Track plan thoughts ?

[Anonymous]

Looking for opinions (pros/cons) and ideas how best to design a layout if you had 4 - 4x8 boards of plywood/homasote already on tables (space no issue) and could configure them any way you could for continuous operation. All 4 in a square (with center opening) ? , one after the other ? 3 in a row and one at end ? etc. Not so much interested in modeling a specific line, but more so running with scenary, etc. Would also prefer not to have all the track flat on the boards but areas of maybe upper or lower elevation. Also be able to run as many trains as possible at a given time. Should all the tracks be able to connect by switches ? or have 1 independant line with say x # of other lines that the lines would connect ? Just looking for ideas, I know it's a wild question with lots of "depends if" but looking to draw on the experience of those out there. Not into point to point operation. Sort of the opposite of traditional thinking lay the track and then build the scenary around it. Thanks in advance, truly appreciate any/all responses.

[leighant]

Maybe I have been brainwashed but....
first thing I would do would be to saw the 4x8 sheets lengthwise down the middle to have 8 sheets 2 x 8 feet. Two feet is often wide enough for a scene that doesn't need a horseshoe curve or a wye or a reverse loop.
Double track mainline with crossovers would allow independent running of two trains without attention, but also allow interweaving, interplay for trains. I would have thaat double track run all the way around my space as my "main attraction". Maybe an elevated line commuter train that has a loop in only one densely crowded "downtown" part of the layout. And maybe a lower level loop-- not main level but BELOW main level, like down in the industrial district bottoms along the riverport, where a switching train could circle continuously bug could ALSO come up to main level to pick up and drop off cars at yard.
In other words, possibility for operation, trains interacting, scheduled, etc around each other but ALSO possibility of letting trains just run round and round continuously, maybe where you could run one "hands on" and just let others go.

[leighant]

Here is a track plan that does not fit your "four 4x8 sheets" but it shows "operation" and "continuous running" on one layout.



There is a double track mainline through the downtown terminal and 65th street yard of the city of Santa Vaca. Outside the city towards the bay and port area, the track becomes single track for a ways. But there is a "sneak back" after the single track crosses the Bicardi Bay causeway and it joins the mainline through the city right where the mainline becomes double track.
Meanwhile, at the other end of the line, out beyond 65th street yard, the mainline goes to the left, but there is a dummy crossing and interchange with a foreign line. The foreign line crosses but then doesn't actually go anywhere but off the front of the layout. But the interchange onto that line can be taken as an alternate route that forms a dogbone loop.
The double track through the city with a disguised dogbone loop at each end of it allows a train to run around and around continuously without attention if I want to do that. But it also allows operation as if the line were single-track point to point with a stretch of double track through the city. A little of both worlds. This isn't exactly what you were looking for but maybe it will give you some ideas to adapt.

[nfmisso]

make eight 2 x 8 or even twelve 16" x 8' pieces.

[bluepuma]

Depends on scale, but N or HO, my best layout would have the 4 laid out U fashion with walking space on each side 4x8 N, on North end 4x8 E, 4x8 E, then 4x8 S or on North side. The two end tables about 3 feet in from the ends would be broad area of town or mts, but down mostly center on the others would be a divider/viewblock, mountain. Each side section would vary 18" to 2.5 ft in from sides. Double track, making a big loop. Would rather table be narrower in two center sections, reach is limited. Walk around entire thing, but point to point with two main routes, like maybe Twin Cities, Kansas City, Omaha, 3 routes, similar. I like to see trains run, so I'd have a loopback at each end to keep the trains all on the same side of the viewblock when I didn't want to walk around. My style of layout is point to point with loopbacks, I''d want to cut all the tables down, one large area at each end with 2 ft shelfs in between so I could get entire 5-7 foot trains (N) stretched out between scenes. HO not much different, but would want bigger loops at the ends, maybe 4x8 N- center side 4x8E+4x8E - center 4x8N.

[IRONROOSTER]

One possibility, would be to lay them out in a 10 x 16 configuration. That is butt two tables end to end for 4 x 16 and then the other two end to end for another 4 x16. Put the two sets parrallel to each other 2 feet apart to get 10x16. Use bridges at the ends across the 2 feet gaps. This allows access. Then I would lay out a four track main line oval with radii of 32, 34, 36, 38 inches. Add a yard and roundhouse on one side and an elevated branch line on the other - with some staging track under the branch line.
Enjoy
Paul

[cwclark]

i would cut two 4x8's in half and butt them together to form a 2 x 16 ..then i'd add the other 4 x 8's to the ends for loops at each end to form a dogbone layout...that way it will be 2 x 24 with 4 feet at the ends...another thing you can do is put the 4x8's together and divide the layout in half with a double backdrop running down the middle you can get a lot of railroad in that way but you will be re-locating yourself from one side of the layout to the other when you operate.....Chuck

[Anonymous]

What a happy camper I'd be if I had that kind of room. I would probably put them together to form a random shape and just plan the track around it; after all, it's prototypical. But for maximum operation I would agree with leighant's idea. even at two feet wide, a yard of 8 tracks plus 2 main lines is possible (I would suggest a plastic or plexy glass barrier to keep trains from attacking the floor). If there was a spot where a wye would look good, branch the wye out onto a single 4x8 peice. This could be a possible branch/swicthng line with several small inustries or a couple of large ones. I'm the kind of guy who likes point to point runs so I wouldn't need a balloon or a dog bone. I think it adds a little more excitement than the train just turning around on a loop.
It's not very prototypical to see one train pass the same location in one direction only. It makes me feel like my train has no purpose on the layout. ~hope this helps~

[ondrek]

QUOTE: Originally posted by cwclark

i would cut two 4x8's in half and butt them together to form a 2 x 16 ..then i'd add the other 4 x 8's to the ends for loops at each end to form a dogbone layout...that way it will be 2 x 24 with 4 feet at the ends...another thing you can do is put the 4x8's together and divide the layout in half with a double backdrop running down the middle you can get a lot of railroad in that way but you will be re-locating yourself from one side of the layout to the other when you operate.....Chuck

This is what i would suggest as well. this way he can have continuous operation and have switching operations at the same time.

Kevin

[Anonymous]

I would also think about putting them end to end (4x32), or an I shape with a 4x16 section in between two 4x8s perpendicular on the end, or a T shape with a 4x24 section "capped off" with one 4x8 perpendicular on the end, and have a viewblock in the middle to separate the two sides. One could either have the perpendicular ends centered on the other pieces, or offset (creating an awkward "L", "U", or "Z"). This would allow some good running length, short of cutting it up into strips 2 ft. wide or less, and run it around the room.

---jps