New Year, New Railway

[G-force1]

(maybe)

HNY to All, when yours comes.

Here, to start off as we would all no doubt like to proceed, is (part of?) a small conundrum (maybe not so small!!!).

Given an unfettered, rectangular area of garden around 15m X 17m, to all intents and purposes, flat and level, currently mostly paved, with copious quantities of infill available (30-40 cu/m), if required.

Where would you start?

Ruling grade to be better than 1:40, ruling curve no less than 4ft rad. No track to be lower than 300mm from G/L. Train assembly point to be at least twice that. Live steam the predominant power. Old Git, who likes long trains.

I find a lack of any natural topography a hindrance to planning, is this a reaction to the excesses of the T.V.B.L.?

 

[dunnyrail]

(maybe)

HNY to All, when yours comes.

Here, to start off as we would all no doubt like to proceed, is (part of?) a small conundrum (maybe not so small!!!).

Given an unfettered, rectangular area of garden around 15m X 17m, to all intents and purposes, flat and level, currently mostly paved, with copious quantities of infill available (30-40 cu/m), if required.

Where would you start?

Ruling grade to be better than 1:40, ruling curve no less than 4ft rad. No track to be lower than 300mm from G/L. Train assembly point to be at least twice that. Live steam the predominant power. Old Git, who likes long trains.

I find a lack of any natural topography a hindrance to planning, is this a reaction to the excesses of the T.V.B.L.?

Place to start is to have an idea if what you want?
1 just watch trains running through the Pansies
2 Operate like a real railway
3 ground level
4 raised line
5 end to end
6 continuous run (Probably needed if the answer to q1 is yes
7 combination of 6 and 7
8 track power dcc analogue
9 battery power
10 live steam
Lots of questions but the answers to a few if them will help you on your way.

But a final must a Shed/acces to a Garage to run your Trains into for Storage. Dragging all of your Trains out to the Garden each time you wish to run is a real disentive, but just a few Locomotives to be dragged out of the House where they are best stored for security and protection of deleicate circuitry is not such and onerous task. Thogh If you have a good, insulated, secure Shed then they are fine in that.

Hope this helps get you on with the thought juices flowing.

 

[G-force1]

Place to start is to have an idea if what you want?
1 just watch trains running through the Pansies
2 Operate like a real railway
3 ground level
4 raised line
5 end to end
6 continuous run (Probably needed if the answer to q1 is yes
7 combination of 6 and 7
8 track power dcc analogue
9 battery power
10 live steam
Lots of questions but the answers to a few if them will help you on your way.

But a final must a Shed/acces to a Garage to run your Trains into for Storage. Dragging all of your Trains out to the Garden each time you wish to run is a real disentive, but just a few Locomotives to be dragged out of the House where they are best stored for security and protection of deleicate circuitry is not such and onerous task. Thogh If you have a good, insulated, secure Shed then they are fine in that.

Hope this helps get you on with the thought juices flowing.

1 just watch trains running through the Pansies - No Pansies, maybe a few rockery plants
2 Operate like a real railway - Not easy when playing/testing alone.
3 ground level - See OP
4 raised line - See OP
5 end to end - Maybe some.
6 continuous run (Probably needed if the answer to q1 is yes
7 combination of 6 and 7
8 track power dcc analogue - Nope See OP
9 battery power - Minimal (currently one loco)
10 live steam - Definitely (see OP).

Totally agree about a shed (and the reasons for), long and fairly narrow, but there's plenty of room for one (or two). If you can store both sides even better!

Mostly those are questions already answered. I cant quite see just drawing up a track plan and just getting on with it, it's too rigid. I rather prefer a sort of 'Topsey' approach, a start, with room to expand as and where the time and finance etc. fits.

11. Construction method?
12. Construction order?
12a. Start point. (pre shed?)

 

[Rhinochugger]

1 just watch trains running through the Pansies - No Pansies, maybe a few rockery plants
2 Operate like a real railway - Not easy when playing/testing alone.
3 ground level - See OP
4 raised line - See OP
5 end to end - Maybe some.
6 continuous run (Probably needed if the answer to q1 is yes
7 combination of 6 and 7
8 track power dcc analogue - Nope See OP
9 battery power - Minimal (currently one loco)
10 live steam - Definitely (see OP).

