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Looking for some help with a N scale shelf layout Getting started
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Active Member 32 posts kt9797 Active Member 32 posts
kt9797

Hi everyone,

About 8 months ago I got the itch to get back into model railroading (Been 16 years). I was modeling N scale and am going to be sticking with that. I am currently in an apartment and have space along 2 walls to make a shelf layout. Have 11' x 7' that can be shelf mounted. Can't go more than 20" in width at any part. It is going to be modular in design 4' sections longest(don't plan on staying in the apt forever). I could also have a 4' section that can come off the 7' side but would have to be removable and stored under the shelf.

Now I want to model a shortline. Thinking at most longest train around 8 cars tops. I want an engine house(have a pikestuff 2 track model). Some of the industries I would like to model(mainly cause I have the cars and some of the stuff to model the actual industries), RR frieght depot/team track,  Propane transfer(supplier), Lumber yard(or related industry that gets centerbeam cars), Plastic Industry(4 bay covered hoppers with 2 or 3 spots)  Scrap Yard, Cement dealer/transfer(ready mix plant) and an industry or 2(3) that get box cars.

I have draw up plans and tossed them more times than I can count. I don't have a real want for a yard persay. Just looking for something that is going to be fun to operate and somewhat prototypical. Have a grade crossing or more, a bridge of some sort. Have that kind of industrial sub-urban feel to it.

I already found a way to get my fix with different (i.e. lots of motive power) as I picked up stuff from a  44 tonner, 2 sw8's, mp15dc, gp18, gp9, and a f7. Figure won't have more than 2 on the layout at a time so have them painted differently and swap them out to depict various times during my roads history. (Long term goal)

 

Any idea's or suggestions appreciated. Even just saying I'm trying to cram to much in is helpful. Seen a lot of everones great photos from blogs and posts.Have given me a ton of insperation but yet hitting the wall with putting something down.

Thanks for reading and like I said any and all help is appreciated!

Kevin

Modeling the Nobscot Valley Railroad in N Scale

http://model-railroad-hobbyist.com/blog/31396

Fan of the Grafton & Upton RR
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ctxmf74 Super User 15,931 posts
ctxmf74

"Any idea's or suggestions"

Sounds like a very do-able plan.   I'm building a similar N scale layout now. 20 inches is plenty wide for N scale, enough room to develop some interesting industrial scenes I'd suggest starting with an interchange track to get the cars on and off the layout. Then a small yard or run around tracks to sort the incoming and outgoing cars. The rest of the space can be various industrial spurs that are plausible in the same switching district.Add your engine house and a team track and you'd have lots of operating choices..DaveBranum

1990.jpg 
Read my blog
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Toniwryan Frequent poster 502 posts
Toniwryan

Current plans

I am planning a shelf layout in a similar sized area to yours (8' x 12').  I took MR's "Beer Line" modular layout idea and basically re-scaled it into N.  My modules are 18" x 36", instead of their 2' x 4'.

This is how my "stage one" plan looks, sort of.

eerline2.jpg 

If you took both of the long module and placed them end to end, and removed the leftmost turnback module, you would have a layout that could be expanded along the adjacent wall.  Just a starting point, you can re-jigger the track to include whatever industries you like.

Toni

Toni
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IrishRover Prolific poster 1,660 posts
IrishRover

History...

If your layout will be covering a long time period, perhaps you could include a small depot, either for operations, showing what was, or even a heritage line.  I've thought about a multi-era layout, and have considered having a structure or two that can be easily removed and replaced.  Of course, almost any industry can occasionally receive a boxcar, flatcar, or gondola.

If you want to occasionally run some passenger equipment, another justification is that the main line is out for a time.  Imagine the extra moves that would be generated if you have to clear the industrial tracks occasionally for the varnish...
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Russ Bellinis Prolific poster 3,335 posts
Russ Bellinis

Use the removable 4 foot section for staging.

You could build a staging yard on the 4 foot section that is removable.  Put your rolling stock in a drawer set under the layout, and then set the temporary staging yard up and put the rolling stock that you want to use on the staging yard when you want to operate.
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ctxmf74 Super User 15,931 posts
ctxmf74

N scale shelf layout

          I posted this earlier in antoher thread but I don't know if everyone saw it so i'll repost it here to show what can fit   onto a 15 foot N scale shelf.....DaveBranum    b%26g(3).jpg 

1990.jpg 
Read my blog
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kt9797 Active Member 32 posts
kt9797

Great ideas

Thanks for the input. I had looked at the beer lines layout as an idea to start with, that and the 3rd st industrial district layout. Belive a sketch of that is on these forums. I was toying with having a sceniced 3 track yard at one end on the shelf but like the idea of the unsceniced removable yard free  up 4' of space that I could use for another scene or a couple industries.

With changing out the motive power wasn't so much to change era's. With the type of power you find on shortlines anything fits any time frame. I could run it with a couple sw8's or bump it up to better times with freshly rebuilt and painted gp9's. Also hopefully I can find enough different cars and and trucks from different time frames (80's,90's and current) to help change up date and time of the layout.

On another note picked up all the shelving brackets yesterday and the foamboard. Hopefully start putting the modules together this weekend or next.

 

Modeling the Nobscot Valley Railroad in N Scale

http://model-railroad-hobbyist.com/blog/31396

Fan of the Grafton & Upton RR
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dark2star Prolific poster 1,751 posts
dark2star

Foldable shelf

Hi,

just when I read about "removable section to be stored below the layout"... My own layout resides on a narrow shelf (about 30cm wide or a foot). The front half of the layout (50cm wide, little less than 2 feet) is attached with hinges, so when I fold the legs it hangs straight down from the rear half. Fold up, drop the legs down and go

Legs are hinged as well

Have fun!
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