While retirement is yet years off I have started planning what I want in a layout. Here is my wish list: Givens - Continuous Running - Passenger train focus - Through and local freight - Set in the early 50's - One passenger station modeled after the old SOO Line depot in Minot, ND - An interchange - DCC Druthers - Open staging - Small freight yard for switching Scenes - Lake Ashtabula steel trestle - New Rockford, ND - Wetland crossing Having said all that here is the track plan in it's current form. Looking for suggestions. The track plan is done in Xtrackcad. The top wall is the staging/switching yard with the left being Gavin Yard near Minot, ND and the right being Fargo, ND. The upper three tracks are for open staging for through Passenger and Freight trains. The lower portion of the yard is for breaking down and building trains to run the layout. The town in the lower center isle is the town of New Rockford, ND and the track layout in that area is a slightly modified version of the actual track in New Rockford, ND. The track that exits off the table on the lower right side and the track that runs up to the divider are the North Pacific tracks. New Rockford will have two grain elevators and the passenger station I talked about in the Givens. The small siding in the lower right will be the town of Karnak, ND and I have added the passing siding to help with layout operations. This will house a grain elevator. Finally the right wall will be the steel trestle that crosses Lake Ashtabula in ND. Also known as the Luverne, ND Bridge A few final thoughts. I am building this as a rail fan layout so that I can watch the trains roll through the countryside with some switching available to keep me busy should I want to. The layout will be at about the 58-60" height and I will be using a duck under or swing gate to access the layout. Thoughts or ideas? Looking to make this the best possible layout I can for the retirement years. If you have questions about why or how I did what I did let me know and I will explain my reasoning. I know there are better ways to do this especially in the upper yard area. Thanks in advance.
Hi, I would go with a swing gate or a life up. I have had two layouts with duck unders. One put me on the floor when I ducked, but did not clear. The layout did not move. :headspin: Unless you are only 5 ft tall duck unders even at the proposed height can be a pain in the head and back. Gary
I have a similar plan: I used a duck-under at a 54" height across the doorway. I'm 5'8, and it's not too much of a pain for me, but some of the crew that operates this layout are 6' and it IS something of a pain for them. If I had it to do over, I'd use a drop-down or swing gate in this area, and one day I may redo it. John C.
Looks good from where I sit. Even at that height, I would avoid the duck under in any way possible. Lift up, lift out, swing gate.
Jim, I would highly recommend some beyond the scenes staging to bring trains in and out of. My two cents worth. Have fun, Otto K.
To get continuous running with a layout height of 36"( the height of the duckunder) I have been living with this for 20+ years. I'm 76 and still living with it. Track work is too complicated for a lift up or swing out. I would definitely not include a duckunder if I was rebuilding/building new. It does have it's advantages tho - only the most interested will use it and after a few of days working that require multiple passes I lose about 1 inch in the waist. Al
Jim, Good start on your givens and druthers. What about your standards? mainline radius, minimum radius, turnout sizes, track rail height, maximum grade, etc. Do you plan to run the layout only by yourself or do you expect to have friends/family running with you? Are you planning to host operating sessions? I would recommend using a lift out or swing entry to the interior of the layout. I know I make a lot of trips in/out of the train room when I am doing scenery and if I had to duck under each time, I don't think I would build scenery. Glenn
Thanks all for the input. To answer questions 1) I'm leaning to a lift out or swing entry. 2) I'm currently a lone wolf operator but hope with the move to a larger town for retirement that maybe I can hold operating sessions, will have to wait on that one. 3) Standards Minimum radius on the mainline will be 18" Minimum radius on the side tracks is 12" Turnout sizes are #7 or #10 with a few #5 on side tracks maximum grade on the layout is 0% I'm not sure I understand track rail height. I am planning on the benchwork at 57-58" with 1/2" plywood and a 1" foam base for scenery except in the trestle area where I will lower the scenery for the lake. So the track should be at about 58 1/2 - 59".
My retirement layout can be found at the links below. You'll see the whole story. Feel free to take (or not) what I've done. I hope you will find (as I have) that retirement is the best part of life!
Ok, another modification to the layout to give it more diversity. I've added a reverse loop at the Wye turnaround at the lower middle yard. This will allow me to turn complete trains should the need or desire arise. I've also added a pair of switches to the yard lead at the right of the main yard to give trains coming into the yard access to all lower tracks.
You said switching yard and staging area are in the same place? So one set of tracks will have whole trains sitting on them while the set right next to them has live switching? Any thoughts on an engine facility? You say "passenger train focus" -- does that mean just running lots of passenger trains? Or that along with a terminal or major stations where passenger trains are made up or switched?
Jim, Would you consider any grades on your layout? If so, it would be possible to slowly elevate the track from the right side of your primary yard at the top of your plan (moving clockwise). That trackage could then wrap around the entire perimeter and pass behind the yard at the top and then slowly descend and reconnect at the smaller yard. Make any sense? I have found with previous layouts that I always wanted more open running. You would need to cross over or under somewhere at the bottom right to do this. Paul in Rocklin, CA
Backshop, You are correct. The top three tracks of the larger, top center yard are for staging. The tracks below the mainline will be used as A/D tracks and switching. By Passenger train focus I plan on having the Great Northern Empire Builder as a through train with smaller local passenger trains running the mainline from top yard around the layout to top yard with stops in between. No major terminal. Paul, l don't plan on any elevation on the layout. I thought about running the track twice around the layout but I don't want a second set of tracks going across the Lake Ashtabula area and detracting from the large steel trestle that will be there as that will be one of the main features of the layout. Thanks for the input.
