Anyone have a ho scale point-to-point?

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clayguthrie

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As I've mentioned before, I've decided 100% on ho scale for my layout due to availability locally. But i have a few options. One being a 12' x 4' oval layout and the other being a point-to-point layout about 30 foot in length and 2' wide that would wrap around my office wall and stop on either side of the door.

I'm fond of the later idea as it would give me a realistic "going somewhere" feel but it would create the issue of getting the engines turned around at each end of the layout. Anyone ever build something like this?
 
Interesting idea. It reminds me of something I think I'll be doing with my layout. I have a circular 6 x 9 foot layout as when it was built that was all the room I had, but I'll be expanding it probably by adding on a spur for point to point and switching operations, so I can get the best of both worlds.

Maybe you can do something like that, where you have one section for continuous running and another for point to point?
 
Possible. My room is 12' x 8' so a 4x anything would kill half the office immediately. I'm rededicating the room to trains and moving my work area to the living room. Interesting idea though.
 


Its up to you but you could always stick a turntable at each end to turn the locos, depending on the era you are modeling...
 
A pair of smaller diesels, pointing in opposite directions, and run-around tracks at both ends is how most roads handle the problem. The length of the run-around tracks determine the longest train you can run. You could use a "Y" at each end but they use a lot of space.
 
Logan Valley RR

My railroad is a point to point. I didn't want to have to have a train crossing back and forth through the same scenery multiple times. I do have a fairly large space, 16x26 feet. I have a yard at each end (oops, one still to be built) with a turntable at each end. I also have 3 hidden staging tracks to simulate connecting to other railroads at each end. If I leave one of these staging tracks clear, I can run continuously. Having the track pass only one time through a scene has decreased the length of the mainline run, but being that I enjoy switching, leaves me plenty of room for towns and industries. It's a trade off. I would like to have a longer mainline run to run long passenger trains, but I do enjoy the switching. Every once in a while I may pull a 30 to 40 car freight onto the main line for a couple of laps, but short trains of around 8 to 12 cars with numerous industries to serve are the norm.
 
Turntables

Here are just a few. The first is MRL in Helena, MT. Next is MRL in Livingston. This is their rebuild shop. The last shot is the Union Pacific in Cheyenne, WY. There are many others in use across the country.
 
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clayguthrie said:
As I've mentioned before, I've decided 100% on ho scale for my layout due to availability locally. But i have a few options. One being a 12' x 4' oval layout and the other being a point-to-point layout about 30 foot in length and 2' wide that would wrap around my office wall and stop on either side of the door.

I'm fond of the later idea as it would give me a realistic "going somewhere" feel but it would create the issue of getting the engines turned around at each end of the layout. Anyone ever build something like this?
Click to expand...

If you're modeling the 90's, you don't have to turn the engines. They simply head back with their long hood leading the way. That's a benefit diesels provide, eliminating the need for turntables, reversing loops, and wye's.

You will want to have a runaround at each end of the layout in order for the engine to "escape" the trap that's created when you pull a train to the end of the layout (trapped by the cut of cars its pulling and the layout's end). The runaround allows the engine to get in front of cars in order to pull them to oppositie end of he layout. A runaround is basically a passing siding, or aka a double ended spur.

If you're only open gap in the benchwork will be the 30 inches need for the door, many modelers build a liftout section of track and benchwork to bridge that short gap. Very common. That way, you can still operate the layout as pt-pt but have the option of just sitting back and watching the train go around the room unsupervised after you plop the liftout into place, which is something many modelers like to do too.

You've appropriately discovered that the 4 ft wide layout is not an optimum choice for your space.

Good luck.
 


I have a 12' x 4' layout and let me just tell you that it is much better to have a pt-to-pt IMHO. My oval is fun and I am enjoying learning scenery but it is not what I would choose again. Good luck deciding and enjoy!
 
clayguthrie said:
Thanks guys for the advice. I do like the run-around idea. Would i need DCC in order to run two engines back-to-back?
Click to expand...

No, you can run DC engines together, but sometimes it's a bit tricky finding two that will run well together. If you can get two that run at the same speed as each other it will work fine. Usually the same model or from the same manufacturer will run good together in DC and even sometimes you can get ones from other manufacturers to run well together.
 
