What Is Most Important Consideration When Developing A Layout?

I would agree.  I'd add that a sensible track plan is also important.  In my case, I like action accessories, but placed in a realistic setting.  Everything on the layout should be reachable.  The height should be considered, for viewing and for working below the layout.  

Another issue would be wiring.  Most of us do not build a layout all at once.  Rather it's a work in progress.  So developing a good wiring system from the get go is a good idea, although I might add, not always achievable.   

access 

No lift-outs or duck-unders.

Rusty

Good points. I will keep them in mind

Bob C.

Foundation to start. Good bench work is key to everything that follows. But to build the bench work you most definitely have to have a track plan envisioned. Trial and error doesn't always work out. You can tweak it as you go. Making the track plan work good wiring. Color coding saves a lot of time down the road when needing to find a problem. Mentioned before easy access, not a lot of duck-unders. Key is also to have fun doing this. Taking time to complete your layout................Paul

An interesting track plan. I want something that will entertain a viewer for more than 5 minutes.

Taking the time to figure out what you like and how to achieve it within your means (space, cost, time, etc.).  Then setting small, achievable goals to those ends will minimize frustration and increase enjoyment.

Chuck

When designing a layout you need to think three dimensionally.  Develop a track plan, including all scenery and buildings that you might want.  It doesn't matter if you are planning a highly detailed 3RS operating layout or a toy train empire.  The track plan will determine the benchwork.  Access to all parts of the layout is critical.  I have one area of my layout that became inaccessible once scenery and structures were installed.  When it was just track on the board there was no problem accessing the area.  Now, I pray that there are no derailments or switch machine failures in this area every time I operate the layout.

If you start with a good design on paper and follow good construction and wiring practices, the layout will almost build itself.  "Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance"

Tom

Proper clearances,This is extremely important! Design your track work around your longest/widest/tallest locomotives and rolling stock.Also,don't be in a hurry to run trains and don't be afraid to make changes as you work along. 

Curve Diameters

The amount of space you have is a key determining (restricting) factor of your track plan, and in almost all cases you are stuck with the space as is. Utilize this space efficiently to maximize the curve diameters so your trains will look as good as possible. Also, the larger the curve, the greater the variety of what you will be able to run. Once you have selected the largest curves for your main line(s), everything else can follow nicely.

Good luck!

Alex

Alexander Müller

Based on my experience of building a layout from scratch I will emphasize what has already been stated. Start with a very good foundation -that is  good bench work,  good quality track,  good wiring and as wide curves as you can handle. Everything else will follow and save you grief. Good luck.

Follow goals and objectives suggested above by experience OGaugers, in particular trying to avoid duckunders if over 40:

Measure the area you have available, then in pencil, using a scale ruler, experiment with track plans reflecting your druthers. Get an inexpensive 11x17 artist's sketch pad and make a scale drawing[1/4"=1' or 1/2"=1'],again in pencil, determining your curve arc limits, clearance from walls and benchwork edges and between tracks. A gum eraser is essential. Plan location of track switches for access spurs and sidings, to structures[feed mill,lumber yard,etc]. Give thought to scale footprint size if your druthers include a Service Yard: possible round house or engine house, coaling towers sand, water and diesel fuel facilities, ash pit, switch tower and of course a Village if only two houses, a depot and a store..

Then mindful of your potential control system [DCS or TMCC or Conventional, any one,two or all three] as well as location of facilities---- make a wiring plan and use color codes for wire runs of sizes[gauges] compatible with planned operating equipment, railpower districts, track switch controls, accessories and lighting. With a good scale plan you can do much of the wire runs through the grid before covering up while standing up. Eliminates a lot of "trainback" and "train neck" ailments from working underneath.

Then, prepare to compromise and eliminate[gum eraser] what you cannot practically fit on your benchwork acreage. The key factor is to adhere to scale which will eliminate future problems of operating clearance. 

Then if skilled your can use a pretty computer drawing for your final plan.

Space, quality bench work, wiring, accessibility, environment (temp, humidity, dust), quality products and careful consideration doing everything you do to the layout to make it the best you can will give you many hours of happiness. 

for me i made a list of the things i wanted in my layout , the first thing i wanted was to run long trains i had small layouts and i just wanted to run long passenger and freight trains so if that was on the top of my list then everything else evolved around that concept after building several layouts i made a list of what i liked and disliked about the layouts i built and tried to follow that guidelines, now everyone is differnt and that there are many things to consider when starting like space, era, access, curves, family who want the same space but for me it all started with that one thing on the top of my list so good luck and enjoy

for me it was the scenery. I ran 5 trains , no switches , 2 levels, a huge mountain. I wanted to transition from fall to winter, so each side of the mountain was a different season. I worked on the details on each scene in the layout, placement of people, boxes, lamps etc. etc. My favorite was the placement of the Christmas tree stand, with the trees, people, lights , shack etc. I would have called it a bucolic scene in small town America. The layout was L shaped 15x6 then a 10x6 on the short side.

