Is anyone doing Large Scale INDOOR layouts?

[Anonymous]

Vic, got any pictures? I got to see Bmans indoor looked nice! I can't get started outside so I'm going to build some structures. I have alot of cedar left over from one of my jobs(PERK) I just can't throw good wood away.

[Anonymous]

Vic, got any pictures? I got to see Bmans indoor looked nice! I can't get started outside so I'm going to build some structures. I have alot of cedar left over from one of my jobs(PERK) I just can't throw good wood away.

[vsmith]

Hey Matt,

Yeah i gotta couple of progress photos, send me an e-mail with a direct address so i can send them, along with a PDF plan, helps to see what the big idea is.

Hey Brain feel free to send some shots my way, like to see what you've done.

DocJeremy, welcome to the forum. Whoever told you indoor layouts were toys has never seen a layout by Malcomn Furlow!

I cant help you with the indoor growing aspect, unfortunatly down here if you mention that your growing plants in an enclosed room the DEA will be knocking on your door, such is the world we live in...

As for height i say that a large scale layout with traditional benchwork should be a bit lower than an HO layout simply so you can work on it. Mine is at 36" but its also wedged under a 7' storage loft. If that wasnt there i would be between 40-44"

[vsmith]

Hey Matt,

Yeah i gotta couple of progress photos, send me an e-mail with a direct address so i can send them, along with a PDF plan, helps to see what the big idea is.

Hey Brain feel free to send some shots my way, like to see what you've done.

DocJeremy, welcome to the forum. Whoever told you indoor layouts were toys has never seen a layout by Malcomn Furlow!

I cant help you with the indoor growing aspect, unfortunatly down here if you mention that your growing plants in an enclosed room the DEA will be knocking on your door, such is the world we live in...

As for height i say that a large scale layout with traditional benchwork should be a bit lower than an HO layout simply so you can work on it. Mine is at 36" but its also wedged under a 7' storage loft. If that wasnt there i would be between 40-44"

[Anonymous]

Hey Guys,
I'm new to this forum since I just joined a few days ago.
I also am starting a indoor large scale pike, and right now its
just in the planning stages.
I will be adding a 20ft. by 25ft addition onto the house to house the new railroad.
The problem I'm having now is to find examples of indoor pikes. I plan on using a mix of flex and hand laid track. I have hand laid all my ho pikes, including switches and I plan on doing the same thing in large scale.
Right now I have many Ideas in my head and all I need to do now is get them down on paper. Any help or suggestions will be greatly appricated, such as suppliers,and any ideas that will work. I plan on using 4ft radius wherever I can. My motive power will be climaxs and shays, time period will be in the 40's to early 50's,with logging and coal being the main industries. The layout will be around the perimeter of the room with a pensula down the middle of the room, I plan on also doing an upper level with a spur going into the office/workshop.
Looking forward to any and all suggestions [:D]

[Anonymous]

Hey Guys,
I'm new to this forum since I just joined a few days ago.
I also am starting a indoor large scale pike, and right now its
just in the planning stages.
I will be adding a 20ft. by 25ft addition onto the house to house the new railroad.
The problem I'm having now is to find examples of indoor pikes. I plan on using a mix of flex and hand laid track. I have hand laid all my ho pikes, including switches and I plan on doing the same thing in large scale.
Right now I have many Ideas in my head and all I need to do now is get them down on paper. Any help or suggestions will be greatly appricated, such as suppliers,and any ideas that will work. I plan on using 4ft radius wherever I can. My motive power will be climaxs and shays, time period will be in the 40's to early 50's,with logging and coal being the main industries. The layout will be around the perimeter of the room with a pensula down the middle of the room, I plan on also doing an upper level with a spur going into the office/workshop.
Looking forward to any and all suggestions [:D]

[vsmith]

Hello Kikeehn

Welcome to the forum,

If you planning on using climax and shay locos, then i assume by your post you are planning on using 8foot diameter (4foot radius) curves? You can probably go even smaller on spurs to 6 foot diameter for the shay but no smaller or you'll risk binding the mechanism and 4 foot dia for the climax as its got a very short wheelbase. Bachmanns new Heisler requires 8 foot diameter. but the Shay and the climax are shorter and designed for the smaller radius. As for handlaid track there are a few other threads on this forum that are pretty good sources of this.

