New Layout from Scratch.....

Needing some help starting a layout from scratch. I have been out of the loop on model railroading for almost 20 years and now have 2 young boys (4,3) that are very interested in trains and thought that this may be a way to have some quality time with my boys. I know they are young but I figured never to early to start. Before that the layout I had was a small one at 6'x10' as was DC. I really would like this layout to be DCC since that looks like the more realistic power supply.

Anyway, what info I am after is some basic general idea's on how to get started. Room is not a problem. I have a full basement that we just use as storage and the washer and drier. I was thinking of starting off with one part of the basement that is 12'x20'. Not sure to start off small with the layout or just go all out. Thinking of going all out.

This will need to be built so I can take it apart in case of a move. So what books out there or online tutorials would be good to catch up on to help me out? I was thinking of having the layout more of a u-shape that way I would have lots of rooms on both ends for the turn around's and a yard.

I live in the midwest and the line I have chosen is the CSX. Where this line run's around me is very flat so I probably wont have any grade on this layout. I will probably put in a bridge or 2 but would cut out the plywood and make a stream here and there.

I am sure I will have more questions later as far as track to use, electrical, and other stuff but going to take this slow and do it right.

Forgot to mention this will be HO gauge..

Thanks
Brad

 

Hi Brad,

Here are a few pointers. You may take them for what you think they are worth.

1. Have Fun.
2. Make a list of "Must Haves" and a list of "Wants"
3. Plan the layout as "Thinking of going all out" using the "Must Haves" and some or all of the the "Wants"
4. Build it in modules in a size that you can handle. This will help if and when you want / need to move
5. Design end loop modules to attach to the modules in #4 above and as the layout grows you can relocate them as needed. With your children being the ages they are you will need a continuous loop. They will not understand all the stop and starting of switching movement.
6. Try to finish one or two modules before moving to the next. By finish I mean getting the track down and ballasted and other scenery completed. The end loop modules can be finished also if you want. But if you are like me you will want to just build and build and lay track so that the trains can run and run and run. Sorry I digress.
7. Have Fun
8. Purchase some equipment, locos and cars that you don't mind getting broken by the over zealous throttle handling of boys and maybe your wife. I when out to the the train building one night to find my wife and our youngest two grandsons having a car vs loco contest.
9. Have the boys help from the very first including in the construction of the bench work. I did not let my children help very much and in the end they lost interest in railroading both model and prototype. I have been trying to get the grandchildren interested but that is difficult since they all live 20 to 300 miles away.
10. Ask as many questions as you need. There are a bunch of knowledgeable people here, most more knowledgeable then me.
11. Have Fun
12. Most of all, always remember IT IS YOUR RAILROAD AND YOU CAN DO WITH IT ANYTHING YOU WANT
13. Did I say Have Fun?

Gary

 

Start small. Going all out now is likely to bring frustration and something you will never finish. I know since it happened to me.

As far as track plans and such, I would recommend a specific book that I think will suit your needs. Small, Smart and Practical Track Plans by Iain Rice. His designs in this book are geared toward the smaller layouts but some of them are designed to be incorporated into a larger layout. While none of them are CSX based the general idea remains the same. Start with a section to model that can be moved easily and also become part of your "larger" scheme.

Now I am not saying go modular because none of his design are truly modular. Those that are close are more of a series of vignettes that can stand alone as a small switching layout but using temporary connections function quite well as a larger layout.

I think that with your boys so young still going all out will lead them to dislike helping dad work on the layout which the whole idea behind this. Definitely go DCC, as it offers you so much more flexibility without a lot of complicated wiring. Get away from the table top style layout if you can live without a continuous run. If a continous run if highly desired then that book also has a 4'x8' layout that operated from the middle and would do nicely. (I am a big fan of Iain's designs as you can tell)

Now if you do go all out, 12'x20' is a fairly large space to work with and he has another book called Mid-sized and Manageable Track Plans that has several plans suited for a space like that.

Anything you do is up to you and fun is what it is all about so take my comments with a grain of salt and do what feels best and offers the most quality time with the boys, otherwise it is not worth doing in the first place. But if they get bored easily, step back and take a good look, and then renew their interest with something more manageable if that is what it takes. Nothing kills interest more than building, building, building with no trains running, especially with young kids.

