05-01-2011, 09:36 AM
Sorry to have been so long away from the party! Looks like you're getting lots of suggestions, and some ideas are starting to gel for you.
I'd offer a small critique of the latest plans, in that with the main line exposed all the way around, you'll have some possibly awkward reaching to do to do any switching from the main when it's closer to the backdrop.
I whipped this up this morning based on my (admittedly fuzzy) impressions of railroads in Vermont from a trip there 15 years ago. The things I do remember is that apart from the D&H main, which was a heavy bridge route between Quebec and NY, the smaller railroads like the Rutland, Vermont RR and such, were fairly sparse track and traffic-wise. So short trains, some local industries, and lots of scenery. And the scenery lends itself well to model railroads, as I recall driving along highways down in deep valleys, with steep hills not to far behind the roadside villages and such.
So I've offered a once-around plan, with a hidden lower-level staging yard. You have two towns, the main one with an (non-functional) interchange, the smaller one with a couple of industries. I'm thinking for your industries you're looking at perhaps a marble quarry, something dairy-related, and farm-supply type stuff.
Mainline minumum is 23" radius with easements, mainline turnouts are all #6, I splurged and used a couple of turnouts at the end of the one town, just to keep things flowing. Maximum grade is 5% down to the staging yard, but with 2 4-axle locos and 10-12 cars that shouldn't be a problem.
Anyways, here's my $0.02, let me know what you think.
![[Image: roblfig.jpg]](http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u275/squidbait_bucket/my%20track%20plans/roblfig.jpg)
I'd offer a small critique of the latest plans, in that with the main line exposed all the way around, you'll have some possibly awkward reaching to do to do any switching from the main when it's closer to the backdrop.
I whipped this up this morning based on my (admittedly fuzzy) impressions of railroads in Vermont from a trip there 15 years ago. The things I do remember is that apart from the D&H main, which was a heavy bridge route between Quebec and NY, the smaller railroads like the Rutland, Vermont RR and such, were fairly sparse track and traffic-wise. So short trains, some local industries, and lots of scenery. And the scenery lends itself well to model railroads, as I recall driving along highways down in deep valleys, with steep hills not to far behind the roadside villages and such.
So I've offered a once-around plan, with a hidden lower-level staging yard. You have two towns, the main one with an (non-functional) interchange, the smaller one with a couple of industries. I'm thinking for your industries you're looking at perhaps a marble quarry, something dairy-related, and farm-supply type stuff.
Mainline minumum is 23" radius with easements, mainline turnouts are all #6, I splurged and used a couple of turnouts at the end of the one town, just to keep things flowing. Maximum grade is 5% down to the staging yard, but with 2 4-axle locos and 10-12 cars that shouldn't be a problem.
Anyways, here's my $0.02, let me know what you think.