Tips

Reducing the island another foot in width is a good thing as you will give you more room in your Aisle. (Aisle under 3 feet in width can make it uncomfortable to operate and work. 
 

For the foam insulation board stick to the large sheets even if you have to cut them in the parking lot or have them delivered.  I went with 2x2 pieces and found subtle differences and flaws that required a lot of sanding to get the separate pieces the same height and flat.   
 

As you will be using tortoise switch machines in some areas I would suggest installing a plywood or MDF base with your foam insulation board mounted to this base.  Does not have to be thick, 1/4 inch will work.  Now, if you know exactly where you will have your tortoise powered turnouts, you could opt to have a solid base in those areas only. 
 

In regards to cutting, they make knives, saws, and saw blades specifically for cutting foam insulation board.  I would stay away from any tool that uses “heat”.  I purchased an electric foam insulation cutter and after seeing the smoke, worried about what toxins I was producing and breathing! After a minute turned it off and later through it out.

Joe

"My plan is for simple

   I wouldn't consider foam benchwork to be "simple",  A few pieces of pine nailed together into box grid benchwork eliminates all the questions of how to cut foam, attach switch machines, roadbed, etc.......DaveB 

There is this thread on foam

https://forum.mrhmag.com/post/how-to-cut-pink-foam-12207643

My post to it shows the knife I used to cut my 2" foam.   Worked like a champ.  I use ground throws up 22" back with out issue

Happy New Year

I used 2" foam, been in place

I used 2" foam, been in place for 6-7 years with no noticeable shrinkage or issues. I built L-girder framework to mount the foam to as opposed to box grid.  If I had to do it over I would use the L-girder again, but I don't think it really matters too much one way or another, purely personal preference.

I use a hacksaw blade (just the blade, hand held) to make relatively smooth cuts.  Easy enough to attach roadbed or track with clear adhesive caulk. I tend to lay out the trackwork on the foam and run things for a while to verify it is how I want things to perform before attaching anything (flex track only, turnouts are not glued down so I can slide the track connectors off and lift out a bad turnout if needed) permanently. 

Tortoise machines are screwed to 1/4" basswood 4x4 squares and the unit is mounted to the bottom of the foam with adhesive, again if a Tortoise goes bad I can unscrew it from the wood square and easily replace as needed.  You need some longer lengths of wire to throw the turnout because of the 2" depth of the foam.

It is easy to cut relief landforms by using a knife or hacksaw blade, so no need for a jigsaw or major surgery to lose the plywood prairie feel. Also easy to run feeders and make holes for anything with a keyhole saw or even a Phillips screwdriver.

Only downside for me is the pink color until it gets a coat of paint.

Mike

I use servos embedded in my

I use servos embedded in my 2” foam top.

David,   Try sandwiching thin

David,

Try sandwiching thin Masonite between the foam board and the bench work.  Gorilla glue them all together. 

https://forum.mrhmag.com/post/new-shelf-layout-benchwork-12206657

(You didn’t ask but here I’ll give a plug for steel stud bench work too)

The Masonite provides a nice full coverage surface underneath for switch machines, wiring mounting, etc and reduces noise from foam board vibrations/resonance.  See prior discussion:

https://forum.mrhmag.com/post/foam-noise-again-12209236

For foam board cutting: http://www.finehomebuilding.com/2009/01/29/theres-a-better-way-cutting-r...

Good luck with the construction!

Jeff

Thanks

Wow! Some great insight. Now I see some of the mistakes I made with the old layout at the old house. Seems that the L-girder would give me more "open" space underneath so placing switches so as to not be directly over a brace would be minimal. More than once, I drilled into a cross brace trying to mount a Tortise machine.

I plan on using cork roadbed on the mainline and transition sidings and yard tracks down to the foam surface giving some depth. Plusses? Minuses? Will look into the cutting tool suggested. Hot wire cutting is not a skill I have. Squares of 1/4 ply under switch locations for Tortise machines is a great idea. Elevations in scenery areas will be various thicknesses of foam using plaster cloth and spackling compound with rock castings.

I used the toilet paper technique by Marklin of Sweden for the big water areas at the Keystone Model RR club where I was a member. Worked great! Will be using it again for my layout water areas.This is my final retirement home and I plan on taking my time. First up will be the foam base; foam core backdrop with both photo mural and glued backdrop buildings. Getting smooth trackwork with 3 planned AR's for the DCC power is the immediate goal. 

