Small layout track plan thread

[climaxpwr]

Lets see some of your small and ultra small layout track plans.  I am working on a plan for a small 55" by 33" HOn3 layout at the moment.  Used to be a Marklin layout that I stripped clean today (if anybody is buying Marklin gear let me know)  I could go around the walls of my train room and might eventualy as I plan to design in a tie in point to a larger layout someday.  The one change this time is I want some 3d terrain to the track plan instead of a flat table top.  The fact of the flat wood top cannot be changed, but I can go up using foam and risers.  I am hoping to get an old brass C&S 2-6-0 for motive power, so I have to keep grades reasonable so she wont slip out.  I would consider On30 with its loads of affordable rolling stock, but with my desire to interchange with the club and its layout, I will stay HOn3.  Doesnt help that I installed loads of dual gauge trackage at club that has gone mostly unused for quite some time.  Lets see some of your plans, ideas or scratchings on the back of a napkin!   Cheers  Mike T

[fwright]

 Here's a version of a dual gauge 4x6 layout I laid out with Atlas RTS. 

The narrow gauge is in red, standard in blue.  The narrow gauge was actually done with HO Atlas 15" radius Snap Track and the Atlas turntable.  Standard gauge uses 18" radius.  As it stands, it's way over-crowded, but may give you some ideas.

Envisioned features: 

• Central ridge as view block, could be 2 sided backdrop that extends off edge to right
• bottom of layout is at 1" elevation, with transfer platform between narrow and standard gauge
• standard gauge drops to zero elevation at back (top) of layout
• narrow gauge is climbing curve on left side and back to 4" at top right where the switchback tail crosses the standard gauge.
• possible short tunnel on standard gauge on right side curve
• possible stream and trestles on left side curves
  

Operations:

• Standard gauge freight runs clockwise from staging siding, drops 1 or 2 cars at transfer facility and picks up loaded cars.  Returns to staging siding.
• Narrow gauge assembles 2-3 car train and takes train up hill to town on other side.  Drops cars.  Note 2 engines are required to assemble train in correct order to go up to town due to lack of runaround.  Train returns with cars from town, spots 1 car at transfer facility.  Train is broken up into yard.
• A 2 car passenger train could also be run on the standard gauge while freight was in staging.
• Train lengths are very short - 2-3 cars.

I once read in Scale Rails that small layouts like these are much better with only a maximum of 4 very simple scenes.  A single spur and structure is a scene.  A trestle over a creek is a scene.  A depot is a scene.  Obviously, I have tried to cram too much in, and the plan needs simplification.  It would have to be simplified considerably to be shrunk to your space.  You should probably do away with the standard gauge completely except for a length of dummy track at the transfer platform.

Here's another design for a smaller space for an HOn30 layout.  It should expand quite well to your space for HOn3.

You probably want to avoid radii smaller than about 14" on your HOn3 layout for decent and reliable operation.  Even then you will want shorter passenger cars, and engines no bigger than your 2-6-0.

my thoughts, your choices

Fred W