Large Scale Central

Help me design a small latout

Track and Trestles
#1

My plan to build a layout on top of a half height wall in my living room.

The half wall is in the shape of an “L” in plan view 7.5 feet x 5.5. feet with the long leg against a full height wall, flush on the inside of the “L” and a perpendicular wall forming a closet on the other side.

My initial plan is to use a tight four foot radius at the corner and a turnout to extend the track an additional 8 feet along the full height wall.

Where the half wall meets the full wall I plan to build a two bay front wall of an engine house, one bay being false, the other allowing the train to enter with a partial engine house structure along the eight foot section to park the unit inside away from the little fingers that come to visit.

I am hoping to get any suggestions for the talent on this site either in style or substance to complete something worthy of front and center display in my home.

#2

Pretty cool idea. I’ve thought about doing something like that in my office along the top of some of these 28 inch high cabinets. I’d likely put one of my 0-4-0’s and a couple freight cars to go back and forth.

#3

Dave Welcome to MY world…

(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kMs_q1g_CmQ/SHVRUpZmhhI/AAAAAAAAB-g/zmKqdgXgrFo/s400/Mr%2BBurns%2BEvil%2BLaugh.png)

7.5 x 5.5 is very very small, I did a layout about this big, and have planned several small layouts, be glad to help anyway I can. What kind of rolling stock are you considering? What kind of couplers? both are important considerations. Can you sketch up a diagram of the area in Q ? From what I’m reading your thinking of an L shaped point to point layout, or are you considering a small oval for continuous running?

#4

BTW here is a small layout I adapted from N into G for a small 10’ x 10’ room.

(http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/vsmith/Small%20Room%20Study.jpg)

Just so you know I am serious about small layout designs :wink:

#5

Victor, what a cute “Point to Point” railroad and switching maze…

#6

David, may I suggest On30? It will work a lot better in that small space.

#7

Why not try G scale on 32 mm track ? A lot of stuff is commercially available for it . It’s quite nice and chunky . My lad and I have quite a lot of it , some by Accucraft UK , but as usual , the fringe industry is blooming . Good stuff .

Mike M

why do I refer to him as my lad ? He’s 42 . Or so . (Sorry , not trains)

#8

Okay, I have my 4-4-0 1:20.3, a few cars I’ve built. (All can be seen and part of the wall in my post (wrongly posted) in Prototype American 4-4-0)

I’m not expecting much operating space, just a test bed for a larger layout and a place to display projects. I may build a small loco to replace the larger American once I have a place outside set-up.

#9

Aha , got the wrong end of the old stick thing there , what ?
I still think a few of you might venture a noggin of 32mm* stuff .

  • blasted mm continental muck----- it’s one and a quarter** good anglo inches . HHHHrrrruummmmph .
    (ooops ," not trains" again . Nortie .)
    ** yes , it is a bit out . I do have a calculator (ooops again )
#10

Dave I’m still having a hard time getting a mental picture of what your trying to work with. If I had some pics or a sketch I could offer some ideas, as it is I’m just guessing. How deep are you thinking of making it?

(http://gold.mylargescale.com/vsmith/David%20Hill%20Model.jpg)

If I’m reading your description right you could do something like this, its all R1, found the other topic, is your 440 OK with R1s?

#11

If anyone is gonna nail this I got my money on Vic…
:wink:

#12

Victor Smith said:
Dave I’m still having a hard time getting a mental picture of what your trying to work with. If I had some pics or a sketch I could offer some ideas, as it is I’m just guessing. How deep are you thinking of making it?

(http://gold.mylargescale.com/vsmith/David%20Hill%20Model.jpg)

If I’m reading your description right you could do something like this, its all R1, found the other topic, is your 440 OK with R1s?

Dave, if you make the layout 30 inches deep, that will open up a lot of operating options. Vic is right, though, you have to make sure that your equipment is capable of negotiating 24 inch radius curves. Even in HO, that is a fairly sharp curve. I was fooling around with a layout 30 inches deep, but Com Pewter decided to “drop synch.” I’ll do it later. Got stuff to do, right now.

#13

I borrowed some 24" r curve from Dave Funk to test the setup. It works well on top of my wall with a 3’ straight, a 2 ft. straight 3pc 24"r and 2 one foot long straight, almost a perfect fit, but it may be too tight to run on. I have more room to increase the radius to 2.5 or 3 ft. (?). The pics below shows the long leg and the ell top right with the boxcar on it’s side, the other shows the long leg and mating full wall with closet on the outside. Your drawing Vic, is really close (mirror image). I’d probably stop the “main line” at a false engine bay door at the end where the wall meets the half wall and do the siding thing into a second open engine bay along the wall as you show. The 2’ width along the short wall would work as well, as long as I keep the cantilever on the outside to a minimum. (It’s the hallway from the front door.) Are the lines drawn on the track each 1’. How do the manufacturers “call out” their different turn-outs? I’d like to keep the siding parallel and at a minimum distance from the “main” to keep it close to the wall.

(http://www.lscdata.com/users/lastmanout/_forumfiles/FrameCC1.jpg)

(http://www.lscdata.com/users/lastmanout/_forumfiles/USMRRtrain1.jpg)

Excuse my lack of understanding of the names of things here. I’m learning.

#14

(http://www.lscdata.com/users/lastmanout/_forumfiles/MiniLayout.JPG)

#15

Boy, I see great potential. The engine house could be a diorama, with a removable roof and walls. This would allow you to go in to great detail with tools hanging on the wall and even minature calendars and pictures.

How about a ferry slip on the 5 foot leg? The siding could be for an idler flat and some type of serving cart could serve as the ferry allowing transfer of cars and equipment.

Looks like an absolutely beautiful place. Might as well make it a great place to enjoy your hobby. But then again, I think you are already doing that.

#16

Vic: I realy like that first one you showed. Is it possble for you to send that as an attachment so I can enlarge it. That would make a great layout for my N scale. [email protected]

#17

Vic Smith is saying a layout is too small?

(http://www.outsidetrains.com/smile/13.gif)

(http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/vsmith/Portable%20Scenery%205.JPG)

#18

Ric, that sounds great. I was hoping to do something like you propose, although I do not understand all the jargon. Back to reading articles and posts on this forum.

The ferry connection at the end would be kwel. Since I have 8 ft of wall past the end of the half-wall. Should I consider something out the “back door” or off set the bay doors? Any ideas?

Thanks again Vic for the plan.

#19

David Hill said:

(http://www.lscdata.com/users/lastmanout/_forumfiles/MiniLayout.JPG)

If that plans works for you - go for it, glad I could help a little. The track shown is all sized from basic sectional LGB track, 12" straights, R1 curves, and 12000 series switches. so Aristo /USA/Piko should be interchangable substitutes planning-wise.

#20

David,

Imagine an island community with the railroad access to the outside World. Captive engine on the island. Team Track and Freight House for small items coming in and out with box cars and flat cars. It is point to point with endless possiblities because of the ferry terminal. How about a hotel and tourist’s businesses, insinuated but not modeled, for other industries? I know there are prototype examples of this, can’t think of them, now. If you plan the buildings right it could be ageless and you could change eras by changing railroad equipment. Imagine a railroad on Mackinaw Island.