Who can help me with this layout problem???

[JeremyB]

Hi Guys

Im planning my new railroad. Here's my problem I live in a apartment and currently I have a 4X8 layout I want to build a new one this fall but I can't decide on how to build a new type, the room demensions are 8 feet wide by 8 feet long does anybody have an Idea of what I can build in this space, anything is welcomed from a switching layout to a layout that i can have trains run continous. Thanks for any tips guys.

Jeremy

[nfmisso]

Jeremy;

If you are allowed to, put shelf brackets on the walls, and build it around the room. Use the cheap 12" sheet metal brackets, secure to every stud with sheet rock screws. From there you can choose the type of construction you wi***o use: foam, cookie cutter, spline, etc.

There have been a few very nice around the (small) room plans in MR over the past few years.

[JeremyB]

Thnaks Nfmisso, thats a good Idea.

Talk to you later
Jeremy

[Anonymous]

Jeremy,
You don't say what scale this layout is: HO, I presume. With N scale you could fit a lot more into a small space. And with N scale you could probably have both an operating layout and one where you could run trains "around and around." And there is a new book out by Kalmbach on small layouts that is very good.
However, even in HO you should be able to do this as well.

[JeremyB]

Hi Irenee

Your right I forgot to put what scale ( I know I forgot something ) but yes it is HO.

[joecool1212]

I would go with a multi level around the wall. Thats 8 or 12 times or more around the room and adds the posibility for some interesting helper moves going up. Just my opinion. Joe

[Eriediamond]

Jeremy, I have about the similar problem you have with two exceptions. My space is 10 feet long with about 8 feet on the one end and about 6 on the other. Other exception is that I own my own home, well be and the bank. Anyway I still don't want to attach it to the walls so will build a 2 foot wide bench around the room supported by legs. I will have a two track basic loop around it but will only parallel each other in a small area, and plenty of farm theme industries located around the layout for switching operations. there will be no yards for the obviuos reason of lack of space, but have small facility planned for service of my Erie steam engines. I planned this to get the most out of the space I have and also to be able to just let trains run and also for some operation challenges as well. Oh yeah, this is an HO scale layout. Also will have 24" minimum radius main line curves and #6 switches and straight DC. Hope this helps. Ken

[Jetrock]

An around-the-room layout would definitely give you the most layout for the space. A multi-level layout would kind of be a heavy-duty engineering project unless you're very familiar with woodworking and building model railroads--but a layout 2 feet deep around that room (assuming that you don't mind a duckunder for the door) would give you 50% more layout space than a 4x8 foot layout, with better accessibility, more realism (because you can use broader curves and observe them from the inside instead of the outside) and more efficient use of the space.

If you don't want a duckunder, you can still use three-quarters of that space for a 2 foot wide shelf layout around three walls of the room--or put a narrow "bridge" across the door that can be swung out of the way when necessary.

My layout is similar but even smaller--the final space will be 6x8 feet with a space of approximately 4'x4.5' in the middle where I sit.

[Anonymous]

Seeing as how you are modeling HO scale you might consider using a multi-level layout as the others have sugested, but include a circular "Helex" type ramp at one, or both ends between the levels to provide for continuous running My partner (in Iowa) and I were discussing this very same thing tonight for his next layout. There are several ideas and articals of this in past "Model Railroader" Magazine as well as in other model railroading magazines, and Layout planning books.

[Jetrock]

The only problem with a helix in HO is that it will take up, bare minimum, 3x3 square feet--in an 8x8 space that's a considerable chunk that must be taken out of the rest of the layout. Considering the design difficulties of such a setup it might almost be more worthwhile to not include a helix.

A lot depends on JeremyB's level of skill in carpentry and layout-building. I, personally, would follow the KISS method (keep it simple, stupid) and build a single shelf at 48" with work/storage-space underneath and an overhead shelf/lighting valance (in fact, that's what I'm doing) but that's just my personal style...

[JeremyB]

another problem is the door swings into the room

Jeremy

[Anonymous]

I think Jetrock hit the nail on the head. My last layout (years ago) was very similar in size and I built it exactly as Jet stated, without a duck-under as well... My door opened in also. I ran it as a small branch line, all fictitious, with quite a few sidings, and a lot of industrial traffic. I never had any interchange tracks, though...