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Option 3 is to make more of an Island design (green dotted box),
but you would need to crawl under to get to the middle of the layout. I have
seen several layouts that start at the doorway, so you wouldn’t be the first
person to use every square foot of space in a room.
Peninsulas make pretty good view blocks, too. If you build
mountainous scenery down the center, you can arrange it so the other side of
the layout is not visible.
Using the same scale for your
floor plan as the layout drawing will allow you to transfer a rough sketch into the
floor space to compare your design to the available practical
space.
Once you have the floor plan of
your space mapped, you can begin to visualize how much usable space you have to
work with. Make several copies of your floor plan, and keeping in mind the two-foot
aisle and reach constraints, sketch in various configurations of base benchwork
that you can build in that space. Don’t bother with an actual n scale train layout
plan at this point; think about how to reach into all the parts of your future
layout without climbing on the track layout itself. Murphy’s Laws definitely apply
to model railroad layouts: “The least accessible part of the layout is the place
where the most trouble of any kind will occur.” A corollary is: “A derailment will
occur at the least accessible part of the layout.”
Electrical power and lighting
are the next concerns. A typical bedroom house wiring circuit is protected by a
circuit breaker. It will be usually be connected to several rooms and is intended
to be used by lamps and small appliances. A room sized n scale layout with two or
three trains will probably not tax that service much, but it would be worthwhile to
take the time to understand a little electrical theory if your plans are for much
more than that. Naturally, for a very large N layout, adding circuit breakers,
outlets and wiring should be considered and installed before the benchwork is
started. Once the benchwork is built, it will be close quarters to try to retrofit
electric outlets.
Lighting of the train layout
will be setting the mood and showcasing the scenery. There is more on lighting in
the e-books as it pertains to presentation of the model railroad, but for now the
main consideration is that the space be lighted well enough to start construction.
It’s difficult to work in an area where there are deep shadows and dim light, so
make sure you have either built-in lighting or portable fixtures that will make
building the railroad safe and convenient.
Plan Well Before You Lay Your
First Piece Of N Scale Train Track
All of this preparation may
sound like a lot of work, but when you start building it will help avoid problems
that interrupt your work flow and make the construction less
enjoyable.
If you are fortunate enough to
have a large unfinished space to work with, you also have a choice as to whether to
partly or completely finish off the space or to leave it and just add the wiring
you need to support your layout electrical needs. While you can save a bit of money
leaving the space alone, one issue should cause you to reconsider. Typical model
train layouts don’t move around much (modular designs may be exceptions), so any
dust and dirt that falls from the ceiling of an unfinished space is going to sift
down upon the track and the layout scenery and structures, so will need to be
vacuumed or cleaned somehow. It not only dulls the scenery, it also collects all
over the track and can lead to intermittent operation. It is usually prudent to spend a bit of
your precious modeling funds to make sure that the space contains dust and
dirt.
You are going to be standing
next to your N scale railroad a lot during construction. A bare concrete
floor is very uncomfortable to stand on after a while, and if you build your train
layout on a concrete floor, think of that floor being the destination of your prize
$800 super-detailed locomotive that has taken a turn a bit fast, or has been
jostled by an operator passing by. Floor coverings will make a lot of sense if you
are creating a model railroad track to do prototype operation. You are likely to
have many operators walking near the railroad setup who will greatly appreciate
your forethought on their feet after a long operating session. A bonus is that a
nice working space is a lot more pleasant to spend time in.
N Scale Train Layout Plans Need To Incorporate
Room For Train Operators To Work and Relax
A large n scale train track
layout dedicated to prototypical operation rather than just running trains around
means regular sessions with guest operators. Depending on how elaborate and long
the sessions become, it might be convenient to have an area for relaxation of train
operators not currently on duty. A nice sitting area where coffee and refreshments
won’t accidentally get on the track or scenery will be a welcome addition and make
your operators anxious to come to the next session.
Last, if you don’t already have
a separate space, you may want to include an area for your workbench and plenty of
storage. Storage can be placed in strategic locations under the railroad benchwork,
but make your workbench separate enough that you can comfortably work there without
being cramped, or causing other operators of your model railroad inconvenience if
you need some quick repair work during an operating session. Many modelers prefer
a completely separate space for workbench projects, and this is a particularly good
idea if you anticipate requiring a paint booth for your airbrush detailing or an
area for power tool operation. Modeling workbenches are a whole subject unto
themselves; unfortunately space does not permit an exhaustive discussion on this
page.
As you are preparing your
space, you will no doubt be unable to resist trying out different train layout
plans on your floor plan sketch. If you prefer to draw by hand, by all means
continue to do so. You might wish to duplicate and cut and paste various layout
track plans into the floor plan you created for your space, or simply sketching the
overall base silhouette in the proper size will help you visualize how the
benchwork will fit in place. There are some nice template tools similar to French
curves that are made especially for had drawing n scale track layouts. However, you
might find it easier to use one of the many N scale track
designs featured in the above N Scale book
you download to your computer.
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