I guess the question is

What are you trying to accomplish with the layout?  At first glance, it looks like you are trying to pack every square inch of the layout with track - a traditional "spaghetti bowl" which could be the point given the "bowl" part in your railroad name.  If that is what you are after, you've likely accomplished your goal.  If you are looking to create more realistic scenes, you'll likely have some challenges with so many different elements so closely packed together.  So, without knowing your purpose for the layout, the type of running/operating you enjoy, it's hard to comment on specifics about the layout as it will always be viewed by each individual according to what they like, not what you are after in your layout.

well, the 'bowl city' is

well, the 'bowl city' is being with the mountain (upper left) and the wraparound 2% woodland scenic risers, the industrial track and city will look like its down in a bowl.  the main objectives: long mainline runs (I have that, for sure!) industrial switching in an urban setting, mountain (probably vaguely Appalachian in look) w/ tunnels, and long trains on wide, sweeping curves.  I hate the look of ordinary ovals, thus the meandering track.  The massive spaghetti is something I'm worried about.  I have a separate layout which is almost perfect for it's size, but I'm limited to short trains, and long cars don't look good on 9-3/4 turns, this at least part of teh reason for this build.   

OK

That certainly helps.  I had a similar style plan about 6 years ago (though just one door) because I liked long train runs through mountainous scenery with nice, broad curves.  You've certainly got a long mainline run and I can see sitting back and just watching the train run.  That is much what got me into model railroading in the first place.

In terms of comments, though, I would look at the purpose of a few of your areas.  The yard on the "lower" section (in grey by the engine facility) - what is it's purpose?  Is it just to have track to park a bunch of cars?  There really isn't much room for many cars on several of those tracks (especially the right most track), so I don't see the value in all those tracks, especially at the cost of turnouts.  You might just make that whole area an engine terminal and servicing facilities with maybe a RIP track or something.

The yellow section, again, could be much simplified and still get a lot of switching possibilities out of it (and save a tonne of money on turnouts).  A couple industries with different car spots will get you as much switching possibilities without the complex trackwork and cost of turnouts, as well as allow easier scenic transitions, especially where the grey loop comes around.

One other caution, after I did my initial drawing of the layout and started mocking it up on the door, it became very clear the challenges of those scenic transitions between so many tracks in close quarters, essentially being different "scenes."  When you are putting those grades in right beside the other tracks without much clearance, you are going to have very steep cliffs from your rising tracks.  It is workable, but doesn't look as realistic and can be problematic if you have a derailment, especially at the edge of the layout.  At the layout edge, you can easily have something built-in to "catch" the trains going over, like a piece of plexi-glass or something, but it is something to consider.  

That's my initial thoughts on it.  I might have more suggestions, but there are a lot of people much smarter than me here to help, too.  I just thought I would share my experience from a similar style of layout (that I never did end up completing for several reasons).

 I hate the look of ordinary

Ovals can be disguised by using scenic dividers to break things up. 

I'd argue that it won't seem like a long run if the train is passing through the same scene multiple times right in front of you.   I'd suggest something like the layout below.  The scenic backdrop turns it into more of a linear shelf layout than a bowl of pasta on a door.  And the fact that the train is hidden from view for part of the time should help to give the impression that it's making a longer run than it really is.  You'll need to move the top edge of the layout away from the wall to have access to it.

Steve S

The yard on the "lower"

My plan for the yard was it would represent where I created and broke up trains to deliver to the industries in the town.  I didn't want too big a yard (and the one short track would be a caboose track).  In some ways, it would represent 'the rest of the world' 

I wanted the industrial area to be a self contained module that could be switched as an inglenook puzzle and 5 industries that wouldn't interfere with a longer train making laps. It can probably be compressed, but the number of industries should stay at 5, and require a run around to service all spots for switching interest.  there should also be a longish entrance that can work as a passenger siding.   The main line needs more passing sidings as well.

How close

are you to putting the layout together?  Do you have the doors and much of the track already, or is this just noodling until you are ready to do build?  I know with my single door, I went through about 14 iterations before I settled in to a plan.  Then I laid it all out (I love Unitrack for this, not to mention how bulletproof it is) and changed it about 8 more times!  If you are at the stage of having the doors and at least some track, I would bet once you get it down, you'll see many things that you will change that just aren't as obvious in 2D, but there that is part of the process.

I'm sure there are many guys looking at this plan and cringing because it isn't "conventional" in many respects, but we have to stick to rule #1 - It's MY railroad.  You've answered my questions showing that you've thought things through, clearly, so if you are happy with it, dig in.  You'll figure out what works and doesn't as you go.

I'm sure there are many guys

It is conventional...for 1965.   There's a reason why people moved away from pasta bowl designs--they weren't very satisfying.

