Large N-scale layout

[Jeff]

"Not even talking about time and money"

Exactly. That is the last thing we need to discuss, per the owner's 'Givens & Druthers'.

[RhB_HJ]

In that respect I always take the global view when it comes to layout design, since all of "those minor details" are all part of the equation. Like the invisible elephant in the room. 

[RhB_HJ]

And to give some idea where I'm headed with this version: I added some of the people figures, the dispatchers console and the contour of the backdrop.

A lot more to come.

Why no .any file? I have to slim down the figure files first, neglected to do that when I put them together. And while I'm at it I'll also do something about the white rectangles around the figures. 

[RhB_HJ]

Central City - on the high plains - has a few extra wrinkles since it is the junction to the single track mainline heading Northeast. Sorting the eastbound freights should provide a lot of fun. Just like sorting the consists that come off the Northeast line, not a lot of room but enough to do the job. BTW for those who haven't noticed yet; railroads would rather see the cars standing at the delivery or pick-up points (the customers) instead of their yards. Apparently it's something about the money.

Central City's industries will be to the East of the station, with prevailing West and Northwest winds that keeps the smells drifting East.

[RhB_HJ]

Next step: Central City Industrial.

All of it right close to the aisle to make switchin a lot easier and since there's a variety of different "customers" it will be relatively short locals on alternating days - one day the grain silos, the nexy day the rest. Unless there is some urgent "stuff" in which case the engineer conductor better be on the ball, since running around the train gets "interesting" when cars are being loaded at the grain silos.

[RhB_HJ]

And two more industries North of the double track main. That local turn would be a lot of fun.

[KaiL]

Hans Joerg,

I have found .........., a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will. (Acts 13:22)

At first I thought this would be something Rhaetisch, but this is even better. I hope Jeff and his patron have a serious look at what you have produced.

This layout I can see being build and operated in a prototypical fashion. Sorry Jeff, but my vote goes to HJ.... because "been there, done that" and now I am the wiser for it...hahaha

[RhB_HJ]

Thanks Kai,

I guess I can fiddle and diddle with a few things along the double track main, but for now the concept is done. From open staging to open staging with plenty of entertainment and scenery along the way.

Enough track for the concept to work, the only bottlenecks at those locations where switching happens on either side of the main. Good timing and a dispatcher who is on the ball will make that a "piece of cake". Longish unit trains are designated as  "hot shots" and keep rolling from one end to the other. Mixed manifest trains drop blocks of cars along the way e.g. Honeydale, Bluewater and Central City, the wayfreights (local turns) take care of the rest.

That leaves the Uppsala Branch and the Northeast Main.    Something to do next week.

[Jeff]

HJ,

This is really an interesting layout concept. I see a branchline that includes some of the new 'Anti-Gravity Track' and a peninsula devoted to... Nothing? Perhaps you're not really done with the layout...

If so, then maybe you could actually draw a new northern end for the loop on the south end of the layout. I see a fairly tight curve with no reason shown. I'm sure that operation would be enhanced by a wider curve.

[RhB_HJ]

Jeff,

    say whut?

That leaves the Uppsala Branch and the Northeast Main.    Something to do next week.

In addition to all the exact elevations (lowest point is 1270mm/50" above floor) , a bunch of bridges, culverts, more water, tunnels, snow sheds, retaining walls, structures etc. etc.

BTW that anti-gravity track; plenty of examples for that on branch lines on either side of the 49th.

But today will be another glorious, sunny day on the CrossCountry ski tracks. 

[RhB_HJ]

This here is the Uppsala Branch, it starts at Bluewater and heads West climbing way above the lake. On that long climb there is one passing siding at Grizzly Hill. All downhill freights have to stop, let the brakes cool and recharge the air to full pressure.  The passenger service could be in the form of RDC sets (Budd Cars).

Uppsala (1750mm) is stacked above West Staging (1280mm) and the same crews that work West Staging will also work Uppsala, a four track yard in the big return loop.
The branch continues farther up the hill - a  one-turn giant helix to gain the height to clear the entrance door (2075mm) - and will eventually end at the junction with the NorthEast mainline. The yard at Uppsala is also open staging, but scenery is optional.

Open staging that is being manned can very easily be transformed into a "fiddle" situation with all the supposed industries along the branch having different cars picked up and delivered. Since both West and East Staging use the open concept, this could provide a huge amount of variety. In short a lot more to do than run trains in very big circles, with the same consists returning again and again. 

[RhB_HJ]

And then it is up the hill on that NorthEast mainline. That Peninsula that looked sort of lost is actually the transition from the lower level to the upper level.
Since the double track main disappears into a tunnel on the lower level to reappear at Downsview - which is last stop before Staging East - while the NorthEast main climbs the hill the scenery transitions very smoothly to the separate upper level. Two passing sidings (Hillside and Slide Siding) between Central City and Upon Hill. Upon Hill has two large industries, a lumber mill and a plywood plant.

Next and last stop along the line will be NorthEast staging which is also the junction to the Uppsala branch.

I got rid of the people standing around - they will be back later - and that shrinks the Any file quite a bit. 

[RhB_HJ]

This should be it as far as the track goes. Yes Staging NorthEast sits above Staging East. The footprint remains the same the track config between all four staging areas are very similar for some (too me) logical reasons:
a) much easier to build (from benchwork to wiring)
b) much easier on the crews who work staging. Once they know how to operate Staging West - the most complex - the other three are a piece of cake.
c) the scenery in each can be as detailed as required/desired.
d) the inner most tracks are always the potential "fiddle" tracks.

