I've recently been granted right-of-way in a 6' by 26' enclosed front porch (windows, not screen, and easy to keep at a good temp). It's a nice space with two picture windows which can be used for casual viewing from inside the house. I am wrestling with how narrow it is, though. Basically, I can fit a 63" diameter turn-around at each end (O-gauge), and while I like the opportunity to have a couple of nice long straight sections, all my ideas boil down to a very simple around-the-walls layout with a couple of sidings here or there -- nothing too exciting. Of course, any place to run trains is good, but I want to keep it interesting as my kids get older. Any ideas? Has anyone dealt with similar space issues?
Thanks. Randy
Before thinking of the radii of your turns maybe scratch out some ideas of what you like, modern diesel era or pre-diesel steam or even an overlapping era of both steam & diesel. Where do your scale preferences lie, "O" scale / semi / traditional. If your preferences are toward the scale higher end diesels and passenger consists, 21 inch cars, then you will almost have to use the very large radii turns.
However the bottom line is to run what YOU want and others might criticize, they are after all toys and meant to be enjoyed.
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Doug summed it up pretty well.
As the hobby has gone scale, I have remained one of those traditional non-scale operators, mostly due to space constraints. I have always had small layouts and use 027 track because it is the most flexible and verstatile when it comes to small layouts. I do chop down the footprint size of the 027 switches by removing the bottom sheet metal plate and cutting the switch track down to literally just the track, which opens many more track layout possibilites.
The tight radius curves are somewhat more limiting as to what kinds of trains can be run... the newer scale sized trains will not all negotitate the 027 curve, but there are still plenty that can. YOU have to decide (based on your train buying budget and preferences) what kinds of trains you want to run, and then make your decision accordingly.
One of them most historical fun elelments of the 3-rail hobby has always been the "toy" aspect of it: operating cars and accessories that provide more action than necessarily realism. Though today, many operators have learned to comibine both aspects of play and prototype.
Keeping the layout fun and affordable is probably the best path to keeping the kids interested. Too often I have seen expensive displays with signs saying "do not touch the trains" which doesn't to much to foster interest or growth with youngsters. You might like to have some expensive scale locomotives, but ask yourself if are willing to let the kids run them too? On the other hand, you can read threads here where folks have bought their kids a RMT "BEEP" locomotive to run. Big difference between $70 and $700 for a train engine, but I think most kids do have fun with the BEEP.
Just some thoughts to bear in mind.
brianel, Agent 027
"Praise the Lord. I may not have everything I desire, but the Lord has come through for what I need."
Joe Hohmann wrote:One thing you could consider is hiding the "tight" curves (031-48) on each end with "tunnels". You would'nt need to worry about how "goofy" the longer engines/cars looked going around the curves, just so long as they made it ok. You can even build scenics on top of these ends, especially for a city/urban setting. The tracks could curve-around enough to have all the straight sections near the front of your layout. Joe
I agree. In a room only 6 feet wide, you may want to put yourself in the middle, or a dog-bone design , with access on one side. Another thought is to make multiple levels.
Chuck
I'm a committed O gauger but you might want to consider On-30, either as your main focus or as a mining or logging operation on a second level. I'm looking at a second and third level On-30 line as an adjunct to my main level O gauge layout. O sized equipment on narrow guage track (HO).
Poppyl
Lionel collector, stuck in an N scaler's modelling space.
Randy,
6' X 26'! you are a lucky guy. The best advice I can give you is to get a version of RR Track software. It is easy to use and it will do wonders for your planning. Once you see the design it really helps you create.
Modeling the "Fargo Area Rapid Transit" in O scale 3 rail.
I'm jealous, I'm in for the Xmas twice-around and the track on the floor, although my 5-year-old son is going to go nuts on Xmas morning...
Is your board going to be 6 x 26 or is your space 6 x 26? In a 6 x 26 space I'd probably make most of the layout 4 feet wide for access and then have one end be 6 feet wide for the larger town/industrial area. Of course, I haven't had a layout in almost 30 years and my dad did all the work on that one. My #1 thought with kids though is the younger they are the more they need a freight train with open hoppers or gondolas to put things in and run them around, so a mountain (kids love tunnels) and a small mining operation at the narrow end gives you an excuse for at least a small hopper-car freight.
I'm going to be on the floor for a while, I am jealous you can do a long mainline like that! I was hoping long-term to take over a 4 x 12 space or even two 4x4 boards connected by a 2x6 in a dogbone. Industry/Offices on one end, cheap styrofoam mountain in the middle, town/train station on the other.
The more permanent it gets, the more permanent my mountain.
Share your plans, every idea I read helps me with mine, although if the kids (I have a 2-yr-old) handle it okay I may keep O for the tree and go HO or N.
Thanks to everyone for your thoughts. I will take the advice to count my blessings; I am very happy for the length of the space. I may end up going with two levels, possibly completely independant of each other -- if I can work out some overlap with bridges, etc. that will help keep it interesting. But first things first -- as I think about it, I am becoming more content with a simple design (i.e. one long oval).
Randy
If you want something more challenging to operate, try a point to point railroad. Start on a low level with a harbourtown and a yard and wind the track up 2 or 3 levels by simply leading the track back and forth the 26 feet wall with curves on the ends. During the climb you could make a few industries with a rail connection and on top of the layout the end station with a yard takes care for the incoming trains. The harbour can be situated on the left part of the layout, while the end station is situated on the right part. That keeps the width of the layout on about 4 feet, leaving space to walk and operate it.
If you use different curves with eachother (072-048-(031)-048-072) and use the wider curves on the beginning of the bend the curve won't look drastic and trains can negotiate them better.
The challange of these types of layouts is in the point to point operation, which needs switching around engines at both ends of the layout. The route will also be an interesting one, since the train moves up in levels, having you to think about the load you make the trains pull.
The disadvantage is the lack of continuous running possibilities (though you can make that by hiding a loop somewhere near the end stations) and a more difficult layout to build since the grades and track placing must be done in planning and the table is not much a table anymore. The best way to build these kinds of layouts is with ribs and only where the tracks are will be sheet. Detailling and building the landscape takes much more time then on a flat table and you need to make drawings and plans (best is to first "build" the layout on paper before you start building in reality) before you can start building anything. Even the location of houses, bridges and structures needs to be planned, since they all require a flat surface. It's in all means much more like the real thing, but will look much more exciting then a flat tabeltop layout.
The 26 feet long ride from one side to the other makes it perfectly possible to raise the levels gradually and operate a real mountain railroad without having to make too steep climbes ( using 20 feet for climbing at 2% gives about 5 inches hight between the tracks, wich is more then enough to pass over the track and leave the curves on almost horizontal.) and gives an oppurtunity to really use 2 or 3 engines in front of a train to haul them up the mountain. In my opinion the space you have is great and will have very good possibilities for a very nice model empire!
Jon
So many roads, so little time.
You've all given me a lot to think about, and I really appreciate it. I feel the mental block clearing. :) My wife was telling me to just start doing something, as she is tired of hearing me just talk about it. And now I feel that I've been given some new ideas to pursue.
You're looking at a 4' x 16' layout:
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