Just my 2 cents.

 

Gary and John

Thanks for the reply's. I find both of your post to be helpful. To be honest I am a very impatient guy and wants things done now. This will test me for sure. I have told myself to take my time, think things through, and all in all "Have Fun." lol

Some people said to start small and I can see where they are coming from but I am not for sure if I have the smarts to start small and then add to it because I am sure I will make big mistakes costing me in the end. I am leaning towards doing a big layout. I have mentioned it to my boys and they are excited about doing this as am I. Noting like being almost 40 and living a childhood dream.

Thanks again for the input.

 

Thanks Rick. I am starting to plan out what I want on the layout and then going from there. I am in the midwest and where the CSX runs it pretty flat not much terrain so I wont have much if any grade to worry about. Next thing is figuring out how I want to run the track. I am wanting a pretty good size grain elevator, ethanol plant so I will need plenty of sidings for sure, but space isnt much of a concern since I have a full basement.

May start sketching out some plans tomorrow but am going to go to the local hobby shop tomorrow and pick their brain about somethings and see what local clubs are around and then pick their brains. I am not going to be in that big of hurry with it since my boys are 4 and 3, so if it takes a year to get it up and going then so be it but want it done right.

 

with boys that young start small! keep it simple at first, think 4x8 then go from there as they get older, keeping future expansion in mind.
It is a great hobby,,but it can also strain&drain the bank account suprisingly fast if one is not carefull.

 

Welcome!

A 12x20 U... do you mean a "U" (opening on 12' side) or a "C" (opening on 20' side)? My advice is not to start with 18" or even 22" curves; I consider those too small for general use in HO. Therefore, your turnback curves will be large.

 

The area I have to work in is 12'x20'. I am still not sure how the layout will be. I think, like you said and I should have said, will be more of a C shape. I havent gotten that far yet in making any sketchs of the layout, just trying to figure out what I might want on it.

What would be the typical size of curve to use? The straight shots will be flex track for sure.

 

Use the largest curve that will fit in the area you have to work with. Using Flex Track permits any size curve. As said on other threads the larger the radius the better. I'm not a HO person so I really can not give you advice as the minimum but I would think it is somewhere around a 36 inch radius.

Gary

 

30" curves are generally advised for passenger cars and other 80'+ equipment (they will run on less).

I'm thinking you could do a G-shaped layout.

 

Thanks for all the help guys and take it all to heart. Still putting it to paper on how I want it to look. I done some C and G style sketch's and still cant come up with what I want. I have been looking online at some sites but really need to get to the Hobby shop and see if they have any books on some modern day layouts.

I would like for this to be somewhat my design but I would be open to taking some things from different layouts and implementing them onto mine.

Once I get it drawn up freehand will work on it in Xtrac program.

 

I know you want HO. But have you ever seen those LEGO trains? If I had a small child, soon as I knew he wouldn't eat the legos, that wooden Thomas would go and there'd be some lego trains running. The kids can even build their own structures! Drop it? No problem, no broken handrails. Just stick the piece back on!

So while they play, you can plot away on Xtrac or be busy cussing at the benchwork. When they get too big for Lego you'll have the boring part finished. None of that impatient whining, "When is it going to run?" And when you've had enough for one day, you can go relax and play trains with the boys.

Just a thought.

 

My oldest son's birthday is Tuesday the 8th and I purchase for him the Geo-Trax remote control train set. It has other add on's also, so as I plan this layout he will be able to play with that.

I think both boys will enjoy driving the nails, gluing, and screwing the screws in more than running the trains. LOL

 

Pick up a copy of "102 Realisitc Track Plans" by Kalmbach. $7.95 at Borders right now. It has a wide variety of plans that can help you get ideas to get started with.

I'll put in a vote for going modular no matter what size you decide to build. Modules are easy to build and transport should you ever move. And they can be easily swapped out and rebuilt or replaced as your skills increase or you find something just isn't working right.

 

Have a look at www.modelrailroader.com... Theyhave a very comprhensive collection of layouts in the most widespread scales!