Help With Fun Layouts

[Anonymous]

New to model railroading. Starting layout for 7 year grandson. Where can I go for layout examples?

JWalker

[Anonymous]

For fun layouts that are (relatively) quick to build, as compared with basement empires, I have always liked this page:

http://www.carendt.com/

Lots of fun little layouts as small as pizza boxes that can be completed fairly quickly. They are also something that he could keep in his room, as opposed to having a dedicated "train room" at Grandad's house...

Here are some other links to planning small(er) layouts:

http://www.naisp.net/users/mfischer/m_train2.htm
http://www.wymann.info/ShuntingPuzzles/small-layouts.html

Do you have an idea of what you'd like to accomplish with your grandson? DO you want to have a realistic empire in your basement for him to visit, or will it be hands on for him? All kinds of other questions as weel - like steam or diesel, what location, industries, scenery, etc, etc...

One thing you might want to do is look up a local train shop and check out some of the "all-in-one" books from Kalmbach Publishers. The kind that takes you right through planning to building. THat will give you an idea of what you are in for...! [;)] An alternative is to look for back issues of Model Railroader magazine - almost every year they run a series of "how to build layout X" articles. I can't recall the most recent, but I think last year's was called Turtle Creek Central. It is a 4x8, with some neat features.

Good luck, and don't be afraid to ask more questions!

Andrew

[leighant]

I saw the recommendation to the Shoebox layouts and Microlayouts site. These are really small, in fact so small they are a kind of puzzle and specialty, maybe not the place to start.

I would suggest a layout a little bigger than a circle of train-set track, and maybe twice as long as wide, so there is SOME straight track between the end curves. A minimum of 3 /12 feet by 6 or 7 in HO scale, or 2 x 4' in N scale.

Many beginner plans use a pair of track switches (turnouts) to provide an alternate so the train can go this way one time, and sometimes the other way, or one train can be stopped on one track while another runs. But this track arrangement is hard to do realistically on a small layout, and I don't think it provides all that much fun watching the train go now this way now that. I think a pair of track switches (turnouts) are much more valuably used providing two stub end sidings where cars can be set out and loaded or loaded. Especially open top cars like flat cars, gondolas and hopper where loads are visible and can be manipulated. The EASY switching of cars (not trick switching puzzle logic problems) and manipulation of practical loads increases PLAY VALUE while showing graphically what a train does.

I think double-ended sidings used as "alternate train routes" or more prototypically as passing sidings, do not become really interesting until you have a layout big enough for TWO passing sidings spaced out along a mainline. Then two trains can run in opposite directions and make meets. But that involves either two-train wiring or digital control. Might be more complicated than a beginner kid USER would want to learn, much less a beginner BUILDER.

Another feature frequently shown is over and under track arrangements, often with piers raising track above a flat table top. I think it is overdone. Looks nice but... On a very small layout, it often becomes too steep and can easily cause mechanical reliability problems. Many layouts, including very small beginner layouts, are now built on insulation foam board where it is easy to cut scenery down below track level for a bridge over a real depression, and to bring up cuts and hills, so the scenery is undulating even though the track may be level.

Here is a 2' x 4' N scale layout, with an oval of track and two turnouts leading to stub sidings. One is a station and industry track, the other goes into a "cut" in a hillside which could be a mineral loading area. Track is all level on framed plywood table top but part of table top was cut out to provide depression where two Atlas bridges go over a little gulch. Built in about 20 hours for a friend to give his kids for Christmas.



N scale is a little small for smaller kid's hands to put on track. Your 7 year old may do okay. One trick is using rerailers to make it easy to get cars on track, and placing them so they look like part of a road crossing.

I did an over-and-under on the following layout, a twice around loop with grade separated crossing, all in about 30" x 40". I think it looks nice but the layout is not much good except to watch a train go round and round. Built it for an exhibit to demonstrate N scale that was needed in 10 days.



A real attention grabber for about 30 seconds if I do say so myself, but not much continuing fun.

[Anonymous]

Just to touch on the "puzzle" layouts again...

Our local club has a John Allen "Timesaver" -inspired module we take to local shows, and it is a huge hit with kids (of all ages... [:D] ). Plenty of switching, and the added challenge that you cannot fit all the cars in every spot holds kids' attention for much longer than any of the "bells and whistles" round-and-round type displays.

I suggested the micro-layouts in part for their portability (so trains isn't exclusively done at Grandad's), for the potential quick completion, and for the "fun" part in the title of the thread. Building a wacky building that doesn't have to be prototypically correct might be less pressure than taking on a Grand Central Station replica.

JWalker - as you have seen there are many, many answers to any given question in model railroading (even from just two of us [;)] ) The key is finding the right approach that will work for you and your grandson.

Good luck, and have fun!

Andrew

[Anonymous]

I recomend one of those start to fini***rain layout books. I didn't actualy follow the book's track plan, but I did learn a few things and it inspired me to take on some challlenging layout projects. I