New 4x8 Layout
- Thread starter tnelson
- Start date
SpaceMouse
Fun Lover
A 24" radius turn will not fit. Even if it did you want to stay away from the edge unless you like playing Humpty-Dumpty.
rhoward
S.L.O.&W. Trainman
Hi tnelson. Actually a 24" diameter would fit with almost 2 foot to spare. Only problem is not much would make the 12" radius arc. I think you meant 24" radius.
If you want to keep the radius large, you might see about getting a 5' x 9' piece of plywood if you have the space for it. Otherwise I would stick to the 22" radius as a max and plan on using 4 wheel truck diesels or small steam with smaller rolling stock.
If you want to keep the radius large, you might see about getting a 5' x 9' piece of plywood if you have the space for it. Otherwise I would stick to the 22" radius as a max and plan on using 4 wheel truck diesels or small steam with smaller rolling stock.
You're getting confused between oval and radius. A radius is half an oval. As Ray said, a 24" diameter oval will fit but the curved track would have to have a 12" radius, which is too small for any HO model other than an interurban to make it around. I assume you are really asking about 24" radius curve track, which will make an oval with a 48" radius. Although that's exactly 4', the tie edges will hang over the edge of the layout and there will be no safety magin for your train in case of a derailment. What you want are 22" radius curved track. That makes a 44" oval so you have two inches on each side of the oval to spare before you get to the edge of the layout. Much better in terms of both scenery and protecting your trains. 22" radius curves will handle most lcomotive and rolling stock other than large non-articulated steamers and some of the really big modern deisels.
SpaceMouse
Fun Lover
The good thing here is that when your loco hits the floor, it will be easy to find all the pieces on that concrete.
I'm not entirely clear on your framing method, but it appears that the plywood top is not flush with the edge of the 2x4 framing? Do you have something in mind for an edge, to keep items from falling/rolling off the table?
Maybe this is not helpful, but here's an attachment showing how I'd frame a 4x8 layout top. Just a quick sketch...
The trim piece not only covers up the rough framing and plywood edge, but has a lip to keep pieces from falling off the table.
Maybe this is not helpful, but here's an attachment showing how I'd frame a 4x8 layout top. Just a quick sketch...
The trim piece not only covers up the rough framing and plywood edge, but has a lip to keep pieces from falling off the table.
Last edited by a moderator:
It appears you have done a lot of work without a basic understanding of grades. Using that red cup for scale, I'm going to assume that the top level is at least 6 inches above the bottom surface. The standard formula for grades is 100 inches of run will equal a 1% grade. 50 inches will be a 2% grade, and 25 inches wil be about a 4% grade. A 2% grade is considered a moderate railroad grade and 4% is a steep grade.
Let's assume you will be forced to uses a 4% grade because of your limited space. 6 inches of rise x 25 feet means your spur to reach the upper track will need to about 150 inches long, or about 12.5 feet. That means your track to reach the upper grade will have to be flat at least 12.5 feet from the start of you grade and it then must rise the six inches while traveling 12.5 feet. This doesn't count any grade transistions, which will make the real number about 14 feet. Since most of that 14 feet will be on a curve, your effective grade will be more like 5%, which means maybe a regular locomotive and one or two cars will make it up the grade. Getting things down the grade will be a real nail biter also.
Any idea on how you're going to find space for that much track on a layout your size? A helix could do it if you wanted have the entire inside of your layout to look like a stretched out roller coaster.
You need to rethink the whole concept of an upper level.
Let's assume you will be forced to uses a 4% grade because of your limited space. 6 inches of rise x 25 feet means your spur to reach the upper track will need to about 150 inches long, or about 12.5 feet. That means your track to reach the upper grade will have to be flat at least 12.5 feet from the start of you grade and it then must rise the six inches while traveling 12.5 feet. This doesn't count any grade transistions, which will make the real number about 14 feet. Since most of that 14 feet will be on a curve, your effective grade will be more like 5%, which means maybe a regular locomotive and one or two cars will make it up the grade. Getting things down the grade will be a real nail biter also.
Any idea on how you're going to find space for that much track on a layout your size? A helix could do it if you wanted have the entire inside of your layout to look like a stretched out roller coaster.
You need to rethink the whole concept of an upper level.
mike8693
Member
Same here what did happen? Your previous layout is very similar.?.
Your raised tracl is awfully close to the edge. Any idea on how you will keep them from falling off? You might be able to get away with maybe a 4 1/2% grade but you'd have to custom build it so really you'd need a 5% grade. If you plan on running trains of 10 cars, you'd need maybe 3 locomotives if not more and a lot of your grade will be on your curves and lots of derailments happen on curves so your engines and cars are almost guaranteed to fall off the side of your layout. When you said in a previos post "It's not that high", well with the weight of your loco it'll still break and if not it'll leave some bad scratches and cracks in your shell. You should really do some planning. Oh and are your outside tracks hanging over the layout? It sure looks like it.
