# So I have this room



## Davidfd85 (Jul 4, 2011)

So I have this room that I am using for my layout. A 4X8 with a 4X4 addition on one end in an L shape. Well I am thinking about dumping the current layout and starting another one. I have been looking at some layouts but haven't found anything I really like or like enough to modify for what I am thinking. 
So I'm wanting two mainline full runs all the way around, maybe elevate one across the end (10' side), maybe one or two tunnels and a yard and I think I can place the town and industries from there. I and not good at designing layouts at all since this will only be the second one I have ever built. If you have any ideas or a way that I can build this I guess I'm just saying go for it and lets see what comes up. 
The area in red is currently a work desk and a couple storage units that I can move, I can put the storage units under the table and pickup about another 18". I also forgot to say this is HO scale.
Thanks


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## Davidfd85 (Jul 4, 2011)

I'm a little bit off on the door opening, it is right at 48" and just open to a hallway, no door swing to worry about. So I can impede into that area a little bit if needed. With the layout I have now I have been limited to 57' and under cars and 4 axle engines. I wouldn't mind staying with that if I need to and also it will all be freight, no passenger service. If I can get the turns big enough to handle 6 axle engines that would be great but not a deal killer if I can't.


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## Carl (Feb 19, 2012)

That area should be able to produce a very nice "U" shaped layout. I too have struggled with layouts. I tried first by searching the Internet. Got some ideas. Then found some books at the local hobby shop concerning basic design considerations and layout plans. Then asked myself what I wanted from the layout, i.e., continuous runs or switching with a storage yard or a combination of both. Did I want hills and valleys and flat land, some of the three or ?????. Went back to the layout plans that I had looked at and thought about how the runs would run on the layout and is that what I wanted. I ended up with a layout plan that was the combination of some 3 or 4 layouts I had reviewed. I think one can save money buy spending time on the layout planning side and use pencil, paper and eraser to work out your plan. 

Good luck


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

David

You're fortunate to have a room that size for a layout...you
can do a lot with it. First, as you mention, design your
layout tables to be high enough to accommodate the items
you want to store...and also to give yourself head clearance
when under there wiring...mine is 38" floor to bottom of table.

With as much room as you have visualize a double track
main that basically follows the walls...possibly a lift off or hinged
bridge at the door, though I just crawl under mine. You should have
enough room for 22" or better radius curves...and maybe a 2 level
track plan would be possible. 

Ladder tracks off the main along each long wall
could afford big multi track yards
with additional spurs for industries. You could also think about
a peninsula in the middle to accomodate a wye and more
industrial spurs. But make sure you can easily reach every
foot of your track.

What I've suggested is basically my layout but in an 11' x 11'
room.

It's all tossed out there so you can get your brain to ticking.

The Forum guys will be here to give you more ideas and
help you with any questions that come up...

Let the fun begin.

Don


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## joed2323 (Oct 17, 2010)

What type industries would you like to include on your layout?

What if you went with some type of staging yard below your main layout? You may have more room for other things like industries to switch at going with some type of staging yard, you could still store all your rolling stock in the staging yard??
Its just an idea, some say yards are not needed and just eat up space.

But I will say staging is a must for opp sessions and simulating your trains going from point a to point b, from town to town for example.

What era are you shooting for? Hopefully modern day like me 

What part of the country do you want it to represent?

You may be able to leave your work desk area their and just have your track work run in a narrow shelf over the top of your desk so when your working you can see your train pass by as you work.


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## Davidfd85 (Jul 4, 2011)

So I have been reading the suggestions and doing some thinking about what I might be able to do and I came up with this in my head. It is just a possible concept no mesurements at all as I am at work and can't really do to much.
So I would move the storage units to be placed under the table later on and gain a little more room. The basic plan (In green) is a duck under with an open center, control panel will go someplace in there. Mountains across the back (10ft sec) with both tracks over each other, lower track in what I would say is one heck of a long tunnel and the upper track in and out of possibly up to 3 short tunnels, yard area in front of that across that end. If you can see what I'm thinking about anyways. I'm 6'3" tall and have a pretty good reach but I'll check that for sure when I get home. Like I said can't do much right now until I get home and put pencil to paper and figure things out more.
Let me know what anyone thinks of this so far, will it work or to much.







