I've recently been able to acquire a nice little 9x15 room in the downstairs of the house I live in. So since the two doors in the room are both to the south side of the room, I've decided to put a 9x9 Donut shaped HO scale layout.I'm curious if anyone else has a small donut shaped layout like this?
The only times I've ever used a donut shape was under the Christmas tree.....In any room with some space, I would rather use an oval shape. Walk around or center pit type.
Take Care!
Frank
This HO donut-style layout is slightly larger than 100 square feet, but includes two railroads side-by-side.
9X9 should be fine for a single railroad in HO. It might be a little tight in your space, but consider using the inside, outside, and backside of the room (for staging). This not-to-scale sketch shows the idea.
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Couple layouts ago I had this 8x12
I did end up removing the bottom left pait of turnouts and that whole track along the bottom, leaving just the two turnouts on the bottom right to make 2 sidings. Otherwise built as is. Curves are 30" radius and all mainline turnouts are #6. Sidings and yard are #4 (Atlas, so really a 4 1/2).
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
DavidH66 I've recently been able to acquire a nice little 9x15 room in the downstairs of the house I live in. So since the two doors in the room are both to the south side of the room, I've decided to put a 9x9 Donut shaped HO scale layout.I'm curious if anyone else has a small donut shaped layout like this?
It's not hard to rehang those doors so they swing out rather than in. Then you could use the whole 9x15. I only have one door, but that's what I did.
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My layout is appoximately 11 ft x 12 ft and U-shaped (a donut with a bite taken out). It's a double-track design with a pair of crossovers, a yard with a yard lead that can double as a siding, and some staging/storage tracks that I am not done altering. Here's some photos and the design: https://goo.gl/photos/3JVZWi6NgCkk9GNbA
Donut, operating pit,whatever you want to call them, are quite common, even in the 100 sq. ft. size. Look in the Model Railroader Track Plan Data Base. Mine is 5'x11' with an 18"x7' staging/fiddle yard.
Ray
8'-4" x 11'-6"/22" min. radius/many curved turnouts/dotted track not built:
Dante
rayw46 Donut, operating pit,whatever you want to call them, are quite common, even in the 100 sq. ft. size. Look in the Model Railroader Track Plan Data Base. Mine is 5'x11' with an 18"x7' staging/fiddle yard. Ray
I actually considered a 5x11 oval layout but I realized that would leave me very little space to move around the layout.
Contact the webmaster at Augusta County Railroad Museum and RR Club. We are building a layout similar to what you are asking about. The webmaster can pass along your inquirey. See our facebook page for some pictures of layout
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Do you know Scott Perry´s "Heart of Georgia" layout?
It is a nice 9 x 9 ft. single track layout, which is quite easy to build and fun to operate. If you manage to squeeze in some sort of staging, it´d be near to perfect!
Taken from: The Heart of Georgia HOG Layout in HO Scale
My layout is in a 10 by 14 foot room with three doors. I did an around the walls layout, 22 inch radius curves. It's a single track main line with two passing sidings and lots of spurs to serve industries. The track crosses the doors on liftout sections. The doors are a bathroom, a closet, and the entryway. The room serves as the downstairs guest room when I have lots of house guests, but most of the time I don't have that many house guests and the liftout sections stay in place.
David Starr www.newsnorthwoods.blogspot.com
For what it's worth, and if you are still interested, I finally got around to figuring out how to post the plan correctly! I edited the original post.
I have a 9ft x 9ft doughnut shapped layout and since I am approaching 72 years old I wish I didn't have to duck under to get to the controls. I'm trying to decide whether it would be easier to add a removable section or just move the controls. I think I'll have a craft beer and contemplate this situation.
BobL609 I'm trying to decide whether it would be easier to add a removable section or just move the controls.
Perhaps an office chair on wheels. Sit down, roll under, stand up, shove under far enough to be out of the road.
Dave
I agree with the suggestion of a secretarial chair. That is my back-up plan if I reach the point of not being able to duck under.
However, the clearance of my duck-under is about 45". I padded the framing overhead with pipe insulation (per another's suggestion) and use low horizontal braces (also padded) from leg to leg both sides of the duck-under to lean on when passing through. The latter make a big difference. Leaning on such supports greatly reduces the back strain and tends to minimize the tendency to lift one's head too soon when going through. I am almost 82 and have no problem with my duck-under.
P.S. Remember that even if you move the controls, there will be many times you have to enter the doughnut for operational, repair and modeling purposes. Relatively frequent removal of a removable section is likely to get old fast unless you can make a simple, reliable lift/drop-bridge or gate. Keep the duck-under and make it as easy to negotiate as possible.
My BRVRR is 4x10 in a 10x10 foot room, but could easily be expanded to fit in your 9x15 room. The layout is quite crowded, but when expanded it would allow for much more scenery.
The train table is mounted on garage door rollers which move on tracks fixed to the walls of the train room. Although you have to duck under the table to reach the back side, this arrangement allows for access to the back (South) side of the layout for construction, maintenance and operation.
Remember its your railroad
Allan
Track to the BRVRR Website: http://www.brvrr.com/