I’m planning on building a layout in HO. My question is I am a beginner and wondering what size of a layout should I build. I have a 16 x 16 room to work with but I don’t want to overwhelm myself and go to big. I was thinking of just starting a 4 x 8 and then add on afterward. Any help would be great.
Andrew
Have you thought about “Around the walls” or U shapes?
102 Realistic Track Plans would be a most helpful place to start your model railroading journey – This special issue will provide details of what fits in certain spaces – as your initial need is to gain some perspective before making dollar commitments to your layout – yet to be designed on paper.
Personally, I don’t miss any of these How to Build special issues. You can save $1.00 + postage by pre-ordering Special Issues at this link. Sign up for the Model Railroader weekly e-mail and you won’t miss anything – including sales on PDF-downloads at Information Station.
Do take your good 'ole time in your planning to be sure your layout fits your goals – and remember that you may also need to do room preparation (floors - walls - ceiling - lighting without shadows - etc.) to suit your layout shape – and spousal input for room usage may also come into play.
Two more helpful links…
I have thought about u shapes but I just don’t want to go to big for my first layout. Also I would like to make a continuous loop so if i want i can just let it go and watch it.
AndrewRR,
there is no advantage in building a 4 by 8 layout - in terms of space or complexity. A 4 by 8 layout actually requires a footprint of 6 by 12, as you need to have a 2 ft. wide aisle around at least three of the sides.
There is an easy to build around the wall shelf layout called “Heart of Georgia” , designed by Scott Perry, which is a “better” beginner´s layout:
The narrow shelves are easy to build and scenic!
Do a Google search using the key words " Heart of Georgia HO scale" and you will get more info!
Don’t think of a layout as an island, unless you plan to waste most of your space. And don’t think that a small layout is automatically simpler than a larger layout.
Our Japanese friends have demonstrated a remarkable capability to cram a LOT of track and complexity into a 1:80 scale (HOj) layout the size of a card table. Of course, most of them would consider 16 x 16 the impossible dream.
I have a space slightly larger than yours. At the price of some inventiveness I designed a layout that allows me to walk in, be within 30 inches of any spot on the layout surface, build comfortably and operate easily. It wouldn’t have worked if I had arbitrarily started with a 4 x 8 module. The basic track plan is quite simple. Prototype-specific details and a LOT of staging make it seem complex - but this isn’t my first layout and a lot of those things could have been left off until actually needed.
Another factor - the along the walls or along the walls with turnback ‘blobs’ will allow wider curves than any 4 x 8 could accommodate. If you ever plan to run auto racks, hi-cube boxcars or full-length passenger cars (not to mention stiff, long-wheelbase steam) those 22-inch radius curves would be a deal killer. Along the wall, 30 inch and up mainline curves can be built with ease.
Just my [2c]. Other opinions will vary.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - in a double garage)
Lots of things that can be said about 4x8 foot layouts in H0 scale. Most of them has been said before, many times.
If you want to start easy, may I suggest that you start by deciding either
a) that the first layout you will be building is not going to be incorporated as a building block in the big layout you are thinking about later, or
b) that the first layout you will be building will not be a continuous run layout, but just a section that can be reused later in a bigger layout, and you will be running it using temporary staging on both sides of your section, representing the rest of the world (and the rest of your layout).
In the first style, there are many suboptions - including building a straight 4x8 table with a H0 scale loop on.
Or building an N scale 36" x 80" hollow core door layout. Gives you the same type of layout as the classical 4x8 oval on table, but in a lot less space, where you can put the layout on a shelf in a corner, rather than having to put it as a table in the middle of the room.
Lots of options. But the combination 4x8 continuous run and extend to larger layout later is a not very optimal combination. That way your layer layout will be forever constrained by the curve radii and aisles made necessary for your intiial 4x8 loop on table layout.
Smile,
Stein
A 4x8 is the way many of us started. It’s a good way to get started since the costs and size are low.
Unfortunately, it’s not really a good size to be the foundation for a larger layout. This is because the maximum curve radius is 22" and even then it has to hug the outer edge of the table. An inner track on the curve has to be less. Passing sidings are short.
My suggestion would be to build a 2 sheets of plywood layout. By having each sheet cut at the 5’4" mark you get 4 pieces that can be arranged into 5’4" x 12’ layout. This is big enough to allow for a 24" minimum radius even on double tracked curves. You can run longer trains etc. If you envision running large equipment you could use a 27" minimum radius.
Placing one end of the layout against the middle of one wall will leave 5’4" on either side and 4’ at the other end which is wide enough to add bench work along the walls while still having a 3’ aisle.
Enjoy
Paul
The above mentioned 102 Realistic Track Plans is a good place to start (better than the database). No 28 is a good starter plan.
As far as complexity, a 4x8 sheet of plywood cut lengthwise would yield a layout that is 8ft along one wall and 12ft along the other without needing a central view block. It also allows for curves larger than 24 inches in radius and has built-in expansion potential.
The effort involved in laying track and scenicing would be the same, just a bit more effort for benchwork.
With a 4x8 you are stuck with 22in radius and need at least the 2ft, more like 3ft of aisle space for operating access. As you will see from 102 Realistic Track Plans, one has to plan ahead on using the 4x8 as part of a larger layout (see Stein’s point).
One book not mentioned above is John Armstrong’s classic Track Planning for Realistic Operation. A must read.
Alan
PS
You should draw up a diagram of the space your layout will be in. Sooner or later someone here will ask to see it.
That’s an excellent idea.
I suggest building something now that could be incorporated into a bigger layout later. Envision your final layout to be a shelf type layout around the room with a peninsula taking up some of the middle space. Paul’s idea essentially suggests to build the peninsula portion first, as the starter layout. It allows you to learn without the layout being too big and or needing to completely tear down later, like a 4x8 would probably make you do.
I suppose you could start with a 4x8 as the peninsula now, but that would probably be too small for the final peninsula and the 4 foot width really limits your curve radius. The 5’4" width is a much better suggestion.
That’s a great idea and nice layout. Go for an around the wall shelf type layout. That’s what I did in my 8X11 space. Its great because once the track is up and running, you can concentrate on certain area’s so its not like you have to finish the thing all at once. Here’s my track plan. Its been modified somewhat since this was designed. I removed the turntable and simply added a chemical company with a single track in its place.
The next picture is old, but gives you an idea of what my final layout looks like…
hi,
sir Madoq’s HOG is IMHO a great starter pike. Not complicated and straight forward. When build with a bit more length you can have 30 inch radii and #6 switches. This will allow you to run modern freight and passenger trains on appropriate curves.
Doc mentioned #28, the Glass Rock & Eastern (GR&E), a very complicated plan, with small radii; no part will easily fit into a future larger scheme. The GR&E has great operational possibilities, it would be a very good second layout, if you accept the flaws, for someone with limited space (10’ x 11’6").
Paul
I have done what you are talking about. I started with a 4 x 8 and add to it. I have a large basement now where I have added to my 4 x 8. Just plan ahead for your additions. Leave a Track section open so that in the near future you can connect them together.
