Shelf Layout Design: The South Park and Silverton. O gauge using Atlas-O track.

Introducing the idea of a rolling "cassette" to hold a number of cars on tracks, which can fit into the layout in the gap shown.

Here is my thinking about the cassette construction:

As a rolling table with the cassette tracks on the top.   It fits into a notch in the front, or it just butts up against the end of the layout.   Roll it around and out of the way when not in use.

You would need a plug to carry power to the cassette, if you are planning to move locos under their own power on the cassette tracks.  I think most folks in other scales, do not power their cassettes, the locos can couple onto a cut of cars.   Or they use their "five fingered switchers" to roll cars onto the layout.

One could have storage shelves under the top cassette surface for more cars locos and other stuff.

This would be hard to manage with a carpeted floor, as the vertical alignment would not be precise after rolling the cart around.   I suppose this could be addressed with thumb screws to adjust the height of the top surface by a small amount, but I suspect this solution might not be convenient.

Originally the idea for this layout was a two-track cassette, then I realized that if it was on a rolling table, it could be made reverse-able by rotating the table for a four-track cassette.   Then I realized that by butting up to the end of the layout, a six-track table would be useful.   Build the size you want, if you don't have room at the end of the layout, just build the two-track or four-track cassette table.

BTW: someone proposed this idea in O here on the forum (don't remember where).  I have NOT seen this done in O that I can recall.  That should not stop anyone, this seems pretty easy and straight-forward, unless I am missing something? 

I might build the rolling cart to fit, or probably purchase one (or assemble it) and build the cassette on top.  I like the idea of using a tool caddy and build the cassette table on top, and use all the storage drawers for parts and cars.  Tool caddies are not cheap however, but they are solid and heavy and roll well.  I have three that I use in my garage layout, filled with parts, cars, and locos (well, one is filled with N-gauge equipment.)

Decorating with some trees:

Calculating grades (again) for the SP&S:

• 1st leg of the switchback: 61"
• 2nd leg of the switchback (including the wye at the top): 74.25"
• Total of 135.25"
• 135.25 @ 4% == 5.41, can do at 4%!  5% gives 6.76".
• Using the Woodland Scenics inclines at 5% (5/96, a bit more than 5%) = =7" of rise.  You can make a 5% incline by layering a 2% incline on top of a 3% incline - I have done this, easy.

Calculating grades for the Gum, Stump and Showshoe: 

For the GS&S, the run on grade is a bit less than 6', at 4% claimed, gives a rise of 2.88".   Not enough clearance at the bridge for On30.   At 6%, the rise is 4.32".  The grade probably needs to be more, perhaps 8%.

I realized that if one has an additional 40" of length, the rotating cassette can actually mate on the end with four tracks.   Now that is pretty slick!   And still plug into the two front tracks (shown with a removable two-track 40" module in place, for when the cassette is not plugged-in to the front).

I could add one more track to the cassette, and actually connect with FIVE tracks.   Probably worth it to someone.

Perhaps with this much storage on the cassette, the front siding may not be needed.  I may look at shortening the layout length a bit, so that more folks could use the end connection with the cassette - that looks too useful!

Now about 13'6" by 2'10":

No reason one can't have two cassettes.

Did some fine-tuning and "perfecting", added two work-house with sound sheds, and shed for a speeder/track-car.

I reversed the cattle pen and milk can accessories to face the spur, to see what I though about a double-track mainline through the layout looked.

Minimum diameter on the double-track mainline is O81.  Minimum curvature to reach the engine house is O63, but with an O54 turnout off the main.

Here is the AnyRail track plan for the layout:

The layout could probably be made narrower, down to 2'2", maybe 2'.  But we would lose one track on the right (not sure which one), and probably the large industry elevated on the left.  So I have resisted doing this, but...

I like this plan a lot 

Here is a narrower version, at 2'4" wide:

Not finished, but roughed-in.

I am thinking of something like this for the rolling cassette:  This cart is 40" long and 22" wide.

Better for the 2'4" wide version:

Identifying a car storage track under the mountain, with the mainline highlighted with a dashed red line:

What a nice looking plan! I’m going to see if I can build this with fastrack (since I have a bunch already). Been trying out a few layout options while I secure more space and plan for a larger Permanent layout.

@Keith Crook 020419 posted:

What a nice looking plan! I’m going to see if I can build this with fastrack (since I have a bunch already). Been trying out a few layout options while I secure more space and plan for a larger Permanent layout.

Thanks Keith!

I would suggest O60 FT turnouts for the O54.  The curves will work a bit different, this plan has some 1/3-O81 sections, and of course flex track.

A bit more work on terrain and structures:

Next, I decided to connect the two high points together for a ridge (from tunnel to mine), with a topographical "saddle" between.  Hard to see with the trees.

Just experimenting, the bright white floor got to me, so I tried this texture for the floor/carpet:

Or this,

Best?

Another:

Apologies for subjecting you to these image alternatives.   The process of converting the graphic for posting changes the colors and contrasts, so I don't know how it really looks until I see it here.

I like the dark red, it contrasts well with the tracks and complements the greens. 

I do have question regarding a layout like this, how much function can be retained in an 8' long layout? maybe it doesn't have a height change... but could it fit all of the sidings with room for a switcher and a couple of short cars?

interested because I moved to a smaller apartment but I have a 5'x8' storage space in the basement that could be utilized for a small switching layout.

@atanz posted:

I like the dark red, it contrasts well with the tracks and complements the greens. 

I do have question regarding a layout like this, how much function can be retained in an 8' long layout? maybe it doesn't have a height change... but could it fit all of the sidings with room for a switcher and a couple of short cars?

interested because I moved to a smaller apartment but I have a 5'x8' storage space in the basement that could be utilized for a small switching layout.

In just 8'?  I don't know, I think I would start with a redesign using O36 and O48.   But the grade would be very difficult to work out.

Hi Ken

Great ideas, and very nice graphics too.  I am trying to plan an urban-industrial shelf layout and this thread has provided me with much food for thought;  I had not given any thought to multi-level construction, and it has just occurred to me that with careful choice of industries, it might be possible to use the cassettes to do a loads-in/empties-out operation, such as gondolas of scrap metal and empties swapped between a scrap metal dealer and a foundry.  I have way more space than your plan uses, but even without the same space limitations, this would be a very tidy way to enhance switching operations.

Best use of the cassette technique I have seen is a US-prototype car float operation feeding cars into an isolated yard harbourside - I cannot remember the name, but maybe someone else can?  I seem to recall that the car floats were stored on shelves under a trolley that was fitted with castoring wheels, and whichever float was placed on top was 'sailed' up to the float bridge just like the real thing.