design
Layout Design...
Designing a layout is a daunting
task for some. I do all of my designs in pencil on graph
paper with a track design template. This allows for quick
changes and I don't have to spend the time learning some track
planning software package. I design
each section separately. Each of these graph paper designs
are in the appropriate page with photos of how the section is
progressing.
Below is a Chessie System map of the region I
model. The B&O lines are represented in black.
Under the "M" in MARYLAND, you can see Point of Rocks, the eastern
edge of my layout. The lines split there to Baltimore and
Philly to the north and Washington to the south. Moving west
from Point of Rocks are my modeled areas of Brunswick, Harpers
Ferry, Martinsburg, Cumbo, Miller (Cherry Run) and Hancock.
The Shenandoah Sub splits to the south at Harpers Ferry, running
through Charlestown, Winchester, Stephens City and Strasburg
Jct. I only model the split off in Harpers Ferry. On
this map, Western Maryland lines are in red, and you can see how
the WM line west of Cherry Run (Miller) has been truncated, and no
longer reaches Cumberland. That junction is modeled on my
layout. A bit of a mystery on this map was the B&O line
running north from Weaverton to Hagerstown. It was called
both the Weaverton Branch or the Hagerstown Branch. Chessie
filed for abandonment of the branch in 1975 and the tracks were
pulled up sometime between then and 1981. I model 1982, so
that branch line is not on my layout.
Below is a simplified view of the entire east
end. Each block of the graph paper here is one mile.
Interestingly, when the Magnolia Cut Off was built, it was
considerably shorter than the original route. This means
that the mile markers 149-155 are not used on the modern East
End. You can see the missing numbers in the Magnolia Cut Off
area. The interchanges with other railroads are in
parentheses. South Branch Valley Railroad is at 164, Conrail
at 101 and 105 and Norfolk & Western at 89.
My basic rule is the main line will have a
minimum 30 inch radius. Yard tracks can have a 24 inch
radius. I use Atlas Code 100 for main line tracks and Code
83 in the yards. For turnouts I use mostly Atlas #6 on the
main line turnouts and cross-overs. I use #4s for the yard
tracks. My track is built on cork road bed almost
exclusively, but I have tried foam in some places. The
sub-roadbed is two inch thick pink insulation foam.
As of Dec 2020, Martinsburg
and Hancock are basically finished. Miller has the track
laid and is progressing toward West Cumbo. Building the
helix will connect Martinsburg with Miller. It may be some
time before Hancock is connected to the rest of the
layout.
Click here
to find out how I selectively compress a real track plan into a
model. Selective
compression is the only way to fit a model of a real
railroad into a given space.
Another nice feature of my
layout are the railroad logo shelves. Please look at my Shelf
page to see how to make some railroad logo shelves for yourself.
All places are listed from
East to West, just like the line was built.
