Getting into the hobby first layout

[Grenkin]

Hello,

I want to get into the the hobby, and decided that TT is good for me, due to lack of space.

Was playing around in SCARM trying to think of layout for me.

This is what I've came up with. It feels like it has enough to play with it and to be interesting.

Any suggestions really welcome, keep in mind that this is maximum dimensions 1700 x 1100 mm

Regards

[Moccasin]

Hi Grenkin

Welcome to the hobby! Your layout design looks good.

I assume that you’re planning a steam era layout, given the buildings? That just influences any suggestions we might have.

Going for radius 3 & 4 loops is definitely a good start. You have two platforms, so I assume you will want to run a couple of passenger trains as well as freight? If that’s the case, then you might need a couple of carriage sidings to store a set of coaches while you run something else. You could put these on the outside of the loops instead of the engine shed, and lengthen them by moving the entry points.

Personally, I would also lose at least one of the crossovers - maybe both - in the platforms.

Finally, are you planning to run in analogue/DC or use DCC/HM7000?

[RB51]

Hi Grenkin, welcome to the forum. Your design looks good to me. Can you bring the engine shed lines off the outer loop just before the crossover? I know it’s not good practice but you will have better length. R-

[Skelton Junction]

Hello welcome etc

I like two sets of crossovers myself but concur with this from Roger.

“Can you bring the engine shed lines off the outer loop just before the crossover”

Congrats on choosing this scale as it’s very pleasing on the eye and decent to work with.

[Grenkin]

Thanks for replies.

> Finally, are you planning to run in analogue/DC or use DCC/HM7000?

I'd like to use HM7000, at least I've bought TT1001TXSM

> I assume that you’re planning a steam era layout, given the buildings? That just influences any suggestions we might have.

Honestly I was not thinking about any specific era slightly_smiling_face Yes, I think I'd like to focus on steam for the start

> want to run a couple of passenger trains as well as freight

Yes I was thinking about freight, not sure about couple of passenger trains. For freight this is why I tried to do something like "shunting yard" in the center.

> Personally, I would also lose at least one of the crossovers - maybe both - in the platforms.

I was thinking to have more places to cross from one to another, but maybe this does not make sense as this is a loop.

>  Can you bring the engine shed lines off the outer loop just before the crossover?

> You could put these on the outside of the loops instead of the engine shed, and lengthen them by moving the entry points.

Like this?

[Moccasin]

> Can you bring the engine shed lines off the outer loop just before the crossover?

> You could put these on the outside of the loops instead of the engine shed, and lengthen them by moving the entry points.

Like this?

Yes that’s what we all had in mind I think. You could actually form the two engine shed sidings with a right hand point as that would lengthen the bottom siding and get rid of the reverse curve - a radius 6 15 deg curve added to the straight end of the right hand point then brings that siding parallel with the other one. The alternative is to replace the first radius 6 curve with a point and add a head shunt parallel to the outer loop into the other bottom corner.

If you’re using DCC, then you’ll need the 4A transformer to allow you to run multiple trains and then either use point clips, or preferably wired links, to keep all areas of the layout live.

Others will give you more advice on that but the HM7000 forum has some really useful threads on wiring and power.

If you’re running mainly steam era and don’t expect to run an HST, then the layout works well. It will work still with an HST, it’s just that there’s not really anywhere to keep it other than on one of the loops.

[Rallymatt]

I like it with a few cross overs, gives great flexibility. This may sound odd but I would also add a left hand crossover at the beginning of the goods yard roads, in the space it would have to be immediately after the first left point. It would give you a small but useful ‘run around’ you could move at least one wagon and use shunter. Makes marshalling trains more fun and practical

[Grenkin]

I like it with a few cross overs, gives great flexibility. This may sound odd but I would also add a left hand crossover at the beginning of the goods yard roads, in the space it would have to be immediately after the first left point. It would give you a small but useful ‘run around’ you could move at least one wagon and use shunter. Makes marshalling trains more fun and practical

Thanks

Something like this?

