20 x 8 area Track Plan Suggestions

[Anonymous]

I want to build a layout in my basement. The area I have to use for this is, minimally, 20 ft long, and 8 ft wide. Any ideas for track and layout plans? I don't plan to have anyone but me running the trains. I am modeling the late 1940's/early 1950's, and plan to do both a city/indistrial area, as well as a mountain/farming area (2 level mountain area, possibly. I'd like to have a double track main line, passing sidings, regular sidings, and maybe a small yard. Thanks!!!

[Anonymous]

have you checked out books with track plans in them? There are many in the kalmbach line, in addition there are always plans in MR. If you find one you like you can always modify it a bit to fit your desires.
happy modeling, bill

[Anonymous]

I am in the process of designing a new layout that will fit into the third stall of my garage. The stall is approximately 24’ X 9’, so I’ve settled on 20’ X 8’, as well. There are a couple of approaches that I’ve been considering. The first is to build a large rectangle of adjoining modules or “dominoes” of the type described by David Barrow in various past issues of Model Railroader.

The second approach that I’ve been weighing is to configure the dominoes in a “dogbone,” i.e. with loops at each end, connected by a narrower “ithmus.” Either version will permit 30” radius curves on the mainline, allowing for smoother operation of longer modern locomotives and rolling stock.

My objective is to have continuous running, with a lot of industry along the way for switching. I am also able to include a three or four track yard in either version, although it will end up being stub-ended on the dogbone.


If you don’t care about continuous running, then you obviously have a lot of opportunities for point-to-point operation in a long and relatively narrow space.

As for published sources, I have not found much that has been of specific help. Rather, I just made a list of priorities as to what I wanted and then sat down with graph paper (1' = 1') and a track planning template that I picked up at a local hobby shop.

John Timm

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the help. I like the continuous running myself.