Small and relatively affordable motive power I would recommend for a small layout:
RMT BEEP (best value overall at around $50 or so)
RMT BUDDY (around $65 or so, as I recall; very nice, but tends to run a bit too fast)
Lionel 0-6-0 Dockside (at around $90 or so, a best value in an under-$100 die-cast locomotive)
Lionel O-4-0 (about $150, and a very nice, small, die-cast locomotive)
K-Line Plymouth (at around $65, another best value in the under-$100 range; still widely available, and Lionel will supposedly reissue in 2007)
RMT BEEF (when ultimately released/reviews not yet in)
MTH, Lionel, Atlas, or Williams SW or NW switchers (price depends on brand and features)
MTH Brill (with PS2) or Birney trolleys (Brills w/PS2 at around $200; Birneys at around $50)
MTH Dockside (around $140 these days, I believe; a bit noisy due to the somewhat unusual grooved driver wheels)
These are just personal recommendations based on models I currently have (except for the still-to-be-released BEEF). Prices are only estimates based on what I remember paying or have seen advertised. Shop around a bit and you can likely do better.
For locomotives and rolling stock, you might consider the "BEEP" and it's growing family by RMT trains. They run on O-27 track, and for want of a better word are truncated lengthwise. They look very good on small layouts, are relatively inexpensive, and are said to be very good quality. From what others have said on this and the OGR forum, you can get a lot of action in limited space with RMT. (I do not have any personal experience with them -- yet.)
Check out the website and do some searching on the forums. Spend some time studying the site. Ask for opinions from other forum members. They might be just what you're looking for.
http://readymadetoys.stores.yahoo.net/
(I have edited this posting.)
How about sliding it under a bed? A twin bed is 39x75 inches. Those extra 3 inches of width would allow a little margin outside the track of the layout you're looking at; and you could make the layout almost 6-feet long and still clear the legs of the bed. And the layout doesn't take up any floor space when it isn't in use.
Another way to get more of a margin is to slide the switches that connect to the double-ended siding 45 degrees around the corner, so that the siding has only a single curved piece at each end. This would bring it about 3 inches closer to the figure-8 main line.
With 39.5 inches, you could still do the figure-8 inside the inner loop for reversing and put a double crossover in a corner (or two corners), to get between loops. The crossover would put the outside tracks 6.25 inches apart on the long sides, which is plenty of clearance.
Even better, you could put a single crossover at two corners along one long side and use Marx O34 for the corners of the outside loop. This would fit within 39 inches and would give you a place to run longer pieces (certainly the ones that need O31) when you want.
Bob Nelson
This is the layout I am thinking of. My wife grew up and farms and my childs grandparents still own them. I thought it would bring the farming and railroading together, as to keep their intrest up.
Thank you for your help. It is wonderful to have a site like this one.
Matt
My first layout was about 3 1/2 x 4 1/2 feet, similar to yours, due to lack of space and materials. I used a plan from Thor's site (www.thortrains.net) that essentially made an outer loop with two small inner loops created by adding two pairs of switches. It was a fun layout, especially for the minimal investment (I was only short a pair of switches and a couple of sections of track).
Find a track plan that's appealing to you, then put what you can in the space available. 3x5 is enough room for at least one operating accessory, and you can fit more on it and make it look bigger by using 1:64 scale (S scale) vehicles and such whenever possible. O27 locos and cars wont dwarf the 1:64 stuff. If you make every square inch count, you can have a great layout even in that small of a space.
Why don't you post that near-miss layout you found so some of us can tinker with it a little?
Doug Murphy 'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers...' Henry V.
to the forum Matt !! You're only limited by your imagination as to what you can put in a smaller layout !! Lots of guys have just that size you mentioned & have plenty of action on it. The site below will give you some more ideas & hope this helps !! A small lyaout is the best place to start !! Gets you familiar with everything & a chance to decide what you may want in a bigger layout down the road.
http://www.thortrains.net/
Thanks, John
I would check out thortrains.com. He has a lot of small O and 027 plans. I recently completed a door sized layout for my nephews from his site.
Mike S.
In 3x5 you aint gonna get much..............probably a basic loop of 0-27 and a siding or two is your best bet.
Lionel collector, stuck in an N scaler's modelling space.
I am new to this forum. I usally run G gauge outside, but this winter I would like to have an indoor O27 for my kids and I to "play trains" with.
Here is a little back ground. We live in a 12' by 60' mobile home, so we have VERY LIMITED space. I would like to have a 3' by 5' layout with some action to help keep it fun for us andmaybe one yard siding. I have looked at some here on the net, but haven't found the "right" one as of yet.
I found one that is very close. It was a rual farm layout with a lot of scenery and such. I just didn't know if someone on here might be able to help out or not. I don't have any layout software, but to be honest, when I do use them (friends) I can't seem to figure out what I am doing.
Thank you so much in advance,
Matt Myers
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