Novice needs first build advice please

[justintime]

I am a complete novice and this is my first build attempt ever.  I thought it best to build something to test my skills and use as a learning aid for soldering, understanding points, wiring, DCC etc. before building full-on with scenery etc.  This is just a plain design with no frills other than what you see really.  I would like to build it on a baseboard of approx. 1800mm x 750mm and set out the track onto woodland scenic 'N' track bed ST1475, 3mm x 1¼" which will be glued to the ply baseboard top.  I would also like to use Peco Code 55 with concrete sleepers to keep the design modern.

UNLESS you kind folks advise me differently of course!

Have I got things right/wrong, will this design be possible/practical?  Also: How far apart should the rails be set to keep things to scale? & how far should track be set from a platform edge?
Your thoughts ideas and constructive criticism would be most welcome before I start please.  Please excuse the drawing quality.

[buckle247]

Hi get yourself a Peco 6ft way gauge. Cost me about £0.25 from a local model shop and is great for keeping a nice even track spacing.

As for platform spacing, use your widest loco/wagon to test how much clearance it needs before it catches.

[Newportnobby]

As an experiment the plan looks OK but I'm not sure about the kinks in the inner sidings. Is there a purpose to that
I would also move the scissors crossover to the right so it is before the inner sidings, as that way you can run something from the Up line (outer oval) into the sidings without going all round the layout.
I'd suggest you use electrofrog points as, if you can wire them up correctly, they will provide better running.
As Buckle247 says, use your widest loco to set platform clearances (either borrow or buy the latest Farish 08 )

[justintime]

Thank you, points taken onboard.  No particular reason for the kinks, I just couldn't draw a nice curve

[edwin_m]

Although you've said you don't want to add scenery to this layout, why not start with the intention of developing and perhaps extending it if it works reliably?  If the layout works well then it saves the time and money of building a replacement (if you're anything like me it will take a lot longer than you expect!).  If it doesn't then you scrap it and are no worse off than if you'd built a trial layout.  Thinking about how it will look and work in its final form also helps to get a good plan. 

The rest of my comments are related to realism, so may not be relevant if you stick with a pure test track. 

In that context I'd suggest that some of the tracks (such as the ones along the bottom edge) are gently curved rather than dead straight, as this will make it look more of a model railway and less of a trainset. 

Distances between tracks on the prototype can be as little as six feet rail to rail, which works out at about 23mm between centrelines of adjacent tracks in N.  The Peco Streamline track spacing is about 27.5mm and can sometimes look a little too wide (Setrack spacing is even wider).  It is possible to lay the tracks closer together, and even to modify points so they connect tracks at this lesser spacing, but they will need widening out on tight curves.  And I wouldn't fancy trying to modify a scissors crossing for closer track spacing. 

I'd also query why you plan to use a scissors crossing.  They are very unusual on the modern railway, only found where lack of space prevents the use of two separate crossovers and this tends to be at low-speed approaches to major stations rather than out on the main line. 

Is the upper part of the layout intended to be a set of hidden sidings?  If not then the three sidings at the top aren't very realistic, as sidings would normally be grouped with a single access off the main line.  This and certainly the one at the bottom would be protected by a trap point or a short headshunt so trains can't roll out onto the main line. 

If the top part is a station with carriage sidings then there should also be at least one crossover so trains terminating here can get onto the other track to return to where they came from. 

[port perran]

I'd probably add a couple of loops in that station area, that will give you a bit more operational flexibility.
And what about an additional freight lop running into those inner sidings ?

[Jack]

That's a nice plan to start with, however I notice that you plan to use a scissor crossing. I might be inclined to modify that out until you are very confident with your electrical skills plus they aren't cheap. Why not use opposing points to start with, much easier to wire and isolate and more prototypical.

When you buy your Peco track gauge, buy two. Very useful for doing long runs.

[justintime]

Thank you, opposing points it is.

I am not sure what loops are, can anyone explain for me please?

[Jack]

[smg id=3010 type=preview align=center caption="justintime"]

The additional opposing points add the run around loops to allow a loco to switch ends and tracks. The freight loop runs behind the island platform of your station. This is just a basic plan, you can have varying ways of doing the same thing.

[justintime]

Is this the sort of thing or have I made it too complicated?



A stupid question if you know the answer: When talking about a curves radius is it A or B below please?

[Jack]

Your track plan is looking good. As to your question:- A is your answer.

[Lawrence]

Have you thought about downloading a program called SCARM?  It is free track planning software and wont take long to get used to using, it will give you a better idea of what will realistically fit into the space you have available.  Also Mixy, who wrote the software, is a member on here so if we cant answer your questions he will help if he can.  The user guide is excellent though and worth a quick read through 

[scotsoft]

Your track plan is looking good. As to your question:- A is your answer.

It is half way between A and B, it is the centreline you take for the radius.

cheers John.

[tim-pelican]

It is half way between A and B, it is the centreline you take for the radius.

I thought that's what the question was too, until I looked more closely at the diagram.  A is the radius, B is the diameter, but both are drawn to the inside rail.

Jack, what John is getting at is that if someone is talking about e.g. a 12" radius, they mean to the point midway between the two rails, in the middle of the sleepers.  Not to the inside rail, which is what you've drawn.  The other part of the answers you've already is correct - the radius is the distance from the centre of the circle the track would make to the centre line of the track, not the distance from once side of the circle to the other.

In short, make  line A just a little bit longer to the track centre, and that's your measurement!

[scotsoft]

Apologies, I'm only on my second coffee 

I was seeing the diagram as a single track not two 

cheers John.