Any thoughts on the Code 83 yard switches system from one of the advertisers? Designer used #8's and #6's according to the plan. Would this "tighten up" the yard areas giving room for some detailed scenery there?

Just spent 5 months of building mine.....

My build my give you some insight for your build

https://forum.mrhmag.com/post/southern-pacifics-jefferson-branch-12213647

I hope you didn't...

...spend too much on the plan. I doubt you will fit a lot of the plan as drawn. Some of the turnouts look like No. 2s and the turnback curve bottom left has a 45 degree kink in it to get it to fit.

Sorry for the criticism but the faults just stand out.

Plan

Graeme,

The picture of the plan is part of the distortion you see. Taken by my iPhone. Actual plan sheet is quite big and scaled to 1" equals 1 foot. Turnouts are No. 8's and overall layout room is 16x16 feet, so plenty of space for the plan to fit into.

Turnout size?

David, looking at that plan each turnout is labelled, and they’re all either #5 or #6, I don’t see any #8’s?

Aisle space

I will agree that your aisles are too narrow unless you a small guy and plan to never run the layout with more than yourself. Otherwise passing someone just doesn't work in that environment.

Layout Plan

I think the feedback given in the previous posts is "right on".  Obviously experienced layout builders.  My two cents is related to the overall layout plan.  I think you should consider eliminating the peninsula altogether and adding a few inches around the perimeter.  There is plenty of activity in the rest of the plan and the peninsula just seems unnecessary.  Your perimeter area would increase and your "elbow room" and viewing perspectives would be improved.

Paul 

long reach ground throws

Anything you choose is fine.  These are just suggestions if you want to stay with surface mount switch controllers. 

I model HO scale.  I have successfully operated manual ground throws about 12 inches away with steel piano wire through brass tubing, the tubing helps it move freely under the cork roadbed.

I have seen, not tried, flexible plastic servo cables normally used for model planes.

Currently I am installing surface mounted airplane servos near the switches. I use 0.025" steel wire, my preference to balance springy-ness.  In a few rare cases, I need to mount the servo one or two tracks away.  The roadbed is cork, the base is pink foam, and I gouge a passage by pushing a wire coat hanger between those layers. If I planned ahead (not a chance!), I could have cut nice, clean channels before laying track. 

(edit) One more thought - I also transition from cork roadbed down to the foam base.  I use wooden shims from the hardware store, normally meant for spacers when installing doors and windows.  They are very close to 2 percent grade, and the max thickness is close to cork roadbed height.  Easy to sand and carve to shape.

Layout issues

Whew. Where to begin? My cynical self sees a number of issues with this plan. I'm assuming that there are walls around the outside edges of the layout, is that correct?.  It appears you have at least 5 yard areas, which seems excessive. How do you access the hidden tracks on the left side yard? Some of the yards aren't connected to one another, even though the tracks are side by side. You also have tracks leading to the turntable from 2 different, unrelated, approach tracks. Maybe think about rerouting those approach tracks.

I agree that it might be better to eliminate the center peninsula altogether and maybe make the sides a little wider. The aisles are pretty narrow and even if you operate solo, the spacing could be uncomfortable. Also, those little indents at the back end of the peninsula won't accomplish anything- not enough room to make any difference. Not to mention interrupting the flow of the design. 

Concerning switch machines, if you want to use electric machines, just cut an opening in the top of the foam board and stick them there. Why subject yourself to crawling under the layout and having to install a machine while trying to get all the necessary throw mechanisms lined up correctly when you can't even see them from underneath?? you can cover the openings with a building or removable scenery. You can then access the machines for maintenance when needed without having to have back surgery. 

There appear to be a number of different radii in the track plan. How do you locate the center of the radius when it's in the middle of the aisle? My suggestion would be to establish a standard minimum radius and make a couple of cardboard templates to use when actually drawing out the track locations. Remember to allow for the gradual transition from straight to curved. 

Lastly, remember that layout designs can change dramatically when you go from paper to the real thing. 2D and 3D are two totally different things. Don't get too focused on your original plan. Keep an open mind and make adjustments as you go. Don't be afraid to make major changes as your layout develops and allow ample room for industries and scenery.

16'x16' is a good size for a layout, but it's not a huge space. It's amazing how much room an actual HO engine or building can take when it's plunked down onto a layout. 