I have been running DC locomotives together for years, but like BMR777 said, it is easier if they are from the same manufacturer. I have a number of older Atlas Alcos that I bought years ago and custom painted them for my freelanced railroad and I have had as many as seven at one time pulling a train (160 cars) and they ran just fine. On my layout which I purposely put in a two and a half percent grade and usually have a 45 to 50 car train that requires three units to make it up the grade.
 
Mark one end of the internal DC motor - call it "forward". When you pick up the loco and point it in the opposite direction, the "forward" mark points to a new direction. Notice that the motor's wires are now using the rails in a reverse assignment. It's like a double-negative becomming a positive.

So, without needing to change the reversing switch on the throttle, you can have one loco pointing in each direction -- and yet both run together.
 
Doughless said:
If you're modeling the 90's, you don't have to turn the engines. They simply head back with their long hood leading the way. That's a benefit diesels provide, eliminating the need for turntables, reversing loops, and wye's.

You will want to have a runaround at each end of the layout in order for the engine to "escape" the trap that's created when you pull a train to the end of the layout (trapped by the cut of cars its pulling and the layout's end). The runaround allows the engine to get in front of cars in order to pull them to oppositie end of he layout. A runaround is basically a passing siding, or aka a double ended spur.

If you're only open gap in the benchwork will be the 30 inches need for the door, many modelers build a liftout section of track and benchwork to bridge that short gap. Very common. That way, you can still operate the layout as pt-pt but have the option of just sitting back and watching the train go around the room unsupervised after you plop the liftout into place, which is something many modelers like to do too.

You've appropriately discovered that the 4 ft wide layout is not an optimum choice for your space.

Good luck.
Click to expand...

The lift out will make a world of difference. I have a lift out, or actually a hinged drop down section for a three track staging area and it will really make a difference in operation.
 
I think the question of a loop versus point to point depends on what kind of railroader/railfan you want to be. If you have a small point to point railroad, your train will never get far before you have to do something to control it; therefore it's always "your train" and you're the engineer, and as long as the train is running, you can't take a break. If you have a loop, you can have a train running continuously, and you can stand at "trackside" and watch it pass by; you can say "I'm here and someone else is running that train". And you can stay and watch the "trains" pass by as long as you want, if you accept that it's always the same train. Even if you do choose to run a train yourself on a loop layout, you can set up another train to run continuously, and then you can have the illusion that you aren't the only employee the railroad has. You have to cooperate with the engineer on that other train, at least to the extent of staying out of each other's way! So I'd lean toward a loop railroad; you can always run just part of it if you want to go out, turn around and come back. But I'm in a club (and we have a great big loop railroad!) and not building a railroad just for me to enjoy. If it's all yours, then of course you get to make all the decision.
 
Not in HO, but my G scale outdoor layout is a point to point.

There is a turntable at one end and a loop at the other.

This YouTube video shows our layout from a cab ride perspective. You can see the train go around the loop, but it doesn't go to the turntable at the other end:

YouTube Video

This is what the loop looks like:
Link to large photo

This is what the yard and turntable look like:
Link to large photo
 
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Southwest Chief said:
Not in HO, but my G scale outdoor layout is a point to point.

There is a turntable at one end and a loop at the other.

This YouTube video shows our layout from a cab ride perspective. You can see the train go around the loop, but it don't go to the turntable at the other end:

YouTube Video

This is what the loop looks like:
Link to large photo

This is what the yard and turntable look like:
Link to large photo
Click to expand...

I think I would be forever plagued with unlevel track working with G scale in the dirt :( Yours looks great!
 


I have a point to point on a 24" to 6" wide shelf around my basement. I have several bridges that can easily be removed (in about 5 seconds) for doors and windows. My longest bridge is 108" long (single track) and weighs 5 pounds. I have space for a wye in the middle, but have turntables at each end, using a short section of 18" deep shelf.

You can put your tables in the corners to save depth into the room.

For a long run you can double or even triple deck the railroad with narrow shelves, say less than 12". You would of course have to build bridges to span the doorway.
 
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