quiksilver1979 Posted April 20, 2018 Author Share Posted April 20, 2018 (edited) I think you are trying to squeeze a quart into a jam jar here. Loads of complicated trackwork but no room for trains. A class 47 looks a bit limp on anything less than 5 coaches which is a 6 foot train in 00. Add a 2ft radius approach curve and that is your whole room length. The # 15 layout suggestion requires curved diamonds which as far as I know aren't available ready to lay, #19 is hopelessly cramped for 00 but might work in N. My double bed layout can take 5 coach trains on a 78" X 54" layout with terminus, spiral and return loop at the expense of steep gradients. Most of the old CJF style 8X4 layouts were intended for small steam locos and short trains, a Pannier tank and a couple of coaches looks ok on them, a class 47 or 55 with 2 coaches looks faintly ridiculous. I would suggest you engineer out the issue of the track across the doorway, mount it on a vertical hinge so it swings see pic and use the whole room. That way you can arrange it so the door can be forced open if necessary simply overcoming spring or magnetic force to push the pivot section out of the way. Cheltenham Station had two platforms and double track in the 1990s and turned back London trains with 50s and 47s on, had mainline freights, Plymouth Newcastle cross country trains with 47s HSTs etc Parcels / Mail trains stopped there and unloaded mail for the sorting office. Carriage sidings were beyond the bridge out of sight, you don't need a lot of complicated track for complicated operating Thanks David. Yes, I think I am conflicted! I wanted passenger trains, but do have larger diesels.. Maybe I should consider selling my Mk2 coaches (6 of them) and focus on goods shunting and a TMD? I guess I could still have a small terminus station in the background somewhere for my 108 DMU, or I could consider selling that too and focusing solely on freight... Then comes the temptation in that if I am selling my coaches and the DMU, so I sell up all my OO stuff and switch to N... I have all my grandads coaches and wagons.. hundreds of items! So I would only need to invest in new locos.. although I'm not sure if the detail in rolling stock has improved greatly in the last 30 years... I wanted to try and create something hyper realistic (scenery - not operation/layout necessarily) so thought OO was the scale to go with, but I have seen some very well made N Gague layouts recently! Hmmmmm... I think I need to sit back and have a good old ponder on this one! Cheers! Hi Steve, You need to draw your ideas to scale to know whether they will really fit in your room. (And you should measure your room accurately, including the positions and sizes of the boxing, the window and the door to ensure that you can design around them properly.) Given the small size of the room and the position of the door in the middle of one wall, a bridge across the doorway is almost certainly the best way to create a circuit. Here's a design for a similarly sized room: This one is 8ft6 by 7ft6 with the door opening inwards in one corner but shows the sort of design that will fit: It is simple (in terms of trackwork) but should still be interesting to operate. If I decide to stick with OO and change my current end to end track layout and opt for a roundy roundy I will certainly look to bridge the doorway... although when inside it is very isolating! Thanks both for your suggestions and input, it's certainly helping me to think through what I really want! I think my first job is to have a look at my grandads (now mine) rolling stock and see if I would be happy with using that on a layout - if I am, then I can start thinking about selling some OO gauge stuff... hopefully for every 1.5 OO loco's I sell second hand, I can get a decent N gauge version! Food for thought, definitely! It's the whole 'class 47 needs at least 4 coaches' comment that is making me think.. I bet I could easily get an 6 coach N gauge train in the space I have with a nice run around a loop! Thanks Steve Edited April 20, 2018 by quiksilver1979 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Satan's Goldfish Posted April 20, 2018 Share Posted April 20, 2018 I still have some 1970s n gauge stock packed away somewhere. Quality of detail is something only you can decide if you're happy with. To my eyes from normal viewing distance they look fine. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiksilver1979 Posted April 20, 2018 Author Share Posted April 20, 2018 (edited) Ok, I thought I had better post some photos of my current layout. I thought it was great when I first put it all together but now when coming to use it i'm struggling to know how to use it.. to be interesting! This is the view looking back to the wall next to the door.. one 'end' of the layout. Looking at the pic, to the right is terminus station with a DMU line along the back (a shorter platform/goods bay). The line to the left of that is the runaround/storage road. Then there's a siding for goods. Then the head shunt with some reverse sidings coming off that back towards (and under) the camera... Looking the other direction from a similar point, you can see the reverse sidings and head shunt... the 08 shunters 'hang around' up that end! The line on the left leading off to a right hand curve is the main line out. The line to the right of that is one long carriage siding (runs parallel to the main line out) I was going to have this look as if it used to go into a double tunnel mouth but have buffers and overgrowth just short of the tunnel mouth... The line to the right of those two that is a little tighter is the entrance to the TMD... I planned to have a nice road bridge coming in from the far corner to the inner corner... Then, looking back towards the same corner you can see where the main line, the carriage siding and the TMD entrance lead to... I seem to have roads in the TMD for the sake of having roads.... I notice now that to get up to the far shed, they