My own railroad: ideas welcome

[Dragunov2]

In the past (a very longtime ago in a galaxy far away...) I always had trains, together with my dad, but it was the brand Lima, which suddenly stopped making them, so for years never bought a train again and my dad sold the complete setup....

In the recent years I bought the latest Lego trains (white and green one), but searched for the other ones aswell (Blue and white one), so at last I'm having a railroad again....

So if u have tips and trick, please share them with me, I have some ideas, but can use your visions aswell on it!

As u can see or not see, rather not see, there are tables around the track with each their own Lego theme (Creator Expert cars, Lego Ideas, Lego Mario, Disney castle and station with train,...)

It's a start, but the other half of the attic is also used for the kids their Playmobil and as storage

 

[Dragunov2]

Edited December 28, 2020 by Dragunov2

[Amoreternum]

I'd recommend looking up a few model railroading videos on YouTube, especially videos on layout and track planning. Most of the basics covered in those can be transferred to the brick, but basically, it's all about the shape - your layout is basically a circle, and if you have enough pieces to do so, that should be the first thing to break up. Most common tip I found was to go for an asymmetrical shape or a "dogbone", meaning long straights and curves at the end where the trains can turn around, maybe add in a yard or a station in between, or at both ends. The most important aspect should be to keep your layout interesting, so other things that might help are breaking the line of sight to your train or adding scenery it can disappear behind, even if it's just for a few seconds. For example, try placing your modulars in one long straight and have the train in front, but also behind it. But when staying at Lego, Pennlug has some great coverage of their videos and I can also recommend Smith Movies series on building a Lego model railroad.

[Dav1d]

15 hours ago, Amoreternum said:

I can also recommend Smith Movies series on building a Lego model railroad.

Building A Lego Model Railway - Part 1 - YouTube

I have just watch the first part and it is very good. His 1/4 scale mock up was excellent. 

[Amoreternum]

His videos on building a steam locomotive are also a treat to watch, even if you're not building in 6w. Too bad he seems to be inactive at the moment.

[Dragunov2]

23 hours ago, Amoreternum said:

I'd recommend looking up a few model railroading videos on YouTube, especially videos on layout and track planning. Most of the basics covered in those can be transferred to the brick, but basically, it's all about the shape - your layout is basically a circle, and if you have enough pieces to do so, that should be the first thing to break up. Most common tip I found was to go for an asymmetrical shape or a "dogbone", meaning long straights and curves at the end where the trains can turn around, maybe add in a yard or a station in between, or at both ends. The most important aspect should be to keep your layout interesting, so other things that might help are breaking the line of sight to your train or adding scenery it can disappear behind, even if it's just for a few seconds. For example, try placing your modulars in one long straight and have the train in front, but also behind it. But when staying at Lego, Pennlug has some great coverage of their videos and I can also recommend Smith Movies series on building a Lego model railroad.

Thanks for your reply!

But I can only cover 2.5mx3m for now and gonna have five different kind of themes (coastal, industrial, city, winter and nature)

Still need to buy tables to put the complete structure on

 

Edited December 29, 2020 by Dragunov2

[Vilhelm22]

I don’t if you have the Disney Train but it’s pretty wide.  Can it fit past 60051 in the top picture?

[Dragunov2]

It's a tight fit with the normal trains, those wouldn't fit no

The Disney train is on seperate track

Edited December 30, 2020 by Dragunov2

[Vilhelm22]

2 hours ago, Dragunov2 said:

It's a tight fit with the normal trains, those wouldn't fit no

The Disney train is on seperate track

Ah that makes sense.  Pretty sure it reaches 10 wide at one point.

 The other awkward train is 60051’s nose.  Make sure that the train can get past on the bends.  I’ve had problems myself regarding that before even on the official train station sets.  

Otherwise great job!  I understand your restrictions as I at one point had a 3x3 metre loft to use, but if you can avoid a circle that might be good?  How about a figure of 8 style, but stretched to take a square shape if you get me - like two ovals which both cross across the centre and overlap, but one long track.  Does that make sense?

[Dragunov2]

Thanks!

Yeah, every train can pass the other on the side track, but if I run the train through the city, I loose alot of valuable space, no?

Cause there is also a hole in the middle of the city so I can stand overthere, I know u cannot see it, cause aslong as they are not on the tables, it's difficult to see the final structure...

But just placed some roadplates, overtime this can change according to the spaced needed for my hole in the middle...

[DGoSec]

I like the layout.  I'm dealing with a smaller space then you, and it's tough to not have oval/circle.  I tried bi-level, but the track required to go up...its huge, you could possibly do it with your.  This gives height and ability to hide behind.   If you do go through the center, and concerned about the hole you need for when you put on a table, consider a simple bridge.  Win-win.

[Dragunov2]

I need to stand in those hole, so I can access the other parts of the city, those more to the center.

In the right upper corner of previous pic, u see some Playmobil, in the future I gonna put some tables overthere aswell, so I can expand the city more to the corner.

But great  to receive feedback...

U already see the four parts in the city on those pic.

• Lower corner left, u see the old fishing store, so this part is the sea, water, ...
• Lower corner right, gonna make a winter theme with winter station
• Upper corner right, already see some green baseplates, so I gonna make some park, with a nice view out from our Parisian Restaurant
• Upper corner left, gonna be more industrial, grey groundplates, already updated those part with an extra switch to the right and some straight traintracks (not on photo yet)

But I still need to know how to connect all this parts, so it goes fluently, and gives this setup more depth and feel

 

[Thai bricks]

I don't know the layout of your room, but my advice is to swap everything around: put the train around the outside and everything else in the middle. The space under it can be used for storage. If this is at all possible it will transform your railway.

[Dragunov2]

I gonna make a pic tomorrow of the current lay-out of the room