Please share the basic thinking behind your layout.

Chugman: Interesting topic: I've had bigger layouts, but my retirement home has an 11' X 14' area for a layout, so that constrained what I'm building.

I have a single mainline with two passing sidings; my "yard" consists of a siding leading to a single stall engine-house.

I run both passenger and freight (once I get everything un-packed again...). I run mostly Legacy/TMCC but have the capability to run conventional with my TPCs.

I also have a loop of "S" that also has a passing siding.

I don't limit road names per se as I sometimes buy what I like to look at. I predominately have NYC & UP & AT&SF. I had to add the MR once Lionel issued the S-3 as I was born in Schenectady and grew up there.

Trains by design will have to be limited in the number of cars to look right on the layout. I'm trying for a hi-rail/scale layout with no oversized operating accessories.

The other constraint was i wanted to keep my Atlas"O" 7.5 degree turnouts and 0-99/0-90/0-81 curves which I managed to do for a better "look".

"Basic thinking"?  Does that apply to those planned/under construction?  Wooden

tablework covered with electric drills, yardsticks, levels, wrenches, etc. does not

count?  Or does the plan count?

I'm currently building a new layout that isn't using tubular track, I'm going with Gargraves track and Ross Custom switches this time.  It'll feature long sweeping curves, two main lines, an engine house/maintenance yard, a small yard for some switching and a scrap yard with a gantry crane.  As for equipment anything postwar or MPC is fine, I'm not picky with road names.

Paul

My layout area is highly restricted, so I'm on a 49" by 76" (note: it is so small the dimensions are in inches and not feet).

• I have a single loop using 036 FasTrack. 
• It is freight only. With the only freight ACF 2-bay hoppers. (I proudly boast that I run a unit train)
• There are two "Yards" from opposite sides of the loop. Those "Yards" are joined together by SuperStreets which is traversed with a TrackMobile to get from one "Yard" to the other.
• All locomotives and switches (048 switches - I preferred a more gradual turnout) are operated Command Control.
• I am attempting to run only L&N locomotives (I understand weren't around when TrackMobiles were made). But my L&N doesn't stand for Louisville and Nashville, but rather for Loop and Nowhere.

Thinking? There's thinking?

Art, this is a very thought provoking thread. Most of the good layouts I have seen start with a plan. I was fortunate to have a wonderful space for our layout. This is a big help. The room is 36 Ft. by 40 ft. with no posts to work around.

I have been a Department 56 collector for the past 30 years and had a sizable collection that I wanted to work into the layout. One of my favorites is Christmas in the City, so I designed (on a higher level to give seasonal separation) a city to hold the entire collection.

I also wanted to work into the layout the Department 56 Seasons Bay collection, so a large waterfront area was a must.

The entire layout would center around passenger service so a large train station complex was also on my want list.

Finally, I had a 36" turntable and 8 stall roundhouse that I had to incorporate into the design.

I can run eight passenger trains simultaneously without the worry of a collision. All in all, the original plan worked with some modifications we made last spring.

My basic thinking is duplicating the most interesting things of the Milwaukee Road in the early 50's. To me they are big electrics, mountains, high desert and unique passenger trains. I like long stretches of single line rail through the lonely high Cascade Mountains. Watching a luxury passenger train go through rugged mountain passes at night is wonderful to see. I imagine passengers dinning on a fine meal and wondering what mysteries are out their window. Don

Good question.   My thinking was pretty limited: 

*  I wanted the largest diameter curves I could fit

*  two train continuous running

*  mountain branch line

*  grand tour route that covers almost all of the main and the branch

*  curve easements where possible (mainline diameters of O-60 and O-48 loops

*  On-30 loop in the mountains

*  room to park trains to alternate running

So I was able to get all that into 6' X 12'.

Don't care about command control.   Not many blocks to worry about.  Don't care about switching.

Thinking? I just started digging and found this train layout under our home.

Texas, Texas and Texas.

Temple, Texas station with engine siding.

Lone Star Beer brewery industrial siding.

Oil fields with Texas pipe (culvert loader) siding

Ice (for the beer) station (Lionel)

The Alamo (battle still going on but we are winning this time)

Steve, Lady and Tex

I thought I'd like to have a larger train than my HO beer reefer/circus car train running around the tree, so I bought a Polar Express set.

