I have a 4x8 table thats screaming work on me, so thats my plan. I have found an loop trackplan with a small yard that I like, but what I really want right now is a point to point. But with the small cubic footage of a 4x8, is it worth it? The trips would be really short, and I haven’t really seen a 4x9 ptp trackplan. Any thoughts?
-beegle55
Sure…Model a industrial park that has their own locomotive.No like? Then a logger perhaps? No? Then a mining concern.No? Then how about a stone quarry?
It can and has been done.
Cut the 4’x8’ length ways, taking 1 piece and split it so you end up with 1 2’x8’ and 2 1’x8’ and make a around the wall point to point.
CHUCK
b:
Build a loop, and run it as a point-to-point. Why not?
If you want, I can explain how I do that with mine.
Thought about that… I might go ahead with something like that, modify a track plan with switches cutting off to small industries… using an industrial park feel… yea… that sounds awesome, thanks guys!
-beegle55
only you can answer that.
You must not have Atlas Custom Line HO scale Layouts book.
At first I thought you meant a point to loop type layout. Isn’t that what almost every loop layout in the world is really trying to represent? Even the most simple loop supposedly represents the train progressing from town to town on each lap. 101 Layouts has a couple loopies that are specifically designed to be used as point to point.
I still don’t understand how that is different than almost every 4x8 loop design layout ever created. For point-to-loops I was going to recommend looking up the 4x8 layout contest thread. Lots of those could be run as point to point.
TZ:
Of course. A lot of people just don’t realize it. [:)]
Thanks.
-beegle55
The problem with a point to point layout in a small space is that the points are just too darn close together. It “just ain’t fitten’” that the Alpha to Omega’s locomotive is entering Omega while FRED is still in Alpha.
So, cheat. Design one terminal to go inside a minimum-radius loop, to which it connects with only one turnout. Design a second terminal to go OUTSIDE the loop, connected by a single turnout so oriented that the train from Alpha can enter Omega without reversing. Then when your train leaves Alpha, it can run laps on the loop, building up mileage (and burning time) before taking the Omega turnout - thereby freeing the “mainline” for the doodlebug to run an equal number of laps en route from Omega to Alpha.
In designing the termini, remember that you won’t be able to use the mainline as a switching lead. On a 4 x 8, you will be restricted to short trains of small cars and locomotives, but there are more than a few short lines that ran that way for years.
Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
I would go with the point to loop idea. just a loop with industries.
Actually you have geivin me a though of a loayout I have been thinking about a while ago.
The Tomahawk Railway. This is a short line up in Tomahawk that has about 2 miles of track, 3 SW1500s, and really switches one big industries. The TR has a yard that they would interchange with the WC if you model before they took out the old MILW yard in Tomahawk. At the TR Tomahawk yard they would interchange with the WC. At this yard there’s a yard office and a 3 stall engine house. The main line crosses Lake Tomahawk and the main line continues north to Bradley where there is a WC yard. After crossing Lake Tomahawk, the line makes it way back to the paper Mill in Tomahawk. there’s a small yard just before the mill. Car that usually end up on the TR are WC, ROBX, CSX, KCS, Coal cars, tank cars, and Bulk head flats/gondolas with pulp wood for the mill. This could be a possibility if you want to model a short proto type.
Here’s SW1500 83. the TR usually uses this locomotive.
Here’s a transfer caboose they use to use when WC didn’t have Trackage rights to Bradley.
You could have a loop with a branch line that climbs a grade to an upper level that hides the back half of the loop. Operation would be to interchange at the junction with the loop.
Enjoy
Paul
I agree with the guy who suggested cutting the plywood up to get a more lineal design. I would also urge you to consider (pulls out the pin, rolls the grenade into the room…)
N Scale! You can fit three times the railroad in the space of HO.
This scene occupies about a 36" square area (part of a 3’x12’x4’ L), and includes a main line, a full paper mill (from pulpyard to warehouse) and junction with a branchline.
In HO you can model a train, in N you can model a railroad!
Lee
NO!!! NOT THE DREADED N WORD!!![swg]