Design Givens and Druthers

Givens

• Available space - Bedroom, 14.95 feet x 12.45 feet including use of closet; doorway opens into layout area; 40 inch x 38 inch lost area where door enters room and where wall of closet will remain.
• 21 30-inch square squares, or 24 28-inch square squares
• Rolling stock - approximately seventy five 40-foot cars; mostly Accurail, McKean, and Walthers kits; all weighted per NMRA RP20.1
• Motive power -2-8-0 Old Lady Consolidation w/tender, 4-4-2 Atlantic (unmade kit), EMD GP35, miscellaneous yard and switcher engines

Druthers: (not rank ordered)

• Era - late steam and early diesel
• Several towns / switching locations
• Branch line to serve small town / industrial area
• Interchange track
• Stub yard w/team track, and some industries
• Staging tracks
• Easements preferred on all curves
• Continuous running capability for 2 trains desired
• Through the scene once preferred
• Caboose storage track if possible - preferably double ended
• Light engine service facilities
• Short line Railroad
• Track height - 56-inch minimum
• Tracks not parallel to backdrop nor to layout edge
• Room between tracks and layout edge for scenery
• 25-inch minimum aisle width