# Vintage O27 track plan



## richardmartinspradli (Nov 16, 2021)

Working on a new layout. Looking for opinions. (Be kind, I'm new) Loosely based on the Salida portion of the D&RGW Railroad. Inner loop (lighter green) will be isolated with its own transformer (Lionel ZW). Red sections (sidings) will have power isolation as well. Buildings, bridges and scenery to be added.
Thanks
Rick


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## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

You have some tight turns. It will limit your train size. Will the outer edges be accessible?


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## El Tejon (May 16, 2021)

This is similar to my previous square layout. No real problems with radius and the O27.The bench goes wall to wall on the sides. back side is accessible as it's up against a garage door. Left side will be a bit of a reach.


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## timlange3 (Jan 16, 2013)

What is your goal? Do you want to watch a couple trains go round and round or would you rather have an operation geared railroad where you are hands on the entire time? Both are fine, what do you want it to do?


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## El Tejon (May 16, 2021)

T-Man said:


> You have some tight turns. It will limit your train size. Will the outer edges be accessible?


This is similar to my previous square layout. No real problems with radius and the O27.The bench goes wall to wall on the sides. back side is accessible as it's up against a garage door. Left side will be a bit of a reach.


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## El Tejon (May 16, 2021)

timlange3 said:


> What is your goal? Do you want to watch a couple trains go round and round or would you rather have an operation geared railroad where you are hands on the entire time? Both are fine, what do you want it to do?


I've thought about a point-to-point setup by I'm unsure how to approach it.


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## sjm9911 (Dec 20, 2012)

I like it as long as you have enough clearance where the 2 tracks look close together. Some of the curves do look tight. But if it works for you.


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## timlange3 (Jan 16, 2013)

El Tejon said:


> I've thought about a point-to-point setup by I'm unsure how to approach it.


A real railroad would run track as straight as possible with no elevation changes and minimal switching at each end.

This would not a be a fun operation, it would feel like work before too long!  

As modelers/operators we would want as long a run as possible, say a shelf railroad where the shelf is deep enough to hold what we want (and can easily reach). Have it snake around the room and in the middle of the room having human sized walkways that are comfortable for you (and your guests). A gradual incline can give you a double deck if you have the space. Plan your heights for adults, kids grow fast, provide them a sturdy stool in the meantime.

One of my railroads started with a turntable and a few sidings at one end, a passing siding about 40' down the main, then another 40' to the other end where I had a few sidings and a turning wye. It would take me more than a hour to assemble a train at one end, go to the other and work the sidings/industries and come back. Over time I would take out a section of the main and add a industry siding or bridge or whatever. It quickly grew enough that I could not finish an out and back operation in one stretch of time.

From an operational aspect you would work the trailing sidings on the way out and the facing sidings on the way back. When my kids were young I would let them do just 2 or 3 industry switch moves, that gave them the right amount of watching the train run and hands on work.

I was doing HO scale, my shelf was rarely more than 12" deep. I think the shallower the shelf the more detailed you can make the scenery. I know one section I put in later, it had a bridge diorama, thought this would look fantastic if the railroad was not here!  Tunnels can be very short on a narrow shelf and can act as separators between different scenes (and seasons).

Running diesels would eliminate needing turntables or reversing wye, just one runaround siding at each end. Or you could have a fiddle track and use the 0-5-0 switcher (your hand) to change things around.

Doing the benchwork along the walls was easy, going out into the middle of the room was more of a challenge, did a lot of sketching and figuring before cutting wood.


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## RedJimmy1955 (Aug 23, 2021)

Hello Richard.....I like your design just fine for many reasons...and with very few minor changes! The likes are that you have the best of THREE WORLDS...(1) seems you could run two or three trains, but perhaps one would have to be stopped at your siding. (2) You have switching capabilities; I would isolate those three green sidings right away since NOW its simpler rather than after your install scenery. Those sidings could have sitting locos waiting for "orders".
(3) You obviously have looper, "watch the trains run themselves" capability. That's always a win! Of the three "forked" sidings...I would lengthen the top one and place its' switch closer to the leftmost "entry switch".....you'll be able to park a longer train ready for movement. Perhaps on the centermost loop; how about installing a "stop and go" trolley that stops on the loop at a town, while the hiball freight runs through those two switches??? Close calls can be interesting!!
Just sayin'..............and good luck! I hear that playing music while you build this diminishes the chance of electrial short gremlins!


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## El Tejon (May 16, 2021)

Thanks again for all or your input. Here is a variation on the theme. Continuous loop/loops with point to point.
Rick


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## Magic (Jan 28, 2014)

You now have a reverse loop.
The green right hand turnout on the bottom section on the right side.
No way to return back to the original direction of travel (clockwise) once you reverse.
Interesting plan thou.

Edit wait a minute you do have a way to return to clockwise using the light green trackage top left
Also a reverse loop. Light green left turnout center right. Pretty cleaver. 

Magic


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## RedJimmy1955 (Aug 23, 2021)

with your permission, may I copy this layout for future reference? It's kinda the bomb!! We Like the extra lil' forked yard....it does have reverse/re-reverse loops. And, good "action"
Me? I'd be well satisfied with this layout plan.............


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## kilowatt62 (Aug 18, 2019)

I guess richardmartinsp flew the coop. 
Seems that El Tejon has taken over track plan duty. 
LOL


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## El Tejon (May 16, 2021)

RedJimmy1955 said:


> with your permission, may I copy this layout for future reference? It's kinda the bomb!! We Like the extra lil' forked yard....it does have reverse/re-reverse loops. And, good "action"
> Me? I'd be well satisfied with this layout plan.............


Absolutely! Be my guest...


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## El Tejon (May 16, 2021)

kilowatt62 said:


> I guess richardmartinsp flew the coop.
> Seems that El Tejon has taken over track plan duty.
> LOL


After I posed the original, I realized I had two different profiles. El Tejon is here to stay! ￼


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## kilowatt62 (Aug 18, 2019)

I kinda figured close to that happened.  
The more I look at the track plan in post #10, the more I like it. 




El Tejon said:


> After I posed the original, I realized I had two different profiles. El Tejon is here to stay! ￼


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Aaaah...the wonderful freedom of 3 rail tracks...2 reverse loops and not
an isolated section or reverse loop controller in sight...or needed...
027 takes me back to Christmas 1941...the Marx train that I hoped for...
right out of the Sears Christmas catalog...it's what started it all.

Don


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