Hello all. I was just thinking back to when I lived in a small apartment back in the late 1980s and built a small table top N scale layout that measured about three feet long and two feet wide. All it had was a single track and a side track. I recall spending a lot of time on it building and adding structures, trees and so forth and managed to construct a nice little town with a general store, a factory, a few houses, a burger joint and a church. It also had one of those cheesy styrafoam mountains with a tunnel and a mountain range for a back drop. I sure had a lot of fun with that little layout and when not in use I kept it under the bed due to lack of storage space. After we bought our current house I built a larger layout and did away with the smaller one but it will always hold a special place with me.
Tracklayer
Some times the smaller the layout the higher its detailed.
My smallest switching layout was 1'x6' and I used Atlas "Snap" turnouts including two "snap" crossovers(not recommended)..I think I broke every rule in the book and then some.
Not only was it a fun little layout to switch but,it was highly detailed.
BTW.I used a SW7 and 40' cars.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
Available space and limited unds allow me to only built little layouts. The smalles layout I build was a N scale modular layout consisting of modules not bigger than 6" by 12". Right now I am building the biggest layout ever - an On30 layout of 19" by 10´ and I am enjoying it thoroughly. Other than track, everything on this layout will be scratchbuilt, each structure, each tree, each bush, each lamp, each sign. I even think of making the figures myself. Its a big challenge for me, but a rewarding one!
I think little layouts are less forgiving than bigger ones. It is much more difficult to create a realistic looking scenery and have an operation concept which does not get boring after a few minutes. Lance Mindheim (he is my MRR hero) showed us with his East Rail layout, how interesting a small shelf layout can be.
Though my HO 4'x6' is bigger than you are talking, it has proved to be both fun and educational. My various modeling skills have improved greatly and I have had fun running it. However, I am looking forward to retiring it so that an around the room shelf can occupy the 7'x14' space and I can use the improved skills to make it look respectable.
Will miss the little educational plot. At the moment it's fate has not been determined.
Have fun,
Richard
I wish I did better on my first layout but yes I'll admit I miss it occasionally. Ran that GP15 and set of cars or my SP&S RS1 and its set of cars, from the time I finished it to the time I sold it.
SP&S modeler, 1960's give or take a decade or two for some equipment.
http://www.youtube.com/user/SGTDUPREY?feature=guide
Gary DuPrey
N scale model railroader
I have fond memories of, "Little," layouts (including one in 1:192 scale on the bottom of an inverted drawer) that faded into history and are now long gone.
Then there is the 15" x 96" 'thing' built on two pine planks back in 1980. The track plan is quite complex and fully operational, but it is still utterly devoid of scenery. It has operated as a stand-alone and as part of several layouts, currently connected to my 'main' layout by cassettes. When the connecting grade is finally finished, THEN scenery will be added and it will become the top-of-the valley terminal of the Tomikawa Tani Tetsudo, colliery and all.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
I live in a 4'x8' world, just on the large side of small layouts. Space has been negotiated to expand, but only with the concession of clearing the clutter that has accumulated over the decades in the basement. Clearing clutter vs encrusting more detail and/or spending time running trains is a contest that gets to be a closer and closer contest. If clutter loses, my modeling reflexes better still be quick, so as to claim the space before time creates newer versions of clutter.
Don H.
I also love small layouts. I have 2 modules 13inch x 4ft working on 3rd. I like atlas flex with peco turnouts but started to look at unitrack n scale any views on both tracks.