How big is your layout?

[ac4400fan]

well so far its 6x16 ft and going to grow alot more



Bigger is better ,,

carl...

[ClinchValleySD40]

60' x 30'. Two, three and four decks. Plenty of staging. Ops once a month for a crew of 15 to 20. And anyone is welcome at any time.

[n2mopac]

I am about to begin track laying on my 17' x 17' (with a peninsula) N scale BNSF layout. It is in an unfinnished basement (saddly, but I do not own the house, so "whaddya gonna do?"). I actually had much more space to work with there, but I figured this, as my second layout, was plenty to keep me busy and keep my pocket book empty for several years to come. I am very excited about the track plan and hope to have the main running by next Spring.

Ron

[oleirish]

[:(]I've been reduced to a 34"w X 8'L switching lay out and test track.My wifes brother moved in with us,[xx(]so there went my train room[:(]I'am hoping he will leave before long[|(][sigh]

OLE'IRISH

[oleirish]

QUOTE: Originally posted by SpaceMouse

QUOTE: Originally posted by oleirish

CHIP:I'am watching you like a hawk,looking good,[:P]Quick question:how did you go from the flat top up your grade with out a bump?[^]OH !! buy the way if I send you my address can just ship that layout to me[:-,]

[oX)]OLE'IRISH[oX)]

If I get your question, each riser is 1/4" taller thatn the last. The top and bottom of the grade only go 1/8" in the same space. Since it is a single piece of plywood it forms a parabolic curve at each location.

Chip that is about right,but what I'am trying to say is the transition from flat table top to start of grade ? JIM

[cwclark]

QUOTE: Originally posted by grande man

QUOTE: Originally posted by cwclark

My layout is 23' x 25' and you got that right!..pretty expensive!..here is a picture album of my layout in case you are interested...i'm still in the "plywood central" stage, but working as fast as i can to build it...i started it in March of 2004 ...chuck
http://www.webshots.com/community/user/bayouman1

That's WAY cool, Chuck. I need a bigger house. [:D] Seriously, there's so much that can be done in a space that size. Looks like you're doing a jam up job too. Do you have any help?

no help what-so-ever...I need help too...I have all the track layed except for a spur that will come later in my retirement days..I'm going to have to tear out some shelves and a countertop with drawers and build the new section before i can call it complete...back to the help..I wish i had help when it comes to operating...i'll be able to run 4 main line trains and switch in industrial sidings in 6 different places at one time...can't do it all by myself...wi***here were some neighbors as interested in it as I am...Chuck

[Pruitt]

My layout is slated to be 30 1/2 X 29 feet, double-decked. Right now only 22 X 29 feet of the lower deck has benchwork constructed.

Here's the lower level, with scenery added to show how the visible trackage will look:



Here's the upper level, shown the same way:



The four-track helix that will connect the levels will be located in the grey-blue blob at the lower left-hand corner of each picture.

The Shobon/Wind River Canyon and Cody/Laurel peninsulas, plus the around the walls sections that connect them, are the areas with benchwork up.

[Anonymous]

So far, it's 4' X 10' N Scale...

but that just might turn into the penninsula.
Haven't figured out how to post pix or I would.
Just got trains running. Now, to clean up the wiring into managable routes.
More time!
More money!
I need more!

Cuhail

[jimrice4449]

I started w/ what's basically an oversized 2 car garage (25X26) and when I ran out of room there, tacked on a 12X24 extension on one corner. The RR is virtually all yard . It's on two levels and is L shaped with the long leg being 4'X45 and the 4'X20 off of that. Thre's a total of 1700 ft. of track with 226 switches. It's really a yard complex with frt on the lower level and psgr on the upper. It features a working 12 track hump yard (shortest track 12') and a psgr depot (double ended) w/ 8 platform tracks and a run-around track. It will accomodate trains of full length car from 12 cars to 18, with engines w/o fouling adjacent tracks.
All of this feeds a "mainline" on the lower, frt level consisting of a 38' single track loop with 2 30' staging tracks running off of it. The upper (psgr) level is a little better. Its mainline is about 30' of double track that widens into a 3 track reverse loop./staging with each track blocked so as to hold 2 psgr trains of 12 to 16 cars.
Two problems with this thing are first, finding enough people to be able to run it. Most of the time I run it alone and that requires that everthing be done sequentially. Run the train into the yard as dispatcher, then be the hostler cutting off the road power and running it to the roundhouse and then working the hump job etc, etc. The second problem is MAINTAINENCE!!!

