Here in the house, I decided to go with " N " scale. I’m building a 4’x8’ layout. I’m slowly working on my garage so I can build layouts for my HO and 027 trains it’s going to take a lot of time and money. [ Right now I’ve got more time than money ], but I hope in a year or so it will be finished.
Stan.
My son was flipping through 101 Track Plans by LinnWescott, and found a plan that I think we can do almost unchanged. On page 20 on the bottom there’s the Quaker State Eastern RR. It’s on a 6 x 9 table. Instead of having the turnouts installed at either end as in the book, I’d double them up and make the track a double track all the way around. The upper line going to Oliver, could be slap perfect for the logging mill operation for the shay. There’s also enough room to use the 19.25" radius with the Kato Unitrack so the Challenger won’t look so bad going around the turns. It might work. Those of you who have the book, what do you think?
Rob, I think I would go with the majority and stay inside.
Another unmentioned point is that you are new to all this (i think). A smaller, more comfortable place would be an ideal area to get your feet wet, so to speak. You will be comfortable while you try out new ideas, you can easily call your wife in to marvel at your new accomplishments[:D] and you will not have bitten off more space than you can chew.
Results will be quicker and more satisfying to view. When you are ready for bigger things, if planned right innitially you could transport the smaller layout into the workshop and extend it further, if thats what you decide you want to do.
Whatever you decide, have fun with it, make it as enjoyable as possible in every aspect, and remember, bigger is not always better.
Have fun & be safe,
Karl.
Hmmm, I havent seen the plan and I may be wrong, but, a 6x9 in a 9x9 room means that you would have a 3" aisle on one side of the room with a 6" reach to the back of the layout. Unless the plan is not a solid 6x9 and then I’ll shut up and go back to my corner. [:D]
Have fun & be safe.
Karl.
Nope. It’s got a 2’ x 7’ control hole in the middle. I need the three feet so I can open the door to get in the room, and that way I won’t have to take the door off the closet.
I would go with the space indoors. Reason why? Everybody says the same about fixing your shop up. Too much of everything has to be done. I have a 4x 10 layout in my WALK IN closet. In an apartment. Sure I wish I had bigger space (Comming soon) but as of now, NOTHING and I do mean NOTHING is too tight as far as locomotives and I’m running passenger service too with 72FT cars.
My locomotives are;
E8/9
F45
F40
F9 A+B
F7 A+B
FA2 A+B
C- LINER A+B
SHARKNOSE
GP 40
ALL IN HO, So it not impossible to do, you just have to know what your doing and how you do it. My layout have 3 levels with no helix. Try using “Woodland senic Incline set” (foam) and you could accomplish a lot. I didn’t use any track guage either, Just go old instint. Not bragging, but the senery also consist of a 5 feet long passenger station, a scratch built curved viaduct(single track), a 4 feet suspension bridge, and of course a yard with shed’s (3). Ya’ll may read this and say wow, how did you fet all of that to work on a 4x10 layout. To be honest, I don’t know either. I put in work everyday. So I have 3 jobs. #1 that brings in income. #2 my family of 3. #3 the layout. and get this, there’s still plenty of room for clothes and shoes and my wife has plenty of both (good gawd)
So go with the room because if you got your wife to give you the room and all she wants is storage space, man go for it. Once you get your wife involved, Christmas and birthdays would be a lot better for you - lol
I’m still teaching mine about different locomotives
Make it high enough to deploy rods to hang wifey clothes on. One or two of those will please her very much.
Dont ask about my spouse. We are slowly going thru her excess clothes.
It’s gonna be based solely on how deep is your pocket? Even in Georgia the winters get cold and damp so you’ll need heat and ac, insulation,electric, and lumber for benchwork and maybe backdrops.Up her in NY my own basement gets chilly, I’m planning on adding more ductwork this fall so it’s a little more comfortable.
Rob, i say go for the indoor room, i think you will enjoy running your trains alot more in a cooler place then the shop. you will want to have it in a place that is easy to get to, cooler, and this way if you want to run it anytime, you wont have to leave the house. make it where you will be comfortable so you can enjoy it. just my 2cents.
when my wife and first got married we had a two bedroom apartment, i was able to fit in an 8x8 HO layout. I had a great time with this layout. So go with the comfy bedroom and have a great time. remember with trains size doesn’t matter its what you do with it. enjoy.