Freelance design to be a modern depiction in the Appalachia foothills of Virginia.

To determine direction, I will use the real North/South for the railroad as it sits in my home.  South will be at the top, and North at the bottom.

Room size is 18’ x 17.5’ – Each Square is 1’

N Scale Layout

NS on the black double line

CSX on the blue single line – This line has two reversing sections

My goals for the layout are to:

• Watch trains run and railfan the layout.
• Do some operations.  I do not know if it will actually become ops sessions yet or not.  I do not belong to any local clubs, and not sure I have the time to join right now.  Outside of the layout, I still work fulltime, have a family, enjoy boating during the season, like to fly drones and aerial videography when I can, travel, etc.
• Work on scenery on an on-going basis.  I may never complete it 100% before we move from this home?  That is OK though, I will have a “next” home to retire in.
• Work on what I will call the technical side, working, DCC, maybe signals at some point, etc., again, on-going.
• Enjoy it with friends and family.

I went back and forth on the NS line being a double vs single with passing sidings.  As I said, I like to just watch/railfan the layout, and double main gives a better visual of trains approaching and passing.  

Then, I thought about it operationally (and to free up a tab bit more real estate) to go with single and passing sidings.  When I did this, I determined it was not a signifagant “gain” in real estate over the double.  

I then went on-line and searched for comparisons of pros/cons to each.  I had seen a number of comments saying you can do both, so that is what I did.  If I want to operate with passing sidings, I will “close off” sections of one of the mains, therefore creating passing sidings.  This gives me the best of both worlds then.

Main line’s will be: 

• Kato Unitrack (I already have about 80% of what is needed for this from past smaller layouts (and a plan to build this a number of years ago, where I loaded up on Unitrack at the time).  
• All turnouts will be #6, including 5 (already have these) Kato double crossovers.
  • These will be the only connected remote controlled turnouts on the layout.
• In visible area I have stuck to mainly (there may be a few very small areas that have a slight bit less) 15” or greater diameter.
• In a few areas to make the curves work, I will utilize Atlas code 80 flex.
• The East side NS tracks along the wall will be at an elevation of 4” above the yard area to the West, with a 2% grade to get there along the curve at the Northwest area of the layout.
• The South end of the NS line will be on a 1% to 2% grade back down to yard level curving around the Southwest area of the layout.
• The CSX line will have 2 opposing reverse loops, one on the peninsula area, and the other in the Northwest tunnel area.
• It will climb a 2% grade on the West end of the Peninsula to cross over the tracks it approaches, then climb back down the same grade with the NS lines back around under itself.
• The NS line will have a 2 track (not huge by any means) staging area in the tunnel in the Northeast corner.  Not as long as I would like, but at least I was able to put a few tracks in to have some.  I am not interested at this time to do a multi-deck to build a large staging area.  Perhaps in my next home (which will ultimately be retirement home, have another 5 to 7 years where I am now to get my daughter through college) I will do multi-deck.
• Red track is all in tunnels – I put tunnels in all three corners for under bench access and to break up the “continuous” loop look the best I can.
• The Northeast tunnel area will be behind the backdrop, allowing me more room to work in that area.
• The tunnels will have the tightest (but very manageable operationally) curves anywhere from 12 13/32” to 15” to maximize visible areas of the layout.

Joint ownership of the yard for interchange between the two (local to where I live, they co-own the Norfolk and Portsmouth Beltline which has a small to medium yard along the Elizabeth river in Chesapeake/Norfolk, VA).  I always see locos from both parked at this yard.

The yard will have:

• Plan to buy all Peco code 55 flex and medium (#6 equivalent) turnouts.
• 5 – 3’8” classification tracks (total of 18’4”)
• A 6’ 8” and 6’ 3” Arrival/Departure tracks
• Run Around at the West end
• The North end has a RIP Track between the run around and Engine facility
• Engine facility at the North end.
• The North end drill/yard lead dead ends.
• The South end drill/yard lead merges into the CSX line.  This is the only in/out access for this line due to the yard design and where the arrival/departure tracks are located in the yard.  It does go straight out to one of the reverse loops too.  For the most part, the plan is to use the South end yard lead to work the yard.
• I made sure the Arrival/Departure tracks do not interfere with yard work.

The Peninsula will be mainly industrial area.

• Total of 3 (2 on the West side and 1 on the East Side) Storage/Yard tracks totaling 13’8”.
• To help with cost, I will make use of Atlas code 80 sectional track I have, #6 Turnouts I have, and #4 turnouts I have.  (this can be changed if needed in the future)
• Use Caboose Industries throws.

All sidings use existing Atlas #4’s that I have to help with cost of new track needed.  They are branched off the mains with Kato #6’s though.

With time restrictions and wanting to get a start, I plan on utilizing Siever’s for my benchwork.  I have the ability to do my own (this space was actually filled with an O Scale layout (sold all of it at the end of the 2000’s) benchwork, just lacking the time and location to do so now.  They have been very responsive and helpful on what I will need.

Most of the benchwork will be 30” deep by 48” wide.  The Peninsula will be 36” wide.  This will enable easier dismantling of the layout when it is time to move, which will be inevitable at some point.  I am not concerned with trackage (i.e. turnouts) that may cross over sections, the way they will be in place will allow to loosen one end (with enough space to pull apart) and then remove the track over the “joint areas”.

I plan to put ¼” ply with 2” foam board on top (leaving the tunnel areas open).  For grades, I plan on using Woodland Scenics risers.  There are some timesavers I will use that may cost a little more, i.e. the foam top vs cookie cutter approach to the benchwork, but time will be at a premium at times for me.