Hey,
I have an 8x8 table. And am looking for A track plan. I have track on it. I think it would be easier to have a plan!!
Yes, but what type of plan? I realise that you are new and don’t wish to overwhelm you but here are links, both by forum members, that I suggest you read, to try and sort out what you actually would like to do.
http://www.yardgoatlayoutdesign.com/7.html
I would also suggest that you take time to read this thread,
The Virginian Build Thread, http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/11/t/202934.aspx
currently on this page if the link doesn’t work.
Have Fun [:D]
Cheers, the Bear.
I like switching and yard work. I would like an industrial area with spurs and a yard. I made the mistake of thinking it would be easy to just lay track and go. But I think it would be easier to have a plan to follow. Thank you for understanding that I am new. I will check out those links.
John
Plan? What’s a Plan?
PLAN of LION was in 'ead of beast. Him had two tables (5x18 left of the ladies) and (6x22 right of ladies). The only real plan was the new three level construction along the back walls. Obviously the shape of the table dictated the plan, but it is also fair to say that the layout changed three times in both minor and major ways since its conception.
But an 8x8 table? Are you a flee or a fly? How else could you possibly reach the middle? Even the 6’ wide table, behind the lady in blue, has a hole in the middle that I cannot reach and will not be decorated. But the railroad is so tall at that point that nobody will be able to see that anyway.
Oh well, I know you asked for a plan, but LIONS are beasts of ideas, not plans. Ideas are more flexible than a plan. The zookeeper may plan a tasty dinner at 6:PM, but if I choose to stay outside in the enclosure, what good will his plan do? Build, Build and rebuild, and then a plan will happen, and you will need to rebuild again.
Now just where is that tasty wildebeest?
ROAR
You’ve already figured out something that some veterans never learn: It’s good to have a plan. A satisfying model railroad does not automatically spring into being just because you were able to put down some track.
Lion (wily beast that he be) points out an important issue. The 8’ x 8’ size and shape of the layout table is a bit unusual and might be impractical. It gives you a nice 64 square feet, but it may not be easy to use the entire 64 square feet effectively. Is the table already completely built up, or would it be possible to reconfigure it? Can you cut a hole in the middle for access? No matter where you stand, the middle of that table is at least 4 feet from you, and you can’t reach that far to install track, build scenery, rerail equipment, etc. Remember two important things: You’re a beginner, and this is supposed to be fun. It’s unwise and unnecessary for you to make this any more difficult.
Beginners often neglect to think outside the box, and I think a little imagination and creatrivity is called for here. I would start with some books on layouts and layout design. You can’t go wrong with John Armstrong’s Track Planning For Realistic Operation, which should be available from Kalmbach. There are lots of books of track plans, and the more plans you see, the more you’ll learn.
You’ve told us about the size and shape of the table, but you’ll also need to consider the size and shape of the room. That can tell us important things about the available space for aisles, etc. Where will you stand when you’re operating the railroad? You might find that your 64 square feet of table space can be used much more effectively if it is cut into several narrow tables that can run along the walls. Your 64 sq. ft. could be configured as four 2’ x 8’ tables,
It’s good that you have stopped to think things out before you got so far that redoing would be a major headache and possible deturrent to fun. There will always be headaches, something is always ready to test our patience, but that is part of most anything in life.
As mentioned above an 8’x8’ is quite unworkable. However, there are possabilities. The one thing you want to remember is that “normal” folks consider 30" as a workable maximum reach. Your layout height also factors into the distance you can reach. Tall, long armed folks can easily reach further than vertically challenged folks that have had a few too many beers make their way to the waistline. A good way to decide how deep you want to plan your layout is set up some sort of shelf at the height you’d like to have your layout. Good viewing height is considered about chest level, but many layouts are lower, so that you have more of a sitting on a hill view than next to the tracks. 40" to 48" are figures often thrown around, but there are many both higher and lower. If there will be children enjoying it, think a little lower or a way for them to be able to see and enjoy. With your shelf in place, put some scenic elements on it, trees, buildings or just boxes the height your buildings will be. Reach over and figure the combination of height and depth that you can reach without disturbing scenery. Derailments occur at the hardest points to reach, one of Murphys laws. A 5’ wide layout (depending on your reach) is possible if you can reach from both sides. If you are limited to an 8’x8’ table, you could do a 30" outside scenicked layout with a narrower staging area behind the backdrop, accessable from the hole in the center. You will have to decide on how to get to the center, duckunder or having a gate of some sort.
