Layout Design For Operations - From Concept to Execution

Transcription

1 Layout Design For Operations - From Concept to Execution Or How to Put Both You and the Layout in the Same Room Rockville MER 2013 Bob Reid

2 Layout Design for Operations From Concept to Execution MER 2013

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4 Part 1 Design Concepts Starting with a spare room What to do with the door What do we want the railroad to be or if you don t know where you re going almost any road will get you there Essential elements Make it fit! Use of narrow scenes Photos of the real thing to get you started

5 What we want the railroad to be Something that will fit into a small space Aisles large enough to permit more than one operator - at least in most places A sense of going from here to there OR a reason for the railroad to exist - this is the fun part Single track main to force train meets Avoidance of hidden track

6 Starting Points Spare bedroom 9 by 11 (maybe 10 by 12 with a small closet) or smaller its easy to design a layout to fit in a gym Preferable but not necessary: Door Modification to eliminate swing into room Pocket; Bi-fold; Double; Sliding No door - curtain Door rehung to swing out Permissible to have removable track section or to have a gate.

7 Problems with inswing doors Swing the door out; bifold, double In a small space the room for the door swing is about 4 sq ft or 4% and it cuts off the around the wall loop

8 A 4 x 8 Sheet of Plywood? Takes tons of room for outside aisles and can be put above almost nothing. Hollow core doors 14, 18, 20, 22, 26 OR cut your own

9 Essential Layout Elements Home base for operations. Engine house station-water coal oil fuel Track(s) for coaches MOW Fuel deliveries At least one classification track At least one staging/interchange track Destination(s) reason for existence At least one passing track A provision for continuous running??

10 Basic Oval = 40 in 10x12 36 in 9x11

11 Oval with center peninsula = 55 Small room or hollow core door. Passing, class, depot, interchange Home base Destination Staging, passing, interchange

12 Design Lessons Learned All essential elements in a simple design Upper double ended track is used as arrival/departure; classification; run around; interchange; passing; station Lower double ended track is used as passing; staging; interchange Plan can coexist in the room with other needs if the loop is hung above the level of the furniture and removable modules are used for the other elements

13 A larger more complicated plan uses the space previously wasted by the simple oval 10x12=50

14 Design Lessons Learned False front industries to save space Trees screening staging eliminate hidden track Use of peninsula as both yard and destination maximizes space utilization Wye permits turning entire consists Double sided backdrop separates scenes and extends apparent length of run

15 A 3d view

16 Optimizing the Center Peninsula Adding a turnback curve (i.e. BLOB) : 1. Extends the main line run 2. Allows two crews to work yards/industries at the same time 3. Effectively divides the room into separate scenes expanding the illusion of distance

17 Peninsulas with turn back curves require planning so they will fit Formula for success B = Outer benchwork section A = Aisle L = Loop = 2*radius +4 Simple Formula = 2B + 2A +L But choosing a minimum radius is important How to choose one that will work?

18 How era affects minimum radius or a good reason to choose an era (and location) Small locos, shays and cars Mike, Pacific, Mallet cars Berkshire, Northern, cars axle diesels(f, GP), cars axle units and cars 1980-Present AC s and cars The larger the loco and the longer the average car length the broader the radius

19 Standards help you figure out what will fit 2B+2A+L Minimum Average Wide N Scale Benches 2B = 6 2B = 20 2B = 16 2B= 12 Aisles (2) A = 36 A2.5=48 A = 40 A2.5=48 Loops L(20)=44 L(24)=52 L(30)=64 L(17)=36 Total Need Options Increase Radius Add 2 nd loop

20 A word on aisle width 24 aisles waste space 24 aisles will not allow two persons to pass A person (plumpish) requires 20 two people require 28 to pass back to back (front to front gets a little tricky) So..one 20 aisle plus one 28 passing aisle equals 2.5 aisles in 48 Narrow aisles can cause problems in double deck railroads (more later)

21 Center peninsula with two sides r = 20

22 Broad Radii in a small room interferes with operation because crews have to cross the center peninsula to follow their train BOTTLENECK

23 Factors to consider when using very broad radius If broader radius is used operators must jump from side to side while operating which disrupts following the trains Broad radii also reduce the amount of yard and industrial opportunities and consumes space in the corners Operators will be going from side to side so aisle width at the end of the peninsula becomes more of an issue

