05-23-2009, 12:54 PM
Loren, I know great minds think alike...not sure how we came up with similar ideas though 
Been thinking about Russ' suggestion (similar approach) along with looking through old MR's & RMC's for inspiration. Recently (07 or 08) there was an HO Pennsy layout in which the staging was minimally scenicked as an open yard for flat switching. Also, I found the Great Model Railroads issue that had the Midwest Modelers sectional layout. It's a semi-modular layout in that the modules aren't easily rearrangable but built as sections of a larger more cohesive layout plan.
A few nights ago I did a pro/con comparison of an island type rolling layout vs. an against the walls layout with removable section out in the room. The against the walls meets more of my druthers, hands down.
A few examples: a 5x10 on wheels allows access to all sides without any duckunders...when it's out in the room. I can build a narrow layout up against the walls that will still operate as a point-to-point when the return connection is stored above it on shelves, while the car is in the garage, for about the same square footage. Add the return section when the car is not there, and I can run it as a point to point with the section against the walls as either a division point, crew change point, industrial switching area, etc. with trains passing through. That's without any duckunder. Add a duckunder and there's a loopdy loop for just watching them roll.
Here are some ideas to illustrate. First, the freestanding 5x10:
The 18" by 8' (should be 8...didn't count right when filling that in I guess) section over on the right is the timesaver.
Next the against the walls approach:
The darkened solid section would be 'permanent' while the lightly shaded area would break down into smaller chunks to be stored above the permanent section.
Another bonus - backdrops. I would really like a go at making a backdrop look as if the scenery goes on and on, with a seamless transition. I've always been really impressed with the modelers who can pull this off. No possibility of that on the 5x10 unless the layout is divided down the center, and I've never been a big fan of that.
Galen
Been thinking about Russ' suggestion (similar approach) along with looking through old MR's & RMC's for inspiration. Recently (07 or 08) there was an HO Pennsy layout in which the staging was minimally scenicked as an open yard for flat switching. Also, I found the Great Model Railroads issue that had the Midwest Modelers sectional layout. It's a semi-modular layout in that the modules aren't easily rearrangable but built as sections of a larger more cohesive layout plan.
A few nights ago I did a pro/con comparison of an island type rolling layout vs. an against the walls layout with removable section out in the room. The against the walls meets more of my druthers, hands down.
A few examples: a 5x10 on wheels allows access to all sides without any duckunders...when it's out in the room. I can build a narrow layout up against the walls that will still operate as a point-to-point when the return connection is stored above it on shelves, while the car is in the garage, for about the same square footage. Add the return section when the car is not there, and I can run it as a point to point with the section against the walls as either a division point, crew change point, industrial switching area, etc. with trains passing through. That's without any duckunder. Add a duckunder and there's a loopdy loop for just watching them roll.
Here are some ideas to illustrate. First, the freestanding 5x10:
The 18" by 8' (should be 8...didn't count right when filling that in I guess) section over on the right is the timesaver.
Next the against the walls approach:
The darkened solid section would be 'permanent' while the lightly shaded area would break down into smaller chunks to be stored above the permanent section.
Another bonus - backdrops. I would really like a go at making a backdrop look as if the scenery goes on and on, with a seamless transition. I've always been really impressed with the modelers who can pull this off. No possibility of that on the 5x10 unless the layout is divided down the center, and I've never been a big fan of that.
Galen
I may not be a rivet counter, but I sure do like rivets!