Rough Sketch Trackplan

Here is a current sketch of some ideas for the train room. It includes:

• 2 level offline staging yards that would be the same size.
• Continuous loop on the upper level
• Upper level major attraction is the small city East McKeesport switching
• Lower level has the Irwin Yard and Herminie Mine attractions
  

I don't have any sort of interchange which I am willing to sacrifice if it does not work.I liked having an active P&LE line that provided some switching as well as the interchange but I could do a static interchange where the cars are positioned for pick up at the beginning of the operating session and drop offs "leave" the layout between the sessions.

Lower Level

Upper Level

Options and Options

Bruce sent me a draft of a two level track plan that had some great ideas but a few limitations as well. I am afraid I will dither over the track plan for ages while I try and find the optimal arrangement for the dedicated space I have. I got two books for my birthday: Basic Model Railroad Benchwork and Designing & Building Multi-Deck Model Railroads that I hope will help with the planning but there are so many decisions:

• Do I tackle 2 level layout with the challenges of bench height and a helix for a mainline run or settle for a simple, and short, point-to-point or continuous loop.
• What givens do I need to sacrifice - operations, switching, continuous run, an interchange with P&LE, operating a P&LE train, east and west staging yards, etc. 
• Since running trains is how I best stay interested in the hobby, what can I do to get something running quickly and reliably.

The new issue of Model Railroader has a track plan for Coloma Junction which is a 9' x 13' continuous loop that had a couple of interesting compromises especially on how to address the interchange - make it non operational. Instead of having a P&LE train come onto the visible layout, drop off/pick up cars from the interchange and service some sidings, just have an interchange track with the drop off cars waiting for the PRR to exchange. Sort of like another siding. I sort of wanted to be able to run a P&LE engine (Bachman has a nice Alco S-4 that even has sound!) but I can live without it if makes things too difficult. 

Trying to work all these ideas and THEN I have to try and actually draft it in a track plan which is NOT working out. So, I gave in and instead added some shelves in the room for my books and magazines.

Well, at least that worked out well! 

Friends and Trackplans

September 1985 the United States Air Force moved me to Dayton OH where I was stationed at Wright Patterson Air Force Base. Just a few months later, another newly commissioned 2nd Lieutenant reported to the Airlift & Trainers Program Control office and I was assigned to show him the ropes. Turns out, both Bruce Johnson and I had an interest in trains. That started a collaborative friendship that has lasted nearly 27 years.

Bruce and I built a small shelf layout in my apartment at the time. I forget if it was a published trackplan or something we came up with. It was only my second layout - after the under bed one my Dad built - and we never got beyond the benchwork and track laying because Lisa and I got engaged and I moved to a bigger apartment. I left the Air Force and Bruce went on to make it a career, retiring a few years ago. He and his family were stationed at several different bases but always came back to Wright Patt.

Bruce heard I had a new layout space and we emailed back and forth a few times. Yesterday he stopped over so he could get a feel for the space available and we spent over 3 hours tossing around ideas to optimize the 10' x 10' space. Bruce is very good at drawing track plans and I knew his help here would be invaluable. We came up with the following design elements:

• Point-to-point, operationally similar to the last layout at Restway
• Multi-level, 2 decks with a helix in the corner by the exterior door
• Keep the Irwin yard track arrangement as much as possible
• Two offline staging yards in the main garage, one on each level of the layout, representing East and West staging
• A loop for continuous running on the upper level via a nod-under bridge over the entrance

Bruce said he would noddle on these and sketch some ideas over the next couple of weeks so after my vacation plans, we may have something to discuss. It would be great if we can get some benchwork in place before fall and do some serious trackwork over the winter. 

Now I need to figure out what to do with the cut up pieces from the old layout! Stay tuned.