The many doddle plans of Alice Springs

Hi All

I would like to share a slight obsession with you, in regard to layout design. Finding the perfect plan is a ever engrossing passion.

This was my first plan.

Features:

walk in no duck under.

Point to loop.

Darwin is the open fiddle yard.

Reason for rejection:

Passing loops on grades, lots of under board trackage.

Difficult construction.

A slight amendment of the same, industrial area is now on the same level as the rest of the yard.

Reason for rejection:

Bridge is on a grade.

Fiddle yard is on an S curve under Alice Springs, bound to be a problem derailment zone.

My favorite version for construction.

Features:

22ft trains good distance between each crossing loop.

No grades

Fiddle yard hidden by a low back drop.

Reason for rejection.

Industrial area encroaches on lounge area (now taken up by a large TV and sound system), operator of the industrial area would have to bob back and fourth between sides of the layout.

Bar area limits access points, making some point in the fiddle yard only accessable from the other side of the peninsular.

The same plan but flipped around so the industrial area faces the wall of the room.

Features:

Both sides of the yard are accessible, yard operators will have access to all points in the yard.

Main line operators will also have access to all point except the industrial trackage.

The bar is no longer a problem, as it is over the south end of the yard.

20ft loops.

Reason for rejection:

Fiddle yard trackage limited to 16ft standing room.

Very narrow board at the end of the fiddle yard.

Track gaps very tight at fiddle yard end.

lots of aisle traffic., to get into the fiddle yard, the operator has to pass between the peninsula's not once but twice. once to enter the triangle end, then again to run around at turn the power.
Only assess is via the GAP and this will have at least 2 ft high mountains on it.

Then there is the current one.