# 5x9 layout.. construction will begin soon



## pat_smith1969 (Aug 21, 2016)

My Son and I have ben tinkering around a bit, both with track and with the SCARM program (what a great too that is). Below is what we came up with.

1. On the right side is an oval Helix (or half helix.. helix-ette). It only has 2 to 1.5 turns in it. It climbs up to 5.25 inches (it starts at 1 inch so that is only 4.25 inches climbed. It uses all 22" rounds. SCARM says it is a 2% grade (or 2.1 actually). 

2. around the outside of the helix is a track, it does not interfere with the helix but uses the "mountain". 

3. Along the near side is a long incline/decline at 3% but it is mostly straight track and I only run 10 or so cars at anyone time.

4. ON the left side is my yard, not big but it is all I could squeeze in... only room for three locos and/or lines of cars.

5. IN the middle is a small town. 

6. lastly, the most important thing, atop the helix is a farm...with cows.. the cows are the most important part of the design, I am told.

Your opinions are very welcome, and I thank you in advance.


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## MtRR75 (Nov 27, 2013)

I am no expert at layout design. But I do have one suggestion. You might want to see if you can find a way to connect the inner-most dead-end spur back to the mainline. That would give you two yard tracks that are connected at both ends. This would help during yard operations.


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## time warp (Apr 28, 2016)

Good suggestion,MT. 
I can see some weaknesses in your arrangement, but think you should build it.
This plan will lend it's self to running more than operation, but I think it would be perfect to get it going and see where it takes you.
I take it this will be EZ track? Give it a go!


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## pat_smith1969 (Aug 21, 2016)

That is a great suggestion MT. I didn't know yard layouts were connected at both ends. Everyone I have seen (model trains not real life) are all dead ends so I figured that is just how it should be. Also I was thinking that the dead ends would be some sort of engine shed.. to keep dust and crap off the train when not used. It would be real easy to connect the track with this layout. 

I will be building it all with Atlas track. i modeled it with standard pieces and used only a little flex track to keep me honest with the turns and such. When actually building it I will be using more flex track as it is MUCH cheaper per inch of track. I will still try to conform to the snap track dimensions.

The one things I did not do with this setup that I was unable to achieve... I wanted to put it so the yard extends under the helix where it gets high enough for clearance. The idea was to use the helix as a roof and a make shift engine shed. I would park the trains in there when not used. Also that would allow me to use the space more efficiently.

I think I am going to work the layout a little more to see what I can do. 

Any flaws you guys see, please speak up. You will not hurt my feelings... well ok you might, but I have Ice Cream..so that helps!:laugh:


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## pat_smith1969 (Aug 21, 2016)

Also...
I am thinking of making the farm area removable. The idea is that in the event of a derailment I could take the area of the farm.. lift it off, get at the trains inside.. then put the farm back. 

I would try to disguise the seams and such as well as possible of course but it would still show up.

Anyone done that before that you guys know of? ( I am sure that everything has been tried at least once by someone somewhere).


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

You could create a hedge row and/or a solid fence
to disguise your seams.

Don


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

pat_smith1969 said:


> Also...
> I am thinking of making the farm area removable. The idea is that in the event of a derailment I could take the area of the farm.. lift it off, get at the trains inside.. then put the farm back.
> 
> I would try to disguise the seams and such as well as possible of course but it would still show up.
> ...


Fairly common technique, actually.

Have a look at the article "Fill a Hole in the Layout" in the Dec 2012 issue of Model Railroad Hobbyist: http://00200530.pdl.pscdn.net/002/00530/MRH12-12/MRH12-12-Dec2012.pdf


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## pat_smith1969 (Aug 21, 2016)

And here I thought I was smart!!!

I like the idea of the hedges to cover the seams. It would make sense that a farmer at the top of a 360 degree cliff would put fences and hedges around it to keep his little kids from falling to their doom.... so yeah that totally works.


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## NAJ (Feb 19, 2016)

Nice to hear this is a Father/Son project, it was my three seven year old Grandson's that got me back into model railroading after 40 years so enjoy the adventure.

I am not that knowledgeable about layout design so I cannot comment on the design other than it looks like it will be a really nice layout, I am looking forward to seeing pics as it becomes reality and progresses.

The only thing I can tell you from personal experience is you are never satisfied and always want to add something else to the layout so do what you like, what I was told here is...
"Your Railroad, Your Rules".


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## MtRR75 (Nov 27, 2013)

pat_smith1969 said:


> That is a great suggestion MT. I didn't know yard layouts were connected at both ends. Everyone I have seen (model trains not real life) are all dead ends so I figured that is just how it should be. Also I was thinking that the dead ends would be some sort of engine shed.. to keep dust and crap off the train when not used. It would be real easy to connect the track with this layout.


In real railroads, dead end spurs are usually spurs into a large industry or into an engine repair shed or turntable (which usually connects to a roundhouse, which is a bunch of repair sheds in one building). When locos are not in use and do not need service, they are usually parked on a siding out in the open.

