So it begins, NSHO

[NSHO]

New member, first post and first HO layout. Over the past several
months I've played around with RTS to translate my track ideas onto the
desktop. And a design program to lay out the benchwork in my train
room. This forum, google images and the many pages dedicated to model
railroading have brought inspiration.

I'm approaching this adventure open ended. I know there will be many
changes from the original plan, quite possibly to the point of not
recognizing where I originally began. So here it is.

In the beginning.... I created a bench.

I started by designing the benchwork in the train room using software to ensure a fit.

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Long and narrow with two big obstacles. The benchwork is
in 3 modules. The main module is 60" x 89 1/2" (width of the room).
Module 2 will be 24" x 72". Module 3 will be 18" x 72". This forms a
U, with the doorway in the middle. It is very tight, but cozy.

The initial track layout on the main module came from Jim Kelly's book HO
Railroad from Start to Finish featuring the Cripple Creek Railroad.
Which I believe was a series in the MRR, can't remember the date.

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I also live in a part of Virginia that is heavily influenced by the
Norfolk and Southern line, mountains and the New River. The 2 spurs
will be local industries and 2 fictitious towns named after my 2
boys. I'm hoping to carve the river through the layout.

This layout is very rough and incomplete. Serving more as a "that's what I was thinking about".

Module 2, I'm hoping, will be the train yard and engine shed area.
Module 3, I'm envisioning a coal mine/mountain.

Where I am now...assembly of the main module

I'm using some discarded 1 x 3 trim boards (not quite 1 x 4 but a few
eighths larger than 1 x 3) and 1 x 4s (from HD) to build the frame.

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On top of the frame is 7/16" OSB. Also got this at HD for $7.50 a
sheet. Had HD cut my two sheets of OSB to size, 36" x 89 1/2 and 24"
x 89 1/2" for my 60" main module. Will use the left over 24" for module 2
and the 12", plus I'll add a little more to the width, when I get to
Module 3.

The benchwork is supported on either side by block bracing screwed into the
walls. The modules will rest on the bracing and I'll add support as
needed.

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I feel the middle of the main module will need a leg toward the front and rear. Just don't like the look. I'd prefer the table to be "floating". Once the main and 2nd module is complete, I'm going to top it off with a layer of 1" pink stuff from HD.

I'm out of the gates and racing towards a finish line that no one
seems to know if one exists. I have not purchased any track,
turnouts, switches, road bed, scenery, power, etc... I do have some
engines and rolling stock from my younger years and hand me downs from
dad.

I'm going to complete the benchwork and spend more sleepless
nights envisioning my new world. Will keep you updated.

Comments, questions and criticism is always welcomed.

Happy New Year!

[sstlaure]

Nice start.

If you put (1) leg in the middle of that large span with braces running up toward the edges of the layout you'll get the support you need. With how you have that supported at the ends, twisting loads shouldn't be a problem so all you need is something to prevent the middle from sagging. I'd use 2x2 for the leg and 1x2 for the bracing.

[nrandel]

That's a good table design and I wouldn't worry about middle sagging. If it would make you feel better about the strength in the mid section perhaps you could try gluing and screwing an additional 1 x 4 to the front and back of the frame. Good luck and happy railroading. My grandson's are going to grow up loving model railroading too!

DAD

[tankist]

good start. eyeballing this design seems that sagging will not be significant here.

with that 1x4 ? 2x2? i guess i'm going bananas making everything 2x4.

[NSHO]

Thanks sstlaure for your idea on a 2x2 with bracing. I followed your post (can't remember the layout) that you eventually disassembled and moved. I saw the "engineered" 2x2 legs.

Made a little bit of progress on the bench. Module 2 (24") is complete and attached to the main.

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So far I haven't observed any sagging in the middle (I am talking about the train table ;) ). I hope to keep the bench, leg free. However, Murphy (not invited), will more than likely want to operate the train and "accidentally" fall or lean too hard into the middle of the table. Something to consider.

Will work on module 3, hopefully this weekend and complete the initial bench.

I pulled out my box of engines and freight. Had to dust off a few. This is what will run for the time being. Really not sure all of the engines work. And some of the box cars need assembly.

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Still struggling with a track layout. Best thing for me to do is buy a bunch of flex trak and a few turnouts and just dig in. I'm a visual type person. I need to see something and be able to physically move it around. The software tends to muddle my mind.

Any quick links or forum users who have a U shape similar to mine?

[NSHO]

tankist, Just looked at your layout progress (http://www.modeltrainforum.com/showthread.php?p=20662), it's very similar to what I have in mind. I've gotten some good ideas, thank you. May have questions in the future.

[Massey]

Love the Class J. that is my favorite engine, and the one I have in my fleet is my all time favorite engine in my fleet.

Massey

[NSHO]

Love the Class J. that is my favorite engine, and the one I have in my fleet is my all time favorite engine in my fleet.

Massey

I don't think she's ever had any electricity flow through her. I'm looking forward to watching her move.

[tjcruiser]

Great lookin' fleet of trains. Love the locos!

TJ

[NSHO]

Worked on the final module this morning. Didn't go as well as 1 and 2. The technical side of my brain is fighting the creative side at the moment. I measured twice, cut once (well actually cut 4 boards), but I didn't think 3 times. I forgot to account for the width of the 2 1x4's. Was needing 18 total inches for the module and sure enough cut each brace 18". Should have been 16 1/2". Oh well, this will still work. Just didn't get flush up against the back wall. Was going to notch the trim, but I'll just notch the OSB.