rat

Dewey,

   I love ya buddy with your avoid duckunders if over 40.  Got to tell ya a story about a guy that worked with me at NASA, he was one of our Master Welders, and had to get in some pretty awkward positions to do repair welding all day long, on different parts of the Space Shuttle.  He came home with me one time to run our big garage layout. When he saw the duckunder I had constructed in the front of the layout, he said you got to be kidding.  That Saturday he was off work, and I gave him permission to run the layout while I finished up my weekly Welding Engineering at the Michoud NASA facility.  That evening when I arrived home and opened the big garage door there were cables coming down out of the attic of the Garage, attached to the duckunder Bridgde.  There was a note on the platform, simply said I am over 50 Dave no duckunders for me.  The electric Winch he installed, lifted the entire Bridge clear up into the garage attic, he even put a switch on the wall to operate the lift, it was one of the show pieces of layout, from that time on.  

I wish I still had some pictures of it so show you how he did it.  We could actually remove the cables, but they hardly ever got taken off.

PCRR/Dave

I design/build with "modular" in mind in case of a move. So I do everything in "sections" (most are uniform, but some aren't to best fit the space) and plan for the joints to be reasonable taken, including electrics. I also designed some long sections so that it wouldn't be so bad if I had to go down a section and also would be easy to add a section depending on future spaces. This way I'll have some scenery loss, etc. if the railroad empire relocates, but it won't need to be a complete dismantling and I avoid seeing the gaps that I don't really care for in a true modular layout.

Knowing how much money you have to spend.

The understanding that every layout is a learning experience, that no layout should be considered "permanent," and that this will hopefully not be your final layout.

Pete

If you enjoy switching .... just don't build sidings into your layout haphazardly.

It takes thought and planning to make an enjoyable switching operation.

To know exactly where the nearest first aid kit is and where you can place your beer so as to not knock it over during construction.

-Greg

My wife

dont listen to the voices in your head it only gets you in trouble

For me it is planning overall. These include plans for space, trackwork especially, etc. Like Dewey said above I would draw a scale drawing to get a good idea of what can fit and what can't. And, of course, having fun is key!

Everything that was contributed above.

What kind of layout do you want, switching, point to point or just loops.

Good solid bench work.

Always put turnouts (switch's) in location where they are not hidden or cannot be reached easily, been there done that !!!!!!!!!

Good wiring and use good quality wiring. Tag all your wiring and even better draw a schematic of the wiring. when an electrical item stops working it's easier to go back and see how you connected the wiring.

I think the most important factor is, to have fun.

When things start going wrong unplug everything clean up turn off the lights and get away from it. It is amazing how different things look a day later.

The most important thing in my opinion is for YOU to decide what YOU WANT THE LAYOUT TO DO.

All of the tactical stuff mentioned above is important, but it is all details after the concept of the layout has been determined.   

Think about what you want to with the layout.   Do you want to sit in a chair and watch some trains whirl around some loops while you sip and adult beverage.    Fine - plan a layout to do that perhaps as the one guy suggested without any switches.

Do you want to sit at a complex panel and do all sorts of remote control routing and running accessories?

Or do you want to build a model RR that tries to simulate some of the prototype behavior of delivering freight to customers and/or moving passengers?     Even to the extent where you walk along side your train and throw the switches by hand to make your switching movements?

Do you want the layout to represent a specific place or a certain locale or area?    And that might dictate the type of freight you haul.

Another minor consideration is to do you want to stick to one historical era?   For example, 60s or 50s or earlier.   When you go back to those times, all the freight equipment, locos and cars are smaller.    Most cars were 40 ft long with some 50 footers thrown in as compared with now with a lot of even 70 and 80 ft cars and very few 40 footers except for coal hoppers.

I think considering some these strategic issues first before you get into the nitty-gritty of building benchwork and track is most important to a layout providing fun and interest for a long time.

Robert,

   IMO the most important Consideration is what Trains you are going to own & run, this tells you the size of your Curves/Switches and what manufacturers Track you are going to run on.  Always make sure all the Engines & Rolling stock you now own, will be accommodated by the track you are planning to use when building your layout.  Further you will need to know approximately what Engines & Rolling Stock you might want to acquire and run in the future.  In this manner planning the engineering design of your layout becomes much easier.  The 2nd most important Consideration is Space to build.

PCRR/Dave

Go to O Scale modeler John Armstrong(Canandaigua Southern) for his advice on "Givens & Druthers".

ENJOYMENT

Every layout is different and every layout owner is different.  While all of the things listed so far may be important, to me, the most important is having something that brings enjoyment to it's owner.  Model railroading should be fun!  I have seen layouts on 4x8 sheets of plywood sitting on saw horses and using tubular track with no scenery where the owner derived a great deal of enjoyment most every day.  I have also seen fabulous 400 to 800 square foot layouts with great scenery where the owner barely used it and only seem to enjoy "having it".