Then I thought, dang!  This stupid FasTrack is almost as loud as my old hard rock band, so I bought some tube track.

Then I thought I'd go to a train show and wound up buying a couple used O-22 switches and some other doo-dads.

Then I learned them switches could be operated automagically through a simple wiring trick, so I did that and was so delighted I got a bunch more off e-bay.

Then I blacked out and when I came to I had constructed a 4x10 carpet covered platform in the garage and had more trains and several action accessories.

Tell you the truth, I don't do much thinking anymore.  I just play trains and have fun, which is the only point to my "railroad."

Pete

Wow, guys!  Some really interesting answers.  We are going to have to follow this up with some pictures soon.

D & H - Some great planning and features.  Single main with 2 passing sidings and Atlas 7.5 switches and large curves sounds like a feast for the eyes and great running.

Colorado Hirailer - The plan counts with me. more people should probably have one.

Paul - Sounds like a serious upgrade!

TM Terry - I really like the way that you are tweaking your layout to get the most bang for the buck in limited space.

Gilly - Some excellent design points!  Double main with double X crossovers, large passing siding, 072 wye, reversing loops!  Sounds like a lot of flexibility and major operating fun.  Great job!

Brian - I have always loved your layout.  You started with a solid plan and executed it brilliantly.  You always knew what your priorities were and made sure they made it into your layout.  We all can learn from that.

Scale Rail - Love your vision!  Your last layout was awesome and I can't wait to see pics of your new one.  Milwaukee RD in the 50's, what's not to like?

Ken - Some great ideas, must be a super layout.  Pictures?

Roger - We have seen your layout so the try at modesty won't work. 

Steve - I love your Texas theme and scenery!  Grand vision and execution of it.

Thanks for all your comments.

Art 

Pete - You are right.  Sometimes we overthink things and forget to have fun.

Art

The Reece lines run on an (odd) horse shoe shaped layout. One side is 14 ft. x 5.5 ft. the top is 13 ft. x 5.5 ft. and the short side is 8 ft. x 5.5 ft. There is also a "bridge (93 inches)" connecting the long and short sides on the bottom side.  There are 2 mainline loops around the diameter, a dog bone starting on the long side and ending at the right end of the topside, another dog bone starting on the left side of the top and ending with an elevated loop on the short side.

There are carnival rides, a small town with buildings and houses, an oil field and one section with a red barn ( I wanted a Drive in theater but the wife wanted a red barn). 4 trains can be run at one time and with my legacy (2) and TMCC (1) engines a total of 5 trains at one time

I like it, all that matters

Brent

My thing is as close to prototype as possible,,trains are made up in staging yard usually 14 cars. they head out into main area do the loop picking up or setting out at industry or other yard,,,then into my downtown which has a loop in it..turning the train,,i then set off remainder of train at my main area yard for the industry job to switch . then pick up the outbound cars for the staging yard,,,loop the loop for a bit then head for staging yard pull in empty track...tie up....go run some passenger trains while the next outbound train is being made up,,reverse process till 0030...then go look at my eyelids ! conrail john

We downsized our home after both of us retired. We wanted a single story on some acreage outside of Houston. We don't do basements here so I had the third garage insulated and AC'd.  I love broad curves so the 15 X 32 foot space dictated an around the wall double mainline. I can run close coupled steam and diesels,, everything. I have a large produce wholesaler receiving refrigerated cars and a REA exchange and am constructing a turnaround operation for the locos in a center island. It is basically set up for passenger operations. It is a mythical exchange point for the Santa Fe and the NYC south of Chicago. I am trying to incorporate an excuse or story for an independent service operator turning NYC, Santa Fe and occasional SP steam. All in the last days of steam. I like operations, but really love drinking a beer or margarita and watching the trains roll by. Soooothing.

Well once I stopped over thinking the layout. I came up with a few requirements.

I only have 20' x 4' with the final 8' on one end 6'. I've gone though double main lines, elevated second level, but finally decided a single loop . It started as a reversing line but I took the switches out and made it a loop. 

