Restarted with my layout..

Many thanks to all the help so far, it's got me well into this now.
Thanks to the chap that sent me the 6x4 two tier layout. I set up a mock layout using that design (or as near to as I could get). However, I just couldn't get enough traction on the 0-4-0 to pull more than two (small) carriages up the incline - even after a small redesign to lengthen the incline. It's this loco that was intended to make this run too, as a small hillside route.
I have now abandoned the 6x4 layout, and have rebuilt it as a 6x6 with a central access panel. I decided to invest in track layout software for my Mac (RailModeller), and using that I have now managed to design a rather busy plan, but one that I'm happy with. It gives me two main lines, a passing loop, and a branch line on the outer part of the circuit, and I have an inner circuit with a compact loop with sidings off it. My plan is to make the outer lines as passenger routes with two or three stations, and the inner circuit as either a rural line, or perhaps a goods yard.
I'm currently making a switch panel, using two rows of switches - upper for points, lower for track objects (such as lights). I have some LEDs and I bought a set of two way momentary toggle switched from CPC.
Picture of it here (if anybody is interested): http://www.thehewitts.eclipse.co.uk/railway /
I've yet to decide on the final details of where to put things like the control panel, and the controllers. I intend to make this a fairly open plan layout, with only a small amount of relief detail, but mainly an open countryside kind of look. I also haven't worked out where to put things like track breaks.
Anyway, it's been fun so far.
All the best.

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The way you have set out the sidings on the inner loop seems a bit weird with them both having a double kickback. It's not a very efficient use of siding space and it also means that trains are going to have to do a lot of back and forth movements to get out of them and it will restrict the length of the trains you can fit in them. It might be better to do the inner loop something like this. BTW don't lay your track like this! :)
http://img175.imageshack.us/img175/7147/trackplan1zl6.jpg
Fred X

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Thanks Fred.
Luckily my track is stiff enough to avoid that kind of fixing ;-)
I've done some more fiddling in my software (worth the cost already), and I couldn't get a layout to fit initially, always ending up with the last piece not quite fitting (I really need to get some flexi-track I suppose).
Anyway, after a little more thought, and fiddling, I came up with a modified layout, with a full passenger area at one side, and a goods and sidings area on the other. I've also made the two full passing loops through the station, so this layout has a potential to run 6 trains at once.
http://www.thehewitts.eclipse.co.uk/railway/6x6layout6.jpg
Many thanks.

On Jul 30, 9:20 am, snipped-for-privacy@googlemail.com (Andy Hewitt) wrote:
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Setrack curves are good for laying accurate small radius curves but you are limited to what is available. Definitely consider flexitrack for larger radiuses and straights.
MBQ

snipped-for-privacy@googlemail.com (Andy Hewitt) wrote:
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That's a good idea - once you start playing you'll quite likely change you mind about what works and what doesn't.
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Richard

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Yes indeed, I have managed to accumulate quite a lot of track off eBay (rather too many R605 corners though), and have got a reasonably full 6x6 three track layout already. I'd just like a few more bits just to tidy up the sidings a bit, and maybe replace some of the older style points for new ones. Apart from that, I'm pretty happy with it so far.

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Now that is very reminiscent of the display layouts seen operated by Hornby O gauge collectors. Excellent for running trains, not so easy perhaps to swap engines around.
That kick-back siding upper right doesn't look too useful. Why not take it off the inner loop into about the same space? Or *inside* the inner loop instead off the right hand side R600
Alternately, take the whole fan of sidings off the inside loop, starting alongside the left-hand station? Shunting there wouldn't foul your main-line so much.
Oooh, I want to fiddle with this... But it's your layout! Whatever you choose and are happy with is exactly right.
Best wishes.

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My idea is to run multiple trains as a priority, so I can make a good working display. The shunting part is pretty secondary in importance really, and I wasn't trying to put a great deal of realism into this at this time. However, I was also not intending to hide the shunting yard away either, which I see is quite popular with some layouts, I think it's just as interesting a part of the layout as the rest. It'll take me a while to work out the power supplies, and rail breaks though.
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Well, I do want to put some scenery *somewhere* :-), but that is a good idea. I still need to obtain some more track to complete this layout as yet, but I'm 90% of the way there so far, and running on a reduced layout.
I also plan to have a few graveyard bits around too, so an odd useless bit of siding could actually be, erm, useful :-)
(I have a few old Tri-Ang coaches, and a 4-6-2 loco I got off eBay that won't fit the track, but could be made into static items).
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Righto. Now, my mum has just been round, and suggest a small amount of reorganising in the shed might offer me the chance to make a completely seperate shunting yard off to the top left of the layout - this might give me as much as a 4x2ft extension to make this a fat 'L' shape. But it'd give me a much better 'fiddle' yard to work with.
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Of course, although I'm glad of any suggestions to change bits that are not going to work well.
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And you, and thanks.

snipped-for-privacy@googlemail.com (Andy Hewitt) wrote:
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Looks better. Now all the sidings except one are straight. You could run 3 trains continuously around the 3 loops. More would require more than one operator and some dexterity - and of course DCC.
My 8' x 6' 00 layout has a double track loop with a passing track through the station accessible from either loop, plus 5 through storage sidings, one dead-end for my DMU, plus a turntable and loco shed. It makes extensive use of curved points to maximise the straightaways. I can run five-coach passenger trains.

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Indeed, the three is find for now, and I now have three controllers too.
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I have tried to incorporate a couple of curved points into mine, but I only have some very old ones, and I'm having trouble intergrating them into my layout, so I'm giving them a miss for now.
I am beginning to wonder if a turntable might be a good investment, especially as I'm intending to concentrate on steam era stuff.
Cheers.

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I would avoid curved points if possible, particularily Setrack ones, as they are more trouble than they are worth. But your layout plan does look a lot better, although the sidings are now on a "facing" point which is a bit of a no-no on the prototype and also means that trains can't back into the siding as is the norm. That's what happens when you to listen to these self proclaimed internet experts! :)
Fred X

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OK, I've given up on the curved points anyway. As for the sidings, if the trains are going clockwise, then the sidings are facing the right way, surely!

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British practice is normally "left hand running" (if there's a pair of tracks, a train from the driver's point of view would almost always be on the left-hand one) So with a double track main line, such as your dark and light blue loops, the light blue line should be running counter-clockwise.
It's a different countries thing, again, and where France (LHR) meets Germany (RHR) it gets complicated, with flyovers replacing crossovers for speed in several places nowadays. Oh, and Alsace and Lorraine still follow the German rule, a residual effect of them being German from 1870-1919. That may be too much information!
A turntable would take up quite a bit of space. Provided you keep half your tender engines facing one way, and half the other, a turntable needn't be a priority. To change a train's direction uncouple the clockwise loco, and then back on an anticlockwise loco on the other end. But you can't get away with that quite so easily with two termini.

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Understood. I hadn't even considered that of course, so thanks for the pointer.
Mind you, I have another problem now, in that I might be planning a separate siding board, but it's in the wrong place for the direction of travel, as it'd have to come off the main outer line.
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Erm, yes :-)
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Righto, so I need to buy at least four locos then? ;-)

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I don't know. I've seen plenty of pictures of layouts in various web forums that seem to win plaudits from other forum members where the track work is very close to your sketch;-)
MBQ