Skyline valley

Roque

Posts: 46
Joined: 2008-01-26

Hey guys, Been reading this sight for a wile now, LOVE IT! I have been researching as much as I can. I'm still very new to all of this. The closest I have been to a train set up is when I was a kid on a 4x8 oval. I'm starting off small this time just to learn every thing I can. This is the layout I have came up with.

[Click for full sized image]

Please excuse my lack of skill with Xtrkcad, I have only had it for about hour.

This will be a DC system. The base is made of wood, but I built up foam on top of that. The yard is going to be ground lvl, the industry area will be slightly elevated from that, and the far southern loop will be under ground.

If any one has any thoughts or suggestions... please feel free to express them. Ill have more pics up later. I just wanted to get some ideas on this layout before I lay track down.

Submitted by Roque on Sun, 01/27/2008 - 00:20.

taz-n-rr

Posts: 352
Joined: 2006-04-28

It will be interesting to

It will be interesting to see your progress. You might need more space on the right of the yard to keep the switching activity off the mainline.

Charles

Sun, 01/27/2008 - 02:10

Roque

Posts: 46
Joined: 2008-01-26

Messing around with the

Messing around with the yard, I can't seem to get it right. I'm trying to make a switch yard, and a intermodel line to load and unload. It just doesn't flow.

[Click to enlarge]

Sun, 01/27/2008 - 19:02

Michael

Posts: 482
Joined: 2007-09-04

Hi Roque,Might I suggest

Hi Roque,

Might I suggest re-evaluating the way you are using the space. Looking at the plan I'm getting a sense of what you are looking to do - but I think you are getting trapped inside an oval. Attached is an image showing what kind of real estate could be gained by shifting a yard - either one - away from the perimeter's edge. You need to consider what the maximum radius you'd like to use, but I think you might recognise that the intermodal yard would work much better in the space in the drawing.

The only other thing I'd mention is to consider why the train makes such a long loop around itself after passing through the back to back yards? It might make sense to add a simple industry along the way to give you a reason to go around the perimeter of the layout twice.

Keep chipping away!

Michael
www.modelrailroader.ca

Sun, 01/27/2008 - 23:49

Roque

Posts: 46
Joined: 2008-01-26

Third times a charm!

Thank you Michael for you revision. It got me thinking, altho I am still stuck in a oval, I tried to use more space and for a reason, In this version I have a freight yard, intermodal yard, and industry. I don't want to go any smaller than a 11" radius since I have a DC80mac. The bottom or southern loop is what I have to stick with because I already have it glued down and the tunnel made, but I can run on top of it. Its supposed to warm up tomorrow, so Ill get out to the garage and take some pics of what I have so far.

[Click for image for larger view]

Mon, 01/28/2008 - 01:51

Michael

Posts: 482
Joined: 2007-09-04

Wow! Much better! Night and

Wow! Much better! Night and day difference!

Michael
www.modelrailroader.ca

Mon, 01/28/2008 - 07:10

Roque

Posts: 46
Joined: 2008-01-26

I touched up the image

I touched up the image above, gave my self more room for the 2 yards and other small things.

Thank you guys for your ideas!

Mon, 01/28/2008 - 12:37

qmodeller

Posts: 12
Joined: 2007-12-30

Roque,This looks fun! What

Roque,

This looks fun! What about adding a switching lead to both the freight and intermodal yards? Then you could switch both without blocking the main. For the freight yard at the top, where the 3 tracks come down to one, you could then have a RH point which goes right to a switching lead and straight ahead to the loop. To do this you would need to move the switch that connects the yard to the loop to the right so it butts-up to the curve.

For the Intermodal yard do something similar.

Will your curves give any coupling problems for the long intermodal cars and bg modern power?

wmodeller

--
qmodeller

Mon, 01/28/2008 - 18:13

Roque

Posts: 46
Joined: 2008-01-26

clarify pls

qmodeller wrote:

Roque,
This looks fun! What about adding a switching lead to both the freight and intermodal yards? Then you could switch both without blocking the main. For the freight yard at the top, where the 3 tracks come down to one, you could then have a RH point which goes right to a switching lead and straight ahead to the loop. To do this you would need to move the switch that connects the yard to the loop to the right so it butts-up to the curve.
For the Intermodal yard do something similar.
Will your curves give any coupling problems for the long intermodal cars and bg modern power?
wmodeller

Do you mean just extending the ones I have now? or adding new ones? as far as the tight curves, I plan on doing custom curves with flex track. maybe 15" give or take with the room I have.

