DCC Layout Planning - GordonBB v1

[GordonBigBoy]

Apologies if this is posted in the wrong forum - dont know where else to go and advice here has been really helpful to date.

 

I have been looking at layouts for the past 2 weeks. I have two walls in the corner of my study (cave) which measure 10

 

x12 feet. I can put a 4 foot deep board along the 10 foot wall and a 2 foot deep board along the 12 foot wall. Any comment on the photo in the link would be very much appreciated. The plan is to connect red to red; yellow to yellow; and green to green to join

 

up the 2x plans. There will be a 4 amp supply. Thanks in anticipation.

 

http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/o529/GordonBigBoy/gordonbigboylayoutv1.gif

[GordonBigBoy]

CORRECTION - can put a 5 feet deep board and a corner to fit the larger layout.

[Southernman777]

GordonBigBopy,

 

Hi, your layout plan looks impressive. This should keep you busy for a while and it seems to me a super layout for operation interest too. I guess you will add some stock storage too - either hidden sidings or shelves?

 

You

 

will need to / have looked at the gradients required and length of trains you intend to run. Most Hornby locos can pull a decent train of 'up-to-date specification stock' up 1 in 30 or less step incline.

 

The other point worth looking at in the planning

 

stage is your access points for all the track - especially for a five foot deep baseboard. It will be hard to lean over to the back to clean the track, minor maintenance and sort out any de-railments etc.

 

Warm regards, Have fun.

[GordonBigBoy]

Thanks Southernman. Searching the net I found a Bradbrook layout construction (work in progress) by another modeller - a full view picture is here http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/o529/GordonBigBoy/bradbrookunderconstruction.gif. This gives an idea

 

of what the gradients might look like.

As far as I can make out there are no reverse loops to contend with, but I would be grateful for a second opinion on that point.

Yes I would certainly plan more sidings for truck storage - I have plenty of room

 

on the Penzance side I think.

The access point is a good point which I had overlooked! Need to think about that and will need to make a slight change to the layout somehow to allow for the necessary reach. Pleased you think it is do-able.

 

 

 

[GordonBigBoy]

errant full stop. try this: http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/o529/GordonBigBoy/bradbrookunderconstruction.gif

[Flashbang]

Hi

You do have a reverse loop issue with the track plan shown in your first post - top hyper link to track plan.

If you mark the one tracks upper rail red and the lower rail black where the red dot is leading off the main board towards the terminus

 

and then follow them carefully into the terminus station. Then follow those same rails down over the terminus cross-over points back out via the green dot then onto the main layout again where the Green dot is and down through the platform and to the cross-over

 

points on the lower left curve you will find the red rail meets the black rail!

 

To overcome this, make the whole section of track from the green dot to the lower left cross-over point tip the isolated track section and feed the whole section from the

 

reverse loop module.

[Flashbang]

I think these two drawings of the track plan show the problem? and how to overcome it....

http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z311/Flash_bang/gordonbigboylayoutv2.jpg

http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z311/Flash_bang/gordonbigboylayoutv3.jpg

 

So

 

long as the track length between the four IRJs is longer than your longest train, the RVM will control the rail polarity fully and no running issues should be seen.

[Fishmanoz]

Hi Gordon BB, I agree with Flashbang about the reversing loop and how to fix it. And I have a couple of other points for you:

- there is no problem reaching anything if you make the 2 operating cutouts as shown, and

- I'm confused as to how you intend

 

to connect yellow to yellow. As far as I can see, there is insufficent height in the upper track area anywhere near yellow on Bradbrook to allow you to get under to Penzance - red gets under at the back where the upper is higher.

 

Looks like a great

 

layout though.

[Fishmanoz]

And unlike the simple reversing loop feed from one point, this time you can't do away with the RLM (not RVM as per Flashbang) and switch track polarity in the isolated section in synch with throwing the point. There is no single point that you pass through

 

in this layout.