have to go into the nearest shed first and back out! I can tweak these as they are not yet permanently wired in... Roughly level with the centre of the double tunnel mouth against the wall I was going to have the tunnel mouth (the carriage siding is a bit longer at the moment.. means I can store 3 mk2 carriages and couple/uncouple on a straight, not mid bend! I assume the carriage siding could go into the tunnel a little! So I was going to have a retaining wall or rock face between the main line this side of the tunnel mouth and the TMD so the trains would disappear 'off scene' behind the TMD in a tunnel... Then, all 'off scene' this is a hinged section that sits above my desk across the window... this is a simple run around so that I can get loco's back to the front to run back 'on scene' and into the terminus station or goods yard... Maybe I just need to tweak and then get cracking with some scenery to bring it to life.... I can run 3 carriages and a mainline diesel quite comfortably on this layout... 2 carriages looks silly, 3 I think I can just about get away with! Anyway, Any thoughts on this layout, any improvements, suggestions on how best to operate etc... Thanks! Steve. Edited April 20, 2018 by quiksilver1979 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Satan's Goldfish Posted April 20, 2018 Share Posted April 20, 2018 If you want to stick with OO, the feeling i'm getting from looking at your stock would be something like a Minories terminus with a couple of extra sidings for your freight, throat point work on the curve, TMD roughly where it is now but your access to it 'off scene' from your hidden sidings (see 'Exford Park' for what I mean, the tmed on that layout doesn't join the running lines on scene) so you have some uninterupted running line behind the sheds. Agree, 3 coaches minimum can look ok in a tight environment. What are the exact measurements of the boards you have at the moment? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiksilver1979 Posted April 20, 2018 Author Share Posted April 20, 2018 If you want to stick with OO, the feeling i'm getting from looking at your stock would be something like a Minories terminus with a couple of extra sidings for your freight, throat point work on the curve, TMD roughly where it is now but your access to it 'off scene' from your hidden sidings (see 'Exford Park' for what I mean, the tmed on that layout doesn't join the running lines on scene) so you have some uninterupted running line behind the sheds. Agree, 3 coaches minimum can look ok in a tight environment. What are the exact measurements of the boards you have at the moment? Sound like good ideas! The board with terminus and sidings on from wall to wall is 100.5 inches x 24 inches. The remainder of the L shape from the join in that board to level with the boxed in pipes is 63 inches x 24 inches too.. there are a few more inches (2-3) if needed towards the front of the board on the very right (the boxed pipes are in the back right corner). The hinged sectional be anything up to 18 inches but is currently 9 inches x 24 inches. Cheers. Steve. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Satan's Goldfish Posted April 20, 2018 Share Posted April 20, 2018 The hinged bit looks a lot longer than 24 inches ... Ok, will give it some thought. A tip though, given how tight your corners are it can be easier to get a smooth run using set track (radius 3 and 4) than trying to create the same in flexi. Your Small radius points will also be useful. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiksilver1979 Posted April 20, 2018 Author Share Posted April 20, 2018 The hinged bit looks a lot longer than 24 inches ... Ok, will give it some thought. A tip though, given how tight your corners are it can be easier to get a smooth run using set track (radius 3 and 4) than trying to create the same in flexi. Your Small radius points will also be useful. Ha ha, that was a stupid mistype.. I did measure it but my brain decided to change thee figure my fingers typed!! The hinged bit is 48 inches long but if I shifted the bookcase in the corner I could fit a static section that the hinged bit drops onto and links up with. The total length of that wall could the also be 100.5 inches... but would have to be slimmer across the window, which is narrower than the 48 inch hinged section... Cheers! Steve. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cypherman Posted April 21, 2018 Share Posted April 21, 2018 Hi all, I know you said you do not want to change the door as they all match, But have you considered changing the way the door opens by converting it to a sliding door. That way you could use the existing door and use a hanger rail method to open and close the door. The same as used in many goods sheds. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Johnster Posted April 21, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 21, 2018 Might I suggest that the road bridge crosses the tracks at an angle more in line with board it leads on to, not the station board. This, with the embankment carrying the road, perhaps with buildings or advertising hoardings on top of it, will help to conceal the very sharp 90 degree curve, which will be all the mover obvious with the mk1 coaches, from you operating position viewpoint; a train will leave the station and fade more subtly from your view; it will feel more as if it is actually going somewhere more than a set of hidden fiddle yard sidings. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Satan's Goldfish Posted April 21, 2018 Share Posted April 21, 2018 (edited) Lots of light engine moves. Deliberately no run around for passenger trains in the station. Available length for the 4 storage sidings would determine whether you make them 2 pairs of loops or not, but there would be nothing wrong with light engine moves to/from off scene (helps justify having a TMD near such a small station) if they stayed as sidings. I've assumed you're sole operator of this? so simplified the off scene point work by dropping to a single line before the fan of sidings. Depending where your pipe box is, you may be able to move the 2 track line closer into the corner before the curve. 