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Keith’s first layout - Some questions


Keith

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I’m looking for some opinions or thoughts with a format for a layout as I can’t decide which is best.

 

At present I’m thinking I will build a room in the garage so I can seal the dust out, and it will either be 2x3m (~6.5’x 10’) or 2x4.2m (6.5’ x 14’). The problem is the format. Do I have a deep layout along one of the longer lengths, 2 deep layouts on the shorter side with very thin connectors or a donut style.


i like the idea of being in the middle but with it being thin there is not a lot of depth but you can have more scenes, it also allow me to make it a bit modular so I can work on it in the house and when it comes time to move it will be easier The advantage of one sided is a deeper layout with more to see. I do like operations and plan to do lots of automation.

To add to the complexity, in the mid term it will be two levels as I have a large amount of UK stock and need to build a home for it.

 

Many of the layouts here are of the later style and I like the look of them and sheffie’s relentless progress just embarrasses me as he has achieved so much since I joined while I have procrastinated.

 

I look forward to any words of wisdom.

 

Keith

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Really if you could see my layout, it’s me who should be embarrassed. I’m spending time on all sorts of trivia (buildings) because I’m daunted by the really fundamental stuff: how to build nice looking terrain around a raised section of track and a hillside with tunnels. 

 

Most of my layout is pink foam. I just don’t post pictures of it. 

 

Regarding your planning dilemma: 

If you don’t have one, I strongly recommend paying for rail design software (I use SCARM and I’m happy with it). This is the best way to see what you can do with your space. Even if you don’t fill in every detail and connect every loop perfectly, it’s very helpful to have an idea of how much stuff fits into different spaces. 

 

One thought that occurs to me is that your design, if it’s more than 2’6” deep, should either allow access to the back (no fixed backdrop) or have a hole in the middle. I only have experience with the former, but I imagine that a trapdoor that swings downward (or lifts out) could still contain basic scenery (grassland, bushes, marshland or even trees) and you would end up with deeper, richer scenery as a result. 

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Martijn Meerts

You could go all around the room and have a removable section at the entrance so you can easily get in and out. If you go all around, you don't need very deep sections, since you have no tight curves you might want to hide, and you still have plenty space to move around in.

 

Seeing the current state of my 'layout' though, I might not be the best person to give advice 😉

 

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Keith,

 

layouts do take some activation energy to get going. The interior room sounds like a good idea to keep clean, dust and schmutz are the nasties to keep tr@ck and motor units running clean and well.

 

i like martijn’s idea of the full oval. One long side could be like 2-2.5’ deep and the other thin like 1’ (even just Ttrak modules you could take out. Just have the door where you can duck under the thin leg or have a lift out module or lift bridge.

 

its smart to build the layout in sections that can be taken apart and moved on this size layout. Murphy’s first law of model train layouts is if you build in a large layout you will have to move just as the layout starts to come together and be cool! I’ve helped tear down one that could not be moved and attempted to hack it into movable pieces but did not survive the move... very sad.

 

rail planning software is a good start. Don’t have to get fancy just basic area and track ideas to play with.

 

keep at it!

 

jeff

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