Totally agree about a shed (and the reasons for), long and fairly narrow, but there's plenty of room for one (or two). If you can store both sides even better!

Mostly those are questions already answered. I cant quite see just drawing up a track plan and just getting on with it, it's too rigid. I rather prefer a sort of 'Topsey' approach, a start, with room to expand as and where the time and finance etc. fits.

11. Construction method?
12. Construction order?
12a. Start point. (pre shed?)

Yep, we started with a flatish garden (albeit a tad larger)

I like a 'tiptoe through the tulips' approach - so plan the garden first, then you'll have a garden railway, rather than a train set in your garden

Having said that, once we'd planned this garden, I discovered that due to contours, planting etc, the line would run along the edge of the planted beds rather than meandering through them, but that's just because it fits where it is

 

[maxi-model]

Go with the vision in your head and then let it happen.......bit by bit and make any revisions you need to along the way. That was how I did it. Then there are some who need the comfort of a properly engineered line, every bit tried and tested before commiting. Whatever makes you happy. But do research the growth rates of those little conifers that are bound to proliferate. Max

 

[The Tinker]

Check out Ge Rik"s blog about planning a railway There is a layout plan there, that is very expandable and can be built to any shape. Definitely build raised garden 600mm lowest level so much easier to operate and maintain

 

[G-force1]

, but that's just because it fits where it is

That's the bit that REALLY counts. And NO tulips.

The problem Max is the vision or lack of it ATM. It may come, just ain't here yet. A bit like the 20.42 from Cleethorpes.

The T.V.B.L was started at suitable height, along a fence, and just followed on from there. Some is just perched on poles, but I cant see that looking right or working well here.

 

[a98087]

Sound like this will be an impressive layout, have you got a sketch showing the layout of the area including things like doors, gates windows etc,

another question is how many trains do you want to use, store, shunt at once?

And it’s probably worth investing in a railbender and lots of flex track to make some nice flowing curves

And I agree with you a flat, blank empty canvas is a bit daunting tostart with, so just lay out some track and see what you think

Hope my ramblings are usefull

Dan

 

[G-force1]

Sound like this will be an impressive layout, have you got a sketch showing the layout of the area including things like doors, gates windows etc,

another question is how many trains do you want to use, store, shunt at once?

And it’s probably worth investing in a rail-bender and lots of flex track to make some nice flowing curves

And I agree with you a flat, blank empty canvas is a bit daunting to start with, so just lay out some track and see what you think

Hope my ramblings are usefull

Dan

Dan, the problem is that there is yet no plan of any sort, other than it must have some capability of roundy-roundy and an area for shunting and possibly some sort of end-to-end arrangement probably incorporated with the r-r, i.e. out of one end onto the loop, round as often as wanted and off at the other end. I have yet to see where/what to start with. It may also come to nothing, which doesn't help in the least. Stock, M.P and some track are already available, the rest is still in the ether.

I suppose one place to start, is with the storage point and work out from there.

 

[Rhinochugger]

That's the bit that REALLY counts. And NO tulips.

The problem Max is the vision or lack of it ATM. It may come, just ain't here yet. A bit like the 20.42 from Cleethorpes.

The T.V.B.L was started at suitable height, along a fence, and just followed on from there. Some is just perched on poles, but I cant see that looking right or working well here.

Well, the first thing is what do you want to use the garden for?

Sitting and looking at?
Growing stuff?
Planting a few small beds? - minimal maintenance

Lay that out in your mind, then add some railway line.

Round and round - always preferable in my mind, as it allows for endless sitting and thinking

A few passing loops - yes.

After that, the complexity will lead you down a particular control / electrics / electronics route.

Double track? Station complex with loco stabling?

Much of that will emanate from the garden design, and the ratio of railway : garden that you envisage.

Take a wander through some of photos posted on the forum, and sit back with a large glass of something, and imagine ..................................

 

[G-force1]

Well, the first thing is what do you want to use the garden for?

Sitting and looking at? A bit; more testing trains.
Growing stuff?
Planting a few small beds? - minimal maintenance. Yes, preferably near zero!

