It has been a long time (5 years) and another child since I posted on here! Long story shortened, I have finally gotten our basement almost finished, and my 4 year old son has the train bug like his Daddy.
My space has been reduced to not much more than a 4x8... I think if I put the layout on wheels, so I can roll it back into the corner of the room, we can manage 5x10 or 6x10.
I have a bunch of HO, so I am staying with that. I have tried to look at some of the more innovative 4x8's and get ideas from those. I will likely incorporate a swing under station section and staging (or a mine module) that can be taken off and put underneath. I will use something as a view block dividing the layout diagonally. I thought of a ridge with trees, or even a double track viaduct type bridge that would be a static diplay area for a long passenger train.
I would really like a turntable and small roundhouse because I have a lot of steam engines I would like to display and change out on the couple of trains I will be able to run. I would like a bit of an area for switching (my son already like switching cars).
Anyone have a layout of this size that you can move around? Here are a couple of quick (rough) sketches I threw together. I'm thinking too much track...
Success of rolling the layout around may depend on the floor covering and the quality of the casters. Mel's situation works, obviously, but an acquaintance had a 4X8 HO layout on casters on a carpeted floor and the "tug" to start it rolling derailed some of the cars parked on the layout every time.
By the way, your rough track plan ideas include a common error in double-track tabletop plans: the orientation of the crossovers creates potentially troublesome S-curves. This is easily remedied, as seen below.
Good luck with your layout.
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Cuyama - thanks, I should have caught that - you've pointed that out in my past plans! I've been told I have an S-curve problem on here in the past lol!
The flooring is going to be vinyl planks, so pretty smooth. I won't be moving it constantly either - only when Mommy says we gotta get it out of the way...
I'm sure I'll come up with more ideas before we actually get to work. I've thought about maybe losing the turntable and round house and making that an add-on module to gain some space on the main table. We'll see...
Thanks for the input so far!
I have 2 roll around layouts, one is 5'4" x 12' (this uses exactly 2 sheets of plywood cut at the 5'4" mark) and one is 6' x 12' (I added an 8" strip to a 5'4" x12').
Both of these are on 4" wheels. Do not be misled by weight ratings for wheels. For easy moving, you want large wheels. I can move these by myself very easily. If you plan on plaster scenery or storage underneath, get even bigger wheels. My layouts are on a concrete basement floor, if you are on carpet, get larger wheels. Expect to pay about $10 per wheel (I used 4), cheaper wheels are either narrow and/or use a post type mounting.
If you cut 2 sheets of 4x8 plywood at the 5'4" mark, you can arrange the two large pieces and one small piece in a 5'4" x 10'8" table top (you'll need a small cutoff from the other small piece). The advantage of this size is you can use an HO 4x8 plan with 18" radius curves enlarged to 24" radius curves.
Good luck
Paul
IRONROOSTER I have 2 roll around layouts, one is 5'4" x 12' (this uses exactly 2 sheets of plywood cut at the 5'4" mark) and one is 6' x 12' (I added an 8" strip to a 5'4" x12'). Both of these are on 4" wheels. Do not be misled by weight ratings for wheels. For easy moving, you want large wheels. I can move these by myself very easily. If you plan on plaster scenery or storage underneath, get even bigger wheels. My layouts are on a concrete basement floor, if you are on carpet, get larger wheels. Expect to pay about $10 per wheel (I used 4), cheaper wheels are either narrow and/or use a post type mounting. If you cut 2 sheets of 4x8 plywood at the 5'4" mark, you can arrange the two large pieces and one small piece in a 5'4" x 10'8" table top (you'll need a small cutoff from the other small piece). The advantage of this size is you can use an HO 4x8 plan with 18" radius curves enlarged to 24" radius curves. Good luck Paul
Thanks Paul! I plan to use good wheels - wide ones to spread out the load so they don't sink into the vinyl flooring.
Thanks for the plywood tips too! Do you have any pics of your layout on here? I'd like to see it!
Having gone through two layouts ...
and now halfway through a third, finished basement + well planned around the wall layout ... I would say this:
You can make mommy happy and get a bigger layout. Our basement now has the following, when before it was a totally useless dusty mess with a furnace in the middle with ducts going everywhere.
The basement is ~320 sft. It took me a while to get there. But I do wish I had started there rather than wasting two versions prior.
Hope this helps. PM me if you would like more info ...
NP.
Make sure to use large wheels. Also use swivel casters and at least two casters with wheel locks.
