track plan needed for 8' x 24'

[Santa Fe Mike]

I’m looking to update my 8’ x 24’ O-gauge track layout. It’s essentially a large oval with a reverse loop built into each end. All curves are 72” GarGraves. While I don’t need 72” curves they do look nice. However the large reverse loops take up a lot of space & sort of breaks the layout into thirds. This makes it difficult to have a yard or storage tracks in the center.

I was planning on putting another main line around the existing track using 80” curves.  However I’d also like to do more with the inside area & thought about eliminating the reverse loops & using 63” curves to make another mainline with a yard and/or town.

I don’t need or want a “spaghetti bowl” for a track plan, which is difficult to do anyway with wide curves on 8’ x 24’. But I would like something a little more interesting than what I have. I do have a couple of books on plans but using wide curves on a somewhat narrow layout kind of restricts things.

Any ideas, suggestions, or links to plans would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

[servoguy]

Mike, I have 3 sizes of track:  O-31, O-40/42, and O-72.  O-40 is probably the most practical unless you have a lot of space.  Prior to WWII, American Flyer made O-40 O gauge track and switches.  They also made O-31 track and switches, so if you want O-40 stuff, you need to make sure of what you are buying.  I have a number of the AF O-40 switches and I have added the non-derailing feature to them.  You can find the AF stuff on eBay.  

The switches have a zinc piece in the switch motor that sometimes suffers from zinc disease.  The same part from a manual switch can be used but it is a bit of work to replace.  The cover for the switch motor is riveted on with a large number of rivets and I drill these out and replace them with machine screws.  

[servoguy]

BTW, my layouts have a lot of switches all of which are wired together in pairs and are operated by the train not by me.  I am not a model railroader but an operator and I like complex layouts.  My layouts are not protypical but I enjoy watching the train go around them.  The last big layout I had occupied two bedrooms and had 40 switches on the main line operated by the train.   It took 22 minutes for the train to complete a circuit.  I am not real keen on watching a train go around a loop, and I am not real keen on interacting with the train while it is running.  

[Santa Fe Mike]

Thanks for the reply.

I agree that O-40 (or 42) would be more practical. I started out by putting an oval of track on the living room floor using O-72 & just got used to it. It does force you to keep things simple if you don't have a lot of room. Getting rid of the large reverse loops would sure open up the center for a yard or storage. I'll have to see what I can come up with.

 

[servoguy]

I find the O-40/42 to be a good compromise between O-31 and O-72.  I like O-72 but it takes a large amount of space.  I have a huge amount of O-31 that I have accumulated over many years.

[lionelsoni]

Consider a O72-O34-O72 spiral as a substitute for a O72-O72-O72-O72 right-angle turn.