Smaller Layouts.

[Anonymous]

"Out of curiousity, has anyone else built a layout with wind ups in mind.? I plan to use all lithographed tin buildings etc."

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I don't have any wind-ups, but I do have a rather large collection of the New Marx trains that were made by Jim and Debby Flynn.  At the present time, all are stored, new in box, along with a growing collection of lithographed and other tin/metal buildings and accessories that will someday be devoted to a small all-tinplate layout (when I move to larger quarters).  I figure it will be about 3x6 in size, use O27 track, and be built atop a furniture-quality base to match my living room furniture--my brother-in-law has agreed to construct the base platform in the woodworking shop he has at his home.  The many Marx trains that won't fit on the layout itself will be displayed in a glass-enclosed case behind the layout. 

[dwiemer]

I am not sure where I saw it, I know someone here will know, but a layout made on a ping pong table that could easily fold up.  For just an extra foot in both length and width, you gain a lot more ability with building a layout. 

My layout is on the medium size, but I gain something from just about any layout I see, large or small.  I would never begrudge anothers layout. 

With regard to CTT, I think you will find that Kent Johnson does a fantastic job of plans for small size layouts.  You can tell that he puts alot of thought into his plans.  Most of what he comes up with are planned for more realistic railroading, but certainly with a lot of fun mixed in. 

Dennis

[wallyworld]

My problem has been my past error in building large layouts. Specifically, having to dismantle them when moving. My next layout will be smaller, in the range of the classic 4X8. I have a reasonable amount of realtrax which I have experimented with on a spare room carpet with. One thing I enjoy is "testing" how well I like the configuration prior to making a permanent version of it. This is something I could not do with a larger layout. This is an advantage that is almost as fun as the final product. Another layout I am thinking about is a twin layout concept to match the realtrax layout. In other words, a seasonal Xmas layout devoted to wind up trains which I have collected, Marx and Hafner... For the cost of one, I can have two. Out of curiousity, has anyone else built a layout with wind ups in mind.? I plan to use all lithographed tin buildings etc.

[MojavenSF]

I personally enjoy the challenge of designing and operating compact layouts.  My current layout is 3' x 6'6" using O-31 RealTrax.  Over the past year I've started collecting Postwar O-27 equipment and intend to build a retro 3' x 3' layout, or there abouts, using O-27 tubular track and 1122(E) turnouts.

[Sturgeon-Phish]

As the guys have already stated, most of us have what is considered small to mid sized.  I agree there is a challenge, but there are lots of layout plans out there.  Original American Flyer Instruction book has 14 nice layouts in it.  My layout is 6.5' x 9.5' has three operating lines, 15 operating accesories, 35 vehicles, ~115 people, 14 trees and I have no idea of how many animals.  Here is an older picture

Lots of avantages to small layouts too.  Affordable, easy to maintain, get to the point you can play on them reasonably fast, and it fits where a big layout won't.  Mine is in a spare bedroom, that still has a bed in it.

There is a huge market for the small layouts.  I look at the big layouts for inspiration, and ideas.  If space were no object, I could see only being 2x bigger than what I have now at most.

Jim 

[Dr. John]

For the most pary, I think CTT offers a good balance between featuring small layouts / trackplans and larger layouts. I agree that most of us tend to build smaller layouts, but I also enjoy reading about the larger ones as well for inspiration. I'll probably never build anything larger than 5x10, but I can still get some good ideas for scenery, etc. from the larger layouts. And, there are some outstanding small layouts that may inspire the guy who's planning a basement empire.

[Jumijo]

Smaller layouts are more in line with what I think the majority of people (in all scales) have. I'd think this is especially true of newcomers.

Jim 

[wallyworld]

Just a brief comment on the new issue. I, for one, was glad to see some plans designed for a small bedroom. From my own personal experience, it is much more challenging to design a smaller layout than one where money and room are not critical factors.

I think that if we are going to draw in more folks, it will be with smaller layouts, not gigantic, the skys the limit, designs. I hope more smaller layouts are featured in the future.