Only NH except 1 siding of tank cars

At last count I have 10 sidings

2 passenger

5 freight with about 8-10 cars

1 work train in a yard set up

2 in a GE Transformer Generator facility

At this point I will be running one at a time..but my final decision was based on getting as much of the NH items I have on the layout at one time. I guess it is more of a display with a loop in the middle .... for now.

Only running conventional for now.. 

Looking to do some wiring this weekend...

When we started searching for a house to buy, which would likely be the last we would own and the move would be our 13th move since we were married, a large, mostly unfinished basement was the number one priority once the basic characteristics were met. We found such a house, with a 2300 Sq-Ft basement, of which I allocated 1250 Sq-Ft for the train room.

With the space available defined, I set to design my layout with these goals:

• Dual mains throughout to run two trains simultaneously and worry free.

• Dual levels for the mains, and hidden portions of the lower level for the impression of trains disappearing and then reappearing somewhere else out of an unexpected tunnel.

• As large curves as possible, and I chose Atlas Ø108 and Ø99 for the dual mains, and used no smaller than Ø90 and Ø81 for sidings and spurs.

• Reversing loops in both directions for each of the two mains.

• As many inter-main crossovers as feasible without overcrowding the layout with turnouts.

• Start with DCS, add Legacy, and (*) eventuall100% computer control.

(*) I am working on the computer control phase as we speak.

Running the trains is very enjoyable, and it is difficult to tell where they will appear once they get out of sight, sometimes even for me – after two years.

The development of the mains shape evolved as follows.

The actual layout.

Alex

. . . and thus became the archaeological discovery of the millennium, for whoever built such a treasure had to have had help from outer space visitors.

Alex

My railroad runs from Clayton, NM to Springdale, AR across northern Oklahoma. I have 2 mainline tracks with trains running east and west and mostly freight. I have a small 3 track yard that will store up to 30 scale cars. My future operations will have car cards and will move cars as needed to and from the different sidings that service the railroads customers. The sidings are design so cars have to go to the yard and then go out on the other mainline to get to the customer's siding. The railroad has a siding for each of the mainline tracks under the layout that will hold trains to run as needed. These sidings will hold 10+ cars plus engines. I run the trains with one powered and one or more dummy engines. The mainline tracks are 072 or larger and I operate with TMCC. Cab1 system.

Well, I have a plan, and am very familiar with the Bobbie Burns poetic quote, "The

best laid plans of mice and men gang aft aglay" (or something like that).  I ran into

a problem where track as printed out on the program doesn't look like it will fit into

the area on the printout.  This is a big, sweeping loop that was supposed to come

out of  a tunnel and swing around 180 degrees to drop into a valley, with room for sidings,  mines, logging branches (switches and short representations), and a small yard. This is a branch and was to be the first part completed  of a point to point as it could be operated as an entity, shifting ore and log cars around, the log cars to an on-space sawmill, the ore cars would be set out to go out to the main with boxcars full of lumber (when that is possible).  It was to meet the main line which is to run from a Class One junction to a mining and ranching town (terminal) on the other end, with a balloon loop around its yard and engine house.  Problem with the initial branch is that curved loop on the branch has to be too steep as drawn....I wanted wide radiuses...I am going to have to figure out how to reduce the grade which would be the major one on the road (=reworking the tablework)....On the main line there is planned a fairly long run along a wall, with just a couple of small stations, gas stations, sidings and mine tipples, that hopefully, would provide a sense of a train running through a Rocky Mountain park (mtn. valley), with mountains all around, but not many grades, and like it was actually going from somewhere to somewhere (all the towns are named)  I envision small locos, short mixed trains, and ore or logging freights.  There will be a brewery serviced at the terminal or junction, as well as assorted other industries, many of which are already built but may eat too much real estate.  There will be a wye intersection with the Class One line (which line goes nowhere.. it will be long enough to turn an engine and a few cars)

There are planned a couple of connections (switches only, to represent interchange with the Rock Island and Missouri Pacific) on the Class One stretch of track, with Santa Fe and D&RGW stations (if real estate permits) on the double track Class One, as well as the home road station.  Maybe a union station will be the final answer for the junction.

According to the printout's scale, and my yardstick measurements,  this would all fit .

Since you asked Art, here's the "Reader's Digest" version.

