New 4x8 Layout

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Save yourself some serious future headaches and drop that top layer down an inch if you can.

4-5%:eek: Yikes!
 
Myowngod said:
Save yourself some serious future headaches and drop that top layer down an inch if you can.

4-5%:eek: Yikes!
Click to expand...

Or get rid of it altogether. What purpose does it serve? You look like you're running the railroad version of the Chicago "L". :) If you just want to increase your mainline run and have a bit of grade, just raise the tracks no more than two inches and then scenic around the supports as if they were going off into the hills. Woodland Scenics makes nice line of risers you can use to keep the grade at whatever level you choose with no cutting or sawing. You could make a manageable 2% grade and I think the whole railroad woud look better. This is also a good place to single track your mainline with a passing siding. Makes for more interesting operations and many railoads went for single track mainlines through the hills to save on cut and fill costs.
 


You are trying to cram too much into a 4x8 space. Drop the upper level, since it is unrealistic, will create unmanagable grades, and appears very amateurish. There are plenty of great single-level trackplans for a 4x8 space, just do a search on the Internet for them.

Your current layout plan will not work and, even if it barely works, will look horrible and unrealistic.
 
Just my two cents for what little it is worth ! It is your vision . See it to the end and see how you like it!!! You can always start your fourth trackplan if it doesn't work !
 
Thanks for the good input guys.

Mind you; this isn't going to be the most realistic layout ever :) OBVIOUSLY . When I thought of this layout; I knew i wanted two things. I wanted a completely elevated track and I wanted the ability to run four or five main lines.

I elevated it so high because I thought about doing a mid-level figure 8 or oval for a trolley or something.

It is hanging off the layout a bit; I wanted it to; to provide me with a little more space on the ground.

I'm starting to suspect the whole idea looked better in my head.
 
We still don't know what happened to your first two layouts.

I think you need to do a lot of reading before you do any more building or start any more layouts.

Good luck.
 
I took my first two layouts down because I needed the space.
I have a few model railroading books already; and I subscribe to model railroader.
 


But if you could, you really should see if you can widen your table to 5 feet. That extra foot will allow for a lot more stuff. Than you can have wider curves, additional sidings, and your track wouldn't hang off the edge of the layout LOL! But if you don't have the space, don't worry about it.
 
DSCN1692.JPG


DSCN1689.JPG
 
Those look pretty good.

I am not going to build a spur for the elevated to the lower layout i don't think. I am going to build a trolley line however.
 
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