Eric Schade said:
Looks like you have some good fun ahead Shawn! You can work through the winter! You can always shovel off the snow and cover the works with a tarp overnight. (-;
Thanks Eric. Good idea about the tarp.
Your #9 should be much happier on my new layout with large curves.
Doug Arnold said:
I really like those plans. Are you going to make the reverse loops automatic?
Im not sure Doug. They will probably be spring loaded. Since Im running track power I will isolate the reverse loops and only have track power to the outside loop.
Eric Schade said:
Looks like you have some good fun ahead Shawn! You can work through the winter! You can always shovel off the snow and cover the works with a tarp overnight. (-;
Heck yeah - or build a plastic house with a wood stove in it!!!
Holy cow! I slow my looking at the site fora couple of weeks in Florida and the whole world changes.
Shawn, you have developed a great design team here. 
David Maynard’s statement -
“If you put a saw mill between the 2 loops, one loop could be for the logs coming in, and the other loop could be for the lumber going out. That way you have a reason for 2 tracks that close together.”
Love that idea! It gives all the track purpose.
Jose, your work is fantastic.
What a great read.
Beautiful work, José. I’ve been watching all this time as your plans for Shawn emerged. enjoying it all immensely.
It seems Shawn has decded that he can live with 4’ radius after all, confined to his reverse loops. I imagine he’ll be very happy with the latest plan. Your latest computer plots will undoubtedly be a great help to him! Now all he needs is a warm-up in the weather.
Up here in Toronto we’re already well and truly frozen in at least until May, the ground snow-covered, and we cannot even consider doing anything outdoors for the next six months…
My heart really goes out to the folk in Western New York who have just received up to five feet of snow this week. OUCH! Not much garden railroading going on there, I bet.
Shawn , you got plenty of ideas there to pick from. Should keep ya busy during the winter tryin to choose one…
Im excited about starting my new layout. Lots of great ideas. Im glad I went with the two reverse loops. It will allow me to do a lot and I will have some great options for making videos.
I spent the last two days playing around with the track plan. I got all the track down, bent and cut. For the most part I was able to follow Joses track plan but ran into a few problems. Mostly from my awful math/measuring skills) Since Im more of a visual person I was able to make it work. I had to make a few adjustments. One main change I did was brought the two reverse loops closer in the center by taking the loops off and making longer straights. I did this so I can build a double tunnel and I didnt like how close the reverse loop got to the mainline. I think on longer trains the engine and caboose would be side by side, causing things to look much smaller.
Next step is to label the connections so when I take the track up I know what went where. Might have to wait till after tomorrows snow melts, if it does…
I need a few more switches to complete the steam track and yard area.
Pictures dont really do justice. Overall Im happy with it. Come spring I can tweak it more.
Who’s unpacking???
Leave the track down over the winter. It won’t rust. 
That looks great Shawn, looks like it will have a lot of hide aways. lots of room for plants and buildings. I think you got the hard part done. now comes the fun! To bad winter is knocking at the door. well done!!!
Wicked Awesum…
Looks good.
Looks Cool! Turn some trains loose on it! 
How about a giant retractable canopy attached to the house?
Sean McGillicuddy said:
Who’s unpacking???
Obviously not him!!
Looking good bro!!
Thanks guys. Im unpacking, my trains. I even got my Micro and Modular set up in the basement and ran some trains the last two nights. I got my priorities all set
Just remember, there are layout plans and then there are as-built plans. They’re not necessarily the same thing.
Once track starts going down, the best laid plans become history and your eye and the landscape dictates what looks best. Just follow your instincts, you’ve done this before, so you know what you want and what you don’t want. Keep eye ballin it over the winter, they’ll be little things here and there you’re going to want to change. From what I see, you’re doin pretty good.
Nice! Looks like the start of another great railroad.
Looks great, Shawn. You’ve got quite a lot done before the bad season (you know… winter). I’m jealous, we’ve been pounded with snow already in Western New York and my railroad re-build has stopped for this year. Keep up the great work!
-Kevin.