My layout is built on 3 distinct levels, all connected by 2 helixes. The lowest level is 24" above the concrete floor. The next is 42" and the top is 72". If the middle (main) and upper levels seem a little high, they are. But most of the space has a 12" raised platform, cutting those numbers to 30" and 60".

The layout has no obvious loops, and isn't designed for continuous running. It is based on the railroads of the Twin Cities. It has mostly double track mainlines, but there are a number of single track sections. The goal is realistic operation.

Trains enter the layout from one of two hidden yards, and travel east or west through the layout, then return to the hidden yard. Both hidden yards are located on reverse loops, so all trains move forward through them. There is no need to back up. Trains are just parked there, until it is their turn to come "on stage".

When complete the layout will feature 9 yards of varying sizes representing 4 different railroads. There will be interchange transfer runs between railroads as well as local switching of more than 30 industries. In addition to all that freight, there will be two Amtrak Empire Builders per day, one east and one west.

The railroad is 100% TMCC. No DCS, no conventional. Eventually, I would like to have the mainline operations totally automated using a computer.

If you want to read more about the construction, click here.

With no particular plan to start with, no wonder I have had to tear out and start over every so often.

My current layout is my seventh and most certainly my last.  I tried to use the third dimension particularly well: I have three train loops and four 'Streets loops on four distinct levels that go under and over one another and twist in among each other like a bunch of spaghetti: with none staying at any level for long - they all go up and down and around and under and over the others.  I worked hard to design all that . . . .  

The layout is designed for "continuous action." I do not operate trains or whatever in the sense that I stand at the controls and watch them and adjust throttle and control them: I set up trains on each of the loops and set them to running and often let them run for hours on end.  Same for all the 'Streets: I run about 13 vehicles on my 'Streets roads simultaneously, and a boat that runs around a lake I have in the middle of the layout.  Lots of movement: that is my goal

Although my main interest (prototype as well as model) is definitely the Alaska RR, my layout is being built on a freelanced U.S. Army Transportation Corps depot theme.  That theme was chosen to have something a bit offbeat, and also because the layout is limited to about a 12x12 space.  Can't model much of Alaska in that kind of space!

Motive power and rolling stock is, as would be expected, U.S. Army equipment covering (somewhat non-prototypically) several eras ranging from Baldwin switchers and early to more contemporary Geeps, up through a couple of recent Army Genset diesels.  I generally operate three or four locomotives (max.) on the layout at any one time.

Accessories are also appropriate to the theme, where possible, including quonset huts, warehouses, radar tower, Army helicopters and vehicles, etc.  I will need to build a barracks or two to house the troops.

I enjoy switching operations, so there's only one main line, several long passing sidings, and a number of stub sidings.  I operate my Alaska RR motive power on the line on an occasional and rotating basis on the assumption that they could logically be passing through the area.

These days, the layout is operated via command control (all systems).  I like to keep wiring to a bare minimum, and CC has certainly made that possible.  And, it's simply fun and easy to work with.

I'm not sure how I'm going to justify operating my Shays, Heislers, and Climax geared locomotives in this military-oriented setting, but operate they will because I really love geared locomotives of all types.

Great responses!

Brent - Sounds really interesting!

John - I really want to improve my layout for prototypical car switching operations and it sounds like you are already there.  Must be fun to operate.

Ron - You must have a beautiful layout.  Could you post any pictures?

Bill - Quite an evolution, but it sounds like it has ended up well.

John - Wow!  It sounds like I would love your layout!  Please post some pictures when you can.

Alex - Very well thought out plan!  The diagrams help a lot.  All the pictures that I have seen of your layout are fantastic!

Keith - Wow!  Another true operator.  It really sounds great!

Colorado hirailer - That is quite a vision!  I hope to see it in operation some day.

Dave - A triple-track should be very exciting, real big time railroading.  Can't wait to see pictures.

Elliott - Your layout is fantastic, but maybe a little intimidating.  Have to visit it some day.  Your video and pictures are awesome!

wb47 - Just don't give up.

Lee - As you know, I love your layout on many different levels.

Allan - I love your creativity!  The layout sounds like a lot of fun.

Thanks, guys.

Art

Great topic Art!!  I knew what I wanted after years of planning.  First, I wanted to model an urban scene since I grew up in the Chicago land area.  I remember the tall buildings and the subways, the "EL", the large facilities, the Standard Oil refinery in Whiting, etc....  I also remembered the large freight and passenger yards....

