Preliminary plans coming together

This past weekend I drew up a preliminary plan for what would be the lower level in the smaller side of the basement that the CR&E will hopefully occupy. The room size is 11.5 X 23. The width of the room restricts the design somewhat, but there is still room for one peninsula that will be used to climb "the loops" as the railroad transitions from the lower to the upper level.

I'm not yet totally satisfied with the track arrangement, but this is a big start for me. My approach to layout design is usually to try to draw up the footprint of the benchwork and then do some rough designing of track arrangement to be sure I can fit in major features. Once I actually build the framework, there will be plenty of field modifications.

I drew 16 different footprint ideas for the total available space (11.5 X 23 on one side of the basement and approximately 23 X 23 on the other unfinished side, with a small laundry room that will be used for the connection between the sides and staging area.) The fifteenth footprint out of 16 appears to be the winning version, as I like it best. Once I actually get into the house and have a chance to look at the available space on the large side of the basement, I'm sure there will be potential changes.

I've already had a lot of very good feedback and suggestions that I am working to implement. Lewisburg Yard design isn't complete yet. Frankly I'd like to get the mainline in as soon as possible and can mess with the details of yard design when I have some more expert advice.

As I get more time, I'll draw the preliminary design for the upper level. It will be very simple though, with the small pulpwood loading spur at Forester (located roughly above Archer Fork), the passing siding at Paint Bank (located roughly above Caldwell and stretching toward the area above the Greenbrier River), a couple industries at Paint Bank and a coal storage yard/branch there, and then the single track mainline stretching around the rest of the upper level above Lewisburg. All of that single track area will be a simple scene depicting "middle of nowhere" running, something I really want to do well on this version of the railroad.

That's all for now...more updates soon!