NP01 Having gone through two layouts ... 4x8 in an unfinished basement unplanned, around the walls haphazard build and now halfway through a third, finished basement + well planned around the wall layout ... I would say this: You can make mommy happy and get a bigger layout. Our basement now has the following, when before it was a totally useless dusty mess with a furnace in the middle with ducts going everywhere. Washer, dryer, sink with detergent storage. Data communications hub Ironing station with clothes hanging rod water heater (corner) and furnace hangi in the crawl space a computer with a desk, primarily for games ample storage for tools and other household items under the shelves an around the wall layout with a potential for 120 foot mainline, 60 built so far. The basement is ~320 sft. It took me a while to get there. But I do wish I had started there rather than wasting two versions prior. Hope this helps. PM me if you would like more info ... NP.
I built a 6x10 on wheels while in Colorado. Did a slightly expanded version of the Jefferson, Memphis & Northern from October 79 MR with a small L expanding the "interchange" into an engine house. Don't remember the specific castors I used, but I went with some good ones that rolled easily on the carpet. Only real issue with moving it was it really needed two people to guide properly. I could do it with one, but sometimes had to go back and forth to get each end where I wanted it.
jim
I decided to look at another idea for a track plan. I really like the Virginian that MR did, but want another mainline for a reasonable sized passenger train. I scrapped my turntable and roundhouse - this size layout gets taken over by a 130' turntable... maybe a module could be added with that later. I moved the station to the end with the platform partially on the curve, and put an express/RPO building on the spur.
With the added legth, I can fit two complete mines on the layout vice the one and partial on the Virginian (and both can have a run-around track. I also squeezed a power plant in by the yard to give a place for some hoppers to go (other than staging). There are also possible expansions or staging in several places.
I would normally run my Pennsy Y3 up the branch to the mines - I know I wouldn't be able to turn it, but pulling upties up tender first and loads normal would work for me.
I would run a K4 and small passenger train with the express car on the tail so I can back it into the station and spot the express at the building.
With the bigger radius curves, I figure I could still run some of my bigger steam once in a while with moderate trains when I just felt like running them in circles - though I would have to take the time to put them on the track (probably from wall shelves).
What do you think? My one concern is the reach to the upper mine run-around track - would likely need remote turnouts and magnet coupler ops and it will not be totally flat at the start of the run around.
If i follow your thread correctly; it's 6.5' wide. Even it it's on wheels, 33" each way, is inaccessibe to us non-simians. There is a ladder type device that cantievers over you layout to reach stuff. Is that your plan to scenic and correct derailments?
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
Well, maybe you can do a pit in a 5.5' x 10'... pit is 30" x 66". You loose a bunch of operating room (yard space), but it isn't bad. Oh, and it won't be on wheels any more... All sides will be accessible except the upper side in the plan - it will be against the wall and have a backdrop. Any input?
As drawn you have one, and possibly more, avoidable s-curves.
It would be possible to make more intensive use of the layout area. But a relaxed and roomy layout may be just what you are aiming for.
If the layout is not going to permanently docked against the back wall with the central pit, you might want to consider some staging behind a low or removable backdrop.
Pennsy nut Well, maybe you can do a pit in a 5.5' x 10'... pit is 30" x 66". You loose a bunch of operating room (yard space), but it isn't bad. Oh, and it won't be on wheels any more... All sides will be accessible except the upper side in the plan - it will be against the wall and have a backdrop. Any input?
This is strictly my opinion, and I'm no Great Wizard of Things About Layout-Building. The diagramme above looks to me like a roundy-round. The first example you posted at the top of this thread looks to me like it offers more interest. More 'neat' bang for the space buck. If you simply have to have that central pit, then yes, the one above is probably the best bet, but it could be improved.
Stick with your plan to be able to jerk, shove, rotate, or pry a caster-mounted table away from a wall or corner so that you can walk around the layout. It'll be a deterrent to using and enjoying the layout as a result of having to do this, but if you steel yourself to having to do some manhandling before you run trains, it'll become a way of life and you'll still have that more interesting layout to play with...and longer from a lifespan point of view. Just fiddle with the track geometry here and there so that you don't normally have to reach further than about 30 inches into the layout. The lower the layout, the easier the reach, and probably the less risky from the point of view of a forgotten elbow. The higher the table, on casters, the more difficult will be your reach.
My last bit of advice at this point is...own your plan, and love it. Once you have that full commitment, it'll be more fun to build and you'll have more enjoyment out of it, including when you have to reef on it to get it to budge away from the corner into which you have to shove it when it's not going to be used.
I took some time to clean up the plan a bit. I tilted the oval to get rid of the S curves. Also was able to put in another siding with some industries. I'm kinda liking this one now. I have some time before the basement project is done, so I'll keep chewing on it for awhile...