First question

First question for you Ryan, is if you expect to salvage this, or will it be a true Chainsaw?  If you haven't had a lot of construction experience, you may be best served by making something that will see the dust bin eventually.

There is an advantage in my mind to doing this, as you don't have to overly stress about mistakes (in the back of your mind, you know you can put up with it and do it right the next time). I think this is important as you can move forward, keeping interest in the buid peaked. Make sure to take notes, though, so you don't do it where it "counts".

If it is to be chainsaw, than the track plan almost doesn't matter. The one you found is workable, as is this one from Byron Henderson's website (it could easily be streched to greater length). Either would give you some valuable build challanges for your skills, and would provide operational enjoyment later on.

If you're intending to incorporate it later, well, than you reallly may want to consider how. Perhaps a future staging yard might be in plans?

You might also check these out:

andrews-trains.fotopic.net/

Do you have a prototype interest?

Do you have a prototype interest? If so, looking at industries or small station stops of that prototype may be a good way to get some inspiration and perhaps lead to some interesting research. One of the benefits of having a prototype for a small layout is to provide it context. Instead of being 2x12.. it is a 2x12 slice of a much larger piece of reality.

I would recommend you take a look at Ian Rice's book Shelf Layouts for Model Railroads. It discusses a lot of issues specific to shelf layouts.

Lance Mindheim has some related small layout books, but I am not personally familiar with them. One example is How to Design Small Switching Layouts.

Chris

Prototype: Milwaukee Road

 Chris,

This will be a chainsaw, I just don't know how long it will be around for...  It could be 6 months, it could be 2 years...

I am often torn on the prototype and location.  I love the Durango area, but I'm not planning on narrow gauge.

My current thoughts are Milwaukee Road just west of Milwaukee.  Watertown had quite a bit of rail served industry, so that would be the main industrial switching focus of the new layout.  I would also model Nashotah, Oconomowoc, Ixonia, and Waterloo.  The plan is to get the track diagrams from the Milwaukee Road Historical Society and do some selective compression (Joe's earlier post will be very helpful).  I can't wait to know what the new basement will be like so I can start planning.

Thanks,

Ryan

Understood

I understand chain saw.. but I think its still worthwhile to pursue some level of prototype fidelity or, at least, context. I did a similar thing when I decided to model the MEC/BM junction at Whitefield. It will be torn down when its done.. and I took a lot of license.. but it was fun to research and it gave me something solid to base what I was doing.

In your case, you could create a nice setting for some MILW equipment while you plan the big one.. or model something you won't have space for in the big one but would still like to take a stab at.

Nothing says you have to do it.. just my 2 cents. Others prefer a more freelance approach to their chainsaws. Some prefer to buid a piece that can be used in the big one.

Good luck!

Chris

Some thoughts on the track plan

This one should hold your interest pretty much as any other plan this size.

With your extra 2-feet of length, I'd substitute #6 or #5 turnouts for the #4s so the layout could handle all sorts of locos and rolling stock.

With the extra 6 inches of width, I'd put some distance between the interchange tracks and the distributor so trucks could access the industry.

The two industries on the switchback tail serving the warehouse is a bit much, creating a frustrating puzzle.  I'd eliminate the freight xfer so the warehouse can be serviced without a lot of unnecessary car shuffling.  See http://www.layoutvision.com/id16.html

Having an interchange at such a location seems far-fetched.  Better to use the interchange tracks to serve another industry.  The "main track" is the connection to the outside world.  Use the run-around and "empties" track to hold cars that you imagine come and go off the layout.  You can imagine a mainline freight has dropped the cars off or will pick them up.

With the extra width, you could easily slip in a small engine facility if you wish to house/service a local switcher.  The track as identified for loco servicing on the plan doesn't provide adequate space for such a facility being closely bordered by tracks on both sides.

Switching layouts

1'X6' N scale switching layout plus car float, could fit in HO scale in 2X12 with a little tweaking.

This L-shaped HO MILW-inspired switching layout from MRH July 2009 could be straightened to fit the space.

My minor modification of Jonathan Jones' fabulous 2'X10' HO switching layout from Model Railroader May 2001 makes for more-realistic operation by eliminating the type of switchback arrangement Mark pointed out earlier.

My own humble 1½'X6' N scale switching layout would also fit in your space in HO with a little tweaking. 

3rd Street Industrial plan

There is a plan on the internest, don't know the author, of a 2 by 10 HO switching layout, It is two level with a main line and a line down to the industries. I think originally it may have been a Model Railroader article. 

3rd st Industrial?

Is this the one you’re referring to Bill?

http://www.westportterminal.de/thirdstreet.html

What ?

would you like to build  now?  12 feet is not gonna hold an endless supply of modeling projects so I'd start by deciding what kind of industry and scenery I want to build now and then weave enough track together to serve it. To keep it most interesting and somewhat realistic  I'd incorporate an interchange or drop track where operations could start and end each session. A carfloat and adjacent pocket yard is one solution to a lot of operations in a small space as long as the industries they typically had suit your building desires.....DaveB

Oops, sorry, I resurrected this inadvertently

I noticed that my links were broken in a post and fixed them. I didn't realize that would bring this ten-year-old thread back to life as if it were new. Sorry about that.

No need to be sorry

Byron, I missed the original post but saw it this time.  I love the N scale plan.  It fits some spare space I have and I have extra Peco track on hand, so . . .  Thanks!