6000 sq ft, what to do?

[GDRMCo]

I have 6000 sq ft of layout space. what should i do/ what RR should i model?

[IRONROOSTER]

Unless you are retired, I'd form a club to help build it. 6000 sq ft is huge and you'll need help. Second consider using O scale or G. I would model the Pennsylvania RR with a section under wire for the GG1's and Horseshoe Curve.
Enjoy
Paul

[dknelson]

Good heavens that is a lot of space. Think about the work needed to keep a large layout running, and clean before you start filling it with tracks. The temptation is to model a huge city or cities. But size can mean paralysis when it comes to actually getting started, and even if completed a large layout can die due to the overwhelming needs to maintain it.
With that kind of space think about a really nice big workshop, a comfortable lounge for visitors where you can show slides or DVDs, a library, an area for railroad collectibles, display cases, and other stuff that usually there is not enough space for.
One idea that might effectively use the space yet avoid going insane having 100s of turnouts to power etc etc, is to pick a short line and truly model it, with significant spaces between depots and yards. I have always been interested in a small Illinois shortline, named (unless I am getting the order wrong here) the Yorktown, Hooppole and Tampico (Tampico being the birthplace of President Reagan). It had one locomotive, an ex CB&Q 0-6-0 (the Model Die Castring 0-6-0 is pretty close actually), an ancient combine, and it served a grain elevator and perhaps another customer or two. There is some stuff on the internet about it. It passed small farms and farm communities and with lots of space it could truly be modeled with almost no compression, together with the CBQ interchange. If one or two operators handled the CBQ interchange trains out of staging, one engineer for the YH&T train and one brakeman to handle pick ups and set outs, a nice practical layout could fill the space with lots of opportunities to build neat structures, rolling hill secenery, farm scenes, country roads and creeks, electric lines, and other elements of rural 1930s/1950s railroading.
Dave Nelson

[Anonymous]

I think Dave has a neat idea there - model a short line in its entirety.

6000 sq ft is (for the sake of argument) 60 x 100 - so if you go once around you should have a mainline of about 320 feet. In HO, that's a bit over 5 miles. There are plenty of examples of logging and/or mining "roads" that were less than this. With only a little compression, you could arguably do something up to, say 20 miles long and still not have to compress the main sites (towns, stations, industries) at all.

That really is a huge space though, so the club suggestion is interesting...!

I have a detached garage that is 26x50 +10x12. I don't get all of it [;)] but the thought of even filling 1/2 of it is daunting. Good luck with your empire...!

Andrew

[EMDSD40]

I suggest the Pennsylvania RR. With a space that large under roof, I get the impression money is no problem. A four track main line depicting the run over the Allegheny mountains into Pittsburgh hitting heavy on the steel and coal industries. I would use HO
scale and build an awesome tribute to the PRR. Good Luck and enjoy!!
PS.....A few "good friends" to help is one thing, but I would think long and hard about
starting a club, people can be "difficult" to say the least these days.

[Anonymous]

I'd map out about 600 sf. ft. and start an HO layout (which would be huge by my standards and would take forever for me to complete.) The other 90% of the space I'd start building a G scale layout, maybe a narrow scale logging/mining line. Great possibilities for filling the huge space with detailed buildings & rolling stock faster & without becoming a slave to your layout.

Wayne

[Anonymous]

DON"T be dumb! make it n scale so you can have huge mainlines and yards, have mountain areas a large city with commuter trains, have the signals computer controled use dcc... possibilitys endless.

modle a modern class 1: like maybe NS for horse shoe curve!

[brothaslide]

Take out a home equity loan and go CRAZY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'll help you do the shopping!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Seriously, take time to plan carefully. Get a lot of advice from other experienced modelers and have a ball.

Don't forget to take me to the hobby shop with you[:D]

[Anonymous]

dont do N scale with that much room yuck! go HO!!

[bluepuma]

What railroad do you know best, love most?

What locos are on your most wanted list?

What scenes do you most want to have?

I'd pick two end points for a point to point with loops for continous running. Build that part, connect them with plane rail, add the other parts in sections, keep moving the end points further apart, expanding the yard tracks such at each end.

Do you really want to gather a group of people just to run trains?

What buildings fit the time/place, what is available in the scale? Everything else must
be scratch built. Where can you use what is available?

Terrain, mostly flat, mountains, trees? Money?

You've got to make a list of what you want, focus on just that. Maybe you should seal off the extra space until you need it. - Tom

[Noah Hofrichter]

Just make sure what ever you decide that you'll have fun with it, it's not supposed to be a chore. Ask for help as you need it on here and in person to people in your area, and you might try formign a club, if that's what you really want to do. Each person is different, so I don't know if what people here suggest will be what your looking for, but Good luck!

Noah

[bluepuma]

ATSF Chicago to LA, UP, Chicago LA, BNSF to Seattle, NS or Conrail, NYC NYC to Chicago.

[philnrunt]

Do you really have 6,000 sq ft or is this a" make us put on our thinking caps" kind of question?

6,000 sq ft, eh? Buy some real track, get an SD70MAC and back it up and down...no, no, that's just CRAZEE!
For me, this would be having too many options, because you could literally model ANY RR you want! A switching terminal, fed by as many Class 1's as you would want, would be neat, using your home power to collect and distribute cars to various yards, alot of switching and mainline running, like the BRC or Gateway.
Or you could just rent space to modelers without any.
Let us know what you decide, and know that we all envy you, you lucky dog!