SO....I planned to have all of those things on my layout but in order to do so I had to design a special room....one that had 10.5 foot ceilings for the big city skyscrapers. 

When I started on the layout in December of 2008, I already had the track plan complete with all of the basic elements in place.  Fast forward to now....in the center of the room is the main downtown area which I call "Central City". There are over a dozen skyscrapers that come close to the top of the ceiling along with many smaller structures.  There is an elevated subway going throughout the downtown area along with a lower area ( under the city ) that has another subway system.  Going north of the downtown is a large passenger station with lower tracks going under the station.  These tracks enter the station area via a large train shed.  There is a harbor / water scene on the lowest level which one faces as they look from the passenger terminal. 

West of the city is a 40 foot area that hosts the freight yard.  Opposite of the freight yard, on the east end of the city is an intermodal yard.  All of this freight and passenger traffic means that the railroads serving the area have to be maintained so I included both an extensive diesel shop with transfer tables as well as a steam locomotive facility which includes a 34" turntable and 6 stall roundhouse.

Across the river from Central City is "Southopolis", which is another city that shares the river with Central City.  Southopolis has interurban service under wire. 

Speaking of water....there is a canal for barge traffic which brings in containers for the intermodal yard...sort of water to rail and vice versa. 

A large refinery is situated far from downtown on the north east side.  On the north west side is a granary complex which is located next to a suburban area of homes and smaller businesses.  All along the 3 mainlines are various sidings that service small industries. 

I also wanted to include catenary into the plan and during the past year or so I have been busy getting it in place.  There are a couple of hundred feet under wire now.

So...it looks like I have achieved the major elements I wanted on my layout...the things I remembered seeing when I was growing up in the industrial Midwest. Hopefully this year I will get more of the natural scenic details in place...trees, grass, weeds, dirt, grime, etc.....  So much to do and so little time!!

Finally, I use conventional, DCS, TMCC, and Legacy as my operating systems.  I enjoy all of the various manufacturers systems and trains so this allows me to run just about everything...

Alan

My layout currently consists of two levels both continuous run. Though I have not started any scenery the intent is Appalachian.  In terms of railroad I focus on Norfolk and Western in the 60s so I can also run Virginian, Nickel Pate, Wabash ... etc. 

The upper level was originally intended for traditionally sized items and the lower for scale items.  The upper level is a dog bone loop made of 045 curves with a bump and go trolley down the center.  I have a "country" town at one end and a traditional downtown at the other.

The lower area is intended for scale sized equipment and contains my industrial area made up of four industrial spurs.  On this level I also have an interchange that goes to the outside of my loop to connect the layout with the outside world.  The curves on the loop are O54 but most if not all of my switches are O36 so I run mostly 40ft cars.  Even they look silly on those switches, but I really like the mass of scale O trains.  If it wasn't a little goofy then why would I be three railing anyway?!

My layout is 16 feet long and I have that old MRC transformer with the throttle on the telephone cord so I've never converted to command control.  A number of my engines are conventional anyway. 

Since I live in an apartment the layout is currently in my parents basement where it waits for me to find my own.  My dad and I built it to be somewhat portable so hopefully I will find a basement in which it will fit and then some, but we all know how moving a layout usually goes!  I share the basement with my dads flyer layout so there were some size limitations when we originally built the layout.  When the day comes I would like to lengthen it enough to convert the industrial area to a switching puzzle, add a few pass through sidings to the lower level loop so I could stage a passenger train and a through freight which could also serve as staging for operating the lower level as point to point,  and add a point to point freelanced short line to connect to the interchange. 

I'm pretty happy with were the layout is right now.  Its the best compromise of operation and continuous run I could think of for my limited space.  Its also manageable in terms of size.  If the I had regular access to it I could conceivably finish it.  If I could change only one thing I would add a passing siding so I wouldn't have to take an entire train off to run another. Ugh, I hate that!

I wonder how many of us actually have what we originally planned to do, and how many of us had to revise our plans to make things fit?

I "wanted" to build a replica of the Seaboard Air Line Portsmouth Sub-Division that went from Portsmouth VA to Norlina NC, but 100 miles or so of track just won't fit in a 11x12 room.  In the end the plan looks nothing like what I wanted.

