Newbie New Layout

[Grant F]

Hi Guys

Im getting back into the whole model train world, I had a few trains when i was younger and my uncles father had an entire attic layout completely landscaped.

Im going to start and build a 4x8 layout as space is tight and i need it some what mobile. So my bench work will most likely be made on castors.

Im just planning on running 1 or 2 small trains around with a scenic/industrial layout. Im not copying or modelling my railroad off any life like railroad. My railroad will be more of a modernish railroad with diesels and freight rolling stock.

Im slowly piecing parts together and will start building benchwork and such over the next little while. I plan on scratch building a majority of my buildings.

It will also be HO Scale

 

[tankist]

Hi, notice how close your rails are to the edge. you will need to protect your equipment from falling down the table. also i noticed that your curve is laid out with 18r sections (right?) and has straight piece in the apex. why not do uniform curve of bigger radius? modernish time calls for longish rolling stock and as such largerst possible curves.

i do like your crossover however.
what turnouts have you used on the drawing?

 

[Grant F]

Hi, notice how close your rails are to the edge. you will need to protect your equipment from falling down the table. also i noticed that your curve is laid out with 18r sections (right?) and has straight piece in the apex. why not do uniform curve of bigger radius? modernish time calls for longish rolling stock and as such largerst possible curves.

i do like your crossover however.
what turnouts have you used on the drawing?

i cropped the picture so it looks like less on the edges, i have about a 3" gap on all edges. i plan to landscape the edges up a little bit to also protect the trains from falling off incase of a derailment.

i have alot of 40' rolling stock and all this layout is based on track that i already own, so i wont have to buy anything new. the turnouts are atlas's left and right snap switch turn outs.

 

[ICG/SOU]

That is almost the exact layout I built on my dining room table last year, when I got my trains out of storage after 15+ years, and built a test loop. I used 18" radius curves, and then started adding turnouts. The inner loop was 15" radius, and with stub yards on both sides. I started with the Snap Switches I had, but eventually upgraded to #6 turnouts.

What I learned:

My 4 axle geeps rain fine. 6 axle locos couldn't run on the inside 15" radius, and negotiated the 18" radius ok. Most of my rolling stock was Athearn and Atlas 50' cars or smaller, until I started getting some modern stuff, like Intermountain PS2CD 4750 cuft covered hoppers and ACF 4650 cuft covered hoppers. What happens on the tight radius is that the truck has a limited amount of pivot before the flanges of the wheels come into contact with the coupler boxes. Once that edge of range of motion is reached, the car gets pulled off the track. So, I never ran 6 axle locos and longer covered hoppers on the inner track, except to put them on the yard (for storage) closer to the connecting track.

What did the inner loop in completely is that normal 50' boxcars started derailing when (counterclockwise direction of travel), the turnout at the far right (inner loop), the wheels rolled up and over the rail where it's relieved for the points, and it would get pulled off the track.

What I'm saying in a long winded way is this:

1) To fit in 4x8 space, the inner loop limits greatly what you can run, and even with cars that do run well, they may not negotiate through the turnouts being so close to the curve.
2) Once I couldn't have running on the inside, the outer loop just became a roundy-rounder, and boring after a few minutes.

 

[UP2CSX]

Mostly for ther reason Trey has already given, I'd ditch the inner loop and replace it with one main line and two passing sidings. I'd also follow Anton's advice about using all curved track for the ends of the loop, since you can then have 22" radius curves. Even with smaller equipment, 22" curves will provide more reliable operation and your trains will look better.

The second switch that comes off the inner loop at the top is much too close to the first, creating a nasty "S" curve. Assuming the upper part of the inside loop becomes a passing siding, you should move that switch down by at least 6". Getting tid of the inside loop will give a lot more room to expand your yard and idustry trackage but watch how close you place snap switches to one another. They are sharp to begin with so adding at least a 3" section of straight track between switchs on both the main and diverging route will east the curves a little.

 

[Grant F]

Mostly for ther reason Trey has already given, I'd ditch the inner loop and replace it with one main line and two passing sidings. I'd also follow Anton's advice about using all curved track for the ends of the loop, since you can then have 22" radius curves. Even with smaller equipment, 22" curves will provide more reliable operation and your trains will look better.

The second switch that comes off the inner loop at the top is much too close to the first, creating a nasty "S" curve. Assuming the upper part of the inside loop becomes a passing siding, you should move that switch down by at least 6". Getting tid of the inside loop will give a lot more room to expand your yard and idustry trackage but watch how close you place snap switches to one another. They are sharp to begin with so adding at least a 3" section of straight track between switchs on both the main and diverging route will east the curves a little.

when you have a few extra minutes could you post up a picture of what you would suggest for a layout?

 

[jdetray]

Hi Grant -

There are probably hundreds of 4x8 HO track plans on the web. Even though you already have some track you wish to use, looking at lots of layouts will give you good ideas.

For starters, check out the winners of Space Mouse's 4x8 design contest.

His Beginner's Guide to Layout Design also makes good reading.

A Google search for 4x8 HO track plan turns up lots of ideas.

- Jeff

 

[ICG/SOU]

+1 what Jim and Jeff said. Space Mouse's page is some good reading for helping develop your vision.