New HO scale layout

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That's a good tutorial. From playing with atlas flex at the hobby shop it doesn't appear that it will hold its shape like me does...
 
I use a mix of both. Mostly because that's what I [re]inherited from my little brother. Less joints is a good thing just like in plumbing or electrical work.
For my curves and turnouts I stay with regular sectional.
All the layouts I've built and helped on started with no plan in mind except for vague ideas like, "maybe put a yard somewhere or a tunnel and mountain over yonder". So I just laying down pieces until something starts to take shape.
My current layout went through 5 complete iterations from scratch over a couple of days before I put down any road bed.
 


BigE I know what you mean by that. I'm on number three right now and I came into it with an idea of what I wanted but I have fallen short on track and ran out of time yesterday to get to my hobby shop to finish what I have started. I'll most likely buy some flex for my staging yard where I pickup and drop my empty and full hoppers. I'm off just a hair with my straight sections so I'm thinking use flex to kinda bridge the gap for it.
 
chessie_system3 said:
That's a good tutorial. From playing with atlas flex at the hobby shop it doesn't appear that it will hold its shape like me does...
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ME does hold it's shape much better than any of the others on the market. That's the up side to the more difficult curving process.
 
chessie_system3 said:
I'm off just a hair with my straight sections so I'm thinking use flex to kinda bridge the gap for it.
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And therein is the exact reason I have some on hand. Where something didn't match up quite right I could make my own piece from 1 inch to 3'. A time or 2 I had to make little rail sections only that were about 1/2" to fill a gap. Those I soldered in and just slipped some ties underneath.

I forget if you are DC or DCC. I bit the bullet and went to full DCC. I didn't have to worry about isolating blocks and insulating joiners - except for one spur line I made my program track. I still use my DC pack to run the turnouts and my lighting stuff - only because I still remembered that from the old days.
 
WJLI26 said:
ME does hold it's shape much better than any of the others on the market. That's the up side to the more difficult curving process.
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The curving process is what I always had trouble with. That's why I stuck with sectional for curves.
 
Well the flex track idea didn't work out all that well for me. I attempted to add switches to the opposite side of my yard so I could open up another siding to stage my hoppers. Gave up too much real estate to get it to work and it pushed my curves to the edge of my layout. Sooooo looks like its back to the drawing board for this guy....
 
So now I feel like an idiot. Forgetting the fact I'm a model railroader subscriber and my layout is roughly the Virginian with my own little twist. I have after reminded I'm a subscriber after receiving my June copy of model railroader went online to see what it is exactly I'm doing wrong with my build. Well I dug up their track laying video for the Virginian and what do they start off talking about first? Turnouts! They start off with what we all know that turnouts are space eaters. Mine have been quite the thorn in my side with my build. Their remedy? Cut the straight section on the turnout to save space.....wow and to think I didn't even think of that. Possibly the easiest thing to do to cut down on space....yup that'll make you feel a little less smart for a moment. However it gives me the solution to my problem.
 
Glad that you had the light bulb come on. That will save you a lot of room. Learned it the hard way myself years ago, but handlaying track and turnouts was a big help to realize this when I had to start using manufactured turnouts.

Guess I'll pass on the "Golden Dipstick Award".

Chet
 


chessie_system3 said:
Their remedy? Cut the straight section on the turnout to save space.....wow and to think I didn't even think of that. Possibly the easiest thing to do to cut down on space....yup that'll make you feel a little less smart for a moment. However it gives me the solution to my problem.
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Do they mean to cut the straight section off or shorten it? How is that some great space saver?
Seems to me, getting rid of the table-top turnout solenoids would be a much bigger space saver.

I guess you would have to show me.
E
 
The turnouts I'm using are the atlas snap switches which is pretty much a 9" straight with an 18" radius curve. Supposedly as model railroader put it shorten the short section to almost match the length of the curve so that the turnout itself is shorter overall. With me and my headaches this may be my problem solver as I'm off by a little for my staging sidings. So if I'm able to shorten the turnouts I can buy myself space. I'll give it a shot to see what I can male happen.
 
I have the same turnouts. Doesn't look like you'll buy more than about 1.5" for each. Will that make enough difference for you?
Out of curiosity I had a look at all mine. Wouldn't have done me any good.
On my 4-way cross-over it would have made things worse in fact.
But that's just me. Hey, if it's going to work for you - by all mean! Give it a shot!!
I'm just not visualizing how that would help. Sorry.
E.
 
I guess in small layout terms its all about inches. 1.5" can be a lot in some cases. It may or may not help me out. I won't know til I give it a try in which I'm kinda biting my lip cause I'm not trying to create a disaster of any sort. I don't want to do this if it bites me in the rear in the end.
 
Depending on where the turnout is located 1.5" can be the difference between success or failure and heading back to the drawing board.
 
With this idea they cut their turnouts to allow for the yard. Three maybe turnouts they used or rather all of them in that area and it would or did save them at least 4 1/2 inches to the edge if not more and they won more yard space off of it. So I give them props on that.
 
chessie_system3 said:
With this idea they cut their turnouts to allow for the yard. Three maybe turnouts they used or rather all of them in that area and it would or did save them at least 4 1/2 inches to the edge if not more and they won more yard space off of it. So I give them props on that.
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Roger that "Chess 3". If you're going after a specific plan, all that makes sense.
In my case, I just started hooking up stuff until something came along that would work and make something of a decent railroad to play with.
Good luck to ya Brother!
E.
 


chessie_system3 said:
I don't know if this will work but this is the video where they talk about shortening the turnouts.
http://mrr.trains.com/videos/projec...odel-railroaders-ho-scale-virginian-ry-part-6
Click to expand...

Interesting. He mentioned cutting off both ends of the turnouts. That could buy you 2" on each.
I would love to help you out with this project.
Are you going to run your turnouts remotely? The video shows no solenoids except to show the one as they come out of the package.
E.
 
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