Input Needed On Layout Plan...

I have a room that is 14x9 for my N scale layout. I don't want to use up the entire room because this is only my second layout. I'd prefer to do a double decker shelf system, with the majority of the shelf being about 12"-18" in width.

So my idea is to have a double decker about 10 feet long, with a large helix hidden in the closet. The bottom deck would be a large freight yard, and a few industrial spots. Then the helix would connect the decks with the top deck containing the majority of the industrial customers.

My idea is traffic would take about 5-10 minutes to go from one deck to the next, allowing for some concept of travel to a far off destination.

I'm also considering adding in balloons at the end of each deck to allow trains to loop completely around to simulate through traffic, or passanger service.

I might also have a staging deck under the bottom deck or in the long closet, but still not quite sure what the purpose of a staging area is.

What advice have yee?

A staging area or yard is to give trains a place to go to and from when they leave your layout. In other words, instead of building an entire huge city with all it's yards and industries, a train might simply enter "Boston Staging" area and be turned, shuffled or stored until it reappears on the scedule. Most staging is unscenicked and has long sidings for entire trains. Some plans include loops for turning the trans so they can be stored "facing the right way." You may want to concider combining your balloon track with your staging for this reason.
There are many good articles on this subject in recent Model Railroader articles, including some on the concept of "visible" and or "scenicked" staging areas.
One last thought: My Dad's layout has a staging area at the unfinished end of his layout where he is planing on expanding from. The staging yard fills in for the part of the layout that isn't there yet.
Hope this helps,
Cosmo

You'll get some good advice here, but you may want to look at some of the track planning books offered by Kalmbach and Carstens. They will be a good reference and explain many concepts that you will want to go back to often.

-otto-

Did the results of the layout contest come out? I know I was looking foward to them for some ideas for a layout. You wouldn't think it, but it is definitely not as easy as it looks. The thing that seems to come through is not to treat this layout likes its the one and only one you'll ever do. Its all right not to get every idea/concept into it and mistakes are authorized....

That's a really good point, Thrdklr, and one I could stand to take to heart myself. If this is only, say, your seccond layout, you may wish to concider much of it temporary or experimental ontil you get things exactly the way you want them. That said, some of the more common building techniques may make that seem easier said than done.
Probably the best thing for you right now would be something that leans toward a more modular design that could be built in sections and modified more easily as time goes on. Some of the better trackwork on my dad's pike was laid down when I was in high scool, but other sections, more than 30 yrs. old, are now requiring more constant maintenance.
JM$.02W

DoNotHump,

You don't say if this is your first layout or not....or if you're new to the hobby or just to N-scale. If you are new I'm wondering if you're trying too much at once.

The previous posters all gave good advice. I was in HO for years with a 12x8 layout in my parents basement. When I moved to N about 10 years ago I originally planned to build an equivalent-sized layout. After thinking it out I decided to build a plan out of one of Atlas' N-scale trackplan books. Built it on a hollow-core door and it was a great learning tool for working in a new scale. Click on the www button on the bottom of my post to see my little world.

Staging yards are great tools for expanding your layout beyond the walls of your layout room. If you look at my trackplan you'll see there are 2 tracks that go off each end of the layout. Eventually they'll connect to either an expanded and scenicked layout or they'll run to staging yards.

Double-deck layouts do give you more layout for a given space but I don't like them for 2 reasons:

1) More than any other type of layout, they are permanent. They can be built as modulars but the few double-deckers I've seen were built in place permanently.

2) I HATE woodwork, I can't do woodwork, and I absolutely despise anyone who can. A double-decker, even a modular one, requires more benchwork/woodwork than a single-level layout does.

I was apprehensive about making the switch to N-scale but with high-quality offerings from Atlas, Kato, Life-Like and Micro-Trains I now look at HO and wonder what the appeal ever was. Of course with all the great new HO models coming out the in th last several years I sometimes wish I was back in HO. Unfortunately I don't have room for 2 layouts!

Enjoy!

BTW: Great screen name! I can just hear Beavis & Butthead: ".....huh, huh-huh, he said Do Not Hump, huh-huh....huh!"