As for examples GardenRR mag has had a few interesting examples, about a year ago there was a great small indoor layout set in Mexico that was one of the inspirations for my layout. I also have several years of Narrow Gauge and Short Line Gazette which has a very good selection of large scale G and O highly detailed layouts that are great references. Anlso Finescale Railroader is another great mag that is more or less dedicated to large scale G and O with some HO highly detailed layouts that are also great inspirations for a large scale indoor layouts.

Let us know what your planning and any questions you might have, and how the progress goes. Vic

[vsmith]

Hello Kikeehn

Welcome to the forum,

If you planning on using climax and shay locos, then i assume by your post you are planning on using 8foot diameter (4foot radius) curves? You can probably go even smaller on spurs to 6 foot diameter for the shay but no smaller or you'll risk binding the mechanism and 4 foot dia for the climax as its got a very short wheelbase. Bachmanns new Heisler requires 8 foot diameter. but the Shay and the climax are shorter and designed for the smaller radius. As for handlaid track there are a few other threads on this forum that are pretty good sources of this.

As for examples GardenRR mag has had a few interesting examples, about a year ago there was a great small indoor layout set in Mexico that was one of the inspirations for my layout. I also have several years of Narrow Gauge and Short Line Gazette which has a very good selection of large scale G and O highly detailed layouts that are great references. Anlso Finescale Railroader is another great mag that is more or less dedicated to large scale G and O with some HO highly detailed layouts that are also great inspirations for a large scale indoor layouts.

Let us know what your planning and any questions you might have, and how the progress goes. Vic

[Anonymous]

I have been collecting "G" equipment for 6 months. I plan to build an indoor railroad in
a 14' 8" X 18' 8" bedroom and am considering using 3 or 4 modules to run a branch
line into another bedroom. I have everything I need except 3 inexpensive bare bones
walk around throttle units (I have written about these units in a previous post. My computer has been down for 3 weeks & I haven't made any contacts as yet.) Thanx to
the guys who replied to that post.

I'm using 4' & 5' radius curves on my mainlines & Bachmann curves on the branch.
I'll also build switches from code 332 rail & rolling stock from GR plans. Would someone please explain to me the values of the different radii. r1, r3 etc. Thanx.

I'll use a combination of aspen, white & yellow pine & balsa for scratchbuilding purposes. "G" guagers, have a great day!
Fishwagon

PS I'm widowed. Sure is nice to mess up my house & not be grumped at!

[Anonymous]

I have been collecting "G" equipment for 6 months. I plan to build an indoor railroad in
a 14' 8" X 18' 8" bedroom and am considering using 3 or 4 modules to run a branch
line into another bedroom. I have everything I need except 3 inexpensive bare bones
walk around throttle units (I have written about these units in a previous post. My computer has been down for 3 weeks & I haven't made any contacts as yet.) Thanx to
the guys who replied to that post.

I'm using 4' & 5' radius curves on my mainlines & Bachmann curves on the branch.
I'll also build switches from code 332 rail & rolling stock from GR plans. Would someone please explain to me the values of the different radii. r1, r3 etc. Thanx.

I'll use a combination of aspen, white & yellow pine & balsa for scratchbuilding purposes. "G" guagers, have a great day!
Fishwagon

PS I'm widowed. Sure is nice to mess up my house & not be grumped at!

[Anonymous]

Hi
mine is out side but in summer it gets to hot to go out and operate it on some days. Was thinking something along the lines of a micro layout for indoors using
Feld bahn (field railway ) type rolling stock any one got any ideas.
and a scource of stock other than LGB.
I dont realy want too spend a lot of cash on what I see as a secondary layout
regards John

[Anonymous]

Hi
mine is out side but in summer it gets to hot to go out and operate it on some days. Was thinking something along the lines of a micro layout for indoors using
Feld bahn (field railway ) type rolling stock any one got any ideas.
and a scource of stock other than LGB.
I dont realy want too spend a lot of cash on what I see as a secondary layout
regards John

[vsmith]

John, if you go to Carl Arendt's micro-layout page you can see in the January or February scrapbook my G scale Micro under construction, its very very small by G standards, but there are several plans that Carl has developed that could be used as a basis for a G indoor layout.

www.carendt.com

Hartland has a good mini-series of two axle cars that are great for a small layout.
Accucraft has some great little mining cars but $$$.
Bachmann's die-cast mining ore car is a big improvement over the 1st plastic version.
Sierra has some excellent two axle cars but also $$$.
And theres always the Ozark Miniatures catalog, some wood stock, and a razor saw?

