# New Layout Help, Weird Room



## OhioHawk (Aug 14, 2014)

Hello all,

First I want to thank who ever let me join. I hope this site will prove fruitful for me. though I have been building model railroads in HO for over 35 years. this room has me stumped beyond my thinking outside the box... I have attached a draft of what the room looks like, with dimensions. I do not have the grace of a computer assisted layout design. mostly because I am one who loves to draw it out. so I can make the changes when ever i want to. and not have to be forced to software limitations. 

I am Looking for Suggestions, Ideas, Thoughts, anything that will at least get me going in the right direction (layout building wise). I am having a super brain fart with this. So here in, is the rub..... 

My thinking at this point is this. having it to be a 2 or 3 tier level. the main for most all the action, the other levels for a Mountain terain running (main line) and another for a industrial running as well. the lower level would be more of a super yard for all the rolling stocks I can not use on the Main's, or passenger service. it is going to be all DCC, I purchased a Lenz unit years ago. and kept buying for it over the years. with loco-net, tons of stationary decoders, all the steam and diesels have decoders in them. (see list below) lots of blocks, slow-mo switch machines. computer interface. and so on. so materials, and electronics not a problem. 

The house I moved from, had a much larger space for my layout. in fact it was a 35 x 45 space I fully used. (hence all the stuff I have for my layout) and had to tear it down when last year we sold the house it was in, so had to pack it all up, and move it to this home. it being a 100+ year old home, space is at a loss. So i took the largest room in the house. and turned it into (or will be) turning it into the train room. 

I want to thank anyone and everyone in advance for helping me with this. As I said. I am just having a brain fart with this. I have a few hand drafts, that I will post when I find out where I put them on this computer (it is old age) lol I keep loosing things in the terabytes of space I have on the laptop.

I have a lot of Steam.
14 N&W 2-8-8-2's
12 Penn 2-8-8-2's
27 Berkshire's
9 Mallet Locomotive's
10 Hudson Locomotive's
8 B&O A-B-B-A Units
35 misc Pullmans, and B&O passenger cars
over 250 rolling stock
half dozen Diesels
I have over 2 (real) miles of Nickle Flex Track
7 dozen switch's (varied angle's)
1 dozen or so diamonds (varied angle's)
1 - 130 ft Walthers Turntable
3 - 90 ft Walthers Turntable's
2 unknown size turntables
Custom Hand built roundhouse for 30+ stalls. enough to make a complete circle.
All sorts of Walthers cornerstone buildings, ie: Mining, cattle, grain silos
2 scissor lift bridge's (both 1 track)
dual steel bridge
2- swing bridge's (dual track)
3 - Transfer Table's


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## Magic (Jan 28, 2014)

Man you got a lot of power there.  You got lot of everything there. 
What you are looking at is well beyond my expertize but one thing not mentioned.
Will you be able to use duck unders or bridge sections for an around the room layout?
Given your experience I'd guess you do. The do not block windows are a problem.

Just wanted to say welcome to the forum and good luck with your project. 
I hope you keep us updated as it sounds really cool. 

You might also look at SCRAM, it's a free computer aided layout program that seems to be pretty good. There's a thread on it here someplace. 
Vhttp://www.modeltrainforum.com/showthread.php?t=5567 Here. 

One other note if you click on the paper clip again after uploading your pics there is a window that shows your attachments click insert all and they will show up in your post. 

Magic


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Hi, welcome to the site.
They let anyone join. 

I see the one window is "sealed" what is that? Nailed shut? 

The other windows "do not block"? Do you have to plan nothing at all in the front of them or can you place say a 3' piece of wood running by underneath them. Or does that mean you have to keep them open so you can walk to them?

1 - 130 ft Walthers Turntable
3 - 90 ft Walthers Turntable's
2 unknown size turntables
Custom Hand built roundhouse for 30+ stalls. enough to make a complete circle.

30 plus stalls! 6 turntables!  Did you have all of them on the old layout?
You have any pictures of the old layout?

Do what magic said, go back click edit, then click go advanced, then click the paper clip up top by the white smiley face. If you only have one attachment after you click on the paper clip just click on the attachment number. If you have more then one attachment it will say insert all, click on that and your attachments will show as a picture instead of a link.
If you don't see the paper clip up by the white smiley face, it is an easy fix in your CP.
Let us know if you don't see it. 
Once you post a lot of pictures clicking on links get to be a pain in the you know what as the thread grows.

