After taking down the old layout and not getting to building the new one yet, it is about time to get things moving.   Below is the space available for the layout, basically a 13' 6" X 14' 6" room with an attached 6' 0" X 12' 4" closet and a ceiling height of 8' 0" [except for a 2 ' 0" wide duct drops it to 7' 0" along the wall of the13' 6" X 14' 6" room that connects with the closet].  However, I have hit a solid bumping post, so to speak, on what the layout should look like and look to you good folks for ideas and input.


Givens are:

13' 6" X 14' 6" and 6' 0" X 12' 4" Sheet rock walls and ceiling.  Carpet in layout room and closet


HO scale

No door to the closet and probably no door to the room

Track will pass through the wall between the closet and the room on both sides of the closet door. No track across the closet door opening

Aisles 3' 0" to 4' 0"

Minimum mainline radius 23"

Design to provide good operation for a max of 5 operators on a single track mainline with emphasis on switching and interchange.

Fan in a hole between the closet and storage area for ventilation

Time frame is the 50's

Druthers:

Two levels
      Upper level 56" "nod under" at the entrance to the room
      Lower level  rarely used lift-up/lift out at the entrance to the room
      Connection between the two levels is around the room and closet "helix" [no circular helix ]

The railroad runs from Hagerstown, MD, parallel to but  north west of the N&W through the Shenandoah Valley and up through the southwest Virginia mountains past Johnson City, TN, and ending at Rockwood, TN.  In that distance it connects with the Western Maryland, a logging and coal mine shortline, the Norfolk & Western, Southern, East Tennessee & Western North Carolina, Louisville & Nashville, and the Tennessee Central.  Interchange may be just one or two track that disappear behind shallow scenery.

"Spaghetti bowl" is to be avoided though "sincere" is not an absolute requirement.

A peninsular comes out into the room from one of the walls which may have a turn back track or it may be just stub end.

Lighting to be spotlights from the ceiling and maybe some sort of lighting underneath the upper level.

The layout is on wall mounted shelf brackets.


Maximum grade of 3.0%


Can the closet be part of the "layout" area or should it be staging only [with or without scenery]


Minimum signaling with opportunity for TT&TO operation




Here is a diagram of the space: