25 year break ends with this plan :) HOn3

[RhB_HJ]

At 45" is the Valley station. Red is the Through line, Brown is the Mining/Logging/Whatever branch. The engine facility is black. As much of the "stuff" as possible is close to the front of the layout. All turnouts are intended as hand operated.
How "things" work should be straight forward. 

The any file with the differets layers will follow once I have the rest done.

[RhB_HJ]

H-J,

Nope. No windows are mentioned because there is aisle way around all sides of the layout. I suggested that he could really get a lot more operating room by putting the baseboard around the walls, but I haven't heard back yet if he's willing to consider it.

P.s. where's the rest of the track in your layout plan? I think the track gaps are a little wide...

Hmmmmmm I didn't see "aisle all the way around" anywhere. Interesting!  I'll finish what I started first and then consider the rest.   

[Jeff]

In any case, I think it's worth it to work it up both ways. AR is all about freedom of choice.

Well, back to work. It's Spring Cleaning Weekend, ya know...

[RhB_HJ]

Just as well that software is flexible! Quick change of approach required.

Now on that "accessible from all sides" .... that could be interesting. No restrictions on height, are there?   

[Jeff]

Nothing I know about, but I would assume your standard 8 foot ceiling. As soon as I get through an agonizing bout of cleaning directed by the wife, I'm going to get AR set up. At that point I may disappear for a while. I have to learn the newest version so I can contribute...

Your plan looks good, now that it's complete. The branch looks like it's set up for logging?

[RhB_HJ]

OK here comes another version on basically the same theme. Rudementary staging, a connection via a barge/ferry to get rolling stock to the "outside world". An ore loading dock for the same purpose. A completely separate level for the mining/logging area, the branch going to the mining area is considerably longer than the previous version in order to gain the height. The transition between the "water level" and the mine happens in steps - through tunnels. Engines are turned either on the Wye or at the Engine terminal.

To get a better idea how things fit and where they overlap it's best to work with the transparency on the upper level. BTW the mine brach starts "gently" and then hits the 4.2% grade. Just like the 1:1 versions.

That's all she wrote! 

[Jeff]

Nice job sneaking in that helix :-) :-) :-)

[RhB_HJ]

It will barely be recognizable as a helix once the scenery is in place on the different levels. That's where the tunnels come into play.

[Jeff]

On the other hand, the overlap with the top level terminus over the bottom level is kind of ugly. A little too much lap. Could you maybe extend the approach so that the upper station is southeast of the turntable?

[RhB_HJ]

That part of the lower level is like a shadow box tucked under the upper level, complete with backdrop etc.

[Jeff]

The tough part is going to be designing lighting that makes it look like it's not a box. Any ideas?

[RhB_HJ]

LED strings.

[Jeff]

I'be only seen one example of an LED that looks anything like a light I'd want as 'daylight' and that was in a flashlight where there was no chance of finding out who made 'em. So they are out there, somewhere. The only thing is that I don't like the idea of a box at all. But that's just me.

[RhB_HJ]

Visualize it like a balcony in a theatre, rather than a proper shadow box. Staging along the main is more like a proper shadow box, tunnels on either end and the branchline track overhanging it - on a separate fully scenicked level - after it exits the tunnel coming from the valley station. The trick will be in arranging the scenery very carefully to get the transitions, the illusions and the believability.
As far as light goes, keep it to a level that mimics a very sunny day but a cloud blocks the sun to the "under the balcony" portion. The LED strings are very popular for decorating purposes, the warm white variety is close to incandescents without generating the heat.

[Jeff]

The part that worries me most is still that box. It's going to be only as high as double the normal layer height. So, it's going to be maybe 8 or 9 inches inside. To my mind it's going to be tough to 'unsee' the box structure. I'm sure that it would help if there was enough depth to hide the back wall, but you're inches from the table edge.