Also you don't have too much time to go back and edit, it is either 24 or maybe 48 hours to edit. The supreme beings :worshippy: put a time limit on editing, as one member went nuts years ago screwing up threads by editing. 
So now there is a short time limit.:smilie_daumenneg::smokin:


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Most of the guys seeing your post have nowhere near that amount of
space for their layouts. You are fortunate.

I also don't know what you mean by 'do not block' at your windows, but
I'll assume your table top may be at or near sill height.

I see the possibility of a G shaped layout. (curved part of G is up)
Mains going all around the room
but looping back at each end so as not to block the door. Is there a door to the 
closet that also must be kept clear?

Don


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## OhioHawk (Aug 14, 2014)

Thanks for the reply's, Ill try to answer each of the questions. and I might have forgot. its all in HO.

I will se if I do have pictures of the older layout. it was in fact a large one. I had the 130, the 2-90's on the older layout, was about to use the other Heljan turntables for a "mining and/or interurban" operation. just did not have the chance to go there. and had to pretty much stop operations about 2 years prior to the house being sold.

As far as the motive power I have. all the locomotives are Rivarossi, Rivarossi/AHM. I started to collect them back in the 70's. my dad also helped me collect them. then I picked up a large box of parts for the Rivarossi Steam. axels, bars, power wheels, motors, and pieces parts. (have to make sure that the engines kept rolling.  most all of them 90% are Lenz DCC. 

The -Do not block window- I have thought a way around it. I am building a -sort of- way to keep the windows -sort of clear- so as on hot days i can open the window for natural light, and air. the West window will have a hinged bridge, to get to the window, and 30% on each side of the window, will have a wood cover to protect the layout, but also to stop the drapes from pushing inward on windy days. so actually 60% of the window will be open. (I hope you caught that part lol

the other window. -South- I need access to that window, as to go outside, on to the roof of the porch below, to do my astronomy watching. (I know, too many fun things) lol I take the telescope out there to see better. ground viewing is sort of bad, too much light around on the ground. (I should have not did LED lights all over the place.. but that window will have a interesting opening. there will be a wood -sort of door- on it, with also a hinged bridge through the gap. so i can actually have a background painted on it, to match the other area prior. The Sealed window. does have wood over it, it has been insulated inside (glass to wood) besides nothing to view out that window anyways. so it is covered, and will not have a problem with operations. only a 1/2 inch bump -so to speak- to work around the window.

As far as the main entrance gap. I had a interesting thing I did, well will be doing, taken from a Model Railroad article years ago. someone built a -sort of door- type of entrance. where there was a handle on it. it had 3 or 4 tracks (from the article, I believe) but opened like a actual door. it was a sort of box type device, as i said with a actual door handle. (I will put up a scanned picture of it, when i find the article.) it was neat to me. so that's what I am going to do for the entrance way. there will be a duck under for the top level. that can not be changed. and as for any lower levels, I plan on using that ""door type entrance"" to have the lower level tracks feed into it. it may look weird. but will be a solid way to make sure the tracks are protected. and not mess up any operations. 

The Closet door... lol that is most likely going to be open. mostly because I am working on all the closet doors. I have to sand them down to bare wood. So far I have gotten down to 16 coats of paint, but breaking through to the actual varnish on them. I think that the doors were built when the house was built back in 1900. and are custom made doors. not even true squared. but i intend to do that to the others. want to keep, and return the house to its actual build state again. lots of work, but for me, 

Its time to get this back up and running again, the best way i can, with what area I can use. I was even thinking of cutting out a hold between the one room, having it go through a false part of the wall (some weird storage area they put into the hallway above the stairs to the 2nd floor, and into another bedroom. and use that space as well. but will see what I will do with this. I think that this will work for me, for now. I could have built it above the garage outside. where I would have a space of 50 x 30. but that would be a logistics nightmare. not to mention adding heat to the garage, insulation, improved electrical, yadda, yadda. maybe one day.

Oh, I almost forgot. back in the the early 70's. I started with a 4x8 layout, the normal 1/2" plywood, with that 1/2" homosite on top. and legs that would support a 300lb person lol. back then, things were plain. then I expanded to other sections, expansions, then it turned into a monster of a layout. needless to say, the normal ""Power Packs"" did not cut it anymore. so when II seen the DCC thing. boy was I a happy camper. So i decided to get the top of the line Lenz system. with loco-net, and everything that I could get my hands on at the time. a little more expensive than others. but highly rated with others.

