You can use the create a filled polygon for roads and rivers.
Lynn
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Some improvements have been made to the staging area, the visible yard area has been stripped for it's overhaul, and part of GERN is in place. I think that the area where the industires are will end up getting reworked.
In your staging area, you've got a lot of crossovers... I'm assuming that's to sneak the power out so you can run it around the train? They're eating a lot of space, and progressively shortening your staging tracks... I think if you can set up that area as through-staging you may find it more useful.
In your staging area, you've got a lot of crossovers... I'm assuming that's to sneak the power out so you can run it around the train? They're eating a lot of space, and progressively shortening your staging tracks... I think if you can set up that area as through-staging you may find it more useful.
You are right, but I have not come up with an idea to make it through staging, and I would like to have a provision for continuous running. Somewhere I have a notebook full of old track plan sketches that I will have to look through to get some more ideas. I could just invert the ladder and run it down behind the TT to facilitate the continuous run, and add some stub tracks to the ladder. Aside from that, the storage continues past the crossovers, and I still have to add a very small staging ladder for the GTW interchange.
I am considering adding that as an extra staging area along the 8' wall at the south side of the layout, thus freeing space for a through staging yard.
As an aside, if you have made any modifications to the plan as it exists, I would love to see them. Any ideas I can get are good. I think I mentioned that I am horrible at track planning. Thanks for your input, and please keep it coming. I need all the advice I can get.
Squid,
80' is too small. I just keep overlooking changing the TT diameter when I place it.
I like the through design you came up with. I am most likely going to steal that. I will have to expand it a bit, as I have a few foriegn road run throughs to store.
Once again, thank you for your input.
The double ended yard looks much better and you have room to add more tracks if you wish. Did you try running some trains on it?
Lynn
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Me too! Matt, can you post the latest version .xtc file so I can fiddle with what you've done so far?
Are we still thinking PM through/around Flint? How about incorporating the staging yard into the (I've forgotten the name of the big PM yard in Flint) so that it's open staging, freeing up more space for an industry or junction?
The yard is McGrew. The current prototype is actually 2 yards strung together. The northern most part is double ended, and the southern is mostly stub. In the 1940's it was vastly different, however, I don't have a photo or track chart to work from.
This current design is a pile of dung. I am interested in seeing what you have in mind. I had thought of using the staging as an open fiddle yard, or incorporating it into McGrew but there is only 2' between the layout edge and a concrete wall.
I really appreciate your help Marc. I wasn't kidding when I said I was terrible at layout designing.
The yard has been redone, but I am still not liking it much. There are too many unanswered questions.
This design is quickly outrunning me.
To support this yard design, and my operational goals the rest of the layout will have to be reconsidered.
The upper portion houses the passenger depot, below the red line is supposed to be Mt. Morris, which is located north of the yard on the prototype. I might do away with the penninsula, or relocate it. The backdrop is going to have to move to the far north side of the layout. It will have to be a low backdrop. It is a good thing that the layout only sits 48" high.
I need some time to ponder my options, and I want to see what Squidbait was thinking.
Where are the walls of the room and any doors, access, etc?
The penninsula at the top only leaves what looks like about 14 - 18" aisle, which may be tight for some...!
You may wish to explore the surround staging concept, as illustrated here: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://ovar.ca/MemberLayouts/Mike%20Hamer/Hamer.htm">http://ovar.ca/MemberLayouts/Mike%20Hamer/Hamer.htm</a><!-- m --> It could solve some of the need to have "through" staging, even though the layout operates as point to point. You'll see that this is what Mike's layout achieves.
You seem to be having some difficulty with the operational versus staging yard. What are the original goals for the layout? I think you said that the yard was to be a feature, but will it drive operations on the layout, or is it more for looks (so to speak)?