[Anonymous]

I'd suggest modelling in O scale. With that much space HO locos will take ages to tour the layout at sensible speeds! You have space there for full-length O-scale intermodals, though cost may become a problem there - you can buy a few HO cars for the price of one O-scale one. My favoured comparison is that for the price of one Weaver O-scale loco I can buy two or three Athearn HO examples. Full-scale coal drags are also an option, though you'll spend ages renumbering cars - most RTR examples only have three or four different numbers!

[GDRMCo]

QUOTE: Originally posted by bluepuma

What railroad do you know best, love most?

What locos are on your most wanted list?

What scenes do you most want to have?

1. Since I live in Darwin Aus you would think I would like to model the North-South Ry. but that is not the case. I'm still only 12 so the layout will last me a long time. The RR I know best is Queensland Rail and its mainline between Charters Towers (a place I have lived at) and Townsville (another place I have lived at)

2.The locos I most want would be all the locos that operated from CT to Tville.

3.The big bridge over the Burdiken River.

[GDRMCo]

QUOTE: Originally posted by philnrunt

Do you really have 6,000 sq ft or is this a" make us put on our thinking caps" kind of question?

6,000 sq ft, eh? Buy some real track, get an SD70MAC and back it up and down...no, no, that's just CRAZEE!

I do, its in the form of a 50'X120' tennis court outside my home.

[brothaslide]

QUOTE: Originally posted by GDRMCo
I'm still only 12 so the layout will last me a long time.

Well. . . Forget the home equity loan. Start mowing a lot of lawns, walking the neighbors dogs, washing cars, etc. . . . and put a shrimp on the barbie for the rest of us (just kidding!)

Start out small and grow your layout as your skills and experience grow.

Good Luck!!!

[Big_Boy_4005]

Model Chicago!!!

Start near the center of the space and radiate outward. Have commuter trains, passenger trains, and freight trains. All roads, any era, with staging at the ends of each line.

On the other hand, since you are only 12 and are going to be playing outside, get a G scale set and some extra track and have fun, but watch out for tennis balls.[swg]

[wlbankes]

i would look at all of what everyone says and think long on what you do. i would not run n scale with that much space to fill. i might go with HO scale because of the availabity on what is on the market to model with. also start with a small layout and expand it as you want to, don't try to fill the whole area up at once. i would have a very nice workshop. i would think about a club of friends if you don't want to do it by yourself, just be sure they are people that you can get along with.

AND REMEMBER THAT THE WHOLE POINT IS TO HAVE FUN DOING IT ABOVE ALL ELSE GOOD LUCK

[Jacktal]

My club's "N" scale layout is 20' X 16' (320 sq.ft.) and yet about two thirds of this is actually benchwork.We are planning improvements,the most important one being the elimination of the duckunder entry by opening one of the ends.Replanning the trackwork so the layout stays practical and reframing the workbench will be quite time consuming,and still,this is nothing compared to the project you have in mind.I suggest you think twice about it.

[Anonymous]

Ahh a tennis court is it inclosed i suspect not but if you have that kind of space definatly model a major class one but dont model the up they might come after you demanding royalties for such a large layout depicting them... but model the bnsf norfolk southern or just go crazy and go free lance you dont have to model something down to every mail box number that it may represent but if some one were to look at it they would immediatly associate it with that region,,,,well im only 15 and i have a 6x8 that took me almost 3 years to complete i would suspect your layout might need some help but good luck what ever you do and when its complete in oh say a few years dont forget to come back and post some pics we would all love to see this masterpeice

[Anonymous]

If it's a tennis court is this outside or covered over?

If it's outside your best bet is for a nice G Scale Layout, perhaps a double mainline and a couple yards and whatnot.

[Jetrock]

QUOTE: Originally posted by GDRMCo
I do, its in the form of a 50'X120' tennis court outside my home.

Okay, so it's an outdoor layout. In that case about the only scale you want to consider is G or other large-scale "garden" layout. I don't know how heavy-duty the weather gets where you live but generally unless you live a very comfortable, temperate climate garden railroading is only a fair-weather hobby. Large-scale equipment is very expensive so you'd better start mowing lawns, unless your parents, already willing to give you a tennis court, also give you a very prodigious allowance. I don't know much about Australian winters but anything smaller than O scale is likely to blow away. Plastic items will definitely melt in the summer. It's going to be expensive and a lot of work.

How experienced are you with modeling? Have you considered building a small, indoor layout instead of a monster outdoor layout? With so much space to work with, and the resources of a 12 year old, you'll be finished with college before you're halfway finished with the layout--why not work on a small layout in a bedroom or shed that you can complete before you're old enough to vote?

[Anonymous]

I would model the Clinchfield Railroad including the clinchfield loops with that much space.

It was less than 300 miles in it's entirety but had a LOT of interesting scenery and towns as well as the loops to gain the elevation to cross the smokey mountains.

[krump]

Garden Railway

[Anonymous]

go with a modern U.P. HO scale layout--nothing better than that

[Roadtrp]

None of these guys are thinking BIG enough. I'd buy an old 1:1 scale full dome car passenger car and turn it into the coolest rec-room anyone has ever seen!!

[:D][:D]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by up9899

go with a modern U.P. HO scale layout--nothing better than that

My HO equipment always ran poorly after being rained on.

Sounds like he's contemplating an open-air garden railroad on I assume a paved tennis court.

Wayne

[Roadtrp]

If you like my full size car idea, I've even found a dome car for sale. It's not a full dome, but it is gorgeous. For a mere $295,000 it's yours!!

http://www.ozarkmountainrailcar.com/new_page_7.htm

[:)][:)]

[brothaslide]

Just curious - Are the owners of the house (i.e. parents) aware of your intentions to transform the tennis court into a model railroad empire?