I "wanted" to run freight in and out of industrial sidings.  I pretty much have accomplished that, but the passenger train bug is trying to take hold.  If 3rd Rail ever comes out with a 5-car SAL Silver Meteor I'm doomed.

I "wanted" a nice yard, Dave Hikel even made me a drawing:

but it would have meant buying all new switches so I kept what I had.  I have since made some revisions, but just the other day I ALMOST started tearing up the track and starting over.  I currently use 072 on my main and 054 on everything else.  I had drawn up a couple of plans where everything was either 072 or 090 on the main and 072 on everything else.  It would mean ripping everything out and starting over.  I also tried to make the main longer using 072 curves, but if you do the math that won't fit in a 12x12 room unless not being able to get into the room is of no concern.

I started with a conventional layout, 2 wires to the track.  I now have DCS/TMCC installed, same 2 wires to the track (well 3, if you count the wire from the Command Base to the output of the TIU).

My layout design lets me run the single mainline loop and at the same time I can be switching in my small yard (2x14 extension down the left side) or switching some industries within the mainline loop:

(A photo always helps with these types of posts )

My current layout is number 7 and is very different from those before it.  Previous layouts had all been space-challenged like so many others, the largest of them being 14 by 16 feet.  A job relocation in 1992 meant a new house for us, and for me it meant "I'm gonna get a basement out of this deal!"  Fortunately my job was a very good one and we were able to build a house with a 1950 sq. ft. basement that was all mine (laundry on the 1st floor, walk up attic for storage).

I wanted to design a point to point 3-rail layout that would support prototypical operating sessions by a group of about 7.  I had never seen or heard of anything like this and honestly I wasn't sure that switching cars could be done reliably enough for the idea to work.  I also hoped that command control would come to 3-rail (remember this was 1992) and make possible the kind of operation I wanted.  Things I wanted on the railroad were:

- Model the Pennsylvania Railroad in the early 1950's.

- Staging yards at each end of a long single-track main line.  All main line curves at least O72.

- A small yard somewhere in the middle where through trains would drop off and pick up blocks of cars.  Local trains would then move these cars to and from the industries on the layout.

- Several towns along the line with distance between them.

- Lots of industries to switch.

- Some attractive Pennsylvania mountain scenery.

I spent a year drawing and refining the track plan and another 6 months designing the yard arrangement.  The results have been better than I had hoped.

- The main line is 550 ft. long (5 miles in O-scale).  I have 8 staging tracks to the East, 8 to the West and 6 to the South (branch line to Cumberland, MD).  Total track length is about 1800 feet and there are 127 switches.

- It takes 9 to 12 operators for an operating session.  Over the course of about 4 hours, we run 20 main line trains and 3 switching jobs within yard limits.  The yard classifies between 80 and 90 cars in a session.

- There are 5 main towns on the railroad and a couple of smaller ones.  The 47 industrial spurs have a total capacity of 123 cars.

- The scenery looks very good. 

The layout runs under TMCC control and all locomotives have been converted.  Thanks to Lionel for bringing this system to market!  With a little work, I've found that switching operations are very reliable indeed.  All cars are weighted to a little over the NMRA recommendation, about what Atlas boxcars weigh.  Most of the couplers have been tweaked for easier closing.  No "ramming speed" required.

The track plan is available on my website (link below) along with construction and operating information.  Plans for later this year include adding 12 more staging tracks (6 on each end of the main) and adding several more industries, including a second coal mine.  

...how's the phrase "Military/Government Aquisition work for ya? - You there have engines, we need engines - thank you"...and don't forget the trolleys/PCCs!

What a terrific thread. I have enjoyed reading all of the different motivations and plans for those who have responded. We sure can learn a great deal form each other.

Thanks Art for starting this thread.

I agree with Brian, it has been very interesting to read all of your comments concerning your layouts.  There is an awesome amount of talent represented in this group.  It is a pleasure and an honor to be a part of it.

Alan - What can I say?  No one has done big city modeling like you have, you are in a class of your own.  I love reading about the items that were important to you and how you incorporated them into your layout.  Also you have utilized materials that most of us would not of thought of and made them into museum quality displays.  Very nice job!

