Unless you've already purchased the EZ Track, you might consider Atlas. It's easy to use, readily available and resonably priced.
Granted you do have to lay cork roadbed also, but that's easy. If you put a 1" piece of foam on top of your layout table, you can use track spikes to hold your roadbed down, which will allow you to modify your original layout (and you will). Foam allows you to contour your table also, so it will look less like the "plywood central".
Some of the advantages of Atlas (or similar) track without the attached roadbed are:
- there are many different turnouts, crossings, bridges, etc available;
- there are plans and plan books at any hobby shop or on the internet that use sectional track:
- you can use flextrack for sections where rigid sections don't get you where you want to go;
- It's easier to remove a turnout if it needs maintenance;
- You can avoid selling or trashing your EZ track when your layout desires grow (not saying you will, but many people do - it really is a beginner's grade track).
I am sure there are others who think fixed roadbed track is great. There are pros and cons. Either way, find some plans, start building and enjoy!
Bill Field (onebiglizard)
The book "The HO Model Railroading Handbook - 3rd Edition" by Robert Schleicher has excellent EZ Track info and track plans. I used one of the layouts (slightly modified) for my first layout, and it was a great intro to the hobby. Here is the Amazon link.
http://www.amazon.com/Ho-Model-Railroading-Handbook/dp/0873416082/ref=sr_1_1/002-2650240-6919205?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1182736522&sr=1-1
Spacemouse has the wright idea.
I fisrt used a 4 by 8 to build what would be used as a learning experience, then I would build a bigger layout. One year has gone by, along with a lot of hours and money spent on a temporary layout. If I were to do it all over again, I would have gone right to the bigger layout that I habe the space for.
I have a 10 by 13 space for my layout and I too need to make a plain befor I can start.
My biggest hold up is planning the layout. I have two children, I want them bot to be able to run trains at the same time.
Welcome.
I don't know of any sites that have plans using EZ track, but I think you are going about it backwards for a couple of reasons.
1) You should design a track plan that meets your vision not one that borrows from someone else's vision. In my signature is a beginner's guide, it will take about 5 minutes to read and will give you an idea of where to start.
2) You should design your layout then adapt EZ track to it, if you insist on using EZ track. I started with EZ track and got so disgusted with it, I ripped it out. Others will sing the praises of EZ track. Most serious modlers that use EZ track cut the platic tabs so that when they have to pull out turnouts to work on them, and you will, you can pull out just the turnout and not mess up the work you've done to the rest of the track.
Chip
Building the Rock Ridge Railroad with the slowest construction crew west of the Pecos.