Indoor Layout Design Questions

[Loco Bill Canelos]

HI All,
Well I am finally going to start benchwork for an indoor 1:20.3 RR, as I am finding it harder and harder to crawl around at ground level, tryiing with bad eyes to screw in those tiny screws in the Aristo track.

I will be in a space 37 1/2 feet long and 10 1/2 feet wide.   I will need to build a passing siding on a curve and the outside curve will be 10 ft diameter.  What diameter do I use for the inside curve using Aristo TRack.  Will 9 ft diameter work? or do I have to go smaller? 

My biggest loco's are my Connie's, and my rolling stock is all Bachmann including passenger cars. 

Also would be interested in what any of you feel is the minimum spacing for double track on a mainline or in a small yard. 

Any other traps or hard lessons learned you wish to share will be appreciated, with respect to building indoors.

I did not realize how free I was with design in the great outdoors!!  When I needed a little wider space I just moved a little more dirt till things fit.  Now I feel really constricted, but none the less wish to go ahead with the indoor project.

Bill

[altterrain]

Bill,

I made 9 and 10 foot curves work together outside. Initially I had a spot (where the E-8 is in the pic) where I got a bit of bumping (especially the steps on Aristo Sierra cars) so I took about a inch out of the straight leading to the inner curve and pulled it back just a bit. No more problems since then but I'm not running 1:20 stuff either.



-Brian

[Matthew (OV)]

Welcome to the world of mouse mazes for people!



Matthew (OV)

[Loco Bill Canelos]

Brian,

That E-8 looks pretty darn nice on the 10 foot curve.  Are the passenger cars full length or shortys?  Your track work looks fantastic, Have you painted the sides?  It looks very realistic!!  Your idea of shortening the straight track sounds good.  What would you say your spacing is from center to center between the two curves?   I need to order track      yikes!!  so appreciated your input.   I will take advantage of the Aristo buy 4 get one free deal though.    Bill

Matthew,

Thanks for the welcome.  Nice cramming job there.  I am not going to have quite the problem you do. as I will be putting my layout in a 30 foot by 50 foot metal building.   Unfortunately I still need space for my tractors and bucket loader so will be restricted to the 37 and a half by 10 and a half foot space inside.   Even then I will have to store some equipment under the benchwork.  When I built the building I had thought about getting a 40 by 60, but was deterred by the extra cost and did not have an indoor layout in mind at all.  Wish Im had done it now.  A friend of mine has a people maze in his place pretty much like yours.  The things we do to enjoy our hobby!!!!

Bill

[Matthew (OV)]

Just remember, if you go a bit larger than 10' you can put in a 10' diameter (5' radius) curve to turn around, allowing some of the more modern equipment to fit.....   

You could always get a carport for the tractor.... 

Seriously, you also might consider "Trackage Rights" in the "working" side of the garage, where your trains run along a narrow shelf on the wall, thereby allowing a wye or other extention for turning around or looping back.  Won't interfere with parked loaders (if you park carefully) and will make things a great deal more functional.



Matthew (OV)

[altterrain]

Brian,

That E-8 looks pretty darn nice on the 10 foot curve.  Are the passenger cars full length or shortys?  Your track work looks fantastic, Have you painted the sides?  It looks very realistic!!  Your idea of shortening the straight track sounds good.  What would you say your spacing is from center to center between the two curves?       Bill

Thanks Bill. They are the smoothsides, same length as the heavyweights at 30+ inches. Yes, that's Aristo stainless track spray painted. A bit of work but it really improves the look of it. I went out and measured the track centers. Its starts out at 7 inches at the beginning of the curves and is 9 inches in the middle of the curve.

-Brian

[Loco Bill Canelos]

Brian. Thanks for the measurements, I'm going to order the track and fiddle with it till it works.  I will set it up on the floor and make sure my clearances are good before putting the risers on the benchwork.

Matthew, The multiple doors and built in parts bins make running around the wall impractical, but I do have enough space to use 5 foot radius to turn around.  I will also have a track running through a wall into my heated workshop. with a three track yard/staging /interchange setup.  I may go through an outside wall to the existing outdoor railroad as well.  First I want get my basic benchwork up and get some track laid.  Thanks for your suggestions.

Bill