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Track plan help

BR B&S RailroadOGR Forum Member

Hello everyone, hope you all had a great holiday.

 

I spent the majority of the day tearing down our 6'x12' double oval. My son and I are new to the forum but I've been researching it for the last year.

 

I have a 12' x 22' Space we are looking at a max 72" curve folded dog bone with a double main line. I'm not sure what will fit inside 63"or 54", I also heard you can mix the radii to take up less real estate,but I'm not sure on that. We are running MTH DCS, both Diesel and Steam. We are using Gargraves track and a couple of their O72 switches, I will keep these for a small yard but plan on Ross for the mains.

 

I have tried the track plan programs but have switched to a MAC and just don't seem to have the time to teach an old dog a new trick so to speak.

 

We would like to be able to change direction, (Sons requests, just turned 10 two days ago) have a small yard, Large bridge, Mountains, City with passenger station.etc

 

With all that said, I'm overwhelmed. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks.

 

 

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CAPPilotCAPPilotOGR Forum Member SUPPORTING MEMBERDIGITAL SUBSCRIBER

You have a pretty good space to work with.  Since you are looking at a double track folded dog bone, I would recommend using a minimum inside radius on the turns of O-72 with outside radius at least O-81 (Ross and Gargraves' only have O-80 which would be tight for large steamers; I use Atlas O-81 for these curves, Ross elsewhere).  This will allow you to run all currently available O gauge engines on either track.

 

If you want to limit your maximum radius to O-72, make sure at least one of the two tracks has O-72 all the way around.  For inside curve, I would not go below O-63.  For me, O-54 would give too much of a gap and not look right. O-72/O-63 double track curves gives you 4.5" center-to-center which will support most engines and cars.

Last edited by CAPPilot
W woodyOGR Forum Member

From your response I'm not sure you understand what the sizes mean. An 072 curve is only 72"  or 6'-0" out to out (36" radius center rail to center rail). On a 12'-6" wide table you could almost put 2 of them side by side.

You may want to get some layout software and play around with your layout. SCARM is free and also RR Track is a good choice.

 

Hope this helps

Woody

BR B&S RailroadOGR Forum Member

Thanks for all the advice, I did move some benchwork around yesterday and in measuring things O-72 is as large as I feel comfortable with. I don't want to run right to the edge of the layout as we've already had an incident with a cat and a Genset. And enough room to walk between the two 6'3" tables.

 I should also mention in the lower right of the room next to the door is a small 3'x2' bump out, this has a false-hidden door and I need to have access.

As I stated in my original post, I'm on a I-Mac and haven't found a track layout program that is compatible.

 

If anyone has a program that is compatible please let me know.

 

Thank you,

M MoonmanOGR Forum Member

Well, sketch it on paper. Post a photo. Then those with software can put the track down.

 

There really isn't any layout software for iMac. You could find any used Windows computer pretty cheap to run the software on. It doesn't have to be on the net. Just a layout tool. Anything XP and above. As long as it works. SCARM is free and has the libraries that you need.

BR B&S RailroadOGR Forum Member

Well here it is 2016 and still no layout, I'm getting closer to getting a loop up and running but my son the "B" in B&S Railroad requested a bridge, so before laying any track I needed to complete not only the bridge but also the landscape beneath it. This is my first attempt at scratch building and landscaping. The pano photo is from May of last year all others are current.

IMG_3007

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M MoonmanOGR Forum Member

Hi Scott,

Happy New Year!

Well, you have made progress. You have a train room, sky walls, lighting and power, trackage rights (benchwork) and a very nice trestle bridge.

I'd say you have railroad. I think that you have accomplished a lot. it's not a race, it's a hobby.

As time has passed, Railmodeller has updated their software for mac. Others are having success using Windows based software in a virtual machine with windows running.

What is the distance from the center rail to the long wall ?  Short wall?

here's an idea to what you have...the outer line wraps around the inner line which has the reversing loops. The inner and outer cross-over with a double 11° crossover. Passenger station there, city around that end. Yard in loop with trestle. Mountains/tunnels along long wall approaching tunnel.

There's a mix of some large radius in there to give it some shape. if you want to see the track detail, I'll zoom on areas for multiple views

Thank you for updating your progress.

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Last edited by Moonman
BR B&S RailroadOGR Forum Member

Carl, 

Thanks for the layout, I like your idea, saves money on track. I have another post out there asking the best price on GarGraves Stainless. We have kind of settled on a double main, but I'm not set on it if you have another idea. I've attached a few more photos and a drawing. This is just what we had come up with. The distance from the south wall and adjacent center rail is roughly 7 1/4". Thoughts were to add a turnout and climb to an upper level indicated by the dotted line, this would form a 54" reversing loop around the raised city next to the north wall. We have an Engine shed but it takes up a lot of real estate so we thought of raising the city and making an engine area under it. The existing loops are 72 and 63 so I'm looking at 41/2" center to center roughly.

Image 2957 shows just playing with the ideas in the sketch for the reverse loop on the trestle side, this side is 38" wide, the lake behind the trestle will fold down to access the area. My son wants large mountain with tunnels in this area basically starting about 8" after the trestle. The thin area on the north wall 42" out from the wall. East wall to edge of the layout is 32".

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M MoonmanOGR Forum Member

Scott,

The plan turned out that way because I tried to balloon the loops and fit in some O96 on the east end and mix some in other places to smooth out the run.

Your plan looks good. perhaps snake the inside run along the south so the train moves a little. Watching them go straight all the time everywhere might get old.

perhaps go around and object or building. Like 0113 .

Going up to the city adds space. It would take away the wall area for building flats along the south wall. the 5" is enough for a narrow street and sidewalk with fronts.

That's all that I have now.

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