Recently I have begun doing some sketching and suggestions for different people on the varios mailing-lists on the internet... And lo and behold! Some people actually like my comstomized designs ;-)

So much so, that a couple of the here shown designs are now actually being constructed!

I am even receiving gifts as a thankyou for the help.

So... I am saying thankyou also! -For making it worthwile doing something I like! Thanks guys! (You know who you are ;-)

As I pretend to make semi-professional plans, I would like to hear your thoughts and critisims too!

 

To see and read about each of the published plans here, just click on the picture of the layout.

Where nothing else is mentioned, scale is H0, and tracks are from Märklin.

 

 

Spectacular river bend.

 

Interesting beginner-level layout.

Lots of space, but limited track-material and complexity of construction.

Lots of fun in this one, though!

 

Very compact 2-level layout.

Many and complex running possibilities. Relatively easy construction.

 

Compact layout, with complex construction. Interresting "dogbone" mainline with simple branchline. Lots of shaddow-stations.

 

Quite a famous LCTM-layout "redone" for advanced computer control.

Compact layout, with rather complex construction.

 

Another LCTM-layout. Lots of space (restricted height). Large yet simple layout with a medium construction-level.

Alright... I dont pretend to know a lot about this, but here is what I consider sound advice:

 

Avoid ovals, or trains going round in the same circle(s). Use the dog-bone principle instead (as shown in the design of my actual layout). If you use 2 rail DC beware of short circuits when making reverse loops!

Although layouts with terminus stations are very true to real world situations, they dont allow the trains to run continuosly without operator interaction to change the direction and/or change the loco to the other end of the consist. Therefore avoid this theme. (Or use it only in a secondary branch-line)

 

Do this! Build a shadow-station as big as you possible can! As a rule of thumb you can say that the amount of hidden tracks should be more or less equal to the amount of visible tracks on your layout.

It is far better to build a small station in the visible part, with a huge shadow station, than to build a big grand central station without any posibility of storing trains in an out-of-sight shadow station..

What I like about a layout is to sit back and se the different trains pass by, and so an automated shadow-station provides nice variation all the time.

 

Dont use the pathetic standard curves in any visible part of your layout. (at least not for the main line). 360mm radius curves are way to sharp to look real, especially if you use material with 4 axels.

 

Try to fit in a section where the trains can get a long un-interrupted run. -With no station or signals to stop them. This can normally always be achieved, regardless of what little space you have available, by constructing it at another level than your main station. A parallel stretch of tracks is only 15 cm wide. If you have this, now try to time the signals so that two trains almost always cross each other on this "Paradestrecke".

 

A lot has already been said about helix'es in the internet, so I suggest you enter "HELIX" in Google -or any other preferred internet search-engine. I only want to stress that in a parallel track helix one should make sure the trains CLIMB the helix on the OUTSIDE track, as this will have a lower inclination than the inner track.

 

And finally, the golden rule, which is so easy to say, but is so dificult to follow:

You really DONT want to saturate your layout with tracks and tracks and even more tracks. It's simply impossible to fit all of your creative ideas into one design, -and I dont mind just HOW much space you say that you have available. Go think about it a good long time, and then start SIMPLIFYING that super optimated design that you have worked out over several weeks using the latest in computer aided design technology.

The same also goes for separate parts of the layout; Its much better to decorate a part of the layout with a single well-selected house, than cramming 5-6 houses into the same area just beacuase they all fit in there physically.

As it can be seen in my designs, I have big problems myself, to follow this last rule...

Now. Repeat after me: "LESS IS MORE". Thank you.