In his book mid sizes and manageable layouts, does he cover layouts that will fit in my space of about 9’ x 9’? Thankya.
The smallest are in the 12x12 range. But I’d still recommend it for your space.
HE has another book, Smart, Small, Practical Track Plans. I have not seen it , but might fit your space better.
You might want to pickup “48 Top Notch Track Plans” from Kalmbach. In addition to several other small layouts it includes the 9 contest winners for MR’s design contest several years ago. The contest size was an 8’x9’ room, HO scale layout. I have both of Iain Rice’s books. I think they are good, but the Midsize book starts at 12’x12’, which is more than you have. The Small book does have some layouts for about your space, it also has some good ideas you might be able to use
Enjoy
Paul.
Thankya. I just got a copy of 48 top notch plans off Ebay. We’ll see what it looks like.
Even if the design as printed won’t fit your space, you’re bound to find ideas in each plan that can be incorporated into one that will fit your space.
I based my layout off the Mt Gilead and the Elerbee Jct. in one? of the 48 Top notch track plans. its the one with the blue cover and the Rio Grande engine on the cover is derailed.
Well now I ain’t too sure I wanna build my layout outta a book that has a train wreck on the front. LOL.
I think that must be the original cover. I noticed that the one shown on this site http://store.yahoo.net/kalmbachcatalog/12132.html has a different cover.
Enjoy
Paul
I have to take my hat off to Iain Rice. The Ceder Branch and Western is patterned after one of his small layouts featured in MR. His design was a logging operation meant for point to point operation. I just made mine bigger.
I’m not crazy about point to point operations, but I’m not foolish enough to rule one out, either. I know there are some good layouts out there, and point to point is really most realistic.
I recently read Rice’s Smart/small and mid-size layout books, both are brilliant, though as mentioned his idea of mid-size is more my idea of big: starting at 12x12 and going up to 20xWhatever. Both are still worth reading though - excellent
The 48 top notch plans book yeilded a plan that I will be using on my future expansion. The port layout with the yard and tight curves will fit nicely in one end.
Iain Rice has created some really good plans in the past. Some plans after reading about the reasoning behind the plan are just brilliant.
He blew me away with the 4x8 in the Smart, Small, Practical book that has a hole cut out so it can be used against a wall or in a corner, and wheel-chair-bound people can run it
I have that book, it is pretty decent for almost any sized layout you are looking to make.
The one I always wanted to do, but can’t find anymore is the Bath and Hampstead (sp) it was a little shortline and was designed as an around the room layout. I thought it had the most realistic plan for a model rr