When planning a new layout, or an extension to an existing layout, many of us cannot resist the urge to quickly get some track down and get the trains running. This is a good thing … at least for the most part. It helps us to keep the fire stoked. After all, doing layout infrastructure is no fun. Who wants to be working when you could be playing?
The problem is that sooner or later you have to come back and put in the necessary infrastructure. “Just what is layout infrastructure?’ you may ask. In a nutshell, infrastructure encompasses all of those non-railroad things that make the layout attractive, accessible, safe, durable, easy to maintain, and downright fun to operate. It is simple things like drainage, pathways, power, lighting, landscaping, irrigation, and storage.
It includes major scenic features like ponds and streams, mountains, and canyons. It includes minor things like footings for future bridge abutments. It may include security cameras or wi-fi hotspots and the associated Ethernet cabling. If you are a “sparky”, it is a place for your power supplies and all of the distribution power wiring. It involves a bit of planning to build patios and seating areas in areas that will compliment your future focal points.
Layouts can consume many tons of rock, gravel, and fill dirt during construction. Make sure you have a way to get the materials to the required places. It’s tough to get raw materials to the interior of the layout after the outer loop is built and operating (common sense but I had to learn it the hard way.)
Infrastructure needs to be maintained, just like locos and rolling stock. Doing it correctly the first time means a lot less maintenance later on. Sure, you can “Okie” it (a local term for using duct tape and baling wire to get anything built) and then just “band-aid” it forever. But that kind of takes the fun out of running trains.
It’s like the mechanic’s line in the old oil change commercial, “You can pay me now, or pay me later.” And later is always more difficult.
Bob
