I am wanting to build a layout but I'm having a bit of trouble deciding on dimensions and shape... I would like to make it 4x8 possibly two 4x8s... and I want to have mountain scenery... anyone have some advice?
Steve
If everything seems under control, you're not going fast enough!
Don’t think you have to make it 4x8 or any standard dimensions. Instead think about the room it is going to occupy and decided the dimensions based on what fits best in the room. 4x8 only works if you can walk around all sides of it like a pool table. If it has to go up against a wall then make it only 2 or 3 feet wide so you can reach. Part of it can go against the wall and part be a peninsula if you like. Look at what fits in the room the best and design your track plan based on the room. Then use L-Girder or cookie cutter bench work and make the layout a custom size which uses the space in the most efficient way. Choose your minimum radius. For HO you don’t want to go below 22 inch radius unless you are planning to only operate cars and locomotives which have a short wheelbase. Someone could write several books on advice but this is a start. Have fun and enjoy the process. Be creative.
Unless you need to have continuous running capabilities, a 4'x8' piece of plywood can be made into a very nice 1'x32' switching layout. In the right room, it could even be done in a manner offering continuous running, too.
Wayne
I want continuous running capacity but also I don't have a set room so it will be portable.
Since you state that you don't have a set room, build a set of modules (1x 4' or 2 x 4' in size - no larger) to obtain your circuitous route. It'll be more work and planning to achieve that than creating single larger units - like 4 x 8's - but they will be more portable.
I would suggest purchasing one of the Kalmback books on layout construction then you can make an informed decision of how you want to go about achieving what you want to accomplish. Before doing that though you need to first find out and understand ahead of time what size layout is acceptable to your parents. Until you can determine those important parameters, any planning is pretty much futile at this point.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
Here is an idea that you might consider: Build a shelf layout around your bedroom. If you do it right you can have large radius curves and it won’t take up any floor space. You could make a swing out ‘bridge’ or a duckunder for the doorway. I have one in my bedroom which the width varies according to the furniture which is under it. It is widest over the chest of drawers and narrowest over the bed so I don’t feel claustrophobic. The width varies from 6 inches to 16 inches and is made to angle between those widths. The height is about chin height so it is a few inches higher than the chest of drawers. I think the closer to eye level the better for viewing and it makes the layout seem larger and distances between areas longer. Here are a couple of different sides which are the narrowest.
I'm really just trying to get a basic layout started to learn scenery, structure building, kitbashing and such I am going to have my own building that is going to be 12x24 with a 12x12 second floor at one end and the 12x12 area under that second floor will be purely railroad space and the layout can also extend beyond that with a narrow shelf along the walls throughout the rest of the space..
Maybe I'll build a 4x8 with a mountainous town with some higgedly piggedly backs and a few elevated trestles throughout.