# My new biger layout



## KAL5 (Sep 4, 2011)

Hi all this is the start of my new layout starting to lay track and i'm stuck dont know the best place to lay track to get the most out of this layout. I would like to run 2 to 3 trains at one time Any help Thank you Kalman

The size
There are (2) 4 x 8 sections
1 section that is 32'' wide by 15 feet long
1 section that is 3 feet wide by 8 feet long


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

KAL5 said:


> Hi all this is the start of my new layout starting to lay track and i'm stuck dont know the best place to lay track to get the most out of this layout. I would like to run 2 to 3 trains at one time Any help Thank you Kalman
> 
> The size
> There are (2) 4 x 8 sections
> ...



Hello Kal,










Do you have a big spider living in the ceiling?
First thing you ought to do is get those lights wired up proper.


Have you tried a track planning program?
There are some free ones, one of our members used to make plans up maybe you can tell him what you want and he will whip one up for you.

cabledawg to the rescue?


Edit,
If anything I bumped the question for you.
As no one replied yet.
I just go along and put track down, I never used a planning program.
DCC might be the way you want to go, I never fooled with that either but a bunch here have.

It looks like a nice sized table.:thumbsup:


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## KAL5 (Sep 4, 2011)

Hi ed. There are a few spiders living down there, I see what you mean all those wires do look a mess i will fix it up :thumbsup:

No i have not tried any track planning programs What i was hoping to find was a place that i can give the size of my board to and say how many trains i want to run and thay can send me a blue print on where to lay the track Is that to much to ask

Is cabledawg the member that does the track planning ??

So as for now I'm just laying track down and seeing how that goes. I was thinking of going DCC but thats just more $$ spent 

Thanks
Kal.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I personally use AnyRail, and I believe that's the one that CableDawg uses as well.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

KAL5 said:


> Hi ed. There are a few spiders living down there, I see what you mean all those wires do look a mess i will fix it up :thumbsup:
> 
> No i have not tried any track planning programs What i was hoping to find was a place that i can give the size of my board to and say how many trains i want to run and thay can send me a blue print on where to lay the track Is that to much to ask
> 
> ...


Yes Cabledawg is a master planner.

I see you have to crawl under the table huh? OK if your young but sucks when you get older.
A bunch of bridges say 24" long would work on a hinge.
Just drop it down to access your inside. Just a thought for you.

Something like this, This is off an old long gone layout, HO.









Yes it looks like besides the extension cords to the lights you have a lot of service cable that needs to be tacked up on the beams.

Unless some of that is clothesline.

Even off to the right behind your clock on the ceiling I see lines dangling.
Go and buy the nail clamps they make for cable and tack it up. It will look better and be safer too.

Watch how much you power you run off of an extension cord, you wouldn't want to burn the table (and house) down.
I don't trust some of the cheap extension cords they make, I buy a thicker gauge, might be over kill but gives me piece of mind.

I have 2 florescent lights over the layout that are powered off extension cords. But I have a heavier gauged cord to them.

Eventually they will be wired to my electrical box.


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## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

Kal,
Yep Cabledawg is the master around at here at getting layouts set up.
Your initial investment into DCC is a little pricey but well worth the investment IMHO! I've been running HO on DCC for over 15 years and have never wanted to go back to DC. If your going from a single track line to multiple tracks you will really see a great difference in the 2 ways of controlling your trains!


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I have trouble just using locomotives without cruise control now, I'm really spoiled.


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## kursplat (Dec 8, 2010)

looks like a great basis for a layout. it's going to be a nightmare without _some_ sort of plan. if anyone's going to do you design, acurate mesuments will help them alot. you could try ploting all the hard points on some graph paper and scan it. the post in the picture, the orientation of the door and where the walls are and how far from the bench work, ect. those will help alot

good luck and have fun


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## Massey (Apr 16, 2011)

Looks like you have a nice size bench to work with. I have to agree with the others about the duck under/crawl under. I am still young in my book but not as young as I used to be and an injury from the Navy has really changed how I look at stuff and how I do stuff as well. Right now my layout has a large removable section that at the moment cannot be removed. I have it at 54" high to the top of the deck and that makes about 50" or so to the bottom. This is not that bad of a duck under but it is going to kill me if I have to do it all the time. Once i get the track down good and how I like it I am going to look into cutting the rails and having the removable part removable once again. 

As for track planning software I like XtrkCAD. It is a 2d CAD based program that is fairly easy to use and will allow you to create just about anything you want. The program comes with an automated tutorial that will show you how to use the main tools and there is a good yahoo community keeping the program up to date and with the times.

Massey


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