Layout trouble Ignore this if you wish

[Simon Greasly]

hello all yu know who this is by now. 

ANyways i've been having trouble with designing my new layout and i need a little help.

first of all here are the things that i wish to have on the layout.

ROundhouse complete with turntable with a minimum of 6 stalls.

A Passenger Station

A switching yard

and some kind of Railway Museum.

The Benchwork i'm using is an 3 ft wide by 8 ft long and is very sturdy. I placed it on wheels to allow mobility and it is constructed of plywood.

Anyone who wishes to help would be greatly appreciated.

Also about the Class J'sdo they really require 19 radius to run.

Thx again SG

[brokemoto]

This will require a large amount of room.  You will not fit all of this into one three-by-eight area.   You will need several modules of this size.  If you have the space, you might want to consider using N-TRAK modules if portability and disassembly is important. 

I would eliminate the casters.  Anyone, yourself included, could bump a module and dislocate some of the connecting track.  This could result in a disastrous derailment that would send power and rolling stock to the floor and cause extensive and expensive damage to your trains.

Any 4-8-4, be it the B-mann SPECTRUM J, the old B-mann Standard Line J, the B-man Standard Line ATSF 4-8-4, the C-C GN S-2/SP GS-4, the Kato GS-4 or any of the brass 4-8-4s out there will look and operate much better on a broader curve.  Does the B-mann require a nineteen inch curve?  It might.  I would tend to doubt that it would do well on anything smaller than fifteen inches.

[jprince46]

Simon,

Here is a link to mad mikes layouts - Towards the bottom you will find layout plans for building on a standard door.  There are a couple of plans that should fit your needs.

They are done with Atlas track, but can be downloaded and used with RTS7.

http://www.naisp.net/mfischer/m_train2.htm

If you are using Xtrakcad - then these trackplans should give you go great ideas and a good starting point.

Hope this helps

Jim

[PRRThomas11]

If you realy wanted to you could make a layout with just a yard and roundhouse and that stuff and make it just a swithching layout.

[Simon Greasly]

Okay i've doen a little tinkering with RTS7 and so far i've come up with some good ideas thanks to jprince for the link  but i need an opinion which roundhouse and turntable is easier to install Walters or atlas.

[jprince46]

Atlas is the easiest to install ---

Simply place it, connect your track, and screw it down....

I have the motor option - it works but it is LOUD!!!! - Evern so, get it as you will get carple tunnel from turnung the knob

Walthers is larger, and requires you cut out the benchwork to drop it in.

For ease - Atlas -- If you have longer engines, you may have to deal with the Walthers.

From other train boards, I have heard that the Atlas is much more reliable, and if you go to DCC, you do not have to mess with wiring or anything else.

Jim

[Simon Greasly]

speaking of longer engines will a bachmann articulated fit on it?

Also i've been wondering is con-cor really out of production becuase if not then i want to buy a Commodore Vanderbilt and Hudson

[jprince46]

It is hard to guess as there are no specifications on the length of the engine.  My guess would be no on an Atlas - maybe on the Walthers.

Jim

[anoldrail]

walthers will hold the Bachmann 2-6-6-2 and the atlas 2-8-8-2.  The atlas turntable won't. 

[jackwade]

I have a 2-6-6-2 and it fits on my atlas N gauge turntable. Just barely but it does fit.

Jack

[rains train]

Ya, and some of the walthers are a bit pricey too..

[PRRThomas11]

Also i've been wondering is con-cor really out of production becuase if not then i want to buy a Commodore Vanderbilt and Hudson

Heres a thread on that.
http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/board/index.php/topic,2363.0.html

[GlennW]

You can get casters with a locking mechanism that prevents the benchwork from rolling away. It's more important to have an ability to adjust your legs to be sure your tabletop is level. With all the laser levelers, this chore ought to be a lot easier. You may want to check out the office supply store. There's all kind of devices to keep the legs put & not make a huge divot in the carpet.

The 3 ft wide presents a problem. It is too narrow. Perhaps you can make some "turns" that are 4ft wide. Remember that the radius is 1/2 of the diameter. This is from the centerline of the track. You never want the track to get too close to the edge. The 8 ft length seems fine.

You may end up giving up on some of your "wishes"

[Edward]

Your layout sounds like the one in my head, with the Empire State Building on one edge and the San Fran bridge on the other.

My only suggestion would to be look up  www.ntrak.com .

Good luck

Ed

[Simon Greasly]

i'd like to thank everyone who helped out. I found a Design that would work well for the dimensions that i have made. Also i've decided to go with the atlas turntable it is just a lot easier. Once again thank you all.....but before i close is there anyway i could get some wiring tips for the design from one of you. i'll gladly send the layout plan