Let us know a little more about your space available if you can modify it
Cowman, I resemble that tall, long armed modeller. Unfortunately, we can’t reach much farther that the short, stubby-armed modellers without somewhere to place our large paws. That’s why i bought a topside creeper. Johnny, welcome! I agree with the other folks that your space is a little unwieldy, and that now is a good time to stop and collect your thoughts. I will add that your first layout is probably going to be a throwaway on which you will learn various skills, and also discover what you like about the hobby, and what you want your railroad to do. Track plans are a dime a dozen. Our hosts have a bunch of them for sale (and some available free to subscribers), as do many other places. Personally, i think it’s a lot more satisfying to design it myself. There are many people here who will give you advice on your track plan --and most of it will be good. But no one is going to design it for you. Anyway, it is easier to edit a written document than a blank page, So, either find a pre made plan or take a crack at your own and post a drawing. We’ll help you get it right.
At first I wasn’t going to have a plan. I wanted to and did lay some track. But it doesn’t look like the way I want it to. it looks like my 8month old son did it (not saying that people without track plans make it look like kids did it) it’s just me. I am in experienced and need a little help to get started.
My brother in law built the table a few years ago. He had a mountian and very little track which I removed for my own design that didn’t go to far.
I am able to stand in the middle of the layout. I am tall with long arms and still have trouble reaching the outter corners. It is possible to take it apart and have two 8x4 sheets of ply wood.
the size of the room is a basement and if it wasn’t my mother in laws I would build one of the biggest layouts I’ve ever seen. In short I’m lucky that I have this much to work with. She has said I could extended if I wanted too but for now I’d just like to have some fun with it. I’m so happy people are willing to help.
This layout will probably be a “throw away” layout. I just want to get a little experience first off. I’m going to look into some track plans. If you guys have any suggestions I’m open to anything. I will post a picture shortly. Thank you all!!!
John
John, you haven’t said anything about where you live or what model RR assets you have access to. If you live in or near a reasonably large city, there are probably experienced model railroaders in your area who can give you some hands-on help and advice. If there’s a good hobby shop located reasonably close to where you live, that might be a good place to meet new friends who can be helpful. You’ll find that it’s a very social hobby. Whether you make these contacts or not, the Forum members will be willing to help. Hobby shop owners are often very helpful and most of them can be trusted to give good advice. The enlightened (and successful) ones know that it’s wise to give good advice to a newcomer and to sell him good merchandise because that’s the way to ensure future business. The big box stores usually don’t even carry the better merchandise, much less promote it.
Looking forward to seeing what direction your thoughts are taking you.
I live in Ontario, Canada. A town called Belleville. I drive past a hobby shop every day for work. It’s pretty decent. They’ve been here 96 years and know quite a bit. There is a model railroad club here but I live in a town 30 minutes from Belleville now. The club runs from 7-9 Tuesdays but I finish work at 320. I don’t want to stick around for 3.5 hours when I have an 8 month old baby at home. It makes it a bit difficult.
Johnny, when I had 8 month old babies in the house, I was eager for any excuse to stay out! (Fortunately, I was smart enough to give my wife equal time out).
So, we’re really not looking for details on the LHS and the clubs so much as suggesting other sources for help. Go to the club one night and just look over their layout. If the LHS has a layout, look at that. See if one of the club menbers or LHS patrons will allow you to look at their home layouts. Attend a good sized train show. Browse back issues of MR. As you see more and more layoutsyou will start to see little scenes or track arrangements that you would like to duplicate on your own layout, or use some variation of them.
