To the Old Dog, such a space would be canine heaven. One could probably even include space for a work bench.
The Dog would suggest that a window might be useful. Some model paints are hard on the old muzzle!
But the catch is that the Old Dog is thinking in terms of a shelf switching layout. One could even stack two or three layer above each other assuming that “car floats” could be used to contect the layers and interchange with the outside world.
The “fun” with that space begins when one tries to allow for continuous running while avoiding the dreaded “duckunder”. That is what made MR’s contest interesting.
The Old Mutt must wonder what the gang would do with a 2" by X’ N-Trak type mudule or a 18" by 12’ shelf.
How about a contest where the maxiimum total square footage of the layout is established and then let the contest entrant determine the scale and the layout of the square footage?
For example, a 4x8 sheet is 32 square feet. That 32 square feet can be left alone as a 4x8, ripped into four 12" wide sections for a total length of 32 feet or ripped in half and placed end to end for a 2’ x 16’ space. There are a whole bunch of combinations you can come up with when you start with a set size and break it up into smaller pieces.
This concept would give us the possibility of seeing a variety of shapes and track plans plus (hopefully) a cross section of different scales. It would also give more people the freedom to be really creative.
Wait hold the phone. Usually people aren’t interested in something because they know nothing about it. I think that is one way to get people interested in logging (or whatever) type layouts.
I personally would like to see a lot more focus on the purpose and theme of the layout design rather leaving it wide open. It is way hard to compare two layouts and choose one when they have been designed for completely different reasons.
P.S. I really wanted to do a logging road for the last contest. I was going to use some ideas that were quite like the helix mountain…
I think it looks very much like last years MR layout design contest room. Just a bit larger and the door is against the side wall instead of being displaced. Hey, I could just use my non-winning entry from that one in!
If the contest were to be centered around the MR contest footprint TZ mentioned or the (roughly 12X12) “MRP Bedroom” from Model Railroad Planning magazine, there would be some equivalent published designs for inspiration and comparison. (If you want to see a great variety of approaches to scale, era, and concept in the same space, check out the 1996, 1997, and 2000 issues of MRP for these spare bedroom designs. Allen McClelland’s HO branchline design from MRP 1996 is one of my favorite spare-bedroom-sized HO designs.)
Of course, developing a quality design for a hundred-square-foot + space takes quite a bit of time. If the desire is to gain lots of entries, a smaller shelf layout contest might attract more participants.
[(-D]Sorry for not getting the ref, I like SW 4, 5, 6, burned 1,2, and 3 out of my memory, but I dont know all the lines. I know now what you were refering to [;)] so “you are now in command ADMIRAL Piet”
Wait! I think someone should comment on rfross’ suggestion about limiting the square footage and not setting the room size. It has merit. Give us a set sq ft and let us figure out how to configure it into the tiniest space and still get a sensible layout out of the whole exercise.
it wouldn’t surprise me to find that it’s against the building code of most areas to have a door open outward . the reason of course is that you can’t kick the door open in case of emergency . a better solution would be to remove the door completely or replace it with a curtain
disclaimer: i am not an expert in the building codes of my local area or any other area and in fact may be talking through my hat . if so i apologize for being such a dufus !