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## Carl (Feb 19, 2012)

If that is what you want, then go for it (I believe in the rule that it is your model railroad and you can do what you want). You may wish to invest in a pair of knew pads or come up with a way to hinged area that you good use to get to the middle. Lots of folks use a hinged panel and they may wish to offer advice on it.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Question? How will you get to the back? What's the point of the wasted two feet?


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## Davidfd85 (Jul 4, 2011)

John I knew that question was going to come up. Well since I am running the idea of a very long tunnel across that area it will give me full access incase of a derailment in the tunnel, I might make it 2 1/2 ft to fit my little butt. I'll just have to duck under the table if the need comes up but I do need some space back there. I haven't got any exact measurements as of yet I just drew that up real quick this afternoon. After I got home today and took a measurement of arm reach without bending or stretching from finger tip to well my pudgy little gut and that is 22 inches so I'll start to figure out width of the table from there.


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## joed2323 (Oct 17, 2010)

What if you make a removable tunnel in sections and side the layout up to the wall?

You could make a cutout, if your looking at the tunnel section against the east side of the walljust to the west of where the track will go you can cutout a section where you can get your hand up from under the layout and fix any derailments this way.
This way you can gain back your 2 feet.

Their is a video on YouTube of a guy who did this and he shows how and what his looks like, I will post up a link when I get home from work today David.


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## Davidfd85 (Jul 4, 2011)

Well I did some more planning and am totally lost, I really stink at track planning. This is what I came up with so far as to the way I would like it but from there I am just drawing blanks. I'm not even sure if what I have there so far will even work or not.
The table will be 42" high and I can reach 32" easily, can reach to 36" if needed with a little work.
I hope what I have can be understood and if anyone has ideas for which way to go from here I really need the help I have no idea.

Thanks


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

David

You've got some good ideas for basic layout planning.

It sure is a shame that object can't be moved as you
construct your table so you can utilize all of the big
room.

But, accepting that's a no go, can you increase the
width of the lower left section to 5'. Think you'll need
that space for the 24" plus inch radius curves you'll want.

It also looks like you'll have a problem making both
tracks turn for the drop down. Sure would be nice
to increase the angle toward the top, again to
afford 24" plus radius curves...That would make
the drop down fairly wide tho.

You'll want the green line elevated going thru it's
tunnels so that it can drop down and permit a double
crossover with the blue line as it approaches the
drop down. As you note along here the blue line
would have one or more turnouts for industry spurs.

You have selected a very good place for your yard. Easy
access from the bottom off of the blue line....engine service tracks could be
an extension of the yard possibly curving around the top.

The green line would again rise to 2" along the bottom before
it gets to the tunnels.

If I wasn't such a computer klutz I would have drawn
this out...

Do you see where I'm coming from?


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## Davidfd85 (Jul 4, 2011)

So I downloaded SCARM and I'm not good with it but I figured it out somehow to show basically what I want to do. I'm not sure it will work or not and I'm not one to follow plans real well either, I just see what I want in my head and build it sort of thing. I am not modeling anyone area its just going to be the PP&L Railroad (Paw Paw and Leon, my grandson). Like I said before with the 4X8+ layout that I have now I and restricted to 4 axle engines and 57' or less on cars and if it still works out that way, well that will be fine too.
So if it is really messed up please tell me.

Thanks


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Now you're getting there David.

Looking good...BUT...can you swing
another pair of turnouts that would
make a 2nd crossover just to the right
of the 3 turnouts along the bottom. With them,
a train in your mid loop would be able
to get back to the outer loop without
backing up, no matter in which direction
it is running. 

Don


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