Mon, 01/28/2008 - 21:02

Roque

Posts: 46
Joined: 2008-01-26

Ok, I took all the

Ok, I took all the suggestions every one gave me and this is what I came up with.

Thanks to every one who tossed ideas out there! Feel free to toss more out there if you have them. Its going to be a lil wile before I can start laying track.

Tue, 01/29/2008 - 02:05

Roque

Posts: 46
Joined: 2008-01-26

Well, I was thinking about

Well, I was thinking about my layout and studying other lay outs around the net and decided a few things needed to be addressed. First since this is my first lay out, why do I need 2 train lay outs.... and on such a small plan, Get rid of one! Now the other yard.... WAY to small/short very close to the mainline... Only one way to make it bigger and flexible enough to be freight, or intermodal if the need arise. So put it in the largest area possible, the center. I have no houses for the workers to live in... at least 2 small ones in a corner over looking the yard. Now my industry... what do I want.... Grain, some kind of factories, If I wanted to use intermodal, maybe a trucking warehouse.

This is what I came up with, Please tell me what you think good or bad.

Wed, 01/30/2008 - 22:15

Roque

Posts: 46
Joined: 2008-01-26

Well, I finely was able to

Well, I finely was able to start some work after we had our baby.... Got the bench and some foam work done. Here are some pics of what I have so far.

This is my exposed side of my tunnel.

This is what I have done so far. Its not much but I'm very excited!

I have decided that this will be a Fictional class 3 RR bought from CSX just off there main line. There will be a turn off for expansion. Smallest radius will be 15". Now that I have the bench work going I have found a few problems with the above lay out as far as operations are concerned, so I'm making some "field changes".

Tue, 02/19/2008 - 01:10

buzzrexx

Posts: 111
Joined: 2007-11-01

Good work!Looks exciting-

Good work!

Looks exciting- it always is when you first get started. Just make sure your track and switches all work perfectly before you start your scenery. I failed to do that once and ended up with a lot of grief.

Tue, 02/19/2008 - 11:49

skeetley

Posts: 31
Joined: 2008-01-08

Nice looking bench work.

Nice looking bench work. I hope mine looks as nice when i get that far...soon.

Wed, 02/20/2008 - 19:36

wag-zhp

Posts: 346
Joined: 2006-02-21

Very cool

It's always exciting making the transition from drawings or track plans on a computer to actual bench work. Keep up the good work and have fun!

When it absolutely, positively has to be destroyed overnight! OohRaah!!!

U. S. M. C.

Semper Fidelis

Thu, 02/21/2008 - 00:53

Roque

Posts: 46
Joined: 2008-01-26

Just an updait

Well... We got all moved into our house, I have been looking forward to having most of a basement just for trains. But the bad news is my train board would not fit down the stairs. The bench work was all disassembled, new bench work was made larger with the ability to come apart in two peaces. Then I had to re plan my layout for easy disassembly and expandability so I can use the rest of the basement.

This is the track plan I have came up with. I will have to post pics of my bench work when I have more time.

Wed, 06/25/2008 - 21:41

Jacko-Pat

Posts: 255
Joined: 2007-11-16

Your update...........

Roque, I wish my first layout looked that nice! Bully good show! Keep going, it looks like you are progressing very nicely. Your BIG SD's shouldn't have any trouble on 15 inch radius. I run my GS-4 on that and it doesn't look or perform too bad on that. It's first down and you have the ball, I think you will score a touch down with that layout!

Jacko

Wed, 06/25/2008 - 22:02

Roque

Posts: 46
Joined: 2008-01-26

Thinks for your words

Thinks for your words Jacko.

<EDIT> Edited the Topic from First try to the name of the layout, since its no longer my first try.

My new bench work is similar to FergusonTE Micromod spec's. Its 4'x8' with the ability to split in half to make two 2'x8' so it can fit up the stairs if I ever need to move it. I also plan on making some modules to extend around the basement, but that's another step and I need to stay on this one till I have a running train. Below are links to view the pic's.

http://s97.photobucket.com/albums/l206/Liljeepz/Train/?action=view&current=june08059.jpg

http://s97.photobucket.com/albums/l206/Liljeepz/Train/?action=view&current=june08058.jpg

http://s97.photobucket.com/albums/l206/Liljeepz/Train/?action=view&current=june08062.jpg

Thu, 06/26/2008 - 20:50

Skyline valley

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