Any one ever wonder why some people look down on us guys that only have room for small layouts and limited funds but still love Model railroading???[V][:(]
JIM
Some of the best looking ,most highly detailed, proffesional layouts I’ve ever seen where only a 4x 8 or 5x10.
I built two of them. They were just right for me. Why would anyone look down. I now am around the wall because that is what the space asked for. Also, being retired I wanted something that would fill a little more time. Lets see a pic of what you have done.
I agree with you[^] but there is people who think if you don’t have a big lay outs you are playing toy trains[:(]
JIM
I’am still working with mine 42"X10’ it is all the room I have !![B)][;)].I posted some shots on week end photo fun,take a look!![^][8D][:)]
JIM[
Here’s my funny experience. I never heard of 22" eight years ago and I started with a 5 X 9
ping pong table.
Went to the LHS and the Train Dept Manager sold me 18". Went back to get more and the
sub working the counter ask “why are you going with 18”
That was my introduction to 22". It took me longer to find out the principal of block controls,
KDs & wheel sets.
Still learning.
22" are if you have room,but try them on a 42" wide board[;)][:D]
JIM
little bit over the side there[:D]
seriously, one can have loads of fun with a small layout. Even though Chip doesn’t like 4x8’s, his 4x8 has come out wonderfully! I am pretty happy with my 4x8, and it serves as a good thing to use to learn the ropes. It gives a manageable rr, versus the type that in every month, 1 is spent in a wonderful operating session with people it took ages to find, and enough for a full session, and the other 29 days are spent just trying to keep the railroad clean! In my humle opinion, I think 4x8’s are great!
Hooray for the 4 x 8 crowd, the sentiments above reflect my feelings also, some of the very best layouts I’ve seen are on 4 x 8, hang in there gang.
Phase 1 of my layout is only slightly longer than a 4X8. It is the perfect size for learning the theory and honing the skills the hobby requires. Depending on the amount of effort put into detailing a “simple” 4X8 can easily take months to complete. At the speed I am working it could take years
And there are a few three axle diesels that will handle the 18" and some steamers too so there’s lots of
fun to be had.
Jim, I think that, short of a handful of elitists, few folks in the hobby really look down on the 4x8’ers. Most of us start out, rightly so, with that size layout, many stay with it, and quite a few today have neither the time, money, nor interest in builting huge layouts. The real laugh is that those with smaller layouts generally get to the complete or nearly complete stage after a while, whereas the guys with the basement-filling empires are often still running largely on plywood when their number finally comes up! Take my word for it, I’ve seen way too many never-to-be-completed “empires” in my time in the hobby.
CNJ831
I am not happy with my 4x8 because I planned it backwards. All my industrial spurs and my yard are facing forward. This is because I was building it for my kids to run their Hogwarts train. It was just luck that my crossovers make runarounds and I can switch. There is also the fact that I can’t reach both my “yard” and the control panel at the same time. Switching several cars involves running rom one side of the layout to the other. I also didn’t know what staging was so I didn’t allow for it.
I can’t turn around and run the other way because my although my engines runn pretty well on my 3.1% upgrade, they can’t handle the 3.7% downgrade.
When I look back, I realize that these issuses would have been resolved had I used the same space my 4x8 takes and designed a U-shaped 9 x 13. And I encourage anyone to explore other options before they build.
That said, there are a lot of nice 4 x 8 well-thought out layouts out there. If you have a 4 x 8 layout I strongly encourage you to check out Byron’s Clinic on operating on a 4 x 8 layout.
http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=46614
Also, I am not totally unhappy with my layout. I’m growing to love it. I’m working hard on making it work and my son is enjoying it. I’m looking for a way to keep it once I have the space to build larger.
But know this, it is not the size of the layout that I don’t like about the 4x8, it is the limitations by the shape. Because of the need to walk around the layout, the space the 4x8 uses can be better served by a shelf layout.
Glad to hear it, Chip. Perhaps though, maybe building this layout with its unresolved issues was a good thing, becuase when you start your 9x13 layout, you will know what to do and what not to do[:)]
My layout is soon to become a 8x12 from a 10x16.
Iain Rice makes a very good point about keeping the size of your layout down to a managable size in his book, Mid-sized and Managable Track Plans. One of my favorite track plans I’ve seen is the Gary Indiana Steel Town in that book, a 12 x 12 layout.
One guy here, Jetrock, has a very sophisticated 2 x 6 HO layout.
don’t worry about what others think…if you are having a great time with your 4’ x 8’ then that’s all that matters…I built 3 different 4’ x 8’ layouts in the past and didn’t give a hoot about what any M R snob had to say about it…chuck
You know it really dosen’t matter if you have a large railroad, the most important thing is your happy with it. Mine have grown in size over the years s my experience did. I’m really glad just to see anyone in the hobby. Joey
I started with a 4x8, then 6x6, then 8x10, then 4x8, and now 11x18. They were/are all fun. You do what you have room, time, and money for. I even had a couple of stretches where I had no layout - 4x8 would have been nice then. The important thing is to have fun.
Enjoy
Paul
The reaons for ‘discouraging’ 4x8 is not that it is small. The point is that if you have room for 4x8 (8x12, if you are going to be able to walk around it and access all of it), you probably have room for a different shape (maybe smaller, square foot wise) layout that might be more satisfying.