24 Stacked Loops allows broader radii/longer run, uses the vertical space in the room 70-76

25 Stacked loops with radii eliminates aisle jumping and separates the destinations. Uneven aisle widths(20 and 28 ) allow for more space where activity will be greatest

26 Lessons Learned Use of vertical space expands main line run (and everything else) Put wider aisles next to yards and other design elements where operators will congregate

27 In small spaces or O scale (gasp) switchbacks can be your friend

28 A Railroad On the Go An N Scale Timesaver in 4 with staging and #6 turnouts Only 6 pounds

29 And here it is in operation in the Florida Keys during Flagler s 100 th anniversary

30 Modeling narrow scenes

31 Adjusting structures to fit

32 Sawmill has been opened up to make a more linear structure

33 And sign added to cover the roof where Walther s attached the sorting shed

34 Seneca Rocks sawmill (you are standing in the log pond)

35 Kitbashed Industry: Open up a standard structure. In this case one end wall was cut to serve as both the right and left end walls and the other three were used for the front.

36 Signature Scene: I model Oct. 1, 1925 so general stores and delivery wagons are essential

37 1925: The age of steam

38 Grain Elevator Complex

39 Center of spiral aisle

40 Center looking back

41 Blob

42 Next section of Spiral

43 Overpass

44 Sawmill/Packing plant end

45 Outer aisle at rear

46 Outer Aisle at Rear Exit

47 Opposite Staging

48 Petersburg

49 Staging

50 Elkins End

51 Part 2 The Fun Stuff!! Multi-lap layouts Double decks Junctions and two railroads in one room Use of modular elements universal design to fit all spaces Altering published designs The 70% rule for upper deck width Messing with a classic Armstrong railroad Put the railroad on narrow shelves My Allegheny and Shenandoah

52 Three Laps Around

53 Shelf Design

54 Multi-lap design

55 Blackwater Canyon

56 Western Maryland

57 Vertical thinking and Combining Design Elements Tracks on Multiple levels o Multiple lines in the same space o Double decks Lap tracks to gain elevation eliminate space wasting helixes Dividing the layout into modules so it will fit More than one railroad in the same room

58 Beyond 80 run use the room as the helix introduction of lap tracks Use track around the outside wall of the room. I call them lap tracks. Go further up the space is free Use an around the wall ramp(s) between stacked loops or between decks to gain separation between levels (8-10 ) per lap Trains are never hidden Mountain climbing grades and helper districts are exposed so the action can be enjoyed

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60 RR-Track V4 software used

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62 Combining Large and Small Radii in the Same Railroad Use a broader radius curve at or near the outside of the room. You can add a prototypical junction station where the interchange line crosses the smaller home line. Depict your favorite class one (SF, N&W, C&O, PRR) and have it interchange with a local short line.

63 Confluence Junction in 9 x11

64 Confluence Junction Lap Track

65 Confluence Junction Destination Level

66 Lessons Learned Use of lap tracks provide full 17 of separation between decks without a helix Divided central peninsula results in a semi mushroom design and a raised floor provides easy access Use of 30 radius is possible for the simple outer oval trackage needed by big steam, 86 coaches or modern diesels and rolling stock

67 Modular Thinking In N, HO, ON30: Published plans can be modified/combined as shown below Harbor Module Main Module

68 Modules can fit anywhere and can be connected with around the room lap tracks

69 A simple modular plan for (almost) any space with lots of operation Spare room 8x9 to 12x14 Double deck on one wall only Logging theme (coal, steel, autos) Use of car ferry for interchange Could be ON30, SN*, HO, N Center section could be removable for storage in a closet or under a bed

70 Switchbacks gain elevation. Logging branch occupies space above main yard. Industrial section connects sawmill with logging camp Door Rehung 13

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72 The sawmill module can be located as needed then 2 smaller modules attached from each end

73 Switchbacks gain elevation. Logging branch occupies space above main yard. Industrial section connects sawmill with logging camp Door Rehung 13

74 Revised lower level

75 Revised middle level

76 Revised Upper level

77 Changes made Radius expanded to 24 Aisles now 7 feet no peninsula Room can more easily be multi use Much larger continuous run lap Expanded yard and industrial areas

78 Lap tracks the helix killer Connect levels with narrow ramps to make a modest grade lap around the room A thin fascia on the outside edge of the lap track painted blue hides the supports and the track the track appears to float on the backdrop At the end of the room opposite the peninsula add a passing track and/or an industrial area Modify the grade so that the industrial areas are flat