Best of luck with it and keep us informed about your progress.

THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM

Is anyone else not noticing the elephant in the room here? You have paid a "professional" to draw your track plan for you, and you have been given some 'hand drawn' paperwork?????   What, are you living in the 60s?  When there are literally dozens of dedicated track drawing software programs out there, many of them free to download and use, and this 'professional' has handed you something hand drawn!!!  What next, are you going to get him to come and film your wedding on video and at the end he is going to hand you reel of 16mm celluloid film?????

Or is he going to come and record your kids poetry recital at school and then hand you a vinyl pressing record of it? Seriously bud, in this day and age to be drawing track plans by hand, where do you live, Bedrock, building the Flintstones home layout?

but seriously, even with free software like anyrail5, which you can learn how to use in about 3 hours yourefl,  and it includes all the error settings so that if you make a curve too tight, or a gradient too steep, or a clearance height too low, it flashes it all up in red and warns you of a mistake etc etc etc, is a walk in the park to use. And huge fun too.  And it has all the exact dimensions of things like turnouts and crossings that it inserts automatically so there is never any errors in you plan before you start building.. 

Bud, you have been taken to the cleaners by this track designer claiming to be a professional,  just download Anyrail5 (or 6) and do it ll yourself much better, and have a ton of fun while you do it. 

.   

I'm going to have to agree about the track plan

I'm going to have to agree with Gary.  It appears that plan was not drawn by someone familiar with model RR track planning.  The biggest glaring flaw I see are the curves - they are not properly drawn out to a consistent radius all the way through.  I would doubt will fit as represented.

By the way Gary, I am still living in the 60's and I prefer to use a scale rule, draftsman compass, eraser shield and 11x17" graph paper with a scale.    I've used computer software for graphic design in grad school but my mind and visualization works best with a decent sized piece of graph paper with a scale and outline of the walls etc. of the space.

About all I can say is that to use that track plan to build an actual layout, it would have to be redrawn properly to scale.  What is shown in the original post can only be considered a "conceptual" track plan - it shows the basic idea but none of the track will fit as planned and the result will be shorter sidings and tighter curves.  It is overly optimistic.  I hope there wasn't much money wasted on it.

Benchwork

I use PVC board for my benchwork. It's about 30% more expensive than high-quality wood, but doesn't shrink/expand with temperature or humidity. Also it's much cleaner (sawdust) than wood. It still requires some bracing to avoid sagging or bending. A level will show you where.

I use wallboard screws rather than wood screws. They're steel and a power screwdriver makes it easy. Unlike other screws, it's difficult to strip the heads, and I have been able to extract and reuse them.

It may have been mentioned before but don't put anything where you can't reach it! That includes anything under the benchwork. As you get older, getting under it becomes more difficult (don't ask how I know this). I have an old office chair lowered as far as possible and roll under it.

A previous post mentioned the difficulty of locating the center-point for a radius when it's in the middle of an aisle. I made templates out of 1-inch foam for the different radii I use, 2-inch width. Plunking one down on the foamboard and marking it's outline with a Sharpie is very useful.

I walk alongside the train I'm controlling, albeit that limits how many I can run at a time without operator overload. My layout is smaller than your intended design, which helps. I too use Tortoise switch machines, with a SPDT switch to control them located on the edge of the facia. Dymo tape represents the tracks, and LED's of different colors wired to the Tortoise control show the routing. A power bus runs along the inside of the benchwork edge. The Tortoise instruction sheet shows this. I buy cheap LEDs, usually from the decorative lighting strings used on Christmas trees and such, and AC power simply because it's available on my power-pack; and a diode in series with each LED to prevent "feedback". I admit I have an occasional LED fail, but not often enough to change what I've done. I've daisy-chained some of the Tortoises, especially in the yards, to prevent throwing one if the track switch leading to it is in the incorrect position. The contacts on the Tortoise are used for that purpose. This might be more trouble than you want.

Steve Miller

I would imagine between PVC

I would imagine between PVC board and cement board screws, it would add up to a good deal more cost.  I'm not as affluent so I don't use the expensive stuff and manage to get ordinary drywall screws of various sizes to work very well; only occasionally stripping one.  I did use the more expensive cement board screws when building/installing a shower in the basement bathroom - but mainly because they were supposed to resist corrosion. 

When I disassembled my last layout, I literally saved every drywall scew - I just backed them all out down to the basic components for the move.

