Hi, I come from a long line of real railroaders, and I’d like to get my son in the loop. I have a cheap N-gauge set, but I’d like to expand on the track. I live in a Condo, so not much room. I have salvaged a piece of 1 inch plywood, 2’ x 3’ and I’m looking for some track plans. Can anyone help locate some for this small size, or does anyone have some pics or plans of their own? Thank you!
Just do a google search, using the key words “N scale” and “small layouts” - you´d be amazed how many pages with a lot of ideas you will get.
http://www.thortrains.net/trackplan/Nmini1.html
Check these out.
Welcome.
I believe MR publishes a book of N scale layouts. I have also seen a layout planning book that gave the layouts and in the back gave the space requirements for each in several scales. If you subscribe to MR you can go to Subscriber Extras at the top of this page and view many layouts in all scales.
I have something you might think about, I lived in apt for a while and started to build a small switching layout in HO scale. I used an ironing board as the base, the size came out to 26 1/2" wide and 73 1/2" long, (24" x 72" usable). This way it could be hung on the back of a door when not in use. It can be adjusted to table height and use a regular chair to view or work on. I had gotten the base part done and then bought a house. If you or anyone else is interested I can take some pictures and put them on here, or email them to you. Just a thought.
John
If your a subscriber to MR use the interactive track plan database available in the subscriber extras section.They must literally have hundreds if not thousands of track plans available. Good job on bringing your little man on board with the hobby. My son is the reason I got back into model railroading but my wife says if my freinds are gullible enough to believe that she has a bridge they may want to buy.
Have you considered an under bed layout? one that could be slid out and then placed on a table or some legs for operation?
Had a google for 2x3 layouts, and found a nice slightly bigger one (2 1/2 foot x 3 1/2 foot) by poster Screwysquirrel in thread http://www.zealot.com/forum/showthread.php?p=253816, based on the old MR H0 scale 4x6 foot plan Morgan Valley.
For a kid you need continuous run - small kids are generally not interested in switching. For an adult, running around and around and around in a small loop quickly gets boring.
Anyways - here is my interpretation of that plan as a suggestion for you - little bigger than what you initially wanted, but adding those 6" each way gives you more options:
No curves is less than 10" radius, all turnouts are Atlas #4 N scale turnouts. I haven’t totally populated the layout with scenery, but the buildings drawn in are drawn to scale, based on measurements from http://www.walthers.com.
Smile,
Stein