[vsmith]

John, if you go to Carl Arendt's micro-layout page you can see in the January or February scrapbook my G scale Micro under construction, its very very small by G standards, but there are several plans that Carl has developed that could be used as a basis for a G indoor layout.

www.carendt.com

Hartland has a good mini-series of two axle cars that are great for a small layout.
Accucraft has some great little mining cars but $$$.
Bachmann's die-cast mining ore car is a big improvement over the 1st plastic version.
Sierra has some excellent two axle cars but also $$$.
And theres always the Ozark Miniatures catalog, some wood stock, and a razor saw?

[vsmith]

QUOTE: Originally posted by fishwagon

I have been collecting "G" equipment for 6 months. I plan to build an indoor railroad in
a 14' 8" X 18' 8" bedroom and am considering using 3 or 4 modules to run a branch
line into another bedroom. I have everything I need except 3 inexpensive bare bones
walk around throttle units (I have written about these units in a previous post. My computer has been down for 3 weeks & I haven't made any contacts as yet.) Thanx to
the guys who replied to that post.

I'm using 4' & 5' radius curves on my mainlines & Bachmann curves on the branch.
I'll also build switches from code 332 rail & rolling stock from GR plans. Would someone please explain to me the values of the different radii. r1, r3 etc. Thanx.

I'll use a combination of aspen, white & yellow pine & balsa for scratchbuilding purposes. "G" guagers, have a great day!
Fishwagon

PS I'm widowed. Sure is nice to mess up my house & not be grumped at!

Hello fishwagon,

I'll try my best to explain the LGB track diameters. these are rough translations:
R1 = 4 foot diameter, same as the 12000 & 12001 switches
R2 = 5 foot diameter
R3 = 8 foot diameter, same as the 16000 & 16001 switches

I'm kinda courious as to why if your planning on scratchbuilding your own switches why you would choose to use inferior bachmann track with it? why not do all of it or at least use brass? just my experience with bachmann track isnt positive.

[vsmith]

QUOTE: Originally posted by fishwagon

I have been collecting "G" equipment for 6 months. I plan to build an indoor railroad in
a 14' 8" X 18' 8" bedroom and am considering using 3 or 4 modules to run a branch
line into another bedroom. I have everything I need except 3 inexpensive bare bones
walk around throttle units (I have written about these units in a previous post. My computer has been down for 3 weeks & I haven't made any contacts as yet.) Thanx to
the guys who replied to that post.

I'm using 4' & 5' radius curves on my mainlines & Bachmann curves on the branch.
I'll also build switches from code 332 rail & rolling stock from GR plans. Would someone please explain to me the values of the different radii. r1, r3 etc. Thanx.

I'll use a combination of aspen, white & yellow pine & balsa for scratchbuilding purposes. "G" guagers, have a great day!
Fishwagon

PS I'm widowed. Sure is nice to mess up my house & not be grumped at!

Hello fishwagon,

I'll try my best to explain the LGB track diameters. these are rough translations:
R1 = 4 foot diameter, same as the 12000 & 12001 switches
R2 = 5 foot diameter
R3 = 8 foot diameter, same as the 16000 & 16001 switches

I'm kinda courious as to why if your planning on scratchbuilding your own switches why you would choose to use inferior bachmann track with it? why not do all of it or at least use brass? just my experience with bachmann track isnt positive.

[Anonymous]

Hi vsmith
can you contact me off forum with details of how the loco was done and the
sector plate and traverser.
Also somewher on the web i have been unable to find it is a two level water front in G 45mm gauge any ideas
regards john

[Anonymous]

Hi vsmith
can you contact me off forum with details of how the loco was done and the
sector plate and traverser.
Also somewher on the web i have been unable to find it is a two level water front in G 45mm gauge any ideas
regards john

[Anonymous]

VSmith: I have almost 250 feet of B'mann track & 12 or so switches that I can't justify
scrapping. (Because of replacement cost.) I have a 50 year old 100W electric soldering copper that I use to make 3 & 4 foot sections of straight track. I'm more of a builder than an operator. I'm keenly aware that B'mann track isn't worth a @$#%^&///. Iv'e had
to modify all the switches to eliminate derailments. I find this to be challenging & fun.