'Drive on the left' is assumed up to the trailing crossing by the TMD entrance, shunting move required to access the bay platform and 'wrong line' working to access the TMD from the station. I've been a bit half-assed with the goods yard design, you know what train lengths you need to accommodate. Storage sidings and 3 main platforms should be able to hold three coaches and an engine at each end (maybe!) Quick count looks like 21 points, all Peco small radius, not sure how many are left or right though. Alternatively, go N gauge and you'd get a lovely 2 track mainline through scenery on those boards HTH Edit: given your board width, you could add an extra siding alongside the bay platform. Angle the station throat point work a bit more to get the 90 degree curve closer to the corner of your room would also make some more running length along the back of your layout. In turn this could make the TMD less cramped, especially on the right near the back scene and hidden curve. Edited April 21, 2018 by Satan's Goldfish 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiksilver1979 Posted April 21, 2018 Author Share Posted April 21, 2018 (edited) Hi all, I know you said you do not want to change the door as they all match, But have you considered changing the way the door opens by converting it to a sliding door. That way you could use the existing door and use a hanger rail method to open and close the door. The same as used in many goods sheds. Thanks for the idea, will give it some consideration Might I suggest that the road bridge crosses the tracks at an angle more in line with board it leads on to, not the station board. This, with the embankment carrying the road, perhaps with buildings or advertising hoardings on top of it, will help to conceal the very sharp 90 degree curve, which will be all the mover obvious with the mk1 coaches, from you operating position viewpoint; a train will leave the station and fade more subtly from your view; it will feel more as if it is actually going somewhere more than a set of hidden fiddle yard sidings. Good points - I had thought the curve was very tight and wondered if there was some illusion to lessen the effect visually. Thanks! Lots of light engine moves. Deliberately no run around for passenger trains in the station. Available length for the 4 storage sidings would determine whether you make them 2 pairs of loops or not, but there would be nothing wrong with light engine moves to/from off scene (helps justify having a TMD near such a small station) if they stayed as sidings. I've assumed you're sole operator of this? so simplified the off scene point work by dropping to a single line before the fan of sidings. Depending where your pipe box is, you may be able to move the 2 track line closer into the corner before the curve. 'Drive on the left' is assumed up to the trailing crossing by the TMD entrance, shunting move required to access the bay platform and 'wrong line' working to access the TMD from the station. I've been a bit half-assed with the goods yard design, you know what train lengths you need to accommodate. Storage sidings and 3 main platforms should be able to hold three coaches and an engine at each end (maybe!) Quick count looks like 21 points, all Peco small radius, not sure how many are left or right though. 8x8.jpg Alternatively, go N gauge and you'd get a lovely 2 track mainline through scenery on those boards HTH Edit: given your board width, you could add an extra siding alongside the bay platform. Angle the station throat point work a bit more to get the 90 degree curve closer to the corner of your room would also make some more running length along the back of your layout. In turn this could make the TMD less cramped, especially on the right near the back scene and hidden curve. Wow, excellent ,thanks so much for taking the time to plan out a potential layout for me! I'll take some time to digest this, but it does look very interesting. I'll also give some thought to N Gauge - It's just the selling of all my OO stuff I'd struggle with - I'm crap at selling stuff Really appreciate the time you've taken - I'll look at this long and hard and I'll be back! Also, I count 9 RH points and 13 LH ones. Edit: I currently have 9 RH points a d 11 LH ones, so it's almost spot on - no wasted points, just an investment in another couple of LH ones! Cheers! Steve. Edited April 21, 2018 by quiksilver1979 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
iclose Posted April 21, 2018 Share Posted April 21, 2018 6 foot is wide enough for the curves on the end you don't have to use the full width of the room. Most modern OO gauge stock will go round 3rd and 4th radius curves with out a problem. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiksilver1979 Posted April 24, 2018 Author Share Posted April 24, 2018 (edited) Having given this some thought, the proposed layout in general looks 'similar' to my existing layout. I've now tweaked my TMD to look more like the suggested layout and I think I'll leave my station and main lines as they are for now. I'll link up the carriage siding to main line 'off scene' as suggested and I'll also try to create a runaround loop for my goods yard as per the suggested plan... This should give me some more flexibility when shunting and sorting wagons. Still not 100% decided, but will see how I go.. I actually had a proper 'play' over the weekend and quite enjoyed it (*shock*). So will see how I go before I rip it all up and start again Really appreciate all the advice/help/feedback/time you've all given. I won't make any rash decisions and may well be back to check a few things during my design journey! Cheers, Steve. Edited April 24, 2018 by quiksilver1979 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now