If all one is capable of is a simple sheet of plywood and a simple loop of track but it brings them pleasure, great.

There is no "right" way to design or build  a layout .  go with what ever works for you.

Happy railroading,

Don

1) Having the mindset to be creative and think out of the box is very important.

2) What is the place/space the layout will be created at/in.

I've had O-scale layouts built on proper benchwork in most of my 2 car garage previously (ran three trains including an EMD ABA with a 20 car consist), on boards laid atop my fiancé's pool table, and currently set up on two tables in my special Ed middle school classroom.

My newest train (jumping into the deep waters of Tinplate Standard Gauge!! I just bought a MTH Circus Set) is set in a big loop with 42 curves around the aforementioned pool table legs on the family room floor. Then eventually another Standard Gauge line will go point to point, on 6" wide boards, along the length of the side of the house, at chair rail height of 42" for 28 feet.

The idea JUST occurred to me to have a TOY TRAIN set up at our wedding reception, as we are both train freaks, (him G-scale and HO, me O-scale and Standard Gauge) and most of our invited friends know this about us. A circle of track on a large round table circling the wedding cake could be fun...

How to utilize the space.

What is the most important consideration when developing a layout?

Money and space.

There are a lot of great comments here based on experience, but every other design issue will be constrained by money and space. The entire project will be determined by how much you can spend and how large your layout room is.

After that, the most important thing is fun.

wow. a layout room. My Tom says if he does  ever buy a second house again or sell this one, we'll have a big barn for all the trains in all the scales we are working/playing with.

For me it was ergonomics... I knew it was going to be a double decker around the room layout. So view zones, reach, access to wiring was a big hitter... The duckunders became the only  ugly thing I had to live with.

prrjim posted:

The most important thing in my opinion is for YOU to decide what YOU WANT THE LAYOUT TO DO.

Pine Creek Railroad posted:

IMO the most important Consideration is what Trains you are going to own & run, this tells you the size of your Curves/Switches and what manufacturers Track you are going to run on.  ...  Further you will need to know approximately what Engines & Rolling Stock you might want to acquire and run in the future.

I think these two responses sum it up. Everything else - like space and money - is already decided for you. 

(A related note is know what you want. I had my whole childhood to play with trains. After  college, I had my father's layout to help/experiment with. So I had a very good idea starting out what I like and what I can do without.)

nickaix posted:

prrjim posted:

The most important thing in my opinion is for YOU to decide what YOU WANT THE LAYOUT TO DO.

Pine Creek Railroad posted:

IMO the most important Consideration is what Trains you are going to own & run, this tells you the size of your Curves/Switches and what manufacturers Track you are going to run on.  ...  Further you will need to know approximately what Engines & Rolling Stock you might want to acquire and run in the future.

I think these two responses sum it up. Everything else - like space and money - is already decided for you. 

(A related note is know what you want. I had my whole childhood to play with trains. After  college, I had my father's layout to help/experiment with. So I had a very good idea starting out what I like and what I can do without.)

Once I knew what I wanted, I took account of the space I had available and came up with a minimum mainline curve and a ruling grade (I did some experimentation with different engines, to see what they would pull on what slope). Then I planned the whole layout on paper, starting with the John Armstrong "squares" method, then a scale drawing. After that - since it is not a large layout - I actually drew the whole thing out full-size on sheets of butcher's paper, using switch templates to get the turnouts just right and to be absolutely sure that what I'd planned actually fit into the space.

great information and advice here gents!

Thanks for all the outstanding replies. I have learned a few things

Bob C.

Invest in some track planning software.  There is some free stuff out there, I used RR Track.  Never build a duck under if you can avoid it.  Around the room is nice, but remember 3 feet is about the maximum you can reach.  Use the largest curves you can fit and never but something the requires larger curves then you have.  Plan for clearance issues.  Some of the larger locomotives and rolling stock swing out.  Watch your corners, I had to adjust my layout after I noticed a new black line on the wall.  Check the height of your largest piece of rolling stock.  I have a double stack that wont clear the bridge underpass.  If you are doing a double track, used different color wire for each loop.  I used red for one loop and orange wire for the center power on the other.  I used black for ground on both and wish I would have added another color for the ground on the other loop.  Same for accessory or switch power.  Use other colors for each.  I went over board on the power drops and I think it was worth it.  I found cheaper terminal blocks that I used to connect all the wires to the transformer.  I also installed resetable circuit breakers in line to protect my TIU and the boards inside my rolling stock.  I used styrofoam for my risers.  I found a place that would taper cut it so I avoided the costly commercial ones.  Best advice is to have fun.

"What Is Most Important Consideration When Developing A Layout?"

Reading this thread and others like it.  There is no magical "one thing".  Every time I read stuff here I get smarter. 

Our first layout was for the kids to run trains (3-6 years old).  After that,  I spent nearly 2 years reading this forum and making MANY designs in RR Track until the time we decided to dismantle our first layout and try a new one for real.

Have Fun!

Ron