

I read the article in OGR.  I think it's a great track plan that harkens back to post-war Lionel but that also takes into account today's mindset. 

Ken-Oscale posted:

Thanks very much for the positive comments!!

Kelunaboy:   I can provide the AnyRail file for the track plan.   If that is what you are after, I could email it to you or upload it here to the forum.

TNCENTRR:  this would be cool as a OGR project RR!

Thanks Ken, it’s a nice layout that checks many boxes - but just won’t fit in my space.  Looking forward to seeing more of your work.

Alan

Allan Miller posted:

tncentrr posted:

Maybe the OGR staff will build this as a project layout and present a series of articles on how they did it.

 

By the way: Plans are afoot to make Ken's track plans, which appear regularly in the pages of OGR, available as a Digital Subscriber Extra so folks who have a computer can view them in a much larger size on their home computer. Given the limitations of size of the printed page (we will nevertheless continue to publish them in the magazine), after such publication in the magazine we'll make them available in digital form for enlarged viewing. At least that is the plan.

Allan...............that would be fantastic!

Peter

Here is the track plan AnyRail file for you to look at and modify as needed.   Have Fun!  -Ken

Thanks for posting the anyrail track plan. Your work is amazing. I am working on finalizing a track plan that will likely incorporate some of your ideas from this plan and from a former posting of a 5 x 12 fastrack 3 -4 train layout. The plan will probably be closer to the 5 x 12 plan because of space limitations, but the ideal layout plan really captured what I recall of running trains when I was a kid...lots of running space, accessories and not too complicated from an operations perspective.  I want to keep it easy to wire and run so will be using Lionel Chief and/or Legacy. 

Ken, much appreciated posting.  As always awesome layout! 

Truly a fantastic layout. I am saving this for when I finally start building my layout. Thanks for designing and posting it.