Layout Design SIG

The Layout Design Special Interest Group, Inc. (LDSIG) is a tax-exempt 501(c) 3 non-profit, educational organization that exists to:

· act as a forum for members' exchange of information and ideas

· develop improved ways for hobbyists to learn the art and science of layout design

· provide leadership for planning, developing, coordinating, and expanding the knowledge of planning model railroads

· promote, develop, support and encourage participation by the public in model railroading

Its prime purpose is to aid efforts to design and create layouts that achieve the owner’s layout goals (with a minimum of space and cost), avoid common design flaws, and include prototype and model design features that maximize operating and visual interest. LDSIG membership benefits include four issues of the “Layout Design Journal” and opportunities to meet fellow designers and operators at regional and national events, contact people willing to help with your designs, and participate in several Internet discussion groups.  

Our slogan “Make only new mistakes” means don’t repeat the old ones – they’ve already been made a number of times.  Stop by and see us in the SIG Room. Pick up a member­ship form or join on the spot.  Joining immediately will make you eligible to participate in LD SIG activities throughout the week.

The following LDSIG activities are available to all convention attendees -- membership is not required (but we would love for you to join!)

Displays & LDSIG Desk – in the SIG Room [Grand Ballroom salon E with the contest room]. Members’ informative displays include track plan diagrams, layout photographs and 3-D mock-ups, and priority lists of design features to help others learn how others have solved layout design problems. Frequently, the layout designer is available for discussion.  Design-related clinic schedules, descriptions of open-house layouts for the Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday tours, carpool signup lists, a local restaurant list, and a roommate-wanted list will be available. A bulletin board will have important updates about LDSIG events -- be sure and check daily for activities and schedules. You may catch great discussions from time to time, especially in-between clinics.

Layout Design Advice – The Layout Design SIG offers a free design consultation service. Stop by for an available consultation period. Bring your list of "Givens & Druthers," proposed track plans, questions,  etc., to obtain valuable help.

Meet 'n Greet – Sunday, July 13^th, 7:00pm, Begin your convention by meeting other attendees who are especially interested in layout design. Hear informal LDSIG-member introductions about their layout design and construction status, plus timely event announcements and networking opportunities. Meet published authors and respected contributors to various email lists. Room location will be posted in the SIG Room [Grand Ballroom salon E with the contest room].

Layout Design Clinic Track  –  Tuesday, July 15, 8:30am to 6pm  A series of clinics will be presented focusing on layout design.  The clinics will give real examples of design challenges and solutions to assist you in designing your dream layout.

The following LDSIG activities require membership in the LDSIG:

LDSIG Annual Meeting – Wednesday, July 16th 8:30am to 10:30am in the Rancho Las Palmas room. Our annual membership meeting agenda includes officer and volunteer reports. All LDSIG members at the convention are encouraged to participate. Layout tour maps will be distributed at the meeting.

LDSIG Layout Tours         Click for descriptions of layouts on the tour PDF

This year the LDSIG has organized several self-guided tours.  Two have meals and participants need Convention event tickets.  Tickets must be purchased at NMRA tour desk before Monday at 9:00p so we can finalize food order. The tours are by carpool or rental car (no transportation provided). As private transportation, insurance is to be provided by the participants in the tour.  Neither the LDSIG, Inc. nor the NMRA provide insurance coverage for private transportation.  Sign up for carpools will be Sunday-Tuesday in the SIG Room. The time and location for finalizing carpools and organizing car rentals will be announced on the LDSIG’s Bulletin Board in the SIG Room.  Maps will be distributed at the annual meeting, Wednesday morning. Information on nearby rental car agencies will be available for those wanting to gather a group of friends or “birds of a feather” to visit specific layouts. The LDSIG Layout Tours are open to members’ spouses, and Layout Tour tickets are required.

 Wednesday LDSIG Layout Tour and Picnic Picnic (Convention Tour SGM1) – Wednesday, July 16th 10:30 AM departure, last layouts open until 10:00 PM. We have lined up about thirteen innovative home and club layouts which will be open for you to choose from. Layouts include

·        Mike Kresen’s HO scale Connequenessing Line,

·        Jim Lancaster’s HO scale Los Angeles and San Diego,

·        Bill Meyer’s HO scale ATSF Western Region Big Creek Subdivision

·        Mark Lestico’s N scale UP Cascade Subdivision,

·        Ralph Hougesen’s HO scale Amargosa Railroad,

·        the Slim Gauge Guild’s Sn3 and HOn3 Colorado layouts,

·        Jim Spencer’s HO scale Tennesee and Marshal Pass,

·        Paul Catapano’s HO scale Atlantic Inland Railway,

·        Dan Wexler’s HO scale Hamlin & Valley Central Railway,

·        Lee Christopher’s HO scale McCloud Railway,

·        the Los Angeles Model Railroad Society’s HO scale Great  Lakes & Western Railroad, and

·        Frank Kenny’s N scale Central Pacific Railway

The picnic meal (ticket required) will be served at Travel Town approximately halfway through the tour. Started in 1952, this collection of prototype rolling stock includes 16 locomotives, 19 freight and passenger cars an several trolleys and motor cars.  We will be picnicking at the museum.  There is ample of parking and plenty to see.  Travel Town web site: http://www.cityofla.org/RAP/grifmet/tt/index.htm

Thursday Layout Tour and Picnic (Convention Tour SGM2) - Thursday, 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM, Santa Barbara, CA (about 130 miles north of Anaheim ~ 2.5 hours drive plus stops enroute).  These layouts would have been on our Wednesday Tour and Picnic, but were too far away.  This self-guided layout tour visits seven interesting layouts, including

·        Santa Susana Railroad Historical Society’s HO scale Santa Susana Pacific,

·        Jon Cure’s HO scale Inyo Subdivision,

·        Gary Siegel’s HO scale L&N Eastern Kentucky Division,

·        Gary’s new operations oriented G-gauge layout,

·        James Donlon’s HO scale Southern Pacific Coast Line,

·        Walter Naumann’s N-scale UP&W,

·        Dana Driskel’s N-scale Los Angeles and Salt Lake and

·        Bruce Morden’s HO scale Southern Pacific Santa Barbara Subdivision. 

 There will be a picnic (ticket required) at Gary Siegel’s Thursday afternoon at 4:30 PM.  Those who are operating layouts in the Santa Barbara area with the OpSIG are encouraged to join the LDSIG tour and join us for dinner. 

Saturday Layout Tours – The LDSIG has arranged for a few layout tours in San Diego County on Saturday.  The layouts include:

·        Jay Styron’s  HO scale SP Friant Branch,

·        Steve Harris’ HOn3 scale Rio Grande Southern,

·        La Mesa MRC’s Tehachapi Pass  (behind the scenes tour)

The Anaheim Special Convention committee also has some self-guided tours on Saturday.  Check for further details on these and other special tours in the SIG room.