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Soon after I submitted the WHR trackplan to the nscale.net forum I received some constructive criticism on the design from a helpful member. His criticisms were as follows:

• staging is too limited / small
• too much rail-fanning ‘ not enough industry
• no passing sidings

(He also noted that the yard needed work to be functional – something I struggle with as I have little understanding of how railroads operate.)

I took note of his ideas and have come up with this slight variation.

Even though I’m in the process of finishing my two other layouts ‘ Pete’s Pumpkins and The Niagara Escarpment System ‘ I’m eager to start my next layout. I’ve learned a lot from these two layouts, but they are not without their drawbacks. One of the things I’ve come to understand that taking the time to develop a suitable track plan is paramount for the overall success of the layout. As such, I decided to approach this layout design by referencing the prototype

I also decided that I would try designing a railroad after the WHR prototype as many of the design decisions have already been made ‘ industries, locomotive rosters, geographical landmarks etc.

As I’ve been fortunate enough to have amassed a good deal of information about the WHR, I was comfortable designing a railroad that closely resembled the prototype, however my limited space and budget make it more difficult to design a pleasing track plan as one must selectively compress industries and landmarks. Likewise, limited space prohibits long trains, vast yards, and large rosters.

In an attempt to simplify the process, I developed the following set of guidelines:

• the layout needs to be portable, so an around-the-wall design is out
• maximum space is about the size of a door (30×80)
• I prefer rail fanning over switching so the layout should allow for continuous running
• Hidden staging is a must
• The design should capture the flavour of the prototype

I developed several ‘concept’ plans but was unhappy with the results as my continuous run criteria complicated the design. Frustrated with progress I returned to Google maps to see if I could find anything of interest. As stated earlier, most of the images of Nova Scotia are of very poor quality so tracking the WHR mainline was impossible. However as I followed the railroad east, the images improved and I discovered Windsor Junction. Windsor Junction connects connect the quarries on the north end of the province with the south, and offers an interchange for the westbound line to Hantsport. While I didn’t like the idea of modelling a wye, I couldn’t deny that it could be a perfect solution to my design dilemma.

Thus, here is the first incarnation of the new Windsor Gypsum Railway track plan. The layout is 34″x76″ with a minimum radius of 9″. I’m not yet happy with the yard configuration, and I haven’t considered where I might add some buildings, however I’m pleased with the overall concept.

The NES is a small, modern-day freelanced railroad set in rural Southwestern Ontario, Canada. While not specifically based on any particular railroad, the NES does owe its genesis to the inspiration gained from studying the Guelph Junction Railway ‘ a small branch line operation managed by the Ontario Southland Railway.

In designing the NES, I made a list of some practical features I wanted, as well as a list of design elements I wished to include. As this is my first layout, (aside from my childhood 4′x8′) , and my first attempt at N scale, I wanted the layout to be fairly small and portable, as I didn’t really have a ‘train room’. As well, I wanted to take advantage of the small collection of engines, rolling stock, and track work that I had collected over the past five years. Finally, I wanted the project to be ‘hobby shop independent’ ‘ meaning that any construction techniques I used, as well as scenery methods, could be done without constantly running to the hobby shop for more supplies. I wanted to do the vast majority of work with only ever having to visit the local hardware/dollar store.

For my n scale model railroad’s design, I wanted a plan that was continuous run, modeled a plausible railway design element, favoured scenery over track work, and could be divided into two separate scenes for scenic diversity. As well, I wanted to try to capture the essence of the Niagara escarpment and its surroundings in early winter.

Considering these sets of criteria, I managed to develop the following 2′x4′ layout. The design is a basic folded dog bone, with one small industry as well as an interchange, some hidden staging, and a small town. Overall, the plan allows for a decent amount of scenery, and while continuous run, should look less toy like with the tunnels and the view block.

While I was at it, I decided that I best design a herald for the railway to help set the mood. I settled on Niagara Escarpment System for the layouts name, and based the logo design on the East Troy Electric Railroad’s insignia.

Having spent many enjoyable hours doodling ideas for the trackplan, I decided that it would be good to post the rejected designs somewhere. As time allows, I’ll redraw each of my doodles and post them here. All plans are in N scale, and are designed to fit on a hollow core door (34″x80″). Any suggestions for layout designs are always welcome – please leave a comment at the bottom of the page if you have a suggestion.

The Mountain Switchback

Clearly inspired by a plan in Kalmbach’s 101 Trackplans for Model Railroaders this design is a point to point railroad operating between three towns/industries. I envision the scenery heavily wooded, perhaps an Appalachian theme…

Timber Pass

I really liked the simplicity of this design – a single yard nestled in the hills, bordering a small community. The yard would serve as an interchange for the ‘rest of the world’, as represented by the hidden staging yard.

River Interchange

Originally I was quite intrigued about building a layout where the entire landscape was cut in half by a river, and a lone interchange crossing it. A small residential area against the scenic divider, and several bridges was also inspring…

Tehachapi Loop

I never intended to build the Tehachapi Loop, however after reading a Model Railroad Planning article on desinging small layouts with bigger prototypes in mind, I decided that it would be fun to see if you could fit the ‘loop’ on a door. The curves are tight, and the grades are steep – but it fit!