The reason that you see so many dead-end spurs on small layouts is that it is very difficult to squeeze a bunch of two-ended sidings in a small layout.


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## pat_smith1969 (Aug 21, 2016)

My grandfather and four of my uncles (his sons) all worked for the DM&IR in northern Minnesota. They all worked there and retired from there. But I never spent any time at the yards with them, my exposure is mostly from waiting for the 100 car long tachanite train to pass. And I like to fish near the ore docks. 

I just don't know a ton about trains, but still want to keep things moderately "legit". I am learning a ton about trains and I find that fun. Thanks for your tips.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

I agree with TimeWarp's suggestion: time to start building. You will learn a lot in the construction of this first attempt, both on building and operations. When you've run it for a while, junk it and build your dream layout.

And BTW, cows ARE extremely important. If you don't have cows, you don't have a layout! Consider: about 6 years ago, just as his first layout was nearing completion, my son had a friend over and they went downstairs to "run" his trains. We had about 3 dozen HO scale cows that the two of us were going to use for a dairy farm. Next time I went down to the train room, there wasn't a single cow on my son's layout. But I eventually found 35 of 36, cunningly hidden in unlikely locations on my own layout --under a bridge, inside the tunnel, on the pedestrian overpass, in the waiting room at the station, in the back of a stake truck, inside a flat car pipe load... you get the idea. My son and his friend had done all this without causing even the slightest ding to my layout, or interfering with the operation of any trains. His 7 year old self was highly dismayed when I removed them all. And for the record, neither of us, to this day, knows what happened to the 36th cow.


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## pat_smith1969 (Aug 21, 2016)

That is an awesome story.. real funny. 
My son has built one building so far and painted it. He did a real good job too. His whole thing with the model railroad is that he wants to paint stuff... so he will love when we do the scenery portion.

Last night I went down stairs to "work on the train" and found the cows are all gathered around his one house.. one was laying down on the front porch.


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## time warp (Apr 28, 2016)

My son has cows on the platforms of both of our stations.


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## NAJ (Feb 19, 2016)

MtRR75 said:


> The reason that you see so many dead-end spurs on small layouts is that it is very difficult to squeeze a bunch of two-ended sidings in a small layout.


On my layout I have 5 spurs that are not connected on either side, all of my additional rolling stock is parked on them.



CTValleyRR said:


> And for the record, neither of us, to this day, knows what happened to the 36th cow.


One of my Grandson's had dinosaurs on his layout at one time so I am betting that is what happened to the 36th cow.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

NAJ said:


> One of my Grandson's had dinosaurs on his layout at one time so I am betting that is what happened to the 36th cow.


Brilliant! It turned into coal and is now in one of the hoppers!!

Actually, I tore down that layout 4 years ago (wow! That long already), so it's probably in the landfill...


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## pat_smith1969 (Aug 21, 2016)

Progress made today.. spent MORE money as I picked up a couple cars and the Digitrax Zephyr. Started work on the layout.


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## time warp (Apr 28, 2016)

Wow! That's a sturdy framework. Looking OK!!:thumbsup:


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## Mark VerMurlen (Aug 15, 2015)

Nice start to your layout. I suggest that you start a new thread under the "My Layout" category of this forum with your construction photos and then keep appending progress updates there. That's were everyone else posts their layout progress.

Mark


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## jlc41 (Feb 16, 2016)

pat_smith1969, when you get to wiring you may want to isolate your yard tracks. Reason being that if you have locos or lit passenger cars parked they will fire up when you power up your layout. It's making me crazy with sound locos. I have to recall the sound locos and kill the sound until I want to run them. I wish the sound would not come on unless I call the loco. So now I am considering how to isolate my yard tracks. This is my first layout and I have learned a lot of what not to do for my next one. Good luck with your progress.


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## MtRR75 (Nov 27, 2013)

time warp said:


> Wow! That's a sturdy framework. Looking OK!!:thumbsup:


Sturdy, yes. But you still might want to add diagonal braces at the corners - to keep it from wobbling when someone bumps into the layout.


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## pat_smith1969 (Aug 21, 2016)

MTTR, that is a good idea. I had originally planned to add cross bracing.. but when it was build it seemed REAL sturdy so I skipped it. I still will probably go back and re-inforce it, probably before I start with plaster. 

I will move this to "my layout". 

I have done Custom Car Audio a lot in the past and have made several "build threads" for them. These train threads are not much different.. the thread part, not the train part.

Laying cork bed on my helix now.. not as much fun as I had hoped.. hot glue sucks, strings everywhere. And it was not holding very well.. I switched to regular while glue and am having much better results but it is much slower.


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## Lemonhawk (Sep 24, 2013)

Try white or clear caulk. Great for sticking the cork down and also the track to the cork. Thin layer, doesn't take much.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

Lemonhawk said:


> Try white or clear caulk. Great for sticking the cork down and also the track to the cork. Thin layer, doesn't take much.


I prefer using the gray stuff, at least between the track and the roadbed. That way it doesn't matter if a little bit is showing through.


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