[rexhea]

My HO layout is, 3 level, 18' x 24', with a 12' x 3' passenger train extension that will include the town of Mountain view. Fortunately, I get some help and expertise from CJCRESENT when he can make it over from Birmingham. After 1.5 years, I have all the main line, main yard, and many industry spurs in place allowing for plenty of operating fun. The scenery......well..... it's coming along.....sloooowly. [:I] [:D]

Please visit my Railimages site. Link below.



REX [:)]

[SpaceMouse]

QUOTE: Originally posted by oleirish

QUOTE: Originally posted by SpaceMouse

QUOTE: Originally posted by oleirish

CHIP:I'am watching you like a hawk,looking good,[:P]Quick question:how did you go from the flat top up your grade with out a bump?[^]OH !! buy the way if I send you my address can just ship that layout to me[:-,]

[oX)]OLE'IRISH[oX)]

If I get your question, each riser is 1/4" taller thatn the last. The top and bottom of the grade only go 1/8" in the same space. Since it is a single piece of plywood it forms a parabolic curve at each location.

Chip that is about right,but what I'am trying to say is the transition from flat table top to start of grade ? JIM

The lower level is plywood with foam. The section that goes up is plwyood with cork. The part that goes up is just elevated off the frame. Meaning it is partially cut and lifted. When the grade reaches the end of the plywood sheet there is a splice and the plywood continues on. I hope that make sense. I'll take a picture if you still haven't got it.

[West Coast S]

My current 20x12 test layout, portions of which were converted from HO to S has been served final notice by my better half who wants the space for a new bathroom and linnen closet.

On the plus side, my second residence has a 70X50 room that is now available, but to use the space efficently I will have to abandon my tried and true around-the-walls design concepts.

[Marc_Magnus]

Mine is in a room of 33 x 18 feet, but it's an along the wall design with three peninsula with one which make a return on itself making the mainline run longer.
I model in N scale

[Anonymous]

My layout is 13' X 18' with a helix at each end.

Bob

[railroadyoshi]

Me, being a new novice, a 4x8. Though I yearn for more space, one of the great things of small layouts is the amount of time you can devote to an area. My track plan and structure/scenery layout has changed over the years. Now, my design is very dense, creating extremely interesting scenes. Many are tightly layed industries with sharp tracks woven between them. My layout depicts a town in the middle of mountains.

[Anonymous]

Right now I have an O-27 scale oval on a 4x8 piece of plywood. But me and my dad are going to build an HO scale layout. Its going to be a two level layout. I can't wait til we get it finished.

[Anonymous]

80x100, C&O Allengheny div, fully senicked, operating signals, all my steam and desiels are equipped with sound, the highlight of my feet is my 17 brass AKANE allenghenys.








An 8x10 C&O branchline thats yet to be built.

[sledgehammer]

my room is 9 X 16. Its a shelf design. Which i am still laying track on. When the kids a re gone i get the rec room and laudry room. Look out hobby store lol

[rlandry6]

4X8.. <hanging head> I'm doing it by myself in a small spare room..Oh well, with that size, maybe I'll get to see trains run on it in this lifetime.

[SpaceMouse]

QUOTE: Originally posted by rlandry6

4X8.. <hanging head> I'm doing it by myself in a small spare room..Oh well, with that size, maybe I'll get to see trains run on it in this lifetime.

There are 4 x 8 layouts built by members of this websit that have been in the mags. No head hanging here. Work with what you have.

[grandeman]

QUOTE: Originally posted by rlandry6

4X8.. <hanging head> I'm doing it by myself in a small spare room..Oh well, with that size, maybe I'll get to see trains run on it in this lifetime.

Do'nt hang your head my friend. A 4x8 is great if that's the space you have. I've had several myself.

[Duce]

I have a 20X20 room and I have the wood for the bench work. Does that count for anything yet? I plan on starting a 3x15 yard. Construction starts this week. Some day I hope to have the 15X20 I have planed. I guess I am also blessed to have the room.

[DanRaitz]

Here is the promised photo of my Sn3 layout under construction.