P.S.: Love your High Fell videos btw smiley

[Skelton Junction]

The possibility exists for a RH point here (as marked blue), instead of the LH point, to lengthen the sidings.

[Rallymatt]

@Grenkin, thankyou, going to be a bit more proactive with them this year, fed up of all the doom gloom blather that’s filling the internet about model railways. And yes to the placement of points. Any chance of squeezing and extra straight in?

Al’s suggestion is a great one, sidings can never be long enough!

[Grenkin]

After suggestions, this is what I've got:

I don't think I can extra straight anywhere.

16 points, that's a lot. Would be challenging to motorize.

And finally the "start" have arrived grin

[GMD]

This has been a really good thread. It’s great to see how quickly the seasoned eye of our experts can pick up on detail improvements to be made. Looking forward to seeing how you get on. Enjoy the new set and the HM7k.

[Grenkin]

I've tried something that is definitely not for the beginners :-)

Was reading about Hornby/Tilling 43 mm vs Peco 36 mm and decided to try mixing tracks from the set with Peco switches and flexi track

I do not even know what I am doing, especially in circled area.

Better to stick to set tracks for now sweatdizzy_face

[Rallymatt]

I’m liking the changes. So the bit I suggested at the good yard. You can pull a wagon or maybe 2 into one side and run the shunting loco around the wagons it can now back the wagons down the siding and not be trapped behind them, pull some more wagons in and do same again

[Grenkin]

Any idea how to connect this two tracks?

Except Flex :-)

[LTSR_NSE]

It may be possible with set track - I’ll let more knowledgeable folks (dis)prove that…

However isn’t saying you don’t wish to use flexi (for a bespoke curve) like asking how to hand-draw something without a pen(cil)?

[Rallymatt]

Perfect purpose for flexi track. As adjoining sections are fixed, this makes using flexi really easy. Tillig flexi is code 80, same as Hornby set track so you can connect up with no problem. Then you create the custom curves, ensuring the radius is as gentle through the length as possible. It will have two curves, a very elongated S. Looks great and works well.

[Fishmanoz]

You should be able to prove it can be done or not by playing around with SCARM but, from all the design playing I’ve done with Anyrail, I don’t believe you can.

To have any chance, you have to be able to bring the tracks back parallel at some point and there simply isn’t room to do that in the space you have.

[Grenkin]

Yeah, I was playing with it in SCARM and failed to connect this, this is was hoping to get some enlightenment from gurus :-)

I was hoping to avoid Flex for now (really scared of it right now) and also without baseboard it is not possible to use it.

No baseboard as no place for permanent layout yet.

[Rallymatt]

You could attach the complex of point work and the flexi to a thin section of ply to create that bit of trackwork. Flexi is not to be frightened of, it’s very easy to work with.

[ntpntpntp]

I hate to say it but the Y point in the upper of your two circles is a bit redundant (I wanted to write "pointless" but ...! ) It doesn't achieve anything useful, just creates two routes in and out of the middle track for no reason and makes the middle track shorter than it could be. You can save 2 points :)

[Grenkin]

I hate to say it but the Y point in the upper of your two circles is a bit redundant (I wanted to write "pointless" but ...! ) It doesn't achieve anything useful, just creates two routes in and out of the middle track for no reason and makes the middle track shorter than it could be. You can save 2 points :)

 

 

There was a suggestion regarding it, the idea is to have at least some run around

[ntpntpntp]

@Grenkin hmm... round around what though? There's no room for a train to arrive, loco to detach and run round. Sorry, I don't see that it adds anything useful. Your original plan was fine in that area. Real railways don't spend money installing points and duplicating routes for no purpose :)

[Rallymatt]

Nick, I suggested it to enable marshalling trains and getting a shunter to each side of a wagon. Useful but there isn’t any space to make it longer, although if the join is made in latest idea, using a section of flexi, that pair of LH points could be dropped.

[Grenkin]

Finally all track pieces are here and assembled 🙂

Next step is to get ready mentally and prepare apartment physically to put all of this on the board.