help me out with my layout Part 2

[Anonymous]

kentsoftware.com, cablebridge, rsn48 you have been a big help in planing my railroad.
Thank You

[Anonymous]

Byran,
I must plead asleep at the switch. Somehow I missed your statement about a 4 by 7 Shelf (?) layout. But I must confess I'm still not sure what you mean by a "shelf" layout. Usually a shelf layout is around the walls and will be narrower in width than many layouts. I have a shelf layout sort with two decks and reversing loops over and under on each deck.

[Anonymous]

Byran,
I must plead asleep at the switch. Somehow I missed your statement about a 4 by 7 Shelf (?) layout. But I must confess I'm still not sure what you mean by a "shelf" layout. Usually a shelf layout is around the walls and will be narrower in width than many layouts. I have a shelf layout sort with two decks and reversing loops over and under on each deck.

[Anonymous]

Brian,

I recommend you read the book "Track Planning for Realistic Operation" by John Armstrong. Not only will it help you with your immediate problem of planning a layout, it is a nice book to read in its own right.

You say you are planning a 4 x 7 shelf layout. There is a track plan for something similar but requires more space. It is one of the track plans published by Atlas for their HO Scale sectional track. Is this going to be set up on two walls of your bedroom? If it matters any, we could help you design a bridge for both your doorway and your closet that would possibly permit continuous running later on. You could start with a plan for two walls and expand around the whole room later if your parents think it is OK. Model railroaders have a keen eye for utilizing space.

Good luck - Ed

[Anonymous]

Brian,

I recommend you read the book "Track Planning for Realistic Operation" by John Armstrong. Not only will it help you with your immediate problem of planning a layout, it is a nice book to read in its own right.

You say you are planning a 4 x 7 shelf layout. There is a track plan for something similar but requires more space. It is one of the track plans published by Atlas for their HO Scale sectional track. Is this going to be set up on two walls of your bedroom? If it matters any, we could help you design a bridge for both your doorway and your closet that would possibly permit continuous running later on. You could start with a plan for two walls and expand around the whole room later if your parents think it is OK. Model railroaders have a keen eye for utilizing space.

Good luck - Ed

[Anonymous]

Bryan,
When you first start out it is all so intimidating, so many skills required that you may not have and so many decisions to be made.

My first recommendation is to suggest you be more specific in your questions. For example, you don't say what scale you are in, or are you just starting and want a recommendation on scale? You don't say what space you have, so it is difficult to recommend a track plan for you.

So why not start over and say something like this (of course modified to your situtation):

"Hi I'm Bryan. I'm modelling in HO and I think I'm going to be doing a 4 by 8 layout. Does anyone know of any good sites that have some good 4 by 8 plans?"

Then after you decide on the track plan, you might say: "Hi remember me, I'm Bryan and I have decided on a track plan for a 4 by 8 HO layout, is there a good place on the web where I can go to see what kind of a table I should build for my 4 by 8?"

Then latter: "hi I'm Byran, I have my benchwork up for my 4 by 8 HO layout, what is a good track to use?"

Then latter: "I have decided on Atlas flex track and Atlas turnouts for my layout. How do I lay flextrack? Any recommendations on road bed?"

Have your questions reflect where you are in the planning and building phase of your layout.

Good luck, have fun, you'll learn lots![:D]

[Anonymous]

Bryan,
When you first start out it is all so intimidating, so many skills required that you may not have and so many decisions to be made.

My first recommendation is to suggest you be more specific in your questions. For example, you don't say what scale you are in, or are you just starting and want a recommendation on scale? You don't say what space you have, so it is difficult to recommend a track plan for you.

So why not start over and say something like this (of course modified to your situtation):

"Hi I'm Bryan. I'm modelling in HO and I think I'm going to be doing a 4 by 8 layout. Does anyone know of any good sites that have some good 4 by 8 plans?"

Then after you decide on the track plan, you might say: "Hi remember me, I'm Bryan and I have decided on a track plan for a 4 by 8 HO layout, is there a good place on the web where I can go to see what kind of a table I should build for my 4 by 8?"

Then latter: "hi I'm Byran, I have my benchwork up for my 4 by 8 HO layout, what is a good track to use?"

Then latter: "I have decided on Atlas flex track and Atlas turnouts for my layout. How do I lay flextrack? Any recommendations on road bed?"

Have your questions reflect where you are in the planning and building phase of your layout.

Good luck, have fun, you'll learn lots![:D]

[Kent]

Go visit lots of people's websites and get ideas from there. Then take the ideas you like and tweek them to what you want.

A mistake I almost made when I first got back into model trains was to listen to a local hobby shop owner that tried to tell ME what WAS interesting and my designel was boring. I when as far as to map out a layout 'to make him happy', they I siad to myself, "what am I doing?" Scrapped the new design and went back to what *I* wanted! And that's what you see if you visit my layout page.

[Kent]

Go visit lots of people's websites and get ideas from there. Then take the ideas you like and tweek them to what you want.

A mistake I almost made when I first got back into model trains was to listen to a local hobby shop owner that tried to tell ME what WAS interesting and my designel was boring. I when as far as to map out a layout 'to make him happy', they I siad to myself, "what am I doing?" Scrapped the new design and went back to what *I* wanted! And that's what you see if you visit my layout page.

[Anonymous]

I really need some help. I'm trying to build my first layout and I need some tips.
Its a 4x7 L shaped shelf layout in HO. I'm only 13 years old so I'm just geting started.
Any other tips like painting and weathering are surley welcome.
[:)][:)][:)][:)]

Ok I need some info on railroading in the Southern and Midwest states and more info on painting and weathering. [?][?][?]

[Anonymous]

I really need some help. I'm trying to build my first layout and I need some tips.
Its a 4x7 L shaped shelf layout in HO. I'm only 13 years old so I'm just geting started.
Any other tips like painting and weathering are surley welcome.
[:)][:)][:)][:)]

Ok I need some info on railroading in the Southern and Midwest states and more info on painting and weathering. [?][?][?]