My first layout

[williamv]

Here's the track plan for N scale Japaneese layout, which is actually my first ever layout.

 

There's a double track viaduct around the outside, which is for the shinkansen. The inner loops are a ground level double track commuter line. It has a terminal station with 2 platforms, and another station with 2 one-sided platforms at the bottom of the layout. There's a yard siding long enough for one train at the top of the layout.

 

The scenery will be city, except in the top-right corner which will be countryside, where I'll have a small mountain, with a tunnel for the commuter line.

 

It's 1 x 2.2 m and I'm using Kato Unitrack. I'll operate the layout using Digitrax DCC, possibly with computer control.

 

I plan to run 2 trains (1 in each direction) on the shinkansen line, and hopefully 4 (2 in each direction) on the commuter line. The inner loop of the commuter line, on the right of the layout, will need to be bi-drectional, and trains will change direction at the lower station. I'm hoping that this will not cause too many problems with 4 trains.

 

I wanted a combination of shinkansen on a viaduct, and commuter line on ground level that was more than just a simple loop. This was the best I could come up with. I wouldn't mind another yard siding but space is limited, especially with the piers for the viduct. I would also like to leave some space in the middle for a street and buildings. Later, I may add a straight line tram line,  left to right, at the bottom. If I have space, mayble a Tomytec bus system too but I doubt it.

 

I would greatly appeciate any comments!

[Kanpai Keith]

Nice, why not extend the viaduct to match the ground level to give your Shinkansens more room the stretch their legs. You could even have the top ends over the lower one’s either allowing a smaller footprint or you could also extend the lower level a little.

[cteno4]

Welcome William! 
 

I wound agree, give the shinkansens the longest run you can. If you have the room, maybe tilt the shinkansen line like 5 or 10 degrees off the ground lines to mix things up some.

 

cheers,

 

jeff

[williamv]

Thanks for the suggestions! I was hoping to have an viaduct track passing over ground level track somewhere on my layout, so this was a compromise.

 

I’m playing around any may extend the viaduct, then I can run longer shinkansen trains.

 

I noticed that the commuter line track is very close to the shinkansen line viaduct track. I’d like to add Kato catenary poles, so I’m check the measurements of the viaduct supports and and the catenary bases and poles, and may need to tweak the track plan slightly so that there’s enough clearance.

[cteno4]

Yep layouts are endless rounds of compromise! Current straight viaduct is a little over 6 shinkansen cars long.

 

viaduct is a challenge with smaller layouts as usually it ends up viaduct around the outside and all the ground level track in the middle.

 

might look at skewing the ground or viaduct loops more, may help break things up and make more interesting intersections between ground and viaduct or at least approaches. Unfortunately the new super elevated viaduct curve configurations make it difficult to add straight to make the viaduct more of a rectangle.

 

jeff