I’m changing my model train layout… and I need a lot of help with the planning…here’s what I got I have three 30" x 48" peices of plywood… it’s al the room I have… so can anyone help me…??
Hi and welcome to the forum.
It sounds like you have built a layout before. Give us some more details and we can try to help. If there are some specific problems, ask them and we can kick some ideas around.
Regards,
Tim P.
i also have a problem with mt layout i need some ideas such asthe grass affect and buildings
I have a Lionel O scale from the late 50’s and I want to build a shelve around a bed room and have it go around the room. Any suggestions about the tighest curve I can get away with or ideas…
I want to set up my trains and have no clue on a good layout and what is a good way to build a good solid base for my platforms? Will be setting a Marklin HO layout! Any help that can be provided will be greatly appreciated!
Jbbailie,
The tightest curves are O27, which have an actual radius of 12.5 inches. You say you have “O”, which is what Lionel called what is now usually referred to as “O31”, with an actual radius of just over 14 inches, but I am not sure that you mean it that way. In any case, much of Lionel’s “O” would work on O27, especially if track switches were not involved, and some of it was mechanically identical to O27. Your best bet is to get hold of curved sections of both and try them out with your rolling stock.
You might want to consider using spirals curves in the corners, for example, 22.5 degrees of O72, 45 degrees of O27, then 22.5 degrees of O72. These are almost as compact and have the advantage of allowing you to put your tangents (straight sections) closer to the wall. It is the swing-out of the ends of the models that usually limits how close you can get to the wall. Using a long radius at each end of the turn greatly reduces that effect. The space you save along the wall may more than compensate for the extra bit of room needed in the corners. And you will have a much better chance of getting “O” equipment through a single section of O27 curve.
Savyth,
I use a heretical system of unframed 1/2-inch BC plywood supported by 1.5-inch PVC pipe. The conventional wisdom is indeed to build solid framing, but I have been happy with my method.
One reason that my scheme works is the rigid attachment of the legs to the table. I drill a 1/2-inch hole through the top of the pipe and put a bolt into it, with two nuts, both inside the pipe, leaving a gap in the middle for the eye of a 1/4-inch eyebolt. The threaded end of the eyebolt comes out of the pipe and through a hole in the table, with a washer and nut on top. Tightening that nut locks the leg into an absolutely firm connection with the table. If you are careful to let only a minimal 1/2 inch of eyebolt protrude, you can easily hide it with some bit of scenery.
I put the legs wherever I need or want them under the free-form table. For some longer spans where a leg is inconvenient, I bolt steel angles to the plywood to stiffen it.
The legs are limber; so this works best for an around-the-walls layout where you can attach or wedge to the walls at a few spots to eliminate swaying. However, I suspect that a couple of sway braces would easily solve the problem for a free-standing layout.
Thanks for the info lionelsoni! I was thinking of using wedge blocks since it will be against a basement wall.I just wasn’t sure about the front legs.
Lill B… There is alot of info still missing. What scale?, Lionel, American flyer, Marx,Ect.? Is it passenger and/or freight? The most imprtant thing to remember is to keep ALL areas acessable to you. This will make building easyer and operating (playing) more fun. And the most important thing Dont over do it. Many of us whant to have the entire world jamed onto there layout. I will tell you even if you have your entire basement to use…you will still runout of space before you will runout of ideas for that space!
Good Luck to all of you!
I am even on this boat. I built a 4’x8’ table in the spare room…I am stalling to plan any further because I might ad an extra “hinged” deck above. Lower-ho, Upper-Lionel. Igg too many toys not enough $$
oh well gotta keep it all in check some how!
Check out my website - loads of info on layout building and other things for O and O27.
May I respectfully suggest visiting your nearest hobby shop for advice and purchases.
Sydney
New South Wales
AUSTRALIA
This is a first for me. Building a simple layout. I have a figure 8 inside an oval, two seperate tracks on a 8x4 table. For the electronics of these tracks how do I connect switchings for sidings on both tracks plus a turntable on the oval track.
I’m changing my model train layout… and I need a lot of help with the planning…here’s what I got I have three 30" x 48" peices of plywood… it’s al the room I have… so can anyone help me…??
Hi and welcome to the forum.
It sounds like you have built a layout before. Give us some more details and we can try to help. If there are some specific problems, ask them and we can kick some ideas around.
Regards,
Tim P.
i also have a problem with mt layout i need some ideas such asthe grass affect and buildings
I have a Lionel O scale from the late 50’s and I want to build a shelve around a bed room and have it go around the room. Any suggestions about the tighest curve I can get away with or ideas…
I want to set up my trains and have no clue on a good layout and what is a good way to build a good solid base for my platforms? Will be setting a Marklin HO layout! Any help that can be provided will be greatly appreciated!
Jbbailie,
The tightest curves are O27, which have an actual radius of 12.5 inches. You say you have “O”, which is what Lionel called what is now usually referred to as “O31”, with an actual radius of just over 14 inches, but I am not sure that you mean it that way. In any case, much of Lionel’s “O” would work on O27, especially if track switches were not involved, and some of it was mechanically identical to O27. Your best bet is to get hold of curved sections of both and try them out with your rolling stock.
You might want to consider using spirals curves in the corners, for example, 22.5 degrees of O72, 45 degrees of O27, then 22.5 degrees of O72. These are almost as compact and have the advantage of allowing you to put your tangents (straight sections) closer to the wall. It is the swing-out of the ends of the models that usually limits how close you can get to the wall. Using a long radius at each end of the turn greatly reduces that effect. The space you save along the wall may more than compensate for the extra bit of room needed in the corners. And you will have a much better chance of getting “O” equipment through a single section of O27 curve.
Savyth,
I use a heretical system of unframed 1/2-inch BC plywood supported by 1.5-inch PVC pipe. The conventional wisdom is indeed to build solid framing, but I have been happy with my method.
One reason that my scheme works is the rigid attachment of the legs to the table. I drill a 1/2-inch hole through the top of the pipe and put a bolt into it, with two nuts, both inside the pipe, leaving a gap in the middle for the eye of a 1/4-inch eyebolt. The threaded end of the eyebolt comes out of the pipe and through a hole in the table, with a washer and nut on top. Tightening that nut locks the leg into an absolutely firm connection with the table. If you are careful to let only a minimal 1/2 inch of eyebolt protrude, you can easily hide it with some bit of scenery.
I put the legs wherever I need or want them under the free-form table. For some longer spans where a leg is inconvenient, I bolt steel angles to the plywood to stiffen it.
The legs are limber; so this works best for an around-the-walls layout where you can attach or wedge to the walls at a few spots to eliminate swaying. However, I suspect that a couple of sway braces would easily solve the problem for a free-standing layout.
Thanks for the info lionelsoni! I was thinking of using wedge blocks since it will be against a basement wall.I just wasn’t sure about the front legs.