Need Help and Ideas for 9x13 Room Layout

Model Railroader Layouts and layout building
1

Any Suggestions for my new layout would be appreciated. I was planning on doing a shelf and table benchwork around the room. A duck under or flip top is my options. I want to be able to run any size train, as my last layut had 22’’ radius, and had problems running some of my passenger cars. Im looking for the longest main line run possible in this small space. I had one idea of a bent dog bone, where the loops run above and below, hiding one of the main lines for realism.

Thanks, much appreciated.

Gregg

2

I’m not really surprised you haven’t received any responses to this yet because…

  1. you don’t state what scale you’re working in

  2. you don’t state things like where the door in the room is, if there are any windows, etc.

  3. You sort-of indicate what kind of trains you want to run, passenger cars that didn’t like 22" curves, which also kinda gives away you’re in HO.

  4. What else is important, continuous running? industrial switching? if you like passengers would you like a passenger terminal?

  5. can this thing take up the whole room, or will the room need to be able to be used for something other than trains?

  6. if you want passenger trains, how long? how many scale feet long?

I am currently designing a 12’ x 11’ room layout, so I might be able to give some ideas.

3

ok… well…my name states “IMODELHO”, so that might be an indication of what scale… 9x13 is the space I have for the layout. another good indication of size i am working with… 9x13 is the exact measurement, if the door was an issue or if i was using other angles, I would have posted it…, I also stated that I wanted to design the longest main line, so that is a good indication that I want to run the layout ultimately in a circle. I do not want to use anything less than 22’’ radius curves. .I did not think I had to spell everything out for people, especailly for us modelers who are way above the novice level.

But thank you so much for your input.

4

Gregg, many of us do not really read the screen names, I as well miss the HO part.

I am going to build a round the room bench as well and like you I want a long run on the main. One of the ideas I have played with is having one main line on two levels. Plus I like mountains, so it would fit with the dual level main. I want the high part around 8 inches high, in my room that requires a 3.5 grade.

One thing you did not post is how wide the bench will be. If it is 3 foot wide, that will hold a lot of rails and 36 inch radii will fit. I have been trying to figure out a Cad track planner and it shows a 3 foot section will hold a 36, 33 and a 30 inch mains and still leave some room.

Another ideas is this. With my coming round the room bench being 3 foot wide. Back of it will have a 14 inch tall bench that would be around 8 inches wide with a separate main, a 22 inch turn will fit. If I where to make it 10 inch’s wide a 28 radii will fit. It will not hook to the lower main, be its own loop. I will use foam to make the mountains and cliffs so it will blend into the lower level. I would all so run the lower level mains in and out of the mountains, got to have tunnels you know. No need for a steep grade and still have the mountain look I like.

Good luck and give some feed back.

Cuda Ken