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This elevated piece will be the train yard. Opposite from the original plan. Here's why my two brain halves were conflicting. I've been working on an improved layout. I know the pieces don't line up and a few sections are missing. This is only for planning purposes, not final.

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The two side pieces are longer than the picture. I just screen captured where most of the track is. Is anything wrong with the layout? Can I add or take away? The big ? is just that.

[nrandel]

The layout looks fine, just work with it and as you go along you'll see where you can make improvements or expansions. I would think about industries for the right side. I noticed that you have a door on the right side at the back of your layout. Can you put another section on the left side so you can extend your track. Just a thought. Also, to enter your staging area your main line and spur cross over. You could put in a cross-over track instead of elevating your track. I think that's what you had in mind because you have your staging area elevated.

[NSHO]

The layout looks fine, just work with it and as you go along you'll see where you can make improvements or expansions. I would think about industries for the right side. I noticed that you have a door on the right side at the back of your layout. Can you put another section on the left side so you can extend your track. Just a thought. Also, to enter your staging area your main line and spur cross over. You could put in a cross-over track instead of elevating your track. I think that's what you had in mind because you have your staging area elevated.

There's another 12 sq/ft of real estate at the back of the bench. Just need to allow enough room for the closet door to swing out.

I was originally going to elevate that side, but not the way it turned out. However, I think this mistake turned good. The crossover will be a bridge coming from the yard. I want to incorporate a bridge in the layout and this is a good location. I envision this side as a mountain area with a valley cut through where the main line runs under the bridge.

[nrandel]

Ah, yes. This is good that you're visulizing the details. Full steam ahead! I might dabble a bit with your track layout dwg. See ya.

[NSHO]

The 1" pink foam board has been cut and is temporarily down. I have some adhesive to bind the wood and foam and will work on this today or tomorrow.

I placed an order through ModelTrainStuff yesterday to get me started on laying out the line. I ordered 25 pieces of 3' Flex Track, several #6 turnouts a few #4 turnouts, joiners, track cutter and terminal connectors. Track and turnouts are Atlas Code 100.

I have encountered one inconvenience, well two actually, with my layout so far.

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The areas in red are accessible but difficult to manage or work in. I need to be careful leaning over the table as I lay track and eventually scenery. I can see several elbow indentations that will have to be filled in.

If I'm missing something or any tips or advice, I'd appreciate the heads up.

Thanks

[nrandel]

NSHO

On a layout, if you can't go all the way around it, three feet is about as wide as you would want to go in order to reach to other side. There's always ways around the difficult areas! One suggestion: your layout is already up so my thoughts would be to saw a circle in the mid section of the bench (a hole large enough so you can pop up through it like a man hole) that you can crawl underneath and pop the lid up. The lid is part of the scenery and no one would even know it's there.

On your recent dwg. (not posted here) you have quite a few turnouts on the far side of your layout. You'll need switch machines or manual machines with rodes or cables to operate these.

[NSHO]

My first order from ModelTrainStuff arrived in a weeks time. However, it's taken me several weeks to get as far as I have. Got enough #6 and #4 turnouts and flextrack to create this.

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FlexTrack is wonderful to work with.

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The boxes are just place holders. I don't have any structures yet.

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Thanks to a couple of posts on the topic, I moved the turnout switches to the other side to accomodate some tight quarters. I need to reverse the bottom right or extend my throw bar under the inside line. Speaking of throws, I placed another order for more turnouts and some caboose 202 ground throws.

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The module in the back will eventually be a small town. Last on the list of to dos.

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The far right hand turnout will eventually lead to another module. I removed the original train yard module due to elevation difficulties and will place this at the far end of the layout. This, I envision, will be another small town.

[NSHO]

I removed the original module due to an elevation quandary. Made another that fit perfectly in the space provided. Now I have a flat surface. Here's the start of the train yard.

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I ordered several rh turnouts and a couple of lh turnouts yesterday in order to complete the yard.

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You can see from the drawing bottom left what I hope the train yard will look like and function as once it's done.

I'm able to successfully, after some trial and error with my curves, run my engines and freight around main 1 and main 2.

[tankist]

looks good, just one comment.
as drawn it seems you will always be backing up yuor trains into the yard. hard to judge if you have the needed length to accomodate your longest train, but i would consider adding a crossover into the yard so the engine can head in and then back out on adjacent track. basically make dedicated A/D track (arrival/departure). this will add another dimension to operating (road engine departs and switcher begins sorting).

just a thoguht.

[NSHO]

looks good, just one comment.
as drawn it seems you will always be backing up yuor trains into the yard. hard to judge if you have the needed length to accomodate your longest train, but i would consider adding a crossover into the yard so the engine can head in and then back out on adjacent track. basically make dedicated A/D track (arrival/departure). this will add another dimension to operating (road engine departs and switcher begins sorting).

just a thoguht.

Thanks for the comment. I think I understand what you are saying. Here's the proposed train yard. The length of space is 76" x 18". Any chance you have a "paint" program that will illustrate what you're saying. Or give me a reference to see. I'm a visual type person.

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[tankist]

something like this.
green section needs to be long enough to accomodate engine. the total length of cars for the engine to be able to run around will be limited to blue section.

7 feet total? well that not leaves much room. perhaps consider re-shufling the throat of the yard more to the left? will also give you more storage track length.

again, just an idea