PROPOSED LAYOUT (FIRST LOOK)

It is a good start, giving a lot of track length to run a train.    

A few comments from someone who spends way too much time thinking about layout designs for a guy who has built the last one he ever will (see diagram below).  If I'm reading things right, I think each small square in your grid is 3 inches?  It looks to me like your minimum aisle width would be about 24 inches access space between the right finger and the center island (the red arrow).  Some folks would point out this is a bit tight and they are correct, but I've got such a space on my layout (actually 23.55 inches) and in my view it is an acceptable compromise if it means getting the track loop shape you want.

Like me, you also have what will prove to be a very uncomfortable reach from the aisles to the two back corners (those in the top corners of the drawing) unless you have duckunders) of the layout, so I recommend you think ahead to what goes there: something easy to work on from the aisle, etc., will make life easier.

Finally, you layout has a lot of possibilities for further expansion, only one of which I show belw - with two new tracks (yellow and green) that would permit two more independenly controlled trains to be run, one loop with reversing loops on the ends which adds a bit of fun, I've always thought. The area shaded light red could have lots of switches connecting these loops in any number of ways, too.  Regardless of whether you like my suggestion or have you own long-term plan, you will add more track/loops/switches over time: people always do.  So my biggedst recommendation is to think hard about that future plan, fuzzy as its detail may be in your mind, as you lay down this planned loop: if you arrange it is just the right places, you will leave sufficient clearance for those future loops, making it easy when the time comes.  

thank you for your comments,  this layout will go into a new buiding with a room designated for railroad.

only thing left to do in toom is paint it and build layout tables

comments greatly appreciated

this is the bldg

Hi pelago,

very nice progress. I thought I would run with your design and squeeze in o54 outer curves and a wye for the peninsula to turn a train around and have a yard there. It fit, leaving plenty of room for inside loop, sidings, cross-overs, whatever you wanted.

Then, I noticed that you have in-swing door, which I assumed is 36". Well, there went that idea. Here's the stuff in SCARM anyway. The layout height(track height is at 40" and there is a skinny 20" walkway. In Atlas, there are 9" radius gradients, giving you 4.5" center to center rail spacing for train clearance. Only a few spots of fitment problems.

i t has merit, and now is the time to figure and finagle and twidget it all around

I also had hoped to add a elevation change on the right side,  a cut in the table top and put in a small river or stream with a bridge (got to have a bridge)

My point is that you lost ~30" for the peninsula with the in-swing door. Your plan extends to close, also. You'll have table edge extending even a couple of inches past the track.

Hold a marker or chalk on the door and mark the swing radius. Then you can get a reference measurement to plan around it. may need an easement curve on that side.

(Mixed radius)

better now than three months and one big UH OH

what about using colored chalk big time on floor, and laying it out?

floor brand new tile, chalk should come up, and  can figure out quite a bit? maybe?

Good luck and happy training.

My layout is a  constant work in progress,  been working on it about 2 years and still laying and re-laying track. 

You have received some good guidance, you will be in better shape later on if you listen to the folks on this forum.

Brent

Moonman,

If you elevate the rear part of the loop 7 inches you can enter the yard from it instead on the front part of the loop.  This will gain you an extra foot to the length of your yard.

If you change the door to a pocket door or a folding door you won;t have to worry about the swing.

Jan

Many use masking or painter's tape. With SCARM you can print 1:1 on 8.5" x 11" paper and lay it on the floor.

I still need to figure out how not to print the non-track areas.

If it fits in SCARM or RR-TRack, it will fit. That's why I suggested getting some reference points from the door arc off of the walls to determine the edge of the table clearance(s). 

it may be easier to find a used or surplus out-swing pre-hung door and give up the shed space.

Before you know it, you'll have trains running. 

Jan, it's pelago's layout. I was just offering some ideas and discovered the door interference.

He'll decide how to deal with it.

i like the idea of tape,,,  after i get ceiling painted and wall painted, i will get some poster board and cut out 36" circles and layout the thing on the floor (or should say will try to)

Door is door and it has to stay, thought about opening other side, but that would interfere with a large drill press.   that side of the door is a complete shop and all work benches , grinders, and complete reloading set up

lots of good ideas, thanks