As far as the layout area goes, I would break out the old circular saw and cut each board down the middle lengthwise. Now cut two feet off the ends of two of those boards. Arrange the resulting pieces in a C shape with a bulb at each end, or an E, or something else. This will allow you many more design possibilities, especially if your layout will operate primarily in a “point to point” configuration.
What does LHS mean? I have been to the club once. The only issue with that is that if I leave when it closes I get home at almost 10 o’clock at night. And I work 5 days a week. And honestly just want to rest. But if I can make it in to the club one night, I will do that.
I have been to quite a few train shows and plan to attend more. I may take your suggestion on cutting the table. That sounds like a good idea. Thank you.
LHS stands for Local Hobby Shop
Sorry to disapoint…I been doing exactly that for years since I found paper and reality doesn’t always play well together or I get a brainy idea while laying track and change things in midstream.
As far as a plan there are book but,since you like switching then why not plan a urban industrial branch with lots of switching-think along the lines of MR’s “Beer Line” layout.
I don’t think Brakie and I have any real disagreement here. Some of us are able to visualize the use of space more easily than others, and it helps to plan the basics, at least. It doesn’t need to be a detailed plan. Very few layouts are built exactly matching the original plan. In the midst of construction, a light bulb goes on and we get a new idea that improves on the original plan, or makes construction simpler, or just looks better. The real importance of a plan is to avod serious problems. I’ve seen many layouts where the builder just started building and managed to build several problems into the layout. In particular, I remember one layout that looked like a work of art. The scenery and structures were superb. But the builder put in all of his curved track by eye, and didn’t pay attention to some basic things like minimum radius, etc. There were serious kinks in the curves. Most of his locomotives were unable to make it around the layout. I visited this layout several times and NEVER SAW IT OPERATE. The owner always had some excuse. But I knew he was just making excuses. And I’m pretty sure this guy is out of the hobby now. As I said, the hobby is for fun, and this guy wasn’t having any. It’s better to learn from his mistakes than from your own (that’s not an original idea).
None whatsoever…I’m just one of those oddballs that lays the track out and then plan as I go visualizing what I am looking for in my head then moving the track about to see how it looks…
As far as curves…I have eyeballed my curves on my few loop layouts with extreme checking as I go and the NMRA gauge is always handy.
I don’t really recommend eyeballin’ your curves unless you’re well experience in laying flex track curves on cork roadbed.
Best to use a guide.
Just a thought, from one who’se been there, done that.
If you can make four 2 foot by 8 foot subframes, you can assemble them into a ten foot square doughnut with a six foot hole in the center. Then you can run a single main track (24 to 30 inch radius corner curves) and work up each subframe as a switching area (runaround track, spurs) and have a complete circle to run when you want to entertain the youngster (who won’t be eight months old forever.) Operating from the center, two or three sides could be against walls.
Then, when it becomes necessary to move on, it’s a lot easier to move and re-use 2 x 8 foot pieces of layout if you feel they’re worth salvaging. My own 15 inch by 96 inch ‘end of the railroad’ module has been operated alone when not incorporated into a layout - six different layouts in five different states since 1980.
Note that I haven’t suggested any specific track configuration(s). My ‘track plan’ is a quick sketch of where the main line will go. Detailed plans are made (full size) about one length of flex track ahead of the tracklaying crew.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
My mistake, I thought someone had asked what my resources were!
I am going to pick up a book or two on layouts and wiring. Thank you all for your info.
sounds like this will be your first layout, the one you learn building skills from. It may be best to keep it relatively simple.
I also recommend the www.layoutvision.com, but in particular, Byron’s page on building a walk-in instead of a walk around layout, http://www.layoutvision.com/id28.html. Not only will it be easier to reach over, but under as well. A walkin layout will more easily allow larger curves.
I’d suggest taking some time to look at Andy Sperandeo’s “San Jacinto”. A relatively small portion of it can be built and made operationally complete before starting the next section.