n scale track plans


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n-scalejohnnie

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Hi I'm a new member and a newbie to N-scale. I have a 4x8 finished HO railroad. For Christmas I asked my wife for a new HO steam engine and she went out an bought me an N-scale starter. Now once again I'm hooked. I feel like the guy in Godfather 3 "I thought I was out and they pull me back in".
I'm looking for layout ideas and track plans for a small area 26"x56". Running 2 trains at a time. I'm going to build a circus cirrca 1940's early 1950's are there any interesting track plans out there to give me a starting point on how I should layout whats in my head. Thanks glad to have found this site...
N-scale Johnnie
 
Your lucky I was playing with a 26x50 idea.....It's not the greatest but it's a start!
26x50switchinglayout.png


All honestly, you can do a lot more in a 30x60 area! just rule out grades, they take a lot of area......
 
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I know of a couple of places you could look at for ideas. And remember, it's easier to expand a plan then it is to shrink one. You could, however, just do a piece of a larger layout quite easily.

http://carendt.com/

http://andrews-trains.fotopic.net/

http://www.wymann.info/ShuntingPuzzles/

Our modeling friends on the other side of the big pond often have less room to work with then those of us in North America, so they have some interesting solutions to problems that maybe we haven't thought of. They do some really nice small plans.
 
I just checked out Mikes small plans. (See above) They are great! compact but full and of great detail. Thank you jdetray, you're a good man
N-scale Johnnie
 
ya man thanks, im planning a small layout that i might be able to just tuck away when its not needed and Mike's is a good place to go, Ive just gotta get past my addiction to have huge yards that there's no room for some scenic areas.
BTW does anybody have any ready made plans for a small layout with a little bit of a yard and a good amount of scenery, mountain, track over river, etc etc? no set dimensions as of now but looking to keep it smaller
 
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I've been examining the same questions. Been looking to get back into N after years of having my stuff boxed up. But this time around I have to think small. I've also looked at the websites already listed, as well as a couple of others

http://www.modelrailroader.ca/trackplans/trackplan-for-the-whr-–-revision-one/

http://simonet.club.fr/Poss_us.htm

In some ways these two are similar to the first 2x4 shown on Mike's Small Track Plans website. It seems like many others have looked at many of these plans in the past, based on my research. The WHR, for example, seems to have been abandoned after the owner began building it and discovered it would not really work out (I could not find any specifics as to why - maybe too compressed? It certainly has at least one major S curve problem.). The Possum Valley has been remarked on as being "more for show than go"; not sure why. It looks like it has some potential as a nice small logging or mining layout. The tunnel track could maybe be switched to add at least one staging track.

Like others my G&Ds would call for a continuous run, small branch or switchback, small holding yard. Enough to operate with interest and space enough for at least some small bit of scenery. I know - add that all up and it means small engines and short trains. I'd be okay with that.
 
Mikes plans are good for ideas, but to be real honest, many of them lack basic track arrangements that make realistic operation possible. There are also isues with built in "S" curves, turnouts that don't fit the given space, and other issues. I'm not saying that it's not a good site, it is, but I'd look over those plans very carefully before commiting hard earned dollars to them.

A place that I go to time and again to learn about good design (and how to recognize a good one from a not so hot one) is the Layout Design Group. You can spend hours there, and you'll always come away with good new info.
 
tony22 said:
Like others my G&Ds would call for a continuous run, small branch or switchback, small holding yard. Enough to operate with interest and space enough for at least some small bit of scenery. I know - add that all up and it means small engines and short trains. I'd be okay with that.
Click to expand...

I did a design for a contest a few years ago that might spark some ideas for you. It has most of what you mention and three places to expand from if the opportunity ever presents itself. It's designed for a 4x8 (that was the design perameters of the contest). Anyways, it's not perfect, but here it is: http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j319/pcarrell/Track Plans/4X8NSCALEOLDWEST-2.jpg You could redo the scenery and make it anywhere really.
 
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Hey, that's a pretty nice plan, Phil. If I had a 4x8 spot it would definitely be something to consider. Right now I'm in the 3x5 and under category, unless I can get the landowner (you know who :) ) to lease my railroad a bit more space.
 
Update: My negotiations with the government for additional right of way may be bearing fruit. I surveyed a stretch of territory and determined that some of the old structures which were in place (furniture) could be removed by the railroad :)D) as they were no longer of any use to the incoming population.

The government responded with cautious approval to this notion, so the branch of the PRR currently unnamed now has a bit more land for its new railroad. Something on the order of 32" deep at one end, about 10' long, and maybe a 36" teardrop bulb at the other end. Sort of an out of balance dogbone.

My mind is racing with ideas. Time to open up the storage box and pull out my layout mags from JA and others.
 
pcarrell said:
I did a design for a contest a few years ago that might spark some ideas for you. It has most of what you mention and three places to expand from if the opportunity ever presents itself. It's designed for a 4x8 (that was the design perameters of the contest). Anyways, it's not perfect, but here it is: http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j319/pcarrell/Track Plans/4X8NSCALEOLDWEST-2.jpg You could redo the scenery and make it anywhere really.
Click to expand...

I like it, think i might go with it,any more descriptions on how much track and all that?
 
midnightchief said:
I like it, think i might go with it,any more descriptions on how much track and all that?
Click to expand...

Thank You

I did the plan with Atlas code 55 track, and I used mostly sectional so you can see how many pieces of what you need, though I'd do it in flex if it was me. Also, I'd play with lengthening those grades out if I were building it too. Lastly, I've never been real happy with that run-around in the center of the plan. It's short, and it's on a grade. I'd play with that as well, maybe remove the runaround and just do the siding, making it longer so it can level out from the grade it comes off of. Cars in the siding would stay put then. I don't know, just food for thought........

I think I still have the .ral file if you want it. I'll look around and shoot you an Email if I find it.
 
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