Mudkip Orange's Layout Design Thread

[Mudkip Orange]

sUP... I registered on Trainboard a few days ago and when Bernard saw I was into Japanese N, he tossed me the link to this site.

I don't have any layout yet (just getting back into trains after a long hiatus) but I've been sketching some track plans in AutoCAD for the last few months. Here's one I might be setting up on a cannibalized dining room table sometime soon... I tried to minimize the amount of track you have to buy, so the only pieces left over were two of the 718mm curves...

[Mudkip Orange]

(btw train lengths are calculated based on a standard 19.5x2.95m EMU)

[Bernard]

Mudkip - Welcome to the JNS Forum. You have a very nice plan. One question, how many trains do you plan to run at one time? At the moment we are have a discussion about the Kato double cross-over track and how to set it up with DC.
In another post you said you aren't sure which track you are leaning towards, Tomix Fast track or Unitrack, are you leaning towards one over the other?

[CaptOblivious]

One advantage of FineTrack is that it offers a double-slip switch (a 30º crossing where an incoming train can take either outgoing leg). You could put one between the top track of the station and the inner loop, which would allow trains entering that platform from having to slog halfway back up the oval to the cross-over, and would improve station throughput :D

(Notice that this makes the layout flow a little less appealing; the s-curve in the picture is 2* 280mm @ 15º, but you should use the 615mm @ 10º peices instead…my software just doesn't have that part in its library. It makes for a much more elegant, and less derail prone, curve).

[Mudkip Orange]

Mudkip - Welcome to the JNS Forum. You have a very nice plan. One question, how many trains do you plan to run at one time? At the moment we are have a discussion about the Kato double cross-over track and how to set it up with DC.
In another post you said you aren't sure which track you are leaning towards, Tomix Fast track or Unitrack, are you leaning towards one over the other?

For most of the past few months I've felt a slight leaning toward Kato.
Reasons:
--- The new Kato suburban platforms look lightyears better than anything Tomix is currently putting out. They're sized for the 66 (vs 74) mm track spacing. Same with the oldschool Kato elevated station, which I find much more aesthetic than Tomix's designs.
--- The double-track superelevated curve pieces are positively drool-worthy, and I kind of want an excuse to use them.
--- Long-long term, if I build a permanent layout, I plan to mostly use Kato 718mm turnouts, so it makes sense to start accumulating those now.
--- It's just nice to go down to a brick-and-mortar hobby shop and pick stuff up.

HOWEVER...
--- I want to run trams and interurbans, and Kato doesn't offer anything like Mini-rail.
--- The simplicity of the 541mm point (versus Kato's 481 with its various fitter pieces) allows for more complicated trackwork at station and yard throats.
--- Tomix truss bridges are longer (280 vs 248) and I think that looks more aesthetic.

And what has really made me reconsider Tomix is the "completely selective type" points. I really, really like the idea of being able to have reversing loops and other polarity-messing things without ever having to worry about insulated rail joiners. Most of my plans to date steadfastly avoid any reversing loops for this reason.

[bill937ca]

(Notice that this makes the layout flow a little less appealing; the s-curve in the picture is 2* 280mm @ 15º, but you should use the 615mm @ 10º peices instead…my software just doesn't have that part in its library. It makes for a much more elegant, and less derail prone, curve).

The Tomix piece is 605mm @ 10 degrees.

[Mudkip Orange]

a double-slip switch ... would improve station throughput :D

That's a good idea... getting trains into the offline platforms is definitely a weak point of that layout.

Here's another one I did awhile back using Kato pieces. This one would go along one whole side of a den or spare room, about 4x12. The Blue is elevated/Shinkansen. I think if I actually had this kinda space I'd definitely use some flextrack, at least along the back wall...

[CaptOblivious]

Mudkip - Welcome to the JNS Forum. You have a very nice plan. One question, how many trains do you plan to run at one time? At the moment we are have a discussion about the Kato double cross-over track and how to set it up with DC.
In another post you said you aren't sure which track you are leaning towards, Tomix Fast track or Unitrack, are you leaning towards one over the other?

For most of the past few months I've felt a slight leaning toward Kato.
Reasons:
--- The new Kato suburban platforms look lightyears better than anything Tomix is currently putting out. They're sized for the 66 (vs 74) mm track spacing. Same with the oldschool Kato elevated station, which I find much more aesthetic than Tomix's designs.
--- The double-track superelevated curve pieces are positively drool-worthy, and I kind of want an excuse to use them.
--- Long-long term, if I build a permanent layout, I plan to mostly use Kato 718mm turnouts, so it makes sense to start accumulating those now.
--- It's just nice to go down to a brick-and-mortar hobby shop and pick stuff up.

HOWEVER...
--- I want to run trams and interurbans, and Kato doesn't offer anything like Mini-rail.
--- The simplicity of the 541mm point (versus Kato's 481 with its various fitter pieces) allows for more complicated trackwork at station and yard throats.
--- Tomix truss bridges are longer (280 vs 248) and I think that looks more aesthetic.

And what has really made me reconsider Tomix is the "completely selective type" points. I really, really like the idea of being able to have reversing loops and other polarity-messing things without ever having to worry about insulated rail joiners. Most of my plans to date steadfastly avoid any reversing loops for this reason.

You're dead right about the Tomix structures. The new Kato platforms have them beat, hands-down. I wonder if there isn't a way to combine the best of both worlds…hrm…What are the dimensions on the Kato platforms, anyone know?