i once built a layout using a track plan that came out from a corner at a 45 degree angle and had two shelf “wings” coming out from the corners in either direction. the trick as described in the plan was to cut two triangles from one end of a 4x8 sheet of ply and flip them around to the other end thus making an elongated oval that measures 10 feet end to end. i remember finding it in a book but can’t remember which one. another one that interests me is the one that is in the MRC ads sometimes. it reminds me of the first REAL layout i ever played with. any help is appreciated.
That sounds a bit like the , Pasco & Wallace layout design by Kenneth Gentili, from Model Railroader September 1992. It was republished in 48 Top Notch Track Plans and may also be in the new 101 More Track Plans book, as are many from 48 Top Notch Track Plans
hi gentlemen,
it is in 48 Top Notch Track Plans, not in 101 MORE TP’s however. The latter contains lots of landmark layouts, like the Delta Lines, the Gorre & Daphetid and the San Jacinto District. Sadly enough not Andy Sperandeo’s Wachita & SF. Nor a N-scale project layout based on Wisconsin, if i remember well. Time to buy MR’s disks.
Paul
Reminiscent of the pointed-end boat shape Armstrong suggested as a way of making room for end curves (Fig 7-3 in Track Planning for Realistic Operation, 3rd Ed). Solves the problem of the corner end being limited for industry spurs or for yards.
The corner seems to be rather long reach once the wings are added in.
While designed for 4x8 sheets of plywood, nothing limits the benchwork to that size constraint’ depending on the room layout the 11x11 ft. size could handle a longer center bench.
Very impressive memory guys.
Richard
I remember that track plan, I thought it was a good idea to expand a 4x8. I remember it had ‘Spokane’ in the title. After trying this configuration (on paper) for my own 4x8 project layout, I decided against trying to add to the 4x8. It’s not that it wouldn’t work, but for the square footage, prototypical operation and the ‘added value’ vs labor of building new extensions (not to mention the trouble of moving a 4x8 layout), I decided to abandon the 4x8 and design a new around-the-walls track plan; this yielded a much better model railroad, for me.
In Best of John Armstrong Vol 2 there are two layout designs for diagonal placement. In one, for another foot of width on the diagonal component you get a nice yard; and you could still add the narrow/shelf wings for more operation. (The second layout illustrates how a wing could be added - his design had a return loop in that wing and provision for lower level staging).
The issue with the pointed 4x8 nestled into a corner (Atlas has such a plan, too) is that access to that curve across the back corner stinks. A 45 degree angle that starts departing from the wall 34" from the corner (a 4ft wide table at 45 degrees) leaves a very long reach from either side. Adding wings makes the access issue that much worse. And the thicker one is the further out one has to be.
Not using the corner allows a triangular-shaped access area just big enough for most people (24" from 4x8 to corner).
just my thoughts
Fred W