Sketching Plans
My health is still consistently 'poor'... since January, for the most part. I really haven't gotten much of anything done around the house as a result. Unfortunately, my 'to-do' list continues to grow. I'm really itching to feel well enough to do something significantly productive!
While my health tries to recover, I've been occupying my waking hours on the couch with creating sketches of plans for the train room. There are a LOT of things on my 'to-do' list before I can even begin to try to tackle this project but it is always nice to have a plan! It is also nice to exercise my brain while my body recovers.
The room is 12' x 8'... so, it is a decently sized room. I've already done some work in this room including installing new flooring, a new walk-in closet and new heating. I still need to build the little workbench alcove on the lower right side of the image, finish the ceiling, and build high-end bookcases.
Underneath all of these train tracks will be open shelving in high-end bookcases for displaying trains. I'll probably add some lighting to these display bookcases.
These trains are O scale trains (Lionel train size) so they are fairly large. Previously, I've modeled in N scale which is tiny. The advantage of N scale is the ability to have big scenes in small places and the ability to run long trains. The disadvantage is it is not a scale for shaky hands and lousy eyesight. Since I have shaky hands and lousy eyesight, I needed to move into a larger scale.
Lately, I've been working on our grandson's train layout in HO scale which is half the size of O scale. I don't know why but I've never really warmed up to HO scale so modeling in this scale was never an option for me. HO scale has the most products available but that is the only advantage to that scale as far as I'm concerned. It is both too big and too small at the same time. I simply do not like the scale.
Unfortunately, the larger the scale, the more room you need. I chose to run the layout along the walls of this room so I can keep curves as sweeping as possible. This will also allow me to run in a loop whenever I feel like it! The middle of the room will be wide open too which is really nice.
The outside loop is a dual gauge track that I will be handlaying one tie at a time, one rail at a time. This outer loop will accommodate O scale standard gauge and On30 narrow gauge. I've designed the track for this outer loop so I can run 3-rail trains, or 2-rail trains, or my narrow gauge trains on it. All the track inside that outer loop is On30 narrow gauge track.
On the far end of the room (opposite the door), I will create an eight foot length of city scene... buildings, some tall, will populate this section... illuminated city streets... going vertical with buildings and levels... even some waterfront. The track plan is simple in this scene but I will make up for this simplicity by creating an interesting city scene that stretches upward.
On the long side wall, I will create an eight foot length of rural scene... large trees, vegetation... a freight transfer station to transfer freight between narrow gauge waterfront trains to standard gauge trains... some industry... a pier... waterfront... and even passenger service.
I designed a hinged lift-up section to allow for access to our walk-in closet. The scenery on this lift-up section will be fairly simple... marshy with tracks on pilings.
In order to allow access to the room and access to my workbench alcove, I am designing a portable bridge to complete the loop. This bridge will be in three sections with one section being hinged to allowed a small lift-up section so people can easily enter or exit the room. I'm still toying with different ideas for this three section bridge. When not in use, I will be able to dismantle this bridge into four pieces... two bridge sections (one section being the hinged bridge so it folds back over onto itself... and two bridge pylon towers to hold up this long portable bridge. My plan is to be able to easily store this portable bridge in pieces in the walk-in closet.
I can envision most of this layout in my imagination. It will be a relatively small and simple O scale layout but I plan to make up for this with high quality scenery. Believe me, it looks good in my head!
I wish I could start on it now!
While my health tries to recover, I've been occupying my waking hours on the couch with creating sketches of plans for the train room. There are a LOT of things on my 'to-do' list before I can even begin to try to tackle this project but it is always nice to have a plan! It is also nice to exercise my brain while my body recovers.
The room is 12' x 8'... so, it is a decently sized room. I've already done some work in this room including installing new flooring, a new walk-in closet and new heating. I still need to build the little workbench alcove on the lower right side of the image, finish the ceiling, and build high-end bookcases.
Underneath all of these train tracks will be open shelving in high-end bookcases for displaying trains. I'll probably add some lighting to these display bookcases.
These trains are O scale trains (Lionel train size) so they are fairly large. Previously, I've modeled in N scale which is tiny. The advantage of N scale is the ability to have big scenes in small places and the ability to run long trains. The disadvantage is it is not a scale for shaky hands and lousy eyesight. Since I have shaky hands and lousy eyesight, I needed to move into a larger scale.
Lately, I've been working on our grandson's train layout in HO scale which is half the size of O scale. I don't know why but I've never really warmed up to HO scale so modeling in this scale was never an option for me. HO scale has the most products available but that is the only advantage to that scale as far as I'm concerned. It is both too big and too small at the same time. I simply do not like the scale.
Unfortunately, the larger the scale, the more room you need. I chose to run the layout along the walls of this room so I can keep curves as sweeping as possible. This will also allow me to run in a loop whenever I feel like it! The middle of the room will be wide open too which is really nice.
The outside loop is a dual gauge track that I will be handlaying one tie at a time, one rail at a time. This outer loop will accommodate O scale standard gauge and On30 narrow gauge. I've designed the track for this outer loop so I can run 3-rail trains, or 2-rail trains, or my narrow gauge trains on it. All the track inside that outer loop is On30 narrow gauge track.
On the far end of the room (opposite the door), I will create an eight foot length of city scene... buildings, some tall, will populate this section... illuminated city streets... going vertical with buildings and levels... even some waterfront. The track plan is simple in this scene but I will make up for this simplicity by creating an interesting city scene that stretches upward.
On the long side wall, I will create an eight foot length of rural scene... large trees, vegetation... a freight transfer station to transfer freight between narrow gauge waterfront trains to standard gauge trains... some industry... a pier... waterfront... and even passenger service.
I designed a hinged lift-up section to allow for access to our walk-in closet. The scenery on this lift-up section will be fairly simple... marshy with tracks on pilings.
In order to allow access to the room and access to my workbench alcove, I am designing a portable bridge to complete the loop. This bridge will be in three sections with one section being hinged to allowed a small lift-up section so people can easily enter or exit the room. I'm still toying with different ideas for this three section bridge. When not in use, I will be able to dismantle this bridge into four pieces... two bridge sections (one section being the hinged bridge so it folds back over onto itself... and two bridge pylon towers to hold up this long portable bridge. My plan is to be able to easily store this portable bridge in pieces in the walk-in closet.
I can envision most of this layout in my imagination. It will be a relatively small and simple O scale layout but I plan to make up for this with high quality scenery. Believe me, it looks good in my head!
I wish I could start on it now!
Comments
Post a Comment