I was thinking of picking up some books to give me some layout ideas for a 4 by 8 table. I noticed there is a 48 top notch layout book by Kalmbach, does anyone have this? Are there any that people would recommend as a must have?
Joe
Prizm76, a 4 by 8 table takes at least an 8 by 12 room to allow a small two foot aisle around it. You may want to consider going around the walls for much more total space, and easier people space. Anyway, Kalmbach is the best publisher of track plans, IMHO. Kalmbach plans are also much closer to real railroad layouts for yards, etc. Atlas seems to want to sell its track, with lots of switches, etc, in most of its plans. Anyway, if you’re a beginner, go for a book of small plans. Building a small layout may not seem like the answer to your dreams, but it will be much more fun than filling a basement, being overwhelmed, and then finding it full of spider webs a few months later! This forum is full of great people who will be more than willing to give you excellent advice. Welcome to MR if you’re new. You will have fun!
I got to tell you, I was looking at a table plan, but I’ve changed my mind. I’m going to go with some kind of around the wall shelf deal. For me, It’s going to mean more run room for my trains, more room for larger radii curves (I have a Rivarossi Challenger) and less table to reach across. I don’t know what your space limitations are, but if you can use a whole room, I would.
Joe,
One very good thing about layout books is they will give you a variety of ideas on how to design your layout. It is unlikely that you will find any one layout that is exactly what you have in mind, but take a little from this one and some from that one until your ready to start laying down the track. [:)]
REX
Yea, I have space for up to 5 4x8 tables but I wanna start building a layout on 1. I’ll probably pick up th 48 top track book and see what kind of ideas it gives me.
I basically have an half of a basement at my disposal in my house so it would be easy to bite off more than I could chew. I think it’s best to start small and get the hang of modeling and wiring.
I tried starting small in an empty garage, but the next thing I knew I was running benchwork everywhere. Hope you got more strength than I had. [:I][(-D][:D]
Edit: I just noticed you are new to the forum so…WELCOME! This is the best place to come for info and a lot of fun.
REX
Joe,
48 Top Notch Track Plans is very good. (I’m on my second copy!) You can’t go wrong. There are also a couple of modified 4x8 tables if that’s your choice, although I agree that you’ll be much more satisfied with an around the walls. You will not be unhappy with that book.
There is another book of small track plans by Ian Rice. That’s another one you should consider.
Good luck to you!
David
I have the bookm “48 Top Notch Track Plans”. While I would not call it a must have, I think it is a very good book for small layouts. “Track Planning for Realistic Operation” by John Armstrong is the must have book for layout planning. John covers what the prototype does, how you can adapt it to model railroading. and how to design a layout.
I think you are right to start small. If you are willing to tear down your layout after a year or so then a 4x8 is a good start. My first layout was a 4x8 twice around from the back of John’s book.
But if you want to run bigger engines and cars you need a bigger table so you can have a wider radius curve. Since you have the room for it, I would suggest you get two sheets of plywood. Have the lumber yard cut them length wise down the middle and then arrange them in an 8x12 configuration (center open). This requires building 4 2x8 tables, but you can reuse them later if you decide go with a bigger layout. This will let you use 30" curves and thus be able to run almost everything made in HO.
However you decide to go, welcome to the best of hobbies.
Enjoy
Paul
Thanks for the welcome guys, I look forward to becoming more active in the community.
What percentage of HO engines require 30" curves? Just out of curiosity. My main interest is diesel.
I absolutely agree-- Track Planning for Realistic Operation by John Armstrong is the must have book for layout planning.
Second would be John Armstrong on Creative Layout Design. A little more pushing the envelope over possible ways to go about a layout, whereas the first book is more the basics. But in both cases, Armstrong really covers the “WHY” of doing things a certain way, both in realistic effect and operational practicality.
(Incidently, I designed one of the layouts in Top Notch and later revised it to squeeze in one more staging track, albeit stub ended because I could squeeze in another double-eneded siding, and a 6x12 inch addition for one log spur that allowed point-to-point logging trains.)
http://www.railimages.com/albums/kennethanthony/acj.jpg
[#ditto] [#ditto]
Armstong’s Track Planning for Realistic Operations is the real must-have book! You can read it over and over and continue to come away with more information.
Good luck!
David
i would also suggest an around the walls type layout but you have to build what you feel comfortable with.
Two suggestions. one is to go down to your Local Hobby shop (LHS) and talk to the workers. If they are interested in trains then their isi a treasure trove of information. i started on a 4x8 with in a month it was torn down and ressurcted into a “donut hole layout” The problem was I didn’t build it right. so I ended up tearing that down. What got me to the point I’m at is that I started talking to my LHS and brought in a diagram of my basement. The owner drew me up a plan and I scaled it down a bit but it has everything I want in a design that will work. not everyone will do this but any LHS that has knowledge of This hobby with help you out.
the second advise is to plan for expansion. If you look at leighant’s layout he has a linee off to that side for when he wwants to expand. But there hundreds of ways to plan for expansion from building an shelf switching layout that you can add to a full layout or just putting in a switch to run to the new addition. plan for the future and the xtra money you spend will be worth it.
Andrew
With that much space available why not go modular? You can work on one module at a time which gives you light at the end of the tunnel and a sense of accomplishment but allows for easy expansion to fill that huge, beautiful, empty space!!!
this is a classic illustration of not putting enough info in the first post [:)] based on the original message i’d say that 48 top notch track plans wouldn’t be a great choice since it only has 9 plans that fit in 4 x 8 and a couple more that take slightly more space . however , it’s a very good book if you’ve got more space than that and you’re just trying to start with something small and going to expand it later . look through all the trackplans , you may see one that really impresses you , then you can start by building a small portion of it rather than building a 4 x 8 that you’ll tear down later
[2c] Regarding layout books … I’ve spent hours and hours browsing the pages of my well worn layout track plans. In all the years I’ve been engaged in the hobby, the track plans have given me ideas with which to refine what was already in my mind’s eye insofar as a track plan for the space available was concerned.
Even though my layouts are all pretty much complete - and they are when it comes to trackage - I still enjoy flipping through the dog-eared pages, just to envision whether I could have - or maybe even should have - tried this or that.
I consider these books/magazines as aids - but not in the must have category.
I’ve used layout books for ideas and the basis for my layout but made several modifications. Layout planning is the part of the hobby I like best and I spend a good deal of time studying track plans. The point is, you don’t have to stick with a single plan. Modify it to suit your purposes.
As far as the old 4 by 8 goes, I find that if you have children or grandchildren who will be using the layout regularly a 4 by 8 with room for expansion is a good option. Kids like continuous running. But, at the same time, incorporate some industry and switching. I built a layout based on the Turtle Creek Central which was featured in Model Railroader a few years back. My kids love it because it features a mountain tunnel, a river and three bridges. I like it because there is lots of switching. This year I built an extension completely different from the one featured in Model Railroader. (Mine is more of a switching puzzle.) There are great plans and ideas out there for the 4 by 8 that are much more than an oval with a couple of spurs.
[#ditto]
I’ve worn out several copies of 101 track plans, Atlas Custom Line, Track Planning for Realistic Operation, etc. books. I consider all layout planning books as sources for ideas. I don’t think I would ever build one straight out of the book. And not just during initial layout design and construction but on for going thoughts and re-configurations.
The only killer is when they start publishing the same layout in multiple books…