# CJP's Layout



## CJP (Jan 3, 2017)

Hey guys! New to the forum here. About 20 years ago my dad and I had started really getting into model trains. Started with G scale, and then progressed to HO. While in middle and high school, we worked on a G scale garden layout but it fell by the wayside. I had then started building small shelf HO layouts but never felt satisfied with how they turned out. After graduating high school and moving out the train interest fell off. Got bit by the bug a couple weeks ago and decided it was time to start building a layout, put all the supplies we had purchased to use, and build something that really satisfies me. I have finally settled on a layout design after a few redraws. 

I am modeling something of a Sierra Nevada mountain theme. I lived in Reno for a few years and loved it up there and would love to have a forrest/mountain setting, with potentially a winter setting.

I've started building the benchwork and ordered the track with most of the sub-terrain features.

Really looking forward to creating this layout! Any advice is much appreciated.


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Nice continuous running layout offering several different
routes.

As one who enjoys switching operations, I would suggest
the addition of more industry stub tracks and possibly
a small yard.

Don


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## Mark VerMurlen (Aug 15, 2015)

Have you looked at what grades you need to be able to do the under/over passover? I'm a little worried that you don't have enough length for a more moderate grade. On my layout, I didn't go over a 2.5% grade. For HO scale, you need about 4 inches between grades (you could maybe cut it a little closer if needed). For a 2.5% grade, you'd need 160 inches of length to give you the 4 inch rise, which is more than 13 ft. In your layout, you'd split that with a 6.5 ft length of rise and 6.5 ft length of fall from the crossover on the far right-hand side to the point of the overpass. If each of your blocks is 1 ft in your diagram, you may just barely make that. But looking at where the tracks rejoin together, it looks like you don't have even that much length to work with.

Mark


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

Hello and welcome! I like the multiple routes and the concept of the over / under, but I second Mark's concern that the grades will prove unworkable. I'm also wondering about that turnout leading to the single spur in the lower right. It looks really awkward with all the small pieces, and it looks like you have a misaligned joint there as well. Do you have the two tracks running over / under there? I'm having trouble figuring out which track is supposed to be on top, and how that ties in with the rest.

What software did you use? You might want to get a package that will handle elevation changes and see what happens.

At the very least, test the grades and the track carefully before you make anything permanent.


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