Other than the Uppsala branch the grades ar nice and easy.
Using more or less symmetrical elements speeds construction, most of the benchwork elements could be pre-fabed in the shop and then moved. The less mess in the layout room the better.

When I get "a-round-to-it" I'll add "more stuff" that goes with an operating layout.  Any of the operating layouts that I know of, or got to operate on, have a a definite scheme that goes with the theme. And all of them boil down to "there is a reason why this equipment is moving".

[Jeff]

Jody,
I felt like I should let you know where things are headed. I was all set to finish off version 1, but it really is almost done, so I decided to let it 'ferment' a while. I have version 2 well underway, so I thought I would put it up and let HJ take pot-shots at it while I finish it off and get on to version 3. Most of this activity is meant to find what I feel is the 'best' benchwork plan for this big a space, given the parameters and future plans (i.e. especially the second layer). Anything going in the basement will need to be very simple so that it can be ripped up and replaced by operating space instead of just some turn-around loops. As it develops, this version features open staging. Once v5 springs to life, I will post a more complete picture. I've been doing the heavy lifting with that, so that I can chase the bugs out of the closet.

[Mike from CT]

I just found this thread and thought I'd try my hand and it....

In additional to the givens and druthers, a couple of operational concepts to help with where I'm going:

• layout is point-to-point, but with hidden (no fiddling) staging and return loops
• layout is walkaround - no duckunders except when needed for emergencies on hidden track
• maximum reach is 24", scenes in corners may be deeper, but track is not
• layout abutting walls is 24" deep, except in port, where access will be available between piers jutting into aisle (aisle will be shifted left to maintain minimum aisle width, shortening horizontal width of peninsula spiral)
• layout not abutting the walls is double sided peninsula with view block.  Average (initial planning) depth is 18", but will be more when needed or less when helpful (remember that, in mountainous scenery, depth of scenery affects the height of scenery).
• reference height is set to zero.  This is the visible part of the layout along the top, right and bottom walls.  all other heights will be vertical distance from that
• aisles will be 48" wide - minimum acceptable with operations on both sides.
• while I believe the layout is far, for too large for anything but a sizeable club to maintain, I understand it's one man's dream and has to run with minimal hands.  Therefore, the schema should be kept relatively simple, with the goal of providing both a great viewing experience and also allow for operations worthy of the layout, when/if sufficient hands are available for an operating session.  Therefore, the layout/operating scheme is intended to be within the scope/abilities of existing computer-controlled software, such as jmri's autodispatcher in conjunction with automated block detection and control systems

A tour of the layout
(subject to change at the whim of the designer or on the suggestions of anyone who has suggestions)....

While layout is freelance, it helps to think of the visible portion with the west to the right of the operator (I hate that - much prefer more traditional map view where *East* is to the right, but it just helps with the concept).

There will be fuller descriptions of the various elements as they're completed.

The layout starts in the upper left, with hidden tracks tracks (from a hidden staging yard) from the east emerging from under tall buildings of the Chicago skyline, passing  the Amtrak engine and passenger prep and maintenance facilities and entering Union Station. The Union Station element is designed to handle both Amtrak and commuter service, although commuter service is limited to west bound traffic.  The final component of the element is the commuter service yards to the west of the station this is push/pull service, so there is no turning capability.

After passing the Metra yards, the train passes through an urban industrustrial area containing factories, freight storage and transfer facilities, and a modest intermodal yard.

Next comes La Bella Junction (don't look for that one on any map), where freight traffic from the west is routed around the city and and half the commuter traffic traffic heads southwesterly (both to another hidden staging yard - the primary one at this end of the layout).

Following the main on the layout (in a clockwise direction - always in a clockwise direction), next comes the port district.  Actually, this is modelled more on an international port than anything near Chicago, handling coal and grain from the west and trans-shipping both inbound and outbound general freight, containers, autos and anything else anyone wants to add....

Just beyond the port, in the bottom right corner is a major industry (steel? oil refinery? something big and dirty) modelled in relief and on the back-up.

Next, covering the longest wall of the layout room, is the much desired mega-freight yard, with engine facilities, arrival, departure and classification yards in both directions and the primary engine facility for freight service..

West of the yard, as we reach the right side of the room, is another large industry, also modelled in relief and on the backdrop.

By now, we've moved out of the city and primary industrial area and reach the end of the line for remaining commuter service, with some light industry and  allowing us to reduce the main to two tracks.  The town can be bracketed by two more, larger industries that are generally "cleaner" but still give a reason for a large town to be located here.

The land becomes more rural as we proceed, passing grainaries and another small town, before reaching the foothills (of the Rockies, of course) and our helper district.

From here, the main climbs the hills twisting past mines as it ascends one side of a canyon (the aisle), around high point curve and continuing up the other side of the Canyon to the surprisingly named "Summit" and the end of the helper district.  It's possible that a lumber branch that's been gradually descending from an even higher level can join the main here and interchange cars or even have operating rights over our trackage and headed for a paper mill we passed earlier.

There's one  smallish city beyond here - only the third stop for the intercity passenger traffic, but a of place for two sections of the train to join heading eastward or break up heading west (as wkith the Empire Builder at Spokane) before plunging into (Cascade/Sierra Nevada/Unaimum) mountains, and the staging yard beyond the other end of the visible layout.

Anyway, that's the goal for where the (very) preliminary layout below is heading.....

PS: You really don't want to see my two-tiered version, if I ever get around to that one - mushroomed or not, even..... )