Train Room Layout - SeptaTony

It's hard to give feedback without knowing what you are trying to accomplish with your railroad.  If you want the maximum amount of trains your space will allow and are fine with little scenery then you have a great plan but if you are trying to build a railroad that has some type of function along with being able to just enjoy trains running than it leaves a lot to be desired.

Let us know your goals and we'll be able to give directed and helpful advice.

My first piece of advice - go around the room with your layout.  The trade off with a lift gate or simple lift-out section is well worth it.

My second piece of advice - where are your access hatches so you can reach the back of the layout? You have switches and a turntable in places you can't reach.

-Greg

Thank you Greg.

I try to do my homework before posting, and in hindsight, your question asking for my goals seems like a glaring omission. My Bad.

GOALS:

1) build a layout that is fun to operate and somewhat realistic looking.

2) minimum O72 - curve

3) running long passenger consists

4) I would like a yard, but I think I will expand Into the attic in the next room for a yard and staging.

5) I do want to run trains, but I heard that can get boring. What other functions were you thinking? Running realistic railroad operations (like going from the mill to drop goods at the warehouse) doesn’t seem like my cup of tea.

———————

Advice 1 response - I am not opposed to around the room. I have the curve in the middle because I was trying to replicate the horseshoe curve in alrtoona. If I went around the room, would you recommend removing the curve in the middle?

Advice 2 response - good point. I’ll add the hatches before adding a new file

Just having a train go in circles for a while can lose its luster over time.  One thing I like to do is run a passenger train on one line.  Set it and forget it.  It will almost always have the right of way.

Then I operate a second train which is almost always freight.  I get an engine from the engine facility, go get a caboose from the caboose track and then head over to the yard to build a train.  (No hands allowed).  This process alone might take me thirty minutes.   I have to interact with the passenger train too so I am delayed if it is in the area and must wait for it to go by.   

Then I deliver some cars to sidings/industry and pick up empties that have to go back to the yard.  I might run around the layout a while, let it run for a while by itself and then start controlling the passenger train to stop at stations.

Then it's back to the yard to put all the cars away.  Again, no hands allowed.  Then return the caboose and park the engine.  Then take control of the passenger train and put those cars away and then park that engine.  I can kill a good 2-3 hours doing this.

Then there are times I just run a train, set it and forget it and work on the layout.  Maybe scenery, a building, wire something up or fix a problem area that some gremlin caused.

In order to keep my young kids involved when we started years ago, I challenged them never to touch an engine or a train car.  It they wanted something, they had to dig it out making lots of moves.  That got them thinking and problem solving.  It also kept the interest level high.  They were doing something with a purpose in mind.

Hope that helps. 

Ron

@Ron045 posted:

Just having a train go in circles for a while can lose its luster over time.  One thing I like to do is run a passenger train on one line.  Set it and forget it.  It will almost always have the right of way.

Then I operate a second train which is almost always freight.  I get an engine from the engine facility, go get a caboose from the caboose track and then head over to the yard to build a train.  (No hands allowed).  This process alone might take me thirty minutes.   I have to interact with the passenger train too so I am delayed if it is in the area and must wait for it to go by.   

Then I deliver some cars to sidings/industry and pick up empties that have to go back to the yard.  I might run around the layout a while, let it run for a while by itself and then start controlling the passenger train to stop at stations.

Then it's back to the yard to put all the cars away.  Again, no hands allowed.  Then return the caboose and park the engine.  Then take control of the passenger train and put those cars away and then park that engine.  I can kill a good 2-3 hours doing this.

This actually seems like a lot of fun. I'd imagine I would have to keep my finger on the kill switch. How do you manage decoupling?

Then there are times I just run a train, set it and forget it and work on the layout.  Maybe scenery, a building, wire something up or fix a problem area that some gremlin caused.

I like this idea especially because the train room is also my office. So rather than working on the layout, I could be on the computer while trains run. sounds nice.

In order to keep my young kids involved when we started years ago, I challenged them never to touch an engine or a train car.  It they wanted something, they had to dig it out making lots of moves.  That got them thinking and problem solving.  It also kept the interest level high.  They were doing something with a purpose in mind.

I will keep this in mind. I had my first child (Son) in March. I would be sad if her weren't into it too.

Hope that helps.

it does. thanks Ron.

Ron

@TheRambles posted:

This actually seems like a lot of fun. I'd imagine I would have to keep my finger on the kill switch. How do you manage decoupling?

I'd by lying if I said I never used the All Stop button.  I have forgotten to flip switches back and have had trains go where they are not welcome.

In some areas I have magnetic uncoupling track.  In other areas I must use a finger or a stick.

When I said no hands, I meant no picking up and moving.  Real railroads do not get the assistance from the hand of god above or the 0-5-0 as some call it.

Glad to help.  So many here helped me too over the years and continue to do so.

Ron

ive seen this design floating around and im tempted to do this for a layout im starting!

one set of tracks flys over the other set of tracks.  !!

Septa Tony, depending on how Septa you really are, maybe consider a Septa subway with fascia stations and open air trestle work.

On a layout of similar overall design I had built this for a friend 's son awhile ago.  I just did the carpentry, track and wiring:

Septatony, take your time and think it through. But keep in mind you will change your concept multiple times. That’s okay, we all do that. If you plan on a storage facility going into the attic you’ll want to consider HVAC. Given your Septa background I would suggest purchasing a PCC with Septa livery. I’m a retired Septoid.

@DCtransit posted:

ive seen this design floating around and im tempted to do this for a layout im starting!

one set of tracks flys over the other set of tracks.  !!

Thank you for the suggestion DCTransit. this is a really cool idea. I am going to look into doing this wile maintaining the central curve.

@Tom Tee posted:

Septa Tony, depending on how Septa you really are, maybe consider a Septa subway with fascia stations and open air trestle work.

This design takes the cake! I am going to steal ideas for sure. I always wanted a subway line. I lived near in Fairmount for 10 years and frequented the BSL Phillies/eagles games. I was considering doing a subway this as a phase 2, but it makes sense to plan for it from the beginning,

On a layout of similar overall design I had built this for a friend 's son awhile ago.  I just did the carpentry, track and wiring

You do amazing work!

@Tranquil Hollow RR posted:

Septatony, take your time and think it through. But keep in mind you will change your concept multiple times. That’s okay, we all do that. If you plan on a storage facility going into the attic you’ll want to consider HVAC.

Thank you for the suggestion. I don't want to rush into anything. The HVAC is a good point because it gets very hot and cold in there.

Given your Septa background I would suggest purchasing a PCC with Septa livery. I’m a retired Septoid.

Yeah man! I am almost sure I have everything produced with the septa livery. Except the whit trolley.

Septa Tony, you will need a trolley barn. Perhaps something like the Richmond Depot.

Tony, if you are going to do a subway consider making all the subroadbed out of large sheets of 3/4"  and assemble the layout  above it dropping the legs in voids cut in the subway plywood.  Raise it up to your desired height then make brackets to fit.

I also added an elevated back and forth loop to loop 10" above the finished layout  with a car barn for trolleys, RDCs and a Doodle Bug.

Tom Tee, an elevated trolley loop is the only part of my plan that hasn’t changed. Do you have your barn in place? How much of a footprint is your loop?

@Tom Tee posted:

Septa Tony, depending on how Septa you really are, maybe consider a Septa subway with fascia stations and open air trestle work.

On a layout of similar overall design I had built this for a friend 's son awhile ago.  I just did the carpentry, track and wiring:

What are the footprint dimensions?