Oliver Cliffs - It sounds like you have a very interesting layout that you can move and expand when the time comes.  Well thought out.

Bob D. - I really like your track plan.  It looks like it offers a lot of good operating.

Bob B. - You have described operating layout nirvana!  I have had the pleasure of participating in a couple of very well run operating layouts in the last year and am working on transitioning mine in that direction.  Based on the pictures that you have shared in the past, your layout must be a lot of fun to operate.  Thanks for sharing.

Art 

      What I was thinking

   I like operating, so an operating RR that earns its keep is desired.  Based loosely on the PRR line that went through my home town. Towns in right order, most industries needed to exist in that town at some point in time.  Time frame 30's to70's. Command control only TMCC & DCS

   Single track main, shaped like a Y, operating yard in middle, loop staging on ends for the rest of U.S.

A local for each leg of the Y picking up and delivering the freight. A turn for each leg for out bound and in bound freight. Through trains and a passenger train to keep the dispatcher on his toes

Car cards and weigh bills to control car and engine  movement. Industries set up to ship part of there output to another modeled industry in a different town. An example pulpwood to the paper plant ,paper to box factory, boxes to glass plant, glass to brewery, beer to towns. Miners and lumberjacks are happy, RR making money.

     Things I wanted

No duckunders,  min.70” on aisles , 48 under loops.  Yes

No aisle under 36”.  No had to have about 8' of 28”

No track more than 30” from aisle. Yes 

Minimum 1 train Length between towns. Yes

1 big hill requiring helpers.  Yes

O 72 minimum on main  O 54 on auxiliary trackage.  Yes

No place you can't get the O-5-O in to fix problems.  Yes

Around the walls double deck walk along design.   Yes

Helix in middle so when facing track left is always West, right East.    Yes

Helix and loops stacked to save space. Yes

Main to the back,  industries near aisle.   Mostly, have to reach over main on a few.

Full engine service roundhouse, turntable, coal, ash, sand, and fuel.  No, ran out of real estate

Dedicated drill track for yard.  Yes

Galon Tonell

I have in mind a set of plans that have been in the background of my thinking about the next layout, which would be based loosely on the concepts used in interurban railroads, which would include:

1. Intentionally tight curvature on streets in small cities

2. Separated freight ( lighter than carload) and passenger depots as in the prototype.

3. One small city or large town that would be the exception to the fields, grasslands etc of a rural character as in the Midwest. Mostly flat with one river crossing.

4. Industries would be sparse such as a grain elevator, stockyard, quarry ( based on the Indiana Railroad) all located In “the middle of nowhere”

5. One interchange with a steam road ( The Monon comes to mind)

6. Small passenger shelters ( perhaps two) at the intersection  of rural roads.

7. One section of running very tightly placed on the shoulder of a highway.

All roads would be of a early concrete type with some brick and the general time frame would be the 1920’s -30’s. This would call for two rail O gauge simply due to the fact there is near zero equipment in three rail. I suspect that in order to accommodate all of the above, I might have to switch to HO scale, which would be a compromise. That compromise or the alternative sticking to O makes a significant difference in relation to the amount of space I have now, and it would also mean “starting from scratch” in the case of a smaller scale and that has held me back in a sort of ambivalent frame of mind. If I stick to O that means a great deal of compression..and probably a drop off of some features.

In other words, a real design challenge that goes round and round..where it stops..nobody knows..

My layout design is largely governed by the available space. Living in coastal SC, there's no basement, so I'm in the attic. I started with the 8' X 12' plywood storage platform above the garage that the developer provided. It  is accessed by drop down stairs.

I reinforced the base boards of the trusses spanning the garage by doubling them, then expanded the platform to 8' wide by 24 feet long. I built a train room by insulating the walls and enclosing them using 1/8 inch Masonite to save weight. Since the opening for the stairs comes up in the middle of the room, the layout sits on tables around the perimeter of the room. 

There is a 4' X 8' table at each end and they are continuous with tables 18" wide on one side and 30 inches wide on the other side. There is about 4' left in the center to move around in. A trap door closes over the ladder opening.

