We are thinking of making the model RR about 4' 8' . do you think that is big enough? I want to be able to atleast run ten train cars without it looking humongous... And I want the railroad to go in many directions, any ides?
Thanks!!!!!
Bob the TrainWe are thinking of making the model RR about 4' 8' . do you think that is big enough?
I want to be able to at least run ten train cars without it looking humongous..
And I want the railroad to go in many directions, any ides?
Cool, thanks! I am looking at HO scale, and yes, a normal sheet of plywood. If 4' x 8' ft. is minimal, what do you think the medium size would be?
I would suggest that a better size for an HO layout is 5'4'' by 12'. If you have 2 sheets of plywood cut at the 5'4'' mark, the 4 pieces can be arranged into a 5'4" by 12' table top layout. This is much better for HO and will allow 24" radius curves and longer trains. This is not much more complicated to build than a 4x8, but you do have to make sure there is support where the plywood pieces butt together.
You could also consider an around the room layout that is operated from the center of the room. This is a little more complicated to build than a tabletop and you have to get into the center of the layout via duckunder, gate, or liftout plus if there is a door it may have to be rehung to open outwards. It also tends to block access to windows and closets. But it does give you more layout in the room.
Enjoy
Paul
Bob the TrainCool, thanks! I am looking at HO scale, and yes, a normal sheet of plywood. If 4' x 8' ft. is minimal, what do you think the medium size would be?
What would be a sensible size depends on how big the room you want to build a layout in is, what you are trying to model (era, location, theme), what scale you want to model in and how you use the space.
You can do a perfectly adequate and simple to build switching layout in H0 scale on a 10 foot long and 18" deep shelf. Here is e.g. Peter White's TIRR (Ten-foot Industrial RailRoad) layout plan, from http://www.shenware.com/layouts/tenderfoot.html:
If you want a loop of track on an island style layout (ie one on a table that you walk around) in H0 scale, 5 foot width x 9 foot length is considered reasonably decent for H0 scale - you can reach from the long sides 2 1/2 feet in to the center to work on scenery, and you can have 26-28" radius (52-56" diameter) curves.But you will need space for aisles to walk in along both long sides of the layout and at least one short side, so your 5x9 feet layout will need 9 x 11 feet of floor space.
Or you can build on shelves around the walls of the room, and get a closed loop by having a lift-out or duckunder at the point you get into your room. This is my layout plan - it is in H0 a room that is 6.5 x 11.5 feet:
Lots of ways to build layouts, lots of things you can choose to model.
Try to start not by asking "what is the minimum size layout I can build" - that would be something that would fit in a shoe box or on a pizza tray or in a window ledge (have a look at http://www.carendt.com for really small layouts), but rather "This is what my room looks like, this is what I want to model" :-)
Smile,Stein
hi,
and buy a couple of "must have" books.
#1 is 102 Realistic Track Plans, beside the 102 plans it contains pages about stuff you should know. If not copied from, they are a preview of book
#2: Track Planning for Realistic Operation by John Armstrong.
This webside introduces you to runarounds, staging and why you should design your own layout:
http://www.chipengelmann.com/
I have six PDF-books in my personal library. Don't overlook a PDF-download like "Track plans for a 4' x 8' plywood sheet"
Conemaugh Road & Traction circa 1956
Or choose H0n3 !
Trains are smaller and shorter, radii are also smaller.
Wolfgang
Pueblo & Salt Lake RR
Come to us http://www.westportterminal.de my videos my blog
steinjrYou can do a perfectly adequate and simple to build switching layout in H0 scale on a 10 foot long and 18" deep shelf.
Bob the TrainIf 4' x 8' ft. is minimal, what do you think the medium size would be?
wedudler Or choose H0n3 ! Trains are smaller and shorter, radii are also smaller.
Texas ZephersteinjrYou can do a perfectly adequate and simple to build switching layout in H0 scale on a 10 foot long and 18" deep shelf. Yeah, but there was already the specification of 10 car trains and the trains doing in many directions. A switching layout does not meet either of those criteria.
I know :-)
But do you think it is likely that the original poster has ever even considered the possibility of a layout that is not a closed loop of tracks on a table ?
As for the "trains going in many directions" - it is more likely to mean "I want to have several alternate loop paths through the layout", rather than "I want to use one or a few hidden tracks to simulate off layout sources or destinations for my railroad cars" (ie staging).
So I figured that throwing in a switching layout and a link to Carl Arendt's site of micro layouts couldn't hurt, even if it wasn't what the OP asked for :-)
Smile, Stein
hi
an exemple of flipping man and train space:
To show you what can be done in a space like that in HO:
paul
Texas ZepherReally? I've found many of my standard gauge HO locos can handle 18" radius curves where all three of my HOn3 require 20" or greater.
Ineresting, thanks for all the ideas and responses guys! I will measure and figure out more about the room I will be making it in, then I will tell you that, Thanks!
Ok, I have some more information, and this is it,
The room we are going to be building in is very long, and narrow. maximum width is going to be 4ft. and length from 8ft. to 20ft. What do you think? i want it where there is enough track that it won't get old running it too. Any layouts and length ideas would be greatly appreciated =)
Thanks!
Bob the Train The room we are going to be building in is very long, and narrow. maximum width is going to be 4ft. and length from 8ft. to 20ft. What do you think?
I suspect that what you are describing is not the size of the room, but just is what you think is the maximum size of a layout. You cannot put a 4 foot wide layout into a four foot wide room - there would be no room to work on the layout or to run the trains.
Are you saying that the room is 4 x 20 feet ? If so, the best you can hope for is a shelf layout no more than 18" deep down the one 20 foot wall - that will allow you a 30" wide aisle along one side of the room.
Or are you saying that the room is 8 feet wide (4 feet layout plus two 2 feet wide aisles down the side), or are you saying something else ?
Also, the location of doors and windows and such things are not described. One does need to get _into_ and _out_ of the room, even with a layout in there.
Try again - describe the room clearly.
Bob - this is a must read for you
http://layoutvision.com/id28.html
ratled
Modeling the Klamath River area in HO on a proto-lanced sub of the SP “The State of Jefferson Line”
It all depends on your budget. If you're starting out a 4x8 will be just fine. You can always expand later if you get the bug. If you
Springfield PA