So I've thought about it a while....2'x16'...

[chimmike]

I've got my 4x8 table built with foam laid and a small, SMALL amount of track placed. I'm curious though.......

Should I hack the thing in half, stick it on a wall, and do a 2x16 table? My room isn't any 16' long, but I think I can bend it on a corner. I think that'd leave a lot more free space in the room as well as make for more yard switching and a nice long mainline, maybe extend the ends to 3' width for loops.

Opinion wise, is this a better route to go? I mean, this way I can get my elevation changes, river, separate yards, etc. without bothering with a 4x8' table......

 

[CP9302]

I would recomend building a shelf style layout rather than the 4x8. If you have room for the loops on the ends, even better. Doing 2x16 gives a lot more space for everything.

 

[Selector]

There are several threads dealing with the 4X8 and its limitations. If you can forego a running loop to just watch your trains do that....loop and loop... then a shelf may be a far better investment of your time. It will present some challenging switching and movements if you take your time to think out the plan properly, or simply "borrow" someone else's good one. And yes, you will have a lot more use of the space for other things.

 

[SpaceMouse]

There are in-betweens, but you might need more than a sheet of plywood to pull it off. You can have a shelf with a couple bulb turnarounds at the ends.

Design for the space, not for the wood you have in the garage.

On the other hand I just built a 13 foot switching layout. I'm really looking forward to operating on it.

 

[UP2CSX]

I have what's basically a wall type layout with two "bulbs" at the end. I think it's usually referred to as a dogbone style layout. Unless you can come out four feet at both ends, you aren't going to be able to get a useful space for a loop. Still, I'd stick with a longer and thinner layout since you can pack so much more scenery and operations into the same space. If you're not really into operations, the 4x8 still is your best choice for loop running.

 

[chimmike]

Well I did it...came home and cut the 4x8 in half. The final layout will be approx. 13' long, one end should be about 3'6" wide for a loop, and I might make the other side the same. The room is just over 13" long, so this won't eat up near the space that the 4x8 would have. I'll be building the legs for it this weekend and placing it against the wall. Should be pretty fun to build from there

 

[SpaceMouse]

I think it's usually referred to as a dogbone style layout.

I'm thinking the dogbone is a lare loop. I was thinking more in terms of a switching layout between two reverse loops.

 

[chimmike]

I'm thinking the dogbone is a lare loop. I was thinking more in terms of a switching layout between two reverse loops.

that's exactly what I'm thinking. the loops allow the main to climb a grade in the background and the foreground is all switching/scenery.

 

[UP2CSX]

Maybe my terminology is all wrong but my dogbone is 2.5 feet in the middle with two 4x4 square sections at each end. The main runs down the front and back of the skinny part into two conventional curves on the 4x4 sections. To me, it looks like the outline of a dogbone, no reversing loops involved. What's the proper name for this kind of layout?

 

[chimmike]

I think i'll come up with a name for it this weekend after I work on it a bit...haha

 

[SpaceMouse]

Maybe my terminology is all wrong but my dogbone is 2.5 feet in the middle with two 4x4 square sections at each end. The main runs down the front and back of the skinny part into two conventional curves on the 4x4 sections. To me, it looks like the outline of a dogbone, no reversing loops involved. What's the proper name for this kind of layout?

You were right, I just wan't thinking of a dogbone when I made the suggestion.