So I'm thinking about how to layout my "den" and have determined I'm going to go with a switching shelf layout in a book case.
However I still want to have a loop where I can run longer engines and cars. My idea is, since I have 2 doors I cant block or put a lift out on, would be to put a narrow shelf all around the room, above all the doorways.
I know a lot of layouts like that are O scale, but would HO be too small?
Depends how high your ceilings are. If it's just a few inches higher than your door frame then accessibility would be an issue. On the upside, it makes wiring easier.
Will you be scenicking your layout? Or, will it basically be just track?
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
Our local hobby shop has a an HO track running around about that height and it looks OK. The track is near the edge of the shelf, so you've got a good view of the side of the engine and cars that way.
From looking at this, I think anything more than a single track would end up be a bit undesirable. Switching, IMO, would not work visually.
I'd place it right above the door frame and probably wire it on the surface on the wall side of the track.
As much as anything, I think teh reason this is more often done with O scale/hi rail is that at that distance, HO looks really tiny. Other than that, it should work fine.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.