Model Railway Forum

Afternoon All.

I am planning a new layout and am appealing to you learned people for some guidance. I have used SCARM to put some ideas on paper and this is what I have so far. It is on a 00 gauge on a 2500 x 1500 baseboard and would like some thoughts and criticisms as to the feasibility of the plan.

Please don't hold back as I would rather know now, before buying track etc., and not after I have started!!
Thank you
John

Hi
You may find the incline to the overhead section is too short? In OO a 1 in 30 rise is about the minimum recommended. Thats for every 1 unit of rise you need 30 identical units of length (A "Unit" is the measurement in mm. CM or inches etc) Add curves into the rise and you will need a shallower rise as curves add drag.
To give clearance in OO you will need 60mm from the lower level rail top to the underside of anything passing over the lower tracks. Note the measurement is taken from the lower tracks rail top not the baseboard.

Have you given thought to how all tracks can be accessed for rail cleaning and correcting any derailments etc. especially the area at the rear?

Thank you for your comments, Brian. I will look again at the design and maybe do away with the incline. As to the "track cleaning/derailment" the intended resting place for the baseboard will allow access all round.
Back to SCARM!!!
Regards
John

If the main layout was at a height of 35mm off the baseboard, the incline would then climb 30mm and the track to the sidings (fiddle yard would drop 35mm giving a 65mm clearance at the bridge. The grades would not be excessive.

you need a heck of a lot of layout these days with new underpowered locos, to make them climb. i have 2 helix all at specified heights. modern locos struggle, older diesels shoot up.

John where would the gradient start and finish?

Hi Brian, mine rise 14.6 inches, as I cut previous one in half, that was 29 inches high. They rise 4 circuits high, and are joined by 4 foot long bridge, each helix, 4 foot diameter.. they go corner to corner across layout, and have double tracks.

Sorry John I was asking the other John (Nine Elms).

Just saying.

The helix is the way to go John, but two of them, that’s real class.