Test Z Layout Plans

Hi all

I have been mulling over some ideas about building my Z scale layout, and have thought about having a staging area below the main scenic part. I am not sure that this might be do-able as access would be limited, but it would mean that alot more stock could be held. Still contemplating this..

The alternative, is to just use the half not being looked on as the staging area, but then this limits the operational use, which is what I am primarily interested in.

Anyway have a look and your comments would be appreciated.

Regards
Tom

Tom,

Good timing on your question. I am working on a three part series of yards, sidings and fiddle yards to be published in Ztrack next year. I believe that yards and staging areas are very important. The simple equation of adding one siding doubles the amount of trains you can store on your layout. Yards add quite a lot of interest in the layout. Cars sitting on track are visually interesting. They yards create nice storage space to show off your trains as well as giving you the functionality to run those trains.

I think you are heading in the right direction with you plans. What I may suggest is not to hide the staging yard but incorporate it in to the layout. You can use the buildings as a visual barrier, I would not necessarily try and hide your switches. On thought is that if you do like the uses of large buildings around the yard, create more of a urban yard that would service warehouses and factories along the line. The would be an interesting scene, plus allow you to stage trains.

Rob

I agree with Rob. After all the money drained on passenger cars, Alinda and I want to store them the way they are really stored, in a visually impressive way, and they sure look nice on the yard we are working on. I think the yard the way to go.

Tom, Take a picture of your layout plan and post it as a photo. That way we can 'blow it up' and really see what's going on. Beyond that I'm not a fan of hiding areas. I like to see the whole works. I've always been curious about how people access and clean these types of layouts, especially double deckers. They don't make any sense to me. Cheers, Jim CCRR:unsure:

Jim,

Just right-click his image and say "Open in New Window". It enlarges nicely. Or, right-click it and "save to desktop" and then double click it -- fully rescalable to any size (at least on a Macintosh -- who knows what Billy Gates will do with it).

Russ

Russ, Thanks. I did all that. The best I could get was a photo on my Desk Top. Not exactly what I wanted! Now that I have seen the layout larger. I stand by my previous comments about lower tracks. Interesting to me is that this seems to be for the most part a Euro thing. I realize space is limited for some of us, but I just can't see me ever doing a layered layout. I want my trains were I can see 'em and play with them. Of course I'm from the section of our Z scale hobby that likes to use Z in a grand and spacious way: single mainlines rolling though scenery; minimal yards; and small villages. That's just me. Cheers, Jim CCRR:blink:

Hi Jim

Sorry about the picture I uploaded it as a 800x600 jpeg, but it seems to have been resized. www.flickr.com/photos/meandmymac/3034761378/ might be better?

AS for space, I am in rent accommodation and only have a very! small space.. I would love to have a room dedicated to a dub of my chosen line, but it ain't possible at mo. Yes here in London, England space is a major problem but hey that's why I went Z

Tom

Tom, I know what you mean. Remember my first ever layout was 2'x3' on my sailboat. Keep up the good work. Great to have you back. Cheers, Jim CCRR:)

Jim

That is partly what inspired be to do this, I remember thinking how did you get some much detail into a small space. I need to do a lot more work on this yet, but think it might have potential. I might bin the country side if there is not enough space but I think I can squeeze it in. I have around 4x2ft, just need to do some Templot planning..

I think that the lower level would be around the outside and be something like this and not be enclosed so that there would be easy access for cleaning and any mishaps, stalls.

T.

This is a small layout I've designed for a shelf in my office, but didn't have the time to build it. The layout can be used both ways, and the other part can be used as hidden storage. It provides a basic loop and a few switching possiblilities. One side was designed to be a branchline station, the other side as an industrial/commuter line.