Lay that out in your mind, then add some railway line.

Round and round - always preferable in my mind, as it allows for endless sitting and thinking

A few passing loops - yes.

After that, the complexity will lead you down a particular control / electrics / electronics route.

Double track? Station complex with loco stabling? Probably not, more of a Branch Line mentality. Two stations required at least.

Much of that will emanate from the garden design, and the ratio of railway : garden that you envisage. 99.9%

Take a wander through some of photos posted on the forum, and sit back with a large glass of something, and imagine .................................. Not sure there's a glass quite big enough!

This is only a portion of a garden, probably about 60-70%

 

[Rhinochugger]

This is only a portion of a garden, probably about 60-70%

So it sounds like a more complex track layout with various operational aspects - it's probably going DCC then.

The other factor is therefore operational possibilities - no blind sidings that you can't get back to without reversing (unless you want to replicate British mainline practices). Most narrow gauge lines settle for drive through loops with sidings off that.

Could have a station complex one side and a works complex the other

Could have a few shrubs inserted for visual breaks decent hardy things that don't take much looking after

A bit of meandering rather than a simple oval will add for greater interest while testing

Curved points are visually rewarding and open up greater possibilities (like wot I have not got )

 

[G-force1]

So it sounds like a more complex track layout with various operational aspects - it's probably going DCC then. Live Steam(R/C)!

The other factor is therefore operational possibilities - no blind sidings that you can't get back to without reversing (unless you want to replicate British mainline practices). Most narrow gauge lines settle for drive through loops with sidings off that.

Could have a station complex one side and a works complex the other Figures/fits

Could have a few shrubs inserted for visual breaks decent hardy things that don't take much looking after Not toooo many!

A bit of meandering rather than a simple oval will add for greater interest while testing Absolutely

Curved points are visually rewarding and open up greater possibilities (like wot I have not got ) Possible, but only likely if I makes me own (not impossible).

Also level changes and pass under/overs. Flat and level is boring.

 

[Zerogee]

Having only just got the first part of my line down in 2018 (hey, that's "last year" now!) after fifteen-plus years of collecting and planning, I can say that the one thing I am most glad that I included in the trackplan was a number of passing loops of decent length.... this, more than anything else, makes for enjoyable running on DCC with several trains - especially as most of the main circuit round the garden is single-track.

So, my biggest recommendation: as many passing loops as you can reasonably fit into your station area(s), and make each loop as long as possible - you can always park a short train in a long loop, but not vice-versa.....

Jon.

 

[PhilP]

some idea of the aspect of the site would help?

Where do you envisage sitting, in relation to the railway?

Are there any 'eyesores' to be screened-out (planting?)? Or, is there a suitable area that gets the sun?

If this is a 'new' to you site.. It might be worth just 'throwing down some track' for a season, to see how the land-lies, get's the sun, etc. perhaps?
This would also give more time to come up with a cunning plan??

 

[G-force1]

So, my biggest recommendation: as many passing loops as you can reasonably fit into your station area(s), and make each loop as long as possible - you can always park a short train in a long loop, but not vice-versa.....

Jon.

Ahh, but you can still pass, if you stop the long one to let a short one in.

 

[Zerogee]

Ahh, but you can still pass, if you stop the long one to let a short one in.

Yebbut...... what happens if you have two long trains....?

Jon.

 

[G-force1]

Yebbut...... what happens if you have two long trains....?

Jon.

Leave half of one in the previous loop?

 

[ebay mike]

My main interests lay in making things and just watching trains go by. I'm not into shunting or end to end stuff. My first layout was at ground level (BIG mistake) and just for my two Bachmann BHs. After discovering LGB quality when income permitted I changed direction from this:

to this (still on the same footprint):

It met my immediate needs and proved suitable for running several trains at once (either analogue or DCC) but as I'd made sure everything was absolutely level to achieve the best possible running it did attract a fair amount of criticism and negative comments from fellow modeller (and non-modeller) friends as being 'very boring'. To be honest the original charm has now diminished somewhat and I am considering inserting some gradients and bridges to break-up the toy-train aspect. I wish I had the creativity of many of our forum friends and could achieve even a fraction of what I've seen displayed on these pages.