My wife found me a little stool on wheels with a tray at the bottom that comes in handy for rolling around.  I understand the getting creaky thing!  Also have an old office chair on wheels.

For drawing radii on a layout section there the pivot point is out in the aisle, I've temporarily attached a piece of wood to swing a trammel (as seen in the photo below on my previous layout).  No posh wood there - I was on a limited budget when building this one.

I also have a camera tripod I am going to give a try on the layout under construction now.

For a trammel Home Depot has wood shaped similar to a yard stick but is 4 feet long so I can set it up to draw radii beyond 36 inches; I've got some curves into the low 40's.  A yard stick may work well for radii under 36".

Thanks

Transition always just "needed something." Thanks for the tip.

Elephants etc.

Okay - good comments from everyone. Let me try to clear some things up that may make more sense.

First, the drawing posted is just that, a drawing; first go-through to elicit any changes. A scale, finished 1" equals 1 foot blueprint will be delivered as the final product. 

Secondly, I am taking into account a lot of your suggestions. "Burying" a Tortise is something to be considered as is a tube with piano wire for throws. I do have several Tortise machines and some Barrett Hill push buttons that can be used which are left over from the previous railroad. The "cuts at the base of the island are eliminated and the island is to be only 4' wide. I wanted a port area for my rail barge. The covered tracks on the left side are open in the rear as there is only a wall across the top section and right side of the layout.

Lastly, I am taking al look per your comments at track position and usage once again before the final blueprint is printed and delivered. This is why I posted here as more eyes see things I might have missed. Will post again once construction starts. For me, critical switches and curves are the pace to start to get things right.

Good to know a larger scale

Good to know a larger scale drawing is forth coming.  The original plan in the first post appears to be conceptual and that's what it is then.  I've managed to design with a 2 feet to 1 inch scale on my last two layouts for personal use but for professional, 1 foot to the inch seems a logical minimum.

Yes, curves and turnouts are the major players when it comes to geometry and fit.

Pencil plans, transffering to benchwork

Drawn by pencil vs. drawn in cad has little to no correlation with the quality of the trackplan.  It has more to do with the understanding of the model railroad side of things by the planner, than his choice of tools.

The centers of the curves are all marked on the plan, and presumably will be in the larger final version as well, where it will be easy to measure them with an architects rule to locate.

Curve centers that fall in an aisle are not a problem - just temporarily screw a 1x4 scrap onto something so you've got a place to drive a nail into for a string compass (or a trammel if you want to get fancy), then remove it later.

curve centers in aisle........

But that's also the joy of track planning software. Apart from it giving you a PERFECTLY CORRECT set of curves and joins and things, including the opportunity to just join a line from one point to another and tell the software to "Smooth Curves" so that it gives you the very best smoothest widest sweep around corners for the best realism, when it comes to laying the actual track on the benchwork, YOU JUST PRINT THE ACTUAL PLAN OUT FULL SIZE and put it on the surface. You can print out just the rail shape, or the roadbed width, or just the centreline. Or if you are working on just one corner, you print out just that corner and work only with that. 

Trammels, tripods, curve templates, Tracksettas, pieces of string swinging on nails, plumb bobs swinging on pendulums, Spirograph sets (remember those), French curve drafting templates, duct taping a pencil to the cats nose and whirling it around by the tail (where do you think the phrase 'enough room to swing a cat in' comes from, model railroaders of course, (and it discourages the cat to ever come back into the train room in the future and play tether ball with your brass Big Boys at a later stage)) are all over and done with, just lay the printout on the baseboard and put the track on the lines on top of it.

Why would anyone want to make life anymore difficult than they have to? That's like buying your brand new 2020 Honda Car, taking it home and disconnecting the starter motor so that you can install a crank handle in the front to have to get out and hand crank it every time you want to start it. Fun for an April Fools joke once or twice maybe but after that....... just a much worse way of doing it.

and on top of everything else, at the end of each curve on your design, you just click 'create easement', specify the radius of the curve, and the amount of degrees for it to turn, and bingo, your plan has the exact correct perfectly designed easement into and out of the curve for best running and operations. 

why would anyone send their time working it out manually and hoping to maybe perhaps get it good enough possibly when the computer will do it for you to perfection in a split second, AND ALIGN IT ALL CORRECTLY TOO,

There is a time for 'Old Skool Kool', but there is also a time for common sense.