I have a friend that is working on a layout.  They are getting use to the program to make the plan, but i would like to make sure that there is no big spaces when something could be placed there.  Aside from what is already there, some thoughts please from you kind folks on where to go from this point on.  My friend would like to have a yard on the far wall marked yard.  He would also like to fit in a shoo-fly at the same time. There has to be a min of 2ft in and around the furnace and water heater.  This is HO scale and is a modern era shortline layout.

First of all thanks for all the blog traffic from MRH. Second, David K. Smith from Railwire and NZT Products has been helping me with my track plan. HO 2x14' now, Code 83, #4/5 T/outs. Tough to make it all fit. Catch all the action on the blog. You can't have your cake and eat it too on most plans, especially shelf switching layout. 

http://alaskarail.blogspot.com

HO PLAN

N PLAN

Since my last post, I've had an issue with the min-split HVAC not cooling properly over the 12 straight days of 100+ degrees.  I had to rearrange the room to give the technicians full access to the inside unit of the mini-split.  Now the helix is temporarily in the middle of the room which does make it much easier to work on and test.  Although, I did try to solder one of my fingers to the track this past week. Added info & pics on 31 August below.

My layout room is approximately 17' square with 2 large windows on opposite walls I'm trying to figure out how to deal with.  The track plan calls for 2 shelves circling the room's perimeter, which means crossing these windows at two different levels.  I'm wracking my brain trying to think of a way to conceal the windows behind a backdrop (one combined piece or split per level or...?) yet make it possible to occasionally access and open the windows for ventilation (during activities that generate fumes of some kind [airbrushing, hot-wire foam cutting, etc.]).&nb