79 A word on double decked railroads Tight aisles mean you do not have room to back away from the railroad to view the lower deck. The upper deck will interfere with the view of the lower deck. If possible narrow the upper deck or move the track on the lower deck nearer the aisle If all else fails keep both decks narrow

80 Narrowing the upper deck can make a big difference 70% works well 100% 70%

81 70% rule and illumination

82 Use a gate to hold multiple levels: a 4 piano hinge supports the structure

83 A word about train lengths Double deck railroads with their longer main lines assume somewhat greater train lengths Everything in the layout must be kept in sync. Use a standard loco, plus a fixed number of freight car lengths for everything. i.e. - loco at 12 plus 12 cars at 5.5 = 77 Staging Passing tracks Yard departure and arrival tracks

84 I m too old for a duck under! John Armstrong s Atlantic and White Mountain 20 custom Designed Track Plans, John Armstrong, 1994, Kalmbach, used with permission

85 Upper level Atlantic and White Mountain 20 custom Designed Track Plans, John Armstrong, 1994, Kalmbach, used with permission

86 OMG! A redo of John s plan First, so I don t get accused of layout design heresy, this was my all time favorite plan for a bedroom for many years Great sense of going somewhere Strong purpose(s) for the railroad Logging Marble Wharf services both passengers and freight

87 So what s wrong with it? Helix in prominent entranceway position A large percentage of main is hidden track Aisles less than 20 in several places leaves minimal work space There is no place for crew to pass unless one of you ducks under the layout Limited staging Most of us do not have a stairway next to our layout bedroom to use

88 Changes

89 Atlantic and Green Mountain

90 Atlantic and Green Mountain

91 What have we accomplished? No helix 9x11 not 10x12 #6 s not #5 s Wider aisles lots of crew passing points Staging tracks added under first level Car ferry added Section under stairs eliminated

92 Recap running time at 25 scale miles per hour Oval minutes Branch minutes Peninsula minutes Stacked loops minutes 1 Lap minutes 2 laps minutes Second deck minutes No duckunder minutes

93 Allegheny and Shenandoah Large room example of a double deck railroad with no helix Upper decks at 70% of the width of lower Aisles at 30 minimum 30 radius Layout depicts Strasburg, Va to Parsons, WV

94 Shenandoah and Allegheny

95 A & S RR Upper

96 Lessons Learned Z shape of room led to a 11 9 waist where the formulas made sure it would fit. Spiral double decked peninsula added 350 to the main line run Moving the stairs 9 away from the wall allowed egress to the center of the RR Construction using ¾ plywood and David Barrow on steroids 8 double deck sections. 24 Subroadbed widths maximum Room prep and backdrop painting at the benchwork phase saved time and hassle

97 Track Design Software I use RR Track software and 3rdPlanit. RR Track is not like CAD. It s more like sectional track with unlimited sizes and radii. There are libraries for most scales and popular manufacturers. It will do layers, rudimentary scenery, grades etc. but none of that is necessary to meet design needs. 3DPlanit is harder to use but can produce more picturesque plans.

98 Golden spikes are very hard to find (and expensive) so the virtual variety was pressed into service here

99 Railroad room before spiral peninsula was constructed sawmill at upper left

100 Peninsula benchwork. The Z shape of the aisle is apparent.

101 Ceiling light reaches the lower level backdrop using the 70% upper deck rule thereby eliminating the need for lighting under the upper deck and allowing for thinner upper deck thickness and fascia

102 Staging and Class Yards

103 Why no one ever built a line from Strasburg, VA to Parsons, WV Layout in red West Virginia in black

104 Modular Industry occupies only 10 by about 4 feet

105 Consolidated Coal Mine also has been built in a straight line tipples at left

106 Schmidt s Sasparilla

107 Wicked Wanda s

108 General Store Panorama

109 Logging Branch is only 12 wide

110 Log Donkey and Hoist

111 Design tools You might want to do something easier than using a computer program. 1. Plan your space using the Squares method and figure out where the blobs will fit. 2. Use a domino or design element approach as advocated by Tony Koester or David Barrow. 3. Think in three dimensions. Staging can always be either above or below the layout and a lap track can be used to reach staging areas. 4. Use the formulas devise your own if needed!

112 Packing Plant

113 Tim s Tannery

114 Kitbashed Store from Art Curren s book

115 SP Trestle design per Joe Fugate s video

116 Thanks it s been a hoot Rbobreid@gmail.com