I am planning on building a small HO scale layout an a 78 inch by 30 inch hollow core door. I am doing this because right now I have no room for a larger layout and I will be able to put this one up while not in use. After we get our basement floor put in, I will have a 20x30 foot train room[:D].
I am planning on running trains from the yard at the bottom to a small town at the top. There will be a scenic divider in the middle to seperate the two areas. I know I will be restricted to smaller engines and rolling stock, and that is no problem as I have a Proto 2000 SW9 that is waiting for work.
The building you see on the left is Medusa Cement (Walthers) and the building on the right is Golden Valley Canning.
I have been thinking about the space I have here and wanted to run it across you guys to see what ideas you may have.
I like the plan. It’s not too crowded, and it makes sense.
You mentioned small equipment for the tight curves. Reality is your curve is going to be about 12.5 inch radius, which is very tight for HO. The 12.5 inch radius is assuming a 2" margin from the track centerline to the edge of the door (1" from the outside of the track), and a 8-10" long easement curve (highly recommended for improved performance on the curve).
You won’t be able to use anything longer than a 40ft box car, and even those will likely require truck-mounted couplers. I’m not sure your SW will go around those curves - almost every piece is going to need individual testing. There are other smaller locos if the SW has problems - the EMD 40, GE 44 tonner, etc.
Instead, go to favor building supply store and buy a 4’ by 8’ sheet of your favor trainn table surface material plus some 1" by 4" lumber. Choose the width you plan to use for your permanent layout, say 2’. Cut the 4’ by 8’ sheet into two 2’ by 6’ sheets and one 2’ by 4’ sheet. Frame the sheets with the 1" by 4" lumber. That will give three modulars. Define a common interface for the modulars, say tracks 3", 6" and 9" from the front.
That will give you three modulars that are small enough to lean against a wall when you are not working one. When you want to operate, you can set up one or more modulars as space allows on temporary legs.
When you get the basement done, haul downstairs and mount them on then wall. That way you won’t lose the effort you put in to them.
Instead of making your layout turn, why not run your mainline down the center of the layout and switch industries in four directions? You will get just as much action and be able to run more equipment. You will also be able to drop it into your larger layout later.
When the Man is right, he’s right. If you are really stuck with the room you have and therefore with the layout space, please give up on the curves for now. Save the curves, and the fun in planning them, for later when you can easily place 22" or greater ones that will be so much better in terms of operations and the range of rolling stock and locomotives that will actually run on them.
Master a yard or industrial complex or two on this board, but I like the idea of making it slip into something grander as suggested earlier. Will save you time and money later, and will be a familiar area to do switching.