Dan

[Duce]

Goodness Dan,
I wish I had half the inventory you have under that bench....lololol

Im sure others are way above that. But I dont think Ive seen that much train stuff in one spot except in a hobby store...lolol

[Jetrock]

My layout consists of two modules, one 1x6 feet and the other an L-shape 6 feet wide and 3 feet deep on one end (1 foot deep on the rest.) Eventually I plan on going once around the walls of my 8x18 foot garage.

Here's the yard module:

And here's the industrial module:


My layout takes up half the space of a 4x8 sheet of plywood, but it is still a lot of fun to run!

[Anonymous]

Jetrock - a man after my own heart. Drums & trains. Nice!!!

[Anonymous]

Nuts about the BNSF or is it an illness?

HO scale

I model the BNSF Line from WA to CA in a 40’ X 24’ Basement. Out of that space there is a support wall running down the center and I couldn’t take over my wife’s laundry room and the path to it. What it ends up leaving me is two main rooms 12’ X 34’ and 12’ X 20’ for my layout that I have linked together by cutting 10’ of the main support and installing a laminated header from Boise Cascade. That left me with one big room with places for nice sweeping S curves.

My layout has two levels and in the larger of the two rooms there is a nice 6’ deep X 11’ long cove that stick out for my living room leaving me an area for an island for my main pass to get to the upper level. I use all Peco Concrete sleepers for the mains, single track with 2800 (min) scale feet timber sidings. I have double mains up the 1.25 scale mile pass @ 1.7% and a 2% on the single main with passing siding in the 12’ X 20’ room. I use 2 Kato SD40-2 Snoot Nosed Santa Fe’s for the helper district on the 2% pass line. On the one nose I clipped the knuckle off the coupler for pusher service so I can release on the fly and head back down on the siding if there is no train in it. I have a regular coupler on the end leaving it suitable for helper service in air and breaking for mixed, intermodal, tank trains, and what ever else needs it. I have my main yard at the bottom of the 1.7% pass and helper service there is only needed if power has problems or for friends that come over for the first time to run on Friday nights not realizing the power needs for getting a 40 car double stack or 50 car grains and coal up to summit. Total concrete on main lines is 13.5 scale miles and I can’t tell you what the timber track is, I bought different brands and can’t tell you how many full pieces I used (I’m still not done laying also).

I have a small hand full of UP Trains, one a passenger executive train 4 E7’s and 15 cars. I have a UP mixed freight inspired by a rail buddy giving me some aluminum for gondolas, he works for Kaiser Aluminum. A C4400AC with DPU CP Rail (operated by UP employees) grain train out of Canada and one intermodal lead by UP SD90MACs.

I have 15 BNSF trains 4 Coal SD70MACs / SD60+M’s Oakways for 60’s with loaded trains having DPUs. 4 Intermodal trains lead by SD40-2s, C4400ACs, C44-9s, GP-60’s, and leased SD60’s. 4 Grain hopper trains lead by SD40-2’s, C4400ACs, SD70MACs, SD60Ms and C44-9’s with loaded trains having DPUs. I also have 3 mixed freights, one wood products train from Montana with MRL on the point, power being anything goes with 4 or 6 axles.

Friends that bring their stuff is mostly BN with SP&S, UP, SP, NP, GN, And SI (Spokane International) joining occasionally for the mix. I try to run every Friday unless I have something really wrong (like the flood a few weeks ago in my basement). I have a Digitrax DCS100 and a DCS200 powering the layout and I have two radio receivers for wireless controls. Most turnouts on main are #8 by Shinohara powered by DS44 and DS54s allowing for radio throws and closes, radius is 32” or bigger.

I have had 6 running on my layout at once with a few that really know layout well (because of 3 reversers on layout) running two trains at once. The most trains running at once was 11 and that was a very interesting run night with one head on and two re-ends causing a CF (other words headache ) for all the operators.

My layout as one friend puts it, the UP layout, standing for the Undecorated Plywood layout. My layout has no scenery yet and still is in the track laying process with the main line with sidings being finished. Branch & spur tracks plus some yards and industrial track have not been laid leaving me with a lot more to still do. Working on it has SLOWED down since Friday nights started, now if I’d only quit play maybe it’d be finished in a couple years.

Ross

[Texas Zepher]

It has been a year. Anyone have any updates?

[ARTHILL]

Nope. Mine is the same size, but a lot more scenery and DCC,

[bnnrailroad]

Right now, 10' x 12'. Basically, 2 4x8's and a 2x5.

The new pike will be 10.5' x 13.5'. It will be an around the wall layout and fill the room.