My annual copy of Model Railroad Planning arrived today, and per usual, it had a little of ‘something for everyone’. While I enjoy reading all the articles, I was particularly intrigued by Bob Chapman’s piece entitled “Landmark Scenes”. In the article he discussed designing small pikes that we intended for the standard 4′x8′ sheet of plywood ‘ but instead of focusing on cramming an unnecessary amount of track in a small space, he discussed the merits of modeling a single prototypical scene ‘ with vast amounts of compressions ‘ in an effort to create a prototypically interesting model. In the article he offered up two excellent plans for both the Red Rocks on the Delaware & Hudson, and the Keddie Wye of the Western Pacific. (more…)

Taking a break from the soldering iron has allowed me to finish up yet another plan. Like the others, this plan revolves around a central interchange with hidden staging tracks serving as the ‘rest-of-the-word’. The plan is posted in Other Trackplans.

I rendered out one of the candidates for my layout. Really liked this design for its simplicity. Listed in Other Trackplans

I have added a small, and ongoing, gallery of Other Trackplans that were the result of some of my countless doodles.

Having spent many enjoyable hours doodling ideas for the trackplan, I decided that it would be good to post the rejected designs somewhere. As time allows, I’ll redraw each of my doodles and post them here. All plans are in N scale, and are designed to fit on a hollow core door (34″x80″). Any suggestions for layout designs are always welcome – please leave a comment at the bottom of the page if you have a suggestion.

The Mountain Switchback

Clearly inspired by a plan in Kalmbach’s 101 Trackplans for Model Railroaders this design is a point to point railroad operating between three towns/industries. I envision the scenery heavily wooded, perhaps an Appalachian theme…

Timber Pass

I really liked the simplicity of this design – a single yard nestled in the hills, bordering a small community. The yard would serve as an interchange for the ‘rest of the world’, as represented by the hidden staging yard.

River Interchange

Originally I was quite intrigued about building a layout where the entire landscape was cut in half by a river, and a lone interchange crossing it. A small residential area against the scenic divider, and several bridges was also inspring…

Tehachapi Loop

I never intended to build the Tehachapi Loop, however after reading a Model Railroad Planning article on desinging small layouts with bigger prototypes in mind, I decided that it would be fun to see if you could fit the ‘loop’ on a door. The curves are tight, and the grades are steep – but it fit!

Having spent a number of enjoyable (and relaxing) evenings building turnouts, I became a little more confident about my fabrication skills. As such I started standing over my baseboard and staring at the track plan. I realised that I wasn’t entirely happy with my design, especially the small industry spur. I decided to add a run-around track, and reorient the spur to serve a small industry. Using curved turnouts on either end of the run-around track ensured that it remained a serviceable length, even with the addition of the industry spur. As well, the crossover was originally conceived as an interchange, but there was no interchange track! I added a connection between the main line and the branch line in attempts to create a more prototypical arrangement. I’m undecided if I want to make the interchange a working interchange, or simply build it using dummy turnouts.

After spending several years looking through assorted magazines, doodling on scraps of paper, and daydreaming away hours thinking about my future layout, I realised that when I finally had an opportunity to start designing/building one, I had no idea what I wanted. I certainly knew what I liked and disliked, but when the occasion to start designing presented itself, I was lost.

Being honest about what I wanted was the first step in planning. Over the years I’ve looked over many track plans designed with operations in mind, and I’ve always admired the thoughtfulness and design quality in each. On the opposite side of the spectrum, I’ve poured hours into Kalmbach’s 101 Trackplans for Model Railroaders, in which the majority of designs are considered ‘display’ layouts (commonly featuring continuous running as the primary design element) but have equally admired the designs in spite of their ‘dated’ features. Comparing these two design approaches allowed me to realise that what I really wanted to do was disappear into my basement, work on some scenery, flip the switch, and watch trains roll through my miniature countryside. A continuous running ‘display’ layout was what I wanted.

I refined this decision by including some additional criteria. First, the layout needed to be portable, so I decided the base would be a hollow-core door (I model N scale). Second, I wanted some sort of interchange and hidden staging ‘ replacing the need for active industries. Finally, I wanted to model a freelanced modern Southern-Ontario railway, so the scenery and industry would need to reflect this.

Having established these guidelines, I started doodling ‘ with a pen and paper! I work with computers for a living, and have developed a decent proficiency with many CAD, 3D and Graphical programs. As such, I sampled many excellent layout-planning programs in search of useful planning tool, but found each type of software limiting. I just couldn’t jot down and idea without embarking on a formal plan. Pen in hand, I started to draw. Many of scribbles later I came up with a stack of designs with pros and cons, and ultimately decided on the drawing below.

Sceptical of my ability to draw accurate radii and turnouts freehanded, I refined the conceptual sketch on the baseboard. I covered the door with some Kraft paper, and began re-sketching the design using a compass and turnouts. Several hours later, and after some minor revisions, I had a full-sized plan drawn.

The plan attempts to represent and interchange between a double main-line and a branch-line. Both lines share a simple hidden staging yard, and the interchange becomes a return loop to reverse train direction. There are some flaws in the design, but I wanted to ensure that I kept the track somewhat sparse for scenic effect, so I was willing to live with minor deficiencies.