Need some advise on layout plan

[Paudie Riordan]

Hi All

 

I am new to the site. I posted this thread in a blog.... then realised nobody would see it there.

I am thinking about ripping out my current 00 gauge layout and starting again. I have no major work down bar the electrics and a bit of scenery. I have a 20x10 converted container and in that I have a 17x10 layout with a well in the middle. I made a mistake initally when I was in a hurry to get trains running andI didn't make use of the space I had. I left no room for proper storage or for a work area. I gave no thought to function or workings, I just wanted trains going in a loop.

 

Now that I have decided to model Irish railways I need to change the plan. Can anyone advise me as too what I should be looking to include? What is the best design ... End to End or run around. How big should I make it? I want to have a terminus and country station along with a farm scene and a village or town.

Any advise would be appreciated

 

thanks in advance

Paudie

[patrick]

Here are some rambling thoughts on layout design which worked for me. A good start is to study model railways on line, in books, magazines and if possible in person and see what appeals to you. Try to answer the following questions. Do you prefer to observes trains running or shunting? How interested are you in realistic operation? Is there a specific era or location that interests you which might make a good setting for a model railway? Do you want to model a specific era?

Study the prototype, copying something will often result in a more plausible scene than trying to make something up.

Less is more.(yes this a tough one to accept!)

Use the largest radius curves practical, lay out some curves with flexi track and check appearance with the longest rolling stock you plan to run.

Use the large radius points.

Did I mention less is more? Hope this is of help.

Edited November 16, 2013 by patrick
grammer

[StevieB]

Paudie

That's some very good advice from Patrick. Have a look at his layout in the layout section and you'll see what can be achieved by keeping things simple.

Stephen

[Paudie Riordan]

Thanks Guys

[patrick]

I forgot to add, plan a fiddle yard/staging yard, especially important if you plan realistic operation. Tony Koester, Model Railroader magazine columnists and author a has a formula for figuring out the number of tracks required in a staging yard: R=2N+1, where R is the number of tracks required and N is the number of tracks you think you need!

!

Edited November 16, 2013 by patrick

[Dave]

Hey Paudie, welcome to the site. Good to see you on here Patrick is right, less is more. Large radius curves with long points with 12 deg or less turn out.

Maybe run around the outside of the space you have?

[Glenderg]

Paudie, welcome aboard, dont be a stranger when it comes to questions and answers here. Patricks advice above is both concise and brilliant, worth printing in bold and hanging it up in the container!

 

You have a tricky size - very big - and the impulse to fill it all with track must be immense.

 

If i had that space, i know what i would do. I'd take one wall and do a prototype station to allow a full length train stop. Mallow or Limerick junction would tickle me pink but i'm biased to that neck of the woods. As stations, they also have other things going on like pw sidings, freight loading etc. So perhaps have a look at real stations in your neck of the woods and pick all the bits you like and smash them together to make a layout.

 

The 10 foot width also allows for something akin to a beet loading plant, cement, or ballast loading area, or even a city (north wall or albert quay) area of shunting puzzles to move stock around without interfering eith the main running lines. This is the bit i'd do first, so you can get something running, without losing hope for the big picture.

 

The other wall, i'd go for the scenic spectacular, a viaduct, IKB coastal tunnels, again look at patricks layout for inspiration. A small station, not in the center, with a siding doing something like a coal loading or cattle loading area. But very few trains-less is more! The scenery is key.

 

The last wall is a railway free zone. It just has two running lines and maybe a siding to check stock, clean wheels and program dcc. Essentially its a workbench. That's where you have the kettle, radio, soldering iron, and badly abused but most necessary offic e chair, with about 20 plug sockets nearby. Heater beneath but a sneakyclocation to also hide a blood fridge for a few cold ones.

 

Richie.

[David Holman]

To the above I would definitely add the following:

1. Start small - a branch line terminus or small through station can easily be incorporated into a later, larger layout.

2. The above will certainly cost you less and with the limited amount of Irish stuff available RTR, you will have a better chance of getting something that looks and runs well in a reasonable length of time.

3. Minimum 90cm radius curves will always look better than set track, right angle bends

4. From a visual and operational point of view, trains need to be able to run 3 times their own length on the scenic part of the layout, to look 'right'. No worries with 20x10 then, but build accordingly.

5. Checkout the Modelling Irish Railways book, some interesting ideas in there

6. Why not consider 21mm gauge, or at the very least, EM gauge and finer profile track. For all the practicalities of 16.5mm, nothing sets an Irish layout better than broad gauge - though if you are heavily committed re stock, then appreciate the issues.

[Broithe]

If you haven't already done so, then consider 'civilising' the container with some insulation, etc..

[Paudie Riordan]

Hi All

 

Thanks for the input. I certainly have a lot to consider. Broithe, the container is an old site office and has lights sockets and is well insulated. I am going to take my time this time. It does seem like "less is more" I will probably be having a sale of building etc LOL as they will be surplus now.

[Broithe]

Broithe, the container is an old site office and has lights sockets and is well insulated.

 

Oh! Goodoh! - do you want a lodger..?

 

Work your way through these - http://irishrailwaymodeller.com/forumdisplay.php/7-Irish-Model-Layouts - and see what you like...

[BosKonay]

Any photos of the current layout before dismantling?

[Paudie Riordan]

Hi All

Been thinking about the new layout design. I might throw up some pics of the existing layout. I was thinking of having the layout a bit higher than normal. Maybe 4ft off the ground. I was thinking of having a long fiddle yard low down, serviced by two helix's to bring stock on/off the layout at either end. Then within the layout itself have track running on one level to the terminus etc and the branch line on another level.

 

Is there anywhere I could get track plans of existing irish railways. Like the old West cork Railway line. Mallow and Limerick Junction stations. Is this stuff accessable?

 

Paudie

[Broithe]

Is there anywhere I could get track plans of existing irish railways. Like the old West cork Railway line. Mallow and Limerick Junction stations. Is this stuff accessable?

 

Paudie

 

If you use this to look at the older maps, then you can often find reasonable views - http://maps.osi.ie/publicviewer/#V1,588882,739883,0,10 - it just depends what was there at the time and what records are available now..

[Paudie Riordan]

Broithe, Thank you, That's Perfect

[patrick]

"I was thinking of having the layout a bit higher than normal. Maybe 4ft off the ground."

 

I am personally sold on higher layouts combined with walk around control. The railway looks so much better closer to eye level than viewed from above and operation is enhanced by being close to the action. My previous layout was 50 inches above the ground which I felt was too low. The current one is 56 inches. I would have gone higher ( I'm 6 foot 2 inches) but compromised for the sake of shorter viewers and operators. When combined with an effective backdrop narrow baseboards can be used while still achieving the illusion of dept.

I recommend mocking up a simple scene using a few lengths of track, some buildings and a few pieces of rolling stock on a board, piece of insulation foam or whatever is handy and viewing it at different heights to see what works for you. A book shelf with adjustable shelves is also ideal for this. Better still lay out a siding or two on a longer piece of board and do some shunting.

[Paudie Riordan]

I am beginning to get an idea of what I want now. It's just to bring it all together!!