Objectives
This was my third layout. It was built in the same spare bedroom wherein the previous two layouts were built. I had set these goals for the layout:
- The layout must provide enough entertainment value for 5 years.
- The layout must be in a room that can be closed off to the cats.
- I will do all the construction work myself.
- No operating sessions are planned, hence I only need room for 2 or 3 people.
- The layout will be built in stages to avoid burn-out.
- Scenery ground-level must be around 60" from the floor.
- For rail fanning, a continuous-loop will be incorporated into the design.
- For switching opportunities, I wanted a relatively large yard and some industry.
- No grade shall exceed 2%.
- The layout is freelance, but focused only on the Pennsylvania Railroad.
- The entire system will be controlled through DCC.
I use Abracadata's 3D Railroad and Design software to design my layouts. I struggled quite a bit trying to get a design into the available model railroad room (a spare bedroom). The room was about 11 feet by 10 feet (3.35 m x 3.05 m). It has a standard bedroom closet in it that was very tempting. The closet, however, turned out to be useless for the railroad itself and was used for household and model railroading materials storage only (the radius for getting in and out of the closet was going to be too tight).
I wanted a continuous-running layout for this layout. I also wanted to be able to run at least two trains, and hence I created a double-track "bowl" design. The double mainline line followed the perimeter of the room in a rounded-rectangle design. Along three of the four walls there were opportunities for switching.
The diagrams below indicate the last state of the layout. The first diagram shows the benchwork with the track plan super-imposed.
The next diagram shows the track with some of the major scenic features outlined.
The helix in the peninsula led to a storage yard below the main layout. I initially started out NOT wanting a double-deck layout. However, I needed a place to store my collection of trains, so I decided to build a helix and a storage yard.
Modeling Philosophy
The layout was a "prototype-freelance" model. What this means is that the layout isn't necessarily an exact duplicate of places in the real world, but it was modeled such that it was realistic (as in "could have been"). For example, I model the Pennsylvania Railroad in the summer of 1953. This means that you will not find any locomotives, railroad cars, automobiles, or buildings that existed after that time. The layout would have the correct paint schemes, the correct signs, accurately painted people, and believable scenery that would fit in 1953 in Pennsylvania. Names of towns and geographic areas were both made up and selected from real-world places. The real world names do not indicate that I am trying to model that part of the world. I find it more relaxing to create my own scenery, without having to be a 100%-accurate match with the real world.
Layout Milestones
| Phase | Objective | Started | Completed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Prepare the room and build the benchwork | 12-18-2000 | 03-05-2001 |
| 2. | Lay the outside mainline loop | 03-17-2001 | 04-01-2001 |
| 3. | Install overhead room lighting | 04-14-2001 | 04-21-2001 |
| 4. | Lay the inside mainline loop | 04-28-2001 | 05-06-2001 |
| 5. | Build the Allegheny Mountain | 05-12-2001 | 07-08-2001 |
| 6. | Create the Penn Hills and Gloverstown backdrop scenery | 07-09-2001 | 07-28-2001 |
| 7. | Rebuild the Williamsport wall track | 09-15-2001 | 10-20-2001 |
| 8. | Build the Allegheny River bridge (Fairmont bridge) | 10-31-2001 | 12-13-2001 |
| ***** One-year anniversary ***** | 12-18-2001 | 12-18-2001 | |
| 9. | Create the Allegheny River and the Williamsport harbor | 12-15-2001 | 01-01-2002 |
| 10. | Rebuild the Shire Oaks double mainline track | 01-02-2002 | 06-08-2002 |
| 11. | Paint wall under layout | 03-15-2002 | 06-11-2002 |
| 12. | Move workbench to closet | 03-28-2002 | 04-07-2002 |
| 13. | Build helix | 04-18-2002 | 08-07-2002 |
| 14. | Paint clouds on entire backdrop area | 05-14-2002 | 05-16-2002 |
| 15. | Build Altoona storage yard benchwork | 08-08-2002 | 08-15-2002 |
| 16. | Cut and install plywood boards in Gloverstown & Shire Oaks | 08-16-2002 | 08-17-2002 |
| 17. | Install front fascia around entire layout, including painting it | 09-30-2002 | 11-24-2002 |
| 18. | Redesign and build new workbench | 11-25-2002 | 11-25-2002 |
| ***** Two-year anniversary ***** | 12-18-2002 | 12-18-2002 | |
| 19. | Design and build track and scenery for Pogo Mountain | 12-09-2002 | 01-05-2003 |
| 20. | Build the Altoona storage yard | 01-07-2003 | 01-14-2003 |
| 21. | Stopped working on layout | 01-21-2003 |