So I went to build a 4x8 table but ended up deciding to build a 5 x 8 instead... I figured it'd be nice to fit some 28" radius turns on the outside instead of being limited to 22". Anyway, pics are in my gallery. Now... the fun part. What layout? Anyone have any thoughts, ideas, layouts to take advantage of a 5 x 8 layout? Blank slate... options are wide open right now. Edit: Just realized this should have been posted in the Layout Forum... maybe an admin could move it for me?
Well this is a 5x9 plan I'm building on an old ping-pong table.... It's a veritable spagetti bowl but will let me run some trains...mg:
You've got three basic options at the point you are now: 1. Pick a plan someone else has done that you like. Modify the plan to fit your space and build your layout. For this all you need is some folks to point you to some plans, and then answer questions you have. 2. Freelance your own plan. For that you need your givens and druthers, or basic decisions about what you will have and would like to have in your layout. The help you'd then get would be on refining your ideas and making them work in a layout. 3. Model a prototype. Select a part of a prototype railroad's track and attempt to model it in the space you have available. Again, some givens and druthers would be the first thing. You'd then seek help on implementing those plans in the space you have. It would help those of us who might like to help you know which of the above you are interested in, and any additional information you can give us about your personal preferences (these are the kinds of things that usually show up in a givens and druthers list). If you need help with the questions, folks here can give you some of those as well. What scale are you modeling? I'm assuming HO. Is that right?
I think my answer would be a mixture of option 1 and 2... and yes, I'm working in HO scale. Here's my "givens and druthers" list: I'd like one 28" radius loop for some bigger / faster trains. I'd like 2 or 3 "industry" straights and shunts for doing some "switching" ops. I'd like a small yard and / or a turn about. I'm not terribly concerned about elevation, but I do plan on having at least one tunnel through some mountain like scene element and maybe one or two bridges over some sort of stream or creek. I'm a fan of steam engines! I've seen a couple 5 x 8 layouts that are interesting and could probably be modified to fit some of my wish list... but I haven't found a track layout program yet that I fine easy to work in or intuitive enough to modify an existing plan. Here are a couple I've been looking at and thinking about modifying: A 4 x 8 plan that I would modify to fit my 28" curve loop and to fit a 5 x 8 space: A 5 x 8 layout that is appealing, but has too many tight turns on the "mainline": I've decided on the following: Atlas 83 track. The Atlas roundhouse, turntable, and motor. Remote switches on the turnouts.
Thanks for the info. The top plan really has spurs that are too short and/or too close to the mainline to put much industry on. Expanding to 5 feet might help. The lower plan has the yard where I'd think to put it and some longer industry spurs. I think you might be able to work on the mainline track to eliminate some of the stuff you don't like there. I'd try to eliminate the cross-over on the RHS, and eliminate the track coming up from very 'front' of the layout. I'd stub end that track to be a yard lead. I'd try to make the stub track above the yard the mainline and continue it around to connect to the top right where the existing mainline comes in. This gives a straight mainline across the 'front' of the layout and clears the entire front for a yard. You can then massage the yard. I would then use the new straight section on the mainline on the RHS to put in a RH turnout for an industrial spur headed back toward the yard area, and a LH turnout to take care of the industrial spurs in the middle left. You'd get rid of the big loop in the center. I would also probably eliminate the two curvy spurs top middle. Seems pretty crowded there. Don't know about the turn table unless you eliminate the industrial spur that is now the big loopy thing in the middle right (which I've suggested changing already) and use that area. Not ideal, perhaps, but then your yard and engine service area would be front and right, with industry (and scenery) to the left and rear. You can have a river or mountain ridge run from the lower left to upper right. Hope you can follow what I'm saying.
Yes, I can! Thanks for the thoughtful input! I'm pretty sure I follow what you are saying... now I just have to figure out how one of these darn track layout programs works so I can plan
Atlas' RTS is not too hard to learn. It's not as flexible as a CAD type program, but those are overkill for your layout. You'd spend more time learning the software than track planning. I believe their Code 83 library is the better one in HO. You can get a good idea if things will work. I don't know what you are planning, but after your plan is drawn I'd certainly consider laying flex track.
