After much discussion, and input from many, I have decided that I am going to build layout #3. Thats the one that was inspired by Lance Mindheims Downtown Spur. I like the fact that although it is a round the room layout, its not just a large oval.  I also like the fact that its simple to build. No complex elevations or complex trackwork.

The overall overhead view.

We continue to march towards the end of June 2020, and the closing date on our new house. I'll have a very nice basement in which to build yet another layout. This will be, what, my 8th or 9th? I've lost track. Anyway in the past month I have been designing a number of different plans for the 12 by 16 foot space. That also includes an extra area off to the side that I will use for a workspace. It can also be used to house a part of the layout if I want. So here is what I have come up with so far.

Greetings all. I have been working quite a bit on the new L portion of the Johnstown and Maryville Railroad. I added two new industries and just finished adding the town of Johnstown. While its not nearly completed, its far enough along to show the progress.

I used the Model Builder program from Evan Designs to make the brick street, then printed them on a color laser printer. 

Although the "In the Meantime" layout is supposed to be temporary, it's looking more and more like it may end up a permanent layout. So I've decided to go ahead and actually start working on it to make it look more permanent. This first picture shows a problem right off. Because of the way the track is laid out, there is a large blank area right in front. Now adding another industry right there would totally block the view of the turnouts and hand throws right behind.

Now that the Meantime layout is fully functional, it was time to come up with an operations scheme that would be simple and easy. Car Cards and Waybills was too much for this small layout. Computer programs? Again too much work.

So this is what I came up with.

Its similar to the Car Order Card system, except I am using Car Spots instead of industry names. I labeled each car spot 1 through 18.

The February Update for the JAM.

With no firm date yet for closing on the new house, as the current occupants still have not found a new place, I was fighting a bit of depression as I saw my 2 years of work on the JAM end up in a pile of junk. But then inspiration hit me. I could take 2 of the modules used on JAM and bolt them together and build a temporary switching layout that would keep me occupied and away from Farm Sim 2019.

Well 4 revisions later and I think I finally have a plan that will work. What's changed?

Yard moved to the front for easier access.

Extended yard lead

Extended run around on peninsula

Adjusted interchange to make it easier to move cars in and out

Moved team track off peninsula to open it up a bit

Well as some of you may be aware, I am starting to tear down the current Johnstown & Maryville in preparation for a move to a new house. While its always hard to demo a layout, the new space, a FULL basement, will give me a chance to go 12' x 16', possibly as large as 12' x 20'! Thats almost double the size I have now.

To give an idea of what I have planned, here are some conceptual designs of what I am planning. This is the 12' x 16' design.

Johnstown and Maryville Railroad blog