Comments on the plan

broard picture

This picture shows the set out the green is the upstairs.   The walls are unlined but as the climate is quite temperate  so that does not matter.  So by not linning the wall more $$ for Railway stuff,  The choice between linning the walls and having a layout.  I can Line the walls later if it comes to that. (I used to that for a living once.)

 Have a good supply of 3"x 1" timber ( free) for making bench work. So far the only real construction cost is spline material.

The yellow section is for storage

the little blue box is the stairwell.

What about the track does that look like it will work.?

against the grain

Hello

I think the silence you hear is from people trying to re-focus their ideas of layout planning.

My first thought was of all the "wasted" space - my second thought was the idea of needing to run around the whole layout to check on trains and track condition.

I urge you to consider other existing layouts of this size and decide which would be the best for you: center platform (like this) or around the walls with peninsulas.

Line the walls first - this thing is going to last you many years - lining the walls is going to be a small part of the project.

I have never built a layout of this size so I am reluctant to criticize but if I had the opportunity it would not be like this one.

Sincerely and with good will.

Art Armstrong

Lining the walls will make a much nicer environment.

Whether you build it as you have drawn it or decide to go around the walls, finishing the walls first will do a lot to make a nicer layout room.  I think some sort of finished surface will cut down on the amount of dust in the room.  Providing flat, smooth, interior walls will also cut down on spiders and insects making homes in the layout room.  In addition it will provide a much more pleasant surrounding for the layout.  Leaving the walls unfinished will cause you to always see bare studs for the back drop to your railroad.

Building That big isn't cheep

First you say you're short on funds But, your trying to fill a 30ft X 60ft room full of track.

I started a railroad 1/2 that size with a first stage cost of $1,500.00 U.S. dollars. That builds the frame work the basic support and road bed. This doesn't include the cost of the building.

Next comes the track, turnouts and wiring another $2,000.00 and that doesn't include the power system . DC/DCC minimum $500.00 Max close to $4,500.00 if you want all the bells and whistles. This doesn't include the sound system in the engines. They range from $50.00 - $150.00 for each engine. This doesn't include the cost of the engines themselves

Depending on the power needed as well as the permits and hiring a contractor to put in more electrical breakers, with outlets and the wiring around the room another $200.00 to $500.00 or double that depending on the lighting system you use.

last is scenery and that can run from $50.00 to $5,000.00 depending on the extent.

so your looking at $8000.00 to $15,000.00 to build this huge RR. This may seem high and it may be depending on the quality you set for your Railroad. This is half of what I set aside to build my railroad and it will be about 1/2 the size your looking to build. I've been working on mine for 2 years and so far have $5000,00 invested and its no where near completion.

I know that putting it down on paper doesn't seem like it will cost that much as I have drawn over 400 track plans of different configurations before I decided to try to build an actual Mountain railroad that existed from 1890 and ended operations in 1951. My model railroad is a representation of 162 miles long Railroad called The Rio Grand Southern.

My suggestion is for you find an existing railroad that has the towns, yards, industries and operations your looking for and set a theme for your railroad so you have a purpose and shrink it down to fit the area you have.

The one thing I have learned is there a Huge difference between building a flat top Train layout on a 5ft X 9ft sheet of plywood and building an open frame Model Railroad and trying to fill a 30ft X 40ft room with a railroad or in your case a 30 X 60 foot room. You can't just draw some lines on paper and call it a railroad especially the size your planning to build. You really have a lot more planning to do and figure what railroad your building or trying to represent.

Yes you can freelance your railroad and call it anything you want but you still have to build something other than a train set that just goes around and around especially when you have that large of a room to build in. Dan

I have the same problem you have.

I realize your post is a couple of years old, but I find myself in the same situation today, but from a club prospective. Our current club layout is in a 25 X 12 foot area and we have the opportunity to move to a 40 X 60 area. I am also have problems thinking big and how to use the space.

 The biggest input I have would be to finish the walls and start along the wall in one corner. If you can't finish all the walls, just finish two adjacent walls and start in the finished corner. I would also leave an area for a small 8X8 workshop and a lounge area.

With this much room I would not build a continuous loop layout. I would make it a loop to loop layout with stagging at each end. I feel this gives you the best of all worlds. Loop to loop layout allows you too build without the requirement for a duck under.  A loop to loop will give the impression of the your train going somewhere like a point to point; however it you can just let your trains run continuous from loop to loop if you like. Another benefit is that you can make on loop end temporary and has your main line grows you can move the loop further back.

Just my two sence.