blobs

Since you apparently have room inside the room, could you combine a 7x16 with peninsulas  extending into the center of the room? Either in the middle of the layout or the ends or both. Could make for some nice industry spurs... ?   Start with a clean sheet of grid paper and see if you come up with something you like better than what you have now.

Oh, the title - peninsulas can be referred to as blobs if the bulge out at the end for a return curve.

I find that going to shows and NMRA meets and conventions gets my motivation going. While I'm building my layout as a lone wolf, I'm definitely not one in the hobby - and I would definitely encourage modelers to seek out other modelers in their area, be it through the NMRA, op session crews, or clubs.

Try the liftouts

If the duckunders are what’s really bugging you, seems like it’s probably not a huge amount of work to replace them with lift outs and see if that works better for you.  If it does, maybe you’re urge to demo and start fresh will go away.  If it doesn’t, well, you’ll know not to include a duckunder or a liftout in your rebuild.

Go for it

if you’re not satisfied with the layout make a change, you’ll be glad you did. 

Duckunders YUCK

I replaced mine with a swing bridge. It works best if your duck under is on the narrow side. I went to our local hardware store and picked up a single door hinge. Put a ledge on one side of the opening and when the bridge is not in use that is what keeps the stress off the hinge when the bridge is open. Pulled off a couple of ties on the layout ends so the rail joiners slide back out of the way. Works great.

Jack

7 by 21 is pretty narrow

for a middle of the room layout. I'd stick with around the walls and just build some lift up or lift out sections where needed. Built right they are no more trouble than a common turnout.....DaveB

Build the around the walls

Build the around the walls layout and use drawer guides to make a section that raises up so you can walk in. If you do not want to do that build your bench work higher above the floor say 50 to 54 inches and roll under the layout section on an office chair. It will also give you space underneath for storage and a work bench etc. You could do a lot with that space. If your bench work is 2 feet deep you will still have a 3 foot aisle that is 17 feet long. With careful work you could go with a scene 18 inches deep and add a couple of staging tracks around the outside of the layout, and they would still be accessible. If you wanted a longer run a twice around type plan could be used, or you could build a switching layout and detail it quite easily.

One easy way I saw in a magazine to add a walk under lift gate would be use a 40 inch radius curve on the end with the door. Where your curve becomes straight on each side of the room add hinges. Then the end of the layout can swing up out of the way and you can walk under it. You simply lower it to the closed position and run trains right in the middle of the action.

If you modify your existing railroad this way you only need to redo one end. That big curve will really look nice and you will be much happier with one 36 inch wide aisle than two 18 inch ones.

Model Railroad Evolution

Hi Danno164,

We've all been there.  You'll find your older modeling is not up to your current abilities and it generates dissatisfaction.  We're always upgrading the oldest scene on the layout. 

I'd start by converting the duck unders to lift outs, drop downs or swing bridges.  We're not getting any younger...and having to stoop to enter tires you out quickly.

As far as converting to L girders, try replacing a small section that has simple trackwork and no scenery.  This will give you an idea of what problems you will encounter, gains you will realize and determine whether it's worth the effort to redo everything. 

Jeff thank you, If I could

Jeff thank you, If I could convince my wife, I would infiltrate real-estate of the breezeway... 

Ken thank you, I actually

Ken thank you, I actually reevaluated center of room idea...itd be too tight...gonna take a stab at lift outs..

Bruce thank you...good

Bruce thank you...good advice..gonna try lift outs before anything else...

Rich a bit more square

Rich a bit more square footage and I would definitely demo and start fresh ..thank you for the reply.....think I'm stuck with what I have for now...room is narrow

Jack thank you...good

Jack thank you...good advice...I hate the duck unders