Atlas Model Railroad Co.
Atlas Model Railroad Co.
Home | Profile | Register | Active Topics | Members | Search | FAQ
Username:
Password:
Save Password
Forgot your Password?

 All Forums
 Atlas Model Railroad Forums
 N Scale Model Railroad Forum
 My new home means it's layout plannin time!
 New Topic  Reply to Topic
 Printer Friendly
Author Previous Topic Topic Next Topic  

Ed Kapuscinski

Fyro Macedonia
1618 Posts

Posted - 11/06/2009 :  10:43:02  Show Profile  Visit Ed Kapuscinski's Homepage  Reply with Quote
Well, a week ago my wife and I bought our first house, and I've made good headway through the honeydo list (the fact that it'd be short was a major plus with the place). We're moving all of our furniture in slowly over the next few weeks, but will probably be living there in two weeks.

This means that all my modeling stuff is packed, but not my pencil, so it's time to start my layout planning, and I'm really interested in some community feedback.

First I've written up a brief about what it is I'm trying to model: http://conrail1285.com/news.asp?storyid=20

Then I've got an explanation of the space:
http://conrail1285.com/news.asp?storyid=64

And finally, my first draft of the first section I'm going to sketch out:
http://conrail1285.com/news.asp?storyid=65

So, what are your thoughts? Ideas? "Don't Do That!"s?



Visit: http://Conrail1285.com | Join: http://TheCRHS.org

up1950s

Madagascar
9297 Posts

Posted - 11/06/2009 :  11:11:58  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
If you pass through the wall from one room to the other , find the stud location and hidden wiring before you draw up track plans . Consider where the Mrs plans to put lamps , the shades diameter may matter as to how far out your shelving can extend from the wall . Same with people getting up and sitting down on the couch or stairs .

Richie Dost

Photos http://picasaweb.google.com/up1950s

Go to Top of Page

Ed Kapuscinski

Fyro Macedonia
1618 Posts

Posted - 11/06/2009 :  11:25:34  Show Profile  Visit Ed Kapuscinski's Homepage  Reply with Quote
Luckilly, I don't think I'll have the lamp situation to deal with here, since it won't be that shared.

And I luck out with the other room too, the back of the wall is unfinished.


Visit: http://Conrail1285.com | Join: http://TheCRHS.org
Go to Top of Page

victor miranda

3698 Posts

Posted - 11/06/2009 :  11:35:02  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
ed,
finish the wall.
and remember it is very hard to install too many electrical outlets.

v
Go to Top of Page

DJCONWAY

USA
1715 Posts

Posted - 11/06/2009 :  16:53:51  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Ed,

I'll say it also -- finish the wall.

Looks like you're off to a goos start. Sharpen that pencle and buy a roll of tracing paper, draw the hard limits in red on the bottom most layer, make each subsequent layer more mobil than the last. Don't be afraid to roll up the current layer of track and try different things, don't throw away just roll it up.

This can be one of the most fun phases of layout building -- an empty basement, and dreams.
Go to Top of Page

up1950s

Madagascar
9297 Posts

Posted - 11/06/2009 :  17:03:18  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Finish the wall , but before you do take pictures of it , and the wiring you added . Down the road being able to see that xray shot will be helpful . Something one should do if they are building a house or just adding on . With digital cameras this is easy now-a-days .

Richie Dost

Photos http://picasaweb.google.com/up1950s


Edited by - up1950s on 11/06/2009 17:03:48
Go to Top of Page

Ed Kapuscinski

Fyro Macedonia
1618 Posts

Posted - 11/06/2009 :  17:21:58  Show Profile  Visit Ed Kapuscinski's Homepage  Reply with Quote
Wait wait, I don't need to finish any walls. It's unfinished on the "unfinished" part of the basement. The layout room itself is all ready to go (well, except it doesn't have the requisite holes in the wall to staging...).

And I figure my plan will be to do these sketches, then cad it up to get it all to fit.


Visit: http://Conrail1285.com | Join: http://TheCRHS.org
Go to Top of Page

nkalanaga

USA
2723 Posts

Posted - 11/06/2009 :  18:58:28  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
You still might want to finish the unfinished walls that will be blocked by tracks. If you ever decide to finish that portion of the basement it will be a little hard to do with railroad in the way!

N. Kalanaga
Be well.
Go to Top of Page

PGE_Modeller

Canada
66 Posts

Posted - 11/06/2009 :  21:51:24  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Ed,

If you don't already have one, get a copy of John Armstrong's "Track Planning for Realistic Operation". Go through his process of establishing your "Givens and Druthers". Givens include such things as any non-negotiable limits regarding the space, access to windows (emergency exits), electrical panels (pay attention to codes, here. In British Columbia, the electrical code code says I must have a 36" wide area under the electrical panel with nothing located there.) For this reason, my layout is in a separate room, not in the recreation room where the electrical panel is located. "Druthers" are the things you would like to include ("I'd rather do this than that".

Once you have the "Givens & Druthers" list and have established your minimum radius, go to section headed "Doodling by the squares". This defines a "track planning square" in terms of minimum radius and separation of two tracks with one of them at your minimum radius. It also contains information on what will fit in a "square". If you pay attention to this when you are sketching possible arrangements, you can be virtually assured that when you move on to doing a finished plan in CAD, it will fit your space.

Have fun! You are embarking on one of the truly creative aspects of this great hobby!

Cheers,

Go to Top of Page

Trevor D. CSX Crr fan

Canada
296 Posts

Posted - 11/06/2009 :  23:52:47  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
First off,

Congrats on the new basement, er, house! There's nothing like having your own place!
I'd like to second what Tim mentioned about the electrical cabinet, MAKE SURE about the local codes!

Don't underestimate turnout lengths! Alot of trackplans don't work out because people underestimate the amount of space yard ladders and even crossovers can take.

Is it at all possible to combine the "dispatchers office" & "big a$$ work bench" to be multi-functional?[:-paperbag] Butt seriously[:-spin], where is the door for the dispatchers office located and which way does it swing?

I'm surprised your not planning on doing the B&A line, what with all those C30-7As, probably not enough in the way of local switching on that line though.

Trevor D.
Go to Top of Page

Ed Kapuscinski

Fyro Macedonia
1618 Posts

Posted - 11/07/2009 :  09:58:21  Show Profile  Visit Ed Kapuscinski's Homepage  Reply with Quote
Greg, Thanks for the mention of John Armstrong's G&D list. I haven't really gone into that because, well, I've pretty much got it all in my head anyway. Maybe I should write it out though.

Trevor, thanks for the congratulations. Luckily the electric stuff is all in the workshop area, not the layout room, this is just the gas meter. If the bench were any bigger, it WOULD be usable from the D.O.!

I'm definitely going to CAD it all out. My first step is to do these sketches to get the concept hashed out, then use CAD to see what I actually can do.

Its funny you mention the B&A. I've been watching a lot of Carl Weber's photos being added to the CRHS archive, and while they're amazing, it's not the railroading I grew up with. I think it's funny that my sig image has a C30-7 (it's not an A :-( ) while my roster is pretty much all EMD. But a few GEs will show up on the PYSE/SEPY trains to and from Selkirk.

I'm not really planning on ever really "finishing" the workshop area.



Visit: http://Conrail1285.com | Join: http://TheCRHS.org
Go to Top of Page
  Previous Topic Topic Next Topic  
 New Topic  Reply to Topic
 Printer Friendly
Jump To:
Atlas Model Railroad Co. © 2000-05 Atlas Models Go To Top Of Page
This page was generated in 0.3 seconds. Snitz Forums 2000