I understand the temptation of modern diesels. I live on Florida’s east coast and frequently see FEC trains when I’m out and about. They are beautiful locomotives in the champion paint scheme so when I saw them in the store I had to buy them. Now I’m rethinking my layout theme. It was going to be CSX and Amtrak somewhere in the north east but now I’m thinking Florida instead.
I was thinking the same thing. The lower green line in my trackplan wouldn't make sense on a Florida layout. Florida isn't dead flat but there are no mountains and tunnels. The purpose of the green line is to have two mainline trains running unattended. I may eliminate the lower double track line and concentrate on the upper red line where all the action takes place. I am not a prototype modeler. My layout will be generic Florida, not any specific place so I can run any of the 4 railroads (FEC, CSX, Amtrak and Brightline) that run in Florida. I use the prototype as a suggestion of what should be but don't follow it precisely. Should I ditch the green track to stay closer to reality or say it's my layout and in my version of Florida there are retaining walls and tunnels? What do you think?
I like the waterway idea, plus if you go modern, use urban/residential/industry areas with sound block walls to work for the different elevations.
N’Awlins!!! (New Orleans) Orrr….Holland? All in good fun. Build what gets the burr out from under yer saddle, hoss! Hmmm, roll your own railway? The FLAN? For Florida-New Orleans Coastal?
I have been working on alternate layout ideas. Some just didn't fit in the 3x10 space I will have unless I went with 9.75" and 11" radius curves. I want to stay with 12.4" as my minimum radius since I plan on running contemporary diesels and rolling stock. This plan uses the double track with 16.25" and 15" radius curves on the main and 12.4" curves on the secondary track. I'm still working on a few ideas and hope to come up with a few more plans. I added feeder tracks to get an idea of where feeders should go but will probably use terminal joiners and regular track sections. Comments and suggestions are always welcome.
The green one is better in my opinion as you will have a yard to play with. The single track gray one above only has sidings. Believe me, a yard fills up fast!
Thanks for your input, MK. I also prefer the green plan, mostly because it’s double track. I like to have one train running laps while another is switching industries.
I snapped the track together and ran the 2 engines and cars for a while Sunday. Both ES44ACs run great on the 12.4” curves. I’m comfortable with using 12.4” curves on my upcoming layout.
I see that green plan, and I immediately think of a long doubletrack figure 8 with a flyover. But that's just me. Ya gotta build your layout, not mine. An interesting aspect of a doubletrack figure 8 is that a double crossover transforms it from two independent figure 8 loops into a twice-around (two laps without repeating).
Here is a Kato N Scale Unitrack doubletracked figure 8 (flyover, not crossing) that fits on a 36x80 hollow core door (or similarly sized base.) The double crossover allows conversion between two independent loops and a single, twice-around loop. The curves are all Unitrack super-elevated doubletrack. The crossovers could be elevated on doubletrack viaduct bases (e.g. bridges), or on ramped, earthen grades. The sidings are just some experiments in how they might line up with a small town street grid (at 45 degree angles to the layout.) The street grid would be parallel/perpendicular to the straight tracks of the figure 8. Just playin' around to see what could be done... As for my layout (in progress) I don't have a thread for it, but I think I posted an old version of it somewhere on TB. I'm still playing with siding arrangements. It is a folded dogbone style, with an extra loop inside the bend of the fold (making a figure 8 of sorts, with a grade crossing) for an industrial park. In other words, it is an unabashed spaghetti bowl! It is mocked up (again, on a 36x80 HCD), using Unitrack, with viaducts for the elevated trackage, but not wired or running. I have worked out the terrain/scenery in my head (with track grades incorporated in XtrackCAD), and the scenic base will be layered, extruded foam insulation board, carved to suit. Grades will use WS 3% grade incline strips.
Thanks Andy. Since I’m planning my layout I’m looking for different ideas. I’m finding that 3x10 feet isn’t as big a space in N as it sounds.
Unlike storage space, layout space takes a lot more effort and planning to effectively fill. Of course, your definition of "effectively" makes a big difference. And does a larger layout leave room for the activities involved with filling it? (model building, painting, scenery prep, railcar and loco maintenance/upgrade/repair/storage) Also, deeper than 3' (or less for many of us) requires access to all sides, thus increasing the working footprint for the layout. Even at 3' deep, mishaps on tracks at the very back may require moving the layout to get around behind it. Or a topside creeper (which takes more space to store.)
My layout is 36" deep. As to make it easier to access the back, I put 3" casters underneath. It's L-Shaped and there are seven legs. It's worked out very well.
You make good points, Andy. I think we all dream of someday building a very large layout but it can be too much for one person to build, maintain and operate. Thanks Hardcoaler. Casters are my plan B. Plan A is to put furniture sliders under the legs. I have leveling feet on the legs and sliders will allow me to level the layout if necessary. If the sliders don’t work as advertised I will replace the leveling feet with casters.
While waiting to get into our new home I’ve been playing with track planning software but haven’t come up with anything that floats my boat recently. To keep interest up and stay involved I am running a train on a 30”x72” folding table covered with green cloth. I’ve dubbed it the Folding Table Central. I don’t want it to get too complicated, just to provide a place for some train entertainment while impatiently waiting to start on a real layout. Here is the FTC:
Hi Joe! That is a great way to keep the interest going! I will have to keep this in mind. I am not looking forward to the day I have to take down my N Scale Housatonic RR when we retire and downsize. Eric
