I need a HO 4x8 track plan

[chris30901]

Hi, i'm new to the forums and I need help for designing a 4x8 layout. I wanted it to have a turntable and a bridge. Could anyone help? This is my first layout

[tomikawaTT]

Chris, welcome to the forums

Since you didn't mention scale, I'll borrow a leaf from our hosts - an article written long ago by the late John Armstrong.  He designed three 4 x 8 layouts in the then-popular scales:

• O gauge, a VERY compact engine terminal with turntable, transfer table and locomotive servicing facilities - more diorama than layout, but still capable of minimal operation.
• HO gauge, a typical roundy-rounder with a miniscule yard and some sidings.
• I misrecall what the other was.

A turntable usually implies an engine house and steam locomotive servicing facilities, which can completely overwhelm a 4 x 8 in any scale larger than TT.

As for, "A bridge."  What kind of bridge?  A minimal deck girder spanning a creek or a one-lane road?  A humongous (and humongously overbuilt) cantilever spanning the Firth of Forth?  A poured-in-place concrete spandrel arch on a curve?  Or maybe, the bridge on that John Armstrong O-gauger, a highway overpass.

As stated, your question could be re-phrased (different subject) "I want to meet a young lady 165 centimeters tall."  I could introduce you to a two-digit percentage of the female population of six continents - and maybe one or two scientists currently visiting Antarctica.  For starters, what scale are you planning to model?

Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - 1:80 scale, aka HOj)

[IRONROOSTER]

You are in luck.  MR is opening it's subscriber only area this weekend to every one.  This means you access the track plan database.  Click on the MR Magazine icon which takes you to the MR home page.  Under the menu bar "How To" pick Track Plan Database (or do it at the top of this page).  Then pick HO, tabletop, less than 100 sq ft and several 4x8 plans will show up.

You can down load the plan you like.  If one doesn't match exactly what you want, print a close one and modify it.

Good luck

Paul

[Jamis]

In addition to the online special this weekend, Kalmbach has several "newstand" books available that have many 4x8 plans in them.  Here is a URL that shows some of them.

http://www.kalmbachstore.com/modeltrains-railroading-model-railroading-books-track-plans-and-layout-planning.html

There have also been a couple of recent publications that may still be in your local hobby shop.  There was a sequel to the 101 layouts book that listed 102 layouts.  Also there was one that had 43 layouts that was a compendium of several years of Model Railroad Planning.  This book is still on the newstand shelves.

[BroadwayLion]

Bridges:

What I wanted:

The station is on the bridge with half on one side and half on the other side of the canal. The street bridge is a lift bridge that fits entirely under the railway (IND Subway) Bridge. There are also four story buildings under the subway viaduct. Fred Guenther (of SubChat fame) took the picture. It is used with permission.

 

What I built:

The bridge is not on the station platform proper since it is not big enough to accommodate the station. I have two bridges but four tracks, so I'll built some steelwork over the other tow tracks making it into a single four track bridge.The gray baord is long gone, and a single track subway station is there now. It will be Canal Street ☺ The other side of the station is done up as a photographic backdrop. There will be a "street level" immediately above this track, and tall buildings should be able to fit under the subway station above.
Canal Street Station:

Turntable:LIONS do not use turntables. Subways do not need them. Even when the elevates were powered by steam locomotives, they all pointed south, and ran tender first northbound. They always ran in front of the train. The inbound locomotive would be trapped south of the train, but the locomotive left behind by the previous train took this train north, and its locomotive would become available for the next train.
4x8 Layout:NEVER built such a thing.

[Paulus Jas]

hi,

and take your time to study, you could start here:

http://www.layoutvision.com/id28.html and  http://www.layoutvision.com/id47.html

Do not try to re-invent the wheel,  the old-hats might have some knowledge.

Smile

Paul

[IRONROOSTER]

Also, look here http://www.gatewaynmra.org/project.htm

Good luck

Paul

[HHPATH56]

Welcome to the Trains.com Forums Chris, This modification of the Markel 4'x8' layout would be best in N scale. It has great operational potential. Bob HahnClick on photo to enlarge it. Then click on Previous or Next the see other views of my 24'x24' HO LAYOUT.

[Steven Otte]

chris30901

Hi, i'm new to the forums and I need help for designing a 4x8 layout. I wanted it to have a turntable and a bridge. Could anyone help? This is my first layout

Hi, Chris, welcome to the MR Forums!

In addition to all the great suggestions made above, check out Model Railroader's February and March 2011 issues. Those were our first "4 x 8 Special" issues, and between the two, we included ten 4 x 8 track plans in three scales. Even if you don't find something there that's exactly what you're interested in, one of them is bound to spur your imagination and perhaps provide a starting point for a design of your own. Happy railroading!

[Doug from Michigan]

Well then.  I have a 4 x 8 with a turntable and a bridge.  And a roundhouse, coal tower, ash pit, sandhouse, and water tower.  What I don't have is a photobucket account.  I'll work on that this weekend and try to get some pictures up of how I did it.  Believe me, It's not the most prototypical service facility you'll ever see.