the MRH Forum

A new layout? Journals/Blogs
Reply
Regular poster 285 posts Luis Daniel Lopes luis_lopes Regular poster 285 posts
Luis Daniel Lopes luis_lopes

Hi all.

I really need some help, please. last time I tried to build a US layout, it was in H0, and things where going nice, until I started to do more than I could.

I had to scrap the layout, because I moved to a new place, in Feb of this year.

No that I have settled, I am thinking about model trains again, and building a layout. I have a storage room that it is roughly 5,20 x 2,20 m (17x7 feet), but I can't fill this with trains.

So I was thinking about a layout, in N scale, built in sections (this is a must, because I don't want to be away from the family, specially from my one year old son, while building the thing and I think that this way I can get things done and not be overwhelmed). 

I love those big diesels from modern eras, like the GEVOs, in Union Pacific colors. In fact I already have three of these diesels, some hoppers, and some box cars.

At the moment I have one of the walls with a storage rack, that is 150cm high (5'). The layout will be built on top of these units, with 40cms wide sections, and the length of each section will be decided after the plan is done.

So, I already have two boxes ready to lay some track. They are made in plywood, 75 x 40 x 10cm (L x W x H), and I thought that this could be for a small stub yard 150cm long, serving as a staging yard. I don't want to hide this yard, because I can't afford having precious real estate hidden from sight. This idea came after reading extensively all the threads and blog posts about Free-moN modules from M.C. Fujiwara.

The problem is that I don't know how to properly design a freight yard.

Being Portuguese and having an ocean between me and the US, there's lots of stuff that I need to know and research.

I don't know if I should go with  a desert scene like Pelle Soeberg's layout, or a something like Oregon-ish like Syskiyou Line from Joe Fugate.

Decisions, decisions...

So, I need to start making up some plans...

Best regards.

Luís Daniel Lopes
Lisbon, Portugal
Reply 0
Luis Daniel Lopes luis_lopes Regular poster 285 posts
Luis Daniel Lopes luis_lopes

What am I doing wrong?

What should I add or correct here?

I based the plan on on MC Fujiwara Free-MoN modules.yard.jpg yard3.jpg yard2.jpg 

Best wishes.

Luís Daniel Lopes
Lisbon, Portugal
Reply 0
Benny MRH Author 7,168 posts
Benny

...

The only thing I can think of is a ladder run-around perhaps on the side that only has the repair track.

To make it fit best, you'd want to change the order of your switched on the main, so that the first switch diverts towards the repair track, the second switch diverts towards the repair track, and the third switch diverts towards the engine side.

The benefit, of course, is more room for your engine serving facility.

--------------------------------------------------------

Benny's Index or Somewhere Chasing Rabbits
Reply 0
avrinnscale Regular poster 230 posts
avrinnscale

A new layout!

Luis,

Obrigado for sharing your thoughts!  Given the space you have, N scale seems like a good solution, although I have to admit I'm prejudiced as I model in N scale as well.  Certainly you can fit more into the area you have than you would in HO.

A storage room 5,20 x 2,20 m (17x7 feet) makes me think you might want to consider a shelf layout.  I built one, the Aroostook Valley in N scale, that was 19 feet long with a 7 foot "L" at one end, on 1 foot wide boards topped with foam insulation board.  It was great fun, and good to learn from as i went along.

The challenge you're going to have is that shelf layouts in that amount of space do not lend themselves to long, mainline trains pulled by big engines.  That big GEVO takes a lot or real estate to turn!  What you might want to consider is having a staging yard where the big GEVO rolls out onto the layout to interchange cars with a smaller switcher that then serves the local industries.  This is the approach I took, using cassettes to bring the longer road freights into the interchange yard instead of a staging yard.  Worked well for me!

Keep us informed of what you do!

Geof

Geof Smith

Modeling northern New England in N scale. 
Reply 0
Luis Daniel Lopes luis_lopes Regular poster 285 posts
Luis Daniel Lopes luis_lopes

Hi all.Thanks for the time

Hi all.

Thanks for the time you spent reading and helping me.

Benny, is this what you are talking about?

yard2nd.jpg 

This "freight yard" is supposed to be just a staging yard, so I do not want to have it too complicated. Should I add a runaround somewhere?

Geof, I see what you mean, but I tried the concept, and I wasn't happy with it. I mean, I love the big diesels, and I  really wish to have them running on the layout. Kinda like Shaun Toman's layout (appeared on MRH 06 2015).

 I want to build this layout in sections, but I want to have a double deck (with a helix connecting the decks), building one section at a time. I know that this is a different approach from you guys: normally you build all the benchwork, lay most of the track to have layout operating.

 

Luís Daniel Lopes
Lisbon, Portugal
Reply 0
Benny MRH Author 7,168 posts
Benny

...

That's it.

 

Granted, it isn't usable until you have the next module, but if this is a modular layout that gets moved around, then it will be fine.

--------------------------------------------------------

Benny's Index or Somewhere Chasing Rabbits
Reply 0
Reply