The 18" wide side of the layout is the scenic side, with cliffs, bridges, etc. Three loops(2 lower, one upper) provide nice long runs for long trains. On the 30" side there will be a 3 track yard, engine servicing area and industrial area with an industrial backdrop. Behind the yard is a lower level station with stores and restaurants.

One 4' X 8' table will have a mountain on one side with a city in front and to the side of it. This is a transition from the scenic to the industrial side. The other 4' X 8' table will have a farming town with a siding for some Lionel operating cars, like the milk car.

I have a lot of Virginian locos and rolling stock, but run whatever I please. Sometimes it is postwar, sometimes passenger, sometimes freight, sometimes both. The layout is about 1/3 finished.

Building in a small enclosed space presents a lot of challenges. If I ever finish the scenicing and get the industrial area done, I'll put together an article or send in some photos.

My layout is 13 x 13 feet and was designed and built for a very demanding set of requirements that basically amounted to ten gallons of stuff in a five-gallon bucket.

Here are the parameters: 

-- Easy to build (my first layout)

-- Both Standard Gauge and 0 gauge

-- Wide radius curves to operate any and all available equipment (I also run at a museum that has a very large layout and most of my collection is geared to that environment. I wanted to be able at least to test run the big stuff, up to and including a 4-12-2 and a Cab Forward.)

-- One and preferably two wide-radius main lines to run two trains at a time, or to do test runs without taking everything else off. 

-- One loop with sidings and postwar-style operating accessories.

-- Reasonable access to all portions of the layout as well as walls (display shelves, pictures, and one window) and the ceiling (skylight, ceiling fans, and light fixtures). 

-- Access to the open center/control area through a hinged or removable section.

-- Provision to add a river and bridges later. 

What I wound up with:

-- Essentially a square racetrack layout with four parallel tracks. The outer is 87" Standard Gauge, then 072, 063, and 042. Straights are 5' long. All track is tubular. There is a removable 18" wide section for access.Transformers are on a TV cart rolled under the layout. There is an open area in the center for controls and access.

-- All track is tubular. Hi-rail would have been nice, but I went with tubular for a couple or reasons. First, I had a lot of it anyway, including almost all the curves. Second, Standard Gauge just looks right on tubular, and I thought the layout would look better with all the same type of track. Third, I have a lot of ETS tinplate, which uses slider shoes instead of rollers. The square-edged center rail on hi-rail track chews up the shoes, which are expensive to replace since you have to get them from Prague. 

-- The Standard Gauge, 072, and 063 lines are plain with no sidings.

-- The inner loop of 042 has three sidings - two dead-end and one passing. One siding has a Lionel coal ramp and diesel coal loader; the other has a barrel loader and a milk platform. The passing siding is quite short and is used for an engine servicing area with coal tower, water tank, and diesel fuel station. All switches are K-Line. 

-- The inner loop also has an icing station, a piggyback platform, and a train order building on the main line. 

-- All tracks have TMCC. The three 0 gauge tracks also are set up with DCS; I didn't bother with DCS on the Standard Gauge because I don't own any Standard Gauge locomotives with DCS. I do have a Lionel Hiawatha with TMCC, so I had to put TMCC on the Standard Gauge.

-- A 30" section of benchwork on one side can be removed and mounted lower to create a river valley to be bridged. 

Tradeoffs, and things I would have liked but had to give up:

-- I could have done a loop of 072 with a passing siding instead of separate 063 and 072 loops. This would have given me more room for buildings and accessories. I might revisit this later. 

-- I had wanted a tunnel. The four-abreast design and very tight space make it unlikely that I'll be able to do that, although I might squeeze in a short one in a corner.

-- I couldn't figure a good way to get in some grades or a second level, at least in the initial build. I'm still thinking about an upper level - maybe elevate the Standard Gauge to make more room on the main level. 

-- I'd have liked to put in a line with bumpers at both ends to run a 50 Gang Car. No room. Ditto for a streetcar line, elevated or at grade. 

-- There's not much room for buildings. A small passenger station and platform, a Lionel pedestrian overpass with speed readout, a couple of railroad buildings, and some Standard Gauge items in the corners are about all I have so far. I'll probably add a bar and a general store, but that will be about all. 

On the whole, I'm pretty happy with what I've been able to cram into a small space. I'd post photos but unfortunately I had a computer crash and still need to do some data recovery. Will post when/if I can.