Steve S

Satisfying is in the eye of the beholder

There are still lots of spaghetti bowl layouts out there that people quite enjoy.  It all depends on your goals and what you enjoy.  That's why I asked the questions and he's clearly thought these things through.  After a few years, it may not be satisfying anymore to him, but he'll have learned a tonne doing this layout and probably get a lot of enjoyment out of it in the meantime.  Nothing wrong with that.

I won't even have the space

I won't even have the space for the two doors until January.  Right now it's all planning and fiddling.  What a lot of modellers seems to want to do seems, to me, to run more or less the same train every time: freights taking the same car to the same place every operation session...which is dull to me, and doing it on a strict schedule is a bit too much like work. 

my major interests are randomized shunting puzzles (so, a bit different every time), more inglenook than the timesaver, and watching a train run, which is very relaxing to me.

I'm hoping I can get some brainstorming ideas on what to do to improve things and make this better.  Brainstorming with others elped me design my very best layout design ever: The little peanut lines: 

the old layout is just about perfect for my needs and wants -- except large passenger runs.  but you can see my spaghetti even here.

But each industry on the layout could take any kind of car: Hoppers, Tankers, Boxers, Reefers, Gondolas.  Now this does stretch the imagination: a tanker at the town might be heating oil, but next session, the same tanker is a load of Corn Syrup for the Food processor, or liquid rocket fuel for the ACME factory.   One possibility woud making this layout a 'module' on the two-door layout.

Why not...

Expand on the layout you like?  Take the basic layout and expand it to fit the two doors.  The little peanut lines is really a pretty neat little layout, and isn't as much of a spaghetti bowl as you might think.  I'd be inclined to access the siding to the "train served local businesses" from the main adjacent to Inglenook Yards and adjust the other industry tracks on the opposite side as required to eliminate the now "extra" turnout.  A backdrop down the center would make this layout feel a little bigger.

So if you took this design and applied it to the concept Steve S presents above, the inglenook Yards scene could become one "Town" and the City Park side the other "Town" as Steve has them labeled.  Connect them with the off-scene staging and you have a decent passenger run with some good switching areas without feeling congested.

My 3 cents, for what its worth (2 cents plus 1 for inflation.) 

is there a possibility of

is there a possibility of keeping the existing design more or less intact as a module or subsection of the two door layout?  sort of as a branchline or shortline coming off the class one mainline?  I could se adding a couple of turnouts to the ACME and Interchange tracks  to make the runaround the A/D track for freights coming off the main to drop a cut on the interchange.

Much scaled down

here is a new draft idea, much less spagetti bowl:

It still needs off-mainline  industry sidings, passing sidings

I might also move the inglenook to the start of the branchline instead of the end of it.

modified

I've modified the second plan

Something to consider

Consider putting your branch line on a module and attach it when you want to use it.  Do the same thing with the engine facility.    Make the minimum curve on the door 12" or greater.  Passenger cars look bad on small radii.  Also, your trains will run better on larger radii.  

 Mike Lee

yes, another

yes, another revision:

eliminated the branch line entirely, and scattered the industries about instead.  Changed the crossover to a bridge. and meandered the line to get 100 inches of length for a 2% rise for the bridge.  Since I'll be using woodland scenics foam risers, it shoudl be easy to doubletrack the bridge and make another passing siding there

yes, another revision:

  I like the first version the best so far. It has a long looking mainline run and more variety of track arrangements. If it's gonna be pasta I prefer a big plate full. ...DaveB

By the way...

what is the width of the doors?  I keep looking at that facility off to the left.  In one drawing it is orange and in another it is red.  Do you have access to that side of the layout or is there a wall against that side?  A room diagram would help.

How much space do you really have?  Have you ever seen one of those corner layouts?  The layout table was cut at 45 degrees on one end so it would fit right into the corner.  The removed triangles were attached at the other end.  Two narrow shelves ran out from the corner, one in each direction.  The shelves maintained the inglenooks you want.  The rest was your mainline open area.  You can have a scenic divider down the middle.  Have your bridges, mountains, etc.  Anyway it gives you access to both sides, plenty of mainline and switching.  You can have as many as 4 people around the layout.  I know I have seen that type of layout somewherein MR.

Just some thoughts while you are doodling.

Den

as listed

those are 80x36" doors laid in an L shape in the upper  corner of a 12x20 garage (so up against 2 walls).  (It has to share space with my car).  By taking out a few 5" sections, it can be shrunk to fit a couple of 80x30 doors (or some combination of 30, 32, 34, and 36 inch doors).  Since I will be operating the layout from a seated positions, by standing, I can make the 3 foot reach to the back. If I think I will have issues, I might end up using 2x 80x30 doors instead to reduce reach issues

Sometimes when having to share a space

the layout is on casters.  You park the car outside.  Roll your two pieces out from the wall, connect, and operate.  When you are done, pull the two pieces apart, roll those to wall and bring the car inside.  It can be done.

Den

a rough sketch

Approximate layout placement.

Drawn very quickly freehand in paint, so the squares are NOT to scale, but that's the general planned location.