I am of course referring to my suggestion in your other thread which says you can operate without an RLM as long as you stop in the loop while you throw the point and have a switch on the point which changes the polarity.

[Flashbang]

RVM?? Where did I get that from??

Its often referred too as a RLM - Reverse Loop Module or at times even an ARM - Automatic Reverse Module. But never a RVM! :-(

 

 

[Fishmanoz]

I think you were going in ReVerse Flashbang.

[Southernman777]

Hi, some useful comments on the reverse loop - but some solutions also. If DC is used then isolating sections can be used and if DCC control a reverse loop module with the required section so it's good to go.

 

For the access points the layout baseboard

 

has some 'access holes', shown in the photograph too, which should work to good effect as noted by others. But I assumed you might have some storage sidings at the back - which would be good but they still require access for cleaning etc. There are often scenic

 

items that can get in the way too so consider having some removable as necessary.

 

It would be good to draw out the actual connection of the 'two layouts' so you can plan the radii & gradients required. Otherwise you'll be doing what I have done recently,

 

cutting baseboards to suit track laying rather than laying track on the baseboard! It worked in the end.

 

What stock - period/s do you intend to use? It seems a super layout with lots of operational interest. Have fun.

[Flashbang]

Fishmanoz said:
I think you were going in ReVerse Flashbang.

Yeah... Don't know whether I'm coming or going!!! :-)

[GordonBigBoy]

Hi everyone, had time to mull this over now, and thank you for all the input - took me a little time to understand and comprehend. It must be as easy as reading a book to experienced modellers, but I struggled and needed a little self help.

I (think)

 

I have come up with a simple tool for complete beginners like me to plan a layout graphically without investing in (and learning) a new software package. Using this you can easily see where reverse loops occur in any layout plan that you might be considering.

 

I have used Powepoint where you can simply drag and drop the pre-drawn lines where you want, remembering to copy and paste each as you require them from the LH side of the slide. The drawing is not designed to be to scale or geometrically correct, and my elevations

 

are no doubt optimistic and access cutouts in the baseboard are not there yet, but I think it proves a constant polarity for DCC (if that is the term to use). Happy to share by email if any newbie wants the PPT file to play around with. Comments and further

 

advice appreciated.

http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/o529/GordonBigBoy/LayoutDCCPolarityCheck.png

 

 

[GordonBigBoy]

Southernman, I am not really going for a particular period - just maximum operation and diversity, and colour. I have the following purchases so far (many awaiting collection in UK):

 

Flying Scotsman Set R1072 (old) and recently added the 3 additional

 

coaches which are currently on offer at Argos!

Virgin Pendolino (old) set R1134.

Mixed Freight with 2 DCC locos R1126

Devonshire Flyer R1121

Network Rail HST Measurement train R2984 with the 2 coach pack

Railfreight Class 56 R2646

Local

 

Freight train set R1085.

 

Planning more purchases and will go for the Hornby Elite after much advice given on this forum and elsewhere.

In future I am inclined to go for loco's that take just one chip for budget purposes really. An extra £15 just

 

to make the rear lights work on an HST for me, a beginner, is a little OTT. I have a wish list made up from reviews I have watched on YouTube predominantly. I tend only to buy stuff on SALE so spend a fair time trawling the internet.

Still learning loads

 

- one thing I have done wrong is to buy too many sets believing that loads of track must be good - I now have 40 x Double Curve 3rd Radius from the 5 sets - far too many!

 

 

 

[GordonBigBoy]

I should add to the thread that my first layout will be in my study along 2 walls; one wall is 9 foot and the other is 12 foot. I doubt if I will get to the ballast or grass stage, but I am planning movable stations, buildings, bridges, cuttings, hills

 

that can be moved later on to a larger room. When the nipper is old enough I have space for a purpose built extension to the house where the plan will be to go quite large - but that is 5 years away me thinks......