Thanx for the info about the radius numbers. Have a great day.
Fishwagon

[Anonymous]

VSmith: I have almost 250 feet of B'mann track & 12 or so switches that I can't justify
scrapping. (Because of replacement cost.) I have a 50 year old 100W electric soldering copper that I use to make 3 & 4 foot sections of straight track. I'm more of a builder than an operator. I'm keenly aware that B'mann track isn't worth a @$#%^&///. Iv'e had
to modify all the switches to eliminate derailments. I find this to be challenging & fun.

Thanx for the info about the radius numbers. Have a great day.
Fishwagon

[Anonymous]

Hi Vsmith,

Thanks for your response to my post.
I am planning on using 4ft Radius through-out the pike, as of right now my plans don't show any need for any less radius, of course as the planning continues this could change, but I don't plan on going any smaller than 3 Ft.Radius. As for additional motive power i also figure that with 4 ft. radius I will still be able to use a Mogul or a Consolidation. The 2-8-0 is as large as I plan on going. My train length will probably be no longer than 5 or 6 cars plus a hack.
The plans arn't anywhere close to final, and when you have a 20 x 25 ft. room to play in who knows what the final plan will be.
The addition probably won't be finished for about 4 to 6 mos. so I have plenty of time to start collecting equipment. (I've noticed that nobody seems to be carrying
the Climax by Bachman anymore. I do see tha Bachman is releasing the Shay again in OCT this year.
Vic or anybody else, do you know any suppliers that carry NS track , and or lengths of rail that can be used for hand-laying, or am I stuck with using brass rail.
Again thanks guys,
kerry[8D]

[Anonymous]

Hi Vsmith,

Thanks for your response to my post.
I am planning on using 4ft Radius through-out the pike, as of right now my plans don't show any need for any less radius, of course as the planning continues this could change, but I don't plan on going any smaller than 3 Ft.Radius. As for additional motive power i also figure that with 4 ft. radius I will still be able to use a Mogul or a Consolidation. The 2-8-0 is as large as I plan on going. My train length will probably be no longer than 5 or 6 cars plus a hack.
The plans arn't anywhere close to final, and when you have a 20 x 25 ft. room to play in who knows what the final plan will be.
The addition probably won't be finished for about 4 to 6 mos. so I have plenty of time to start collecting equipment. (I've noticed that nobody seems to be carrying
the Climax by Bachman anymore. I do see tha Bachman is releasing the Shay again in OCT this year.
Vic or anybody else, do you know any suppliers that carry NS track , and or lengths of rail that can be used for hand-laying, or am I stuck with using brass rail.
Again thanks guys,
kerry[8D]

[Anonymous]

Hi Kerry
The UK manufacturer Peco do G 45 track in nickle silver they are a very reputable company.
as far as I know the range is limited to set track curves in 1 radius set track straights
of 1 foot lengths flex track l&rh points in one size only and it is larger radius than the set track one buffer stop fish plates fish plates to go from thier brand to LGB brand track
and that is it whole range listed.
It also has what I would call "very" industrial narow gauge looks to it..
I do not know of a US manufacturer of nickle silver track but I would think there is some one on the forum will be able to conferm or other wise the existance of this type of track in the US.
regards John

[Anonymous]

Hi Kerry
The UK manufacturer Peco do G 45 track in nickle silver they are a very reputable company.
as far as I know the range is limited to set track curves in 1 radius set track straights
of 1 foot lengths flex track l&rh points in one size only and it is larger radius than the set track one buffer stop fish plates fish plates to go from thier brand to LGB brand track
and that is it whole range listed.
It also has what I would call "very" industrial narow gauge looks to it..
I do not know of a US manufacturer of nickle silver track but I would think there is some one on the forum will be able to conferm or other wise the existance of this type of track in the US.
regards John

[Anonymous]

John
Thanks for your post.
and quick answer to my question about NS rail.
I think I'll get a hold of Micro Engineering and see if they carry the type of rail i'm interested in.
I am really one who likes to hand lay, and I'm going to have to find a new supplier of assorted track laying tools to get this accomplished.
I' ll check the other threads and forums to see if I can find any additional info.
I'll keep you posted.
Regards
Kerry

[Anonymous]

John
Thanks for your post.
and quick answer to my question about NS rail.
I think I'll get a hold of Micro Engineering and see if they carry the type of rail i'm interested in.
I am really one who likes to hand lay, and I'm going to have to find a new supplier of assorted track laying tools to get this accomplished.
I' ll check the other threads and forums to see if I can find any additional info.
I'll keep you posted.
Regards
Kerry