Good evening fellow OGRR’ers, I’m looking for some ideas and constructive criticism on a possible layout plan. I’ve been leaning towards doing switching layouts on a shelf the loops that I’ve been doing since I got back into model trains in 2010. My 12 year old is excited at the concept.
First the back story, some of you may remember that last March I did a Boy Scout Merit Badge Railroading class. Taking some of the pros and the cons (boys got bored easily with the lecture and movie format) that I learned from that experience, and some ideas that I’ve read about on the internet research “just run trains!”, I’m planning on doing it again next March, but this time with trains to play with.
I’m going to do two portable layouts, one is a 18” x 72” N Scale Inglenook Sidings (I dabble in both O & N), and the other a 3x6 FasTrack horseshoe with a few operating accessories. I figure that this should keep them interested in the subject (and I get to have some fun too).
Now on to my layout. With all of the layout planning in my head for the Boy Scout Merit Badge, I figured that I should make a permanent one for myself. I should note that my switching layout is more about fun with utilizing operating accessories than it is for actual railroad operations, so it has to have room for operational accessories, most of which I will have to reacquire over the next 2 years or so since my O Gauge dispersal in January 2013. My proposed inventory of accessories that I would like to find space on the layout are:
Lionel Oil Drum Loader
Lionel 97 Coal Elevator
American Flyer 23796 Sawmill
American Flyer 787 Log Loader
Lionel Barrel Loader
Lionel “Moe & Joe” Lumber Car
Lionel Horse Corral
Lionel Icing Station
K-Line Milk Loading Depot
K-Line Milk Unloading Platform
Lionel 456R Coal Ramp
Lionel Culvert Loader
Lionel Culvert Unloader
I may very well not get most or all of the above as it’s all about what can fit in the acreage that I have.
I will be using the Woodland Scenics Mod-U-Rail system that I already have using 2 Corner modules and 2 Straight 18” x 36” Modules for a total dimensions of 3’x12’ against a wall. The track plan will be an expanded Inglenook Sidings game as is shown below.
This is the layout that I created so far on AnyRail with some of the proposed locations for accessories placed in. The track has to be FasTrack with its bulletproof turnouts and ready connections to operational accessories. As this is switching layout, the FasTrack “noise” from continuous running won’t be an issue. Any ideas from my fellow OGRR members of how to improve the layout, etc. will be welcomed.
Good night.
P.S. - If anyone can tell me how to upload an AnyRail file so it shows up clear on the website, let me know. I had to do a screen shot and used Paint, which of course cuts down on the resolution quality of the image.
" of the passing side.