Getting back to where I was going to say. when I built it, I used track nails, and real spikes. mostly because 30% of the track I used was hand layed. (please dont correct my spelling. I am too old to learn how to truly spell) ROFLMAO!!! Anyways, I knew that I would not have it there forever. and would move it in time, when I did have my own place. so it was pretty easy for me to remove the whole layout. without too much damage to track and other things. But now with all the new ways to build track and %'s for getting to the next levels. its going to be a new way for me to think about how to actually rebuild my layout. 

I may have come to a forums to where things are a little less larger than built here. with most having smaller layouts. but my reasoning was this. If I came to a place to where there are new people learning how to do this or that, while building a layout. maybe I can learn from others here. how to rebuild it for myself. and along the way. I can inspire others who do have smaller layouts. to set themselves up to go larger layouts. then they will know what to do when they to decide to go larger..... You help me with Ideas, and thoughts. then while I re-build, then I can help those from my thoughts and experiences I have done over the years. though most do not do things like they did in the past. it still may be a simpler way to get the same thing done, with less problems in building. So its a Help me Help you way. and this will help all who help me. or read this topic.

I looked at the program you have talked about. it reminds me of the one program I did try and it limited me on what i could do, because of the constraints of the program. not to mention. I so suck in programs like this. When I went through school. I took up drafting. so using a pencil for me is second nature. besides computers truly hate me, as i do them. but as i said. I am open to new things. as long as what i use will behave for me. 

Again, helping me with help you. and others. I do appreciate me being allowed to join the forums. I know already by the responses I have gotten that this was a great decision for me to be here. I value thoughts and Ideas. I may be a old fart, but model railroading is something that I will have that will take me away from the real worlds problems. and real life. I am disabled for life. so I think you can understand why this is important to me. 

If you have any more questions, or such. please ask, and I will work with you. I have learned that there is not a stupid question. only stupid answers. 

Ray


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## OhioHawk (Aug 14, 2014)

in the eariler post. I mentioned a unique way to do a lift/swing duck under. here is the article on it. this is so neat I am going to give this one a try


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

I never saw one like that.
What scale is he modeling?
Is that O?


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## OhioHawk (Aug 14, 2014)

I have tried to figure out, and trying to find out now would be sort of a fools errand. seeing this was in the 1984 issue of MR.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Probably HO, double line running over it.
You would need the bascule bridge too.

It almost looks like it is tied to the door on the one side?

He should have just took the door off and made it a drop down or lift up bridge.


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## Northern Route (May 12, 2014)

Another option since you are remodeling, move the door to out to the other side of the door jamb or turn the door around depending what is the other side and make it swing out of the room instead of swinging inside the room to give you options of a lift bridge, drop bridge, swing bridge or (heaven forbid) duck under for layout entry. The door bridge looks like it could lock you into the room in an emergency and keep people out when the trains are running.


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## ryan52403 (Aug 18, 2014)

Have you considered running a line outside that room (through the wall and into another room)?


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## OhioHawk (Aug 14, 2014)

That was a thought. though if I went 1 way, it would run through my shower. so that's not a good thing. as for the other way. it would be running over the stairs to the 2nd floor. then into a spare room. thats not a bad idea. but if it were not for the fact that what would happen for some strange reason, it jumped the tracks, over that staircase. to me, horror, looking a pristine Rivarossi locomotive. not to mention someone head that would also be in danger if it were to land on them. lol


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## OhioHawk (Aug 14, 2014)

The Door is not a problem, because it is reset back about 4 feet. I was thinking of using this option instead of a low duck under to get into the room. I dont know about most of you. but with my back problems. I may duck under it, but may not be able to un-duck myself...



Northern Route said:


> Another option since you are remodeling, move the door to out to the other side of the door jamb or turn the door around depending what is the other side and make it swing out of the room instead of swinging inside the room to give you options of a lift bridge, drop bridge, swing bridge or (heaven forbid) duck under for layout entry. The door bridge looks like it could lock you into the room in an emergency and keep people out when the trains are running.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

OhioHawk said:


> That was a thought. though if I went 1 way, it would run through my shower. so that's not a good thing. as for the other way. it would be running over the stairs to the 2nd floor. then into a spare room. thats not a bad idea. but if it were not for the fact that what would happen for some strange reason, it jumped the tracks, over that staircase. to me, horror, looking a pristine Rivarossi locomotive. not to mention someone head that would also be in danger if it were to land on them. lol


Put a guard rail there and make everyone wear hart hats.


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