Small Big Box N Scale Shelf Layout - 20"x29"

Model Railroader Layouts and layout building
1

While I still love Free-moN, I’ve given away all my modules except Shoofly, meaning my only “home layout” is my 1’x6’ Alameda Belt-in-a-Box shelf switching layout.
I really miss my 23"x41" Mt. Coffin & Columbia River layout:

& the fact that I could just fire it up & zone out or work while watching trains roll round through scenes.
[Crappy trackwork subverted the rolling, thus the scrapping]

A year ago or so, inspired by the small layouts of David K Smith & Chris333, I built some 10"x29" module sections that could be paired back to back to create a table-top roundy round layout:

Or end to end to create a linear switching layout:

Why 10"x29"? Because most important, I designed & built them so they could “stack” & fit into a standard IKEA shelving unit:

2

Gorilla Glued GapMasters at the boundaries:

Two ties on each side is probably enough, so I can cut them in half.

Put down some cardstock to layout the turnouts:

Will need one 3-way turnout with two curved diverging routes, so I mocked it up on AnyRail using 8 1/2" radii & then “easementing” the section through the frogs a bit to create a template:

For the other side I darkened the rail tops with marker, turned it upside down, & pressed into position to create the diverging route.
In between used Fast Tracks templates:

Building this as all one unit:

3

Man, you have good ideas for designing and placing layouts within shelves.

4

Nice work! Nice materials too.

I’m always interested when I see turnouts being hand made. The fact that yours are in N scale and you are building a three-way turnout is enthralling. Personally I haven’t the patience but I admire those who do.

Dave

5

Love your work! Great to see you working on something for yourself. This layout looks like a lot of fun. Will be checking this thread often!

Tim

6

That there is some interesting stuff going on.

7

Thanks for all the kind words.

Me neither, which is why I have a soccer match / Golden State Warriors on while I’m working.
I cut a couple pieces, file a couple others, notch some already cut, & solder 2-4 that I’ve finished the last session.

And that takes about 2 hours / 3-4 beers.

Trying to go slow, because if this key 3-way turnout doesn’t work, then the whole layout doesn’t work.
And I really don’t want to do this turnout over [:-^]

8

After the curved 3-way, the next two “normal” turnouts turned out to take less time than Curry & the Warriors to defeat OKC:

Still have one more turnout to go on this fixture, at the far left:

Once everything is done I’ll do the iso cuts.
The fixture on the opposite module should be relatively easy, with the most difficult aspect a crossing very close to the main coming off facing turnouts.
But already messing up one crossing on my Alameda Belt layout should help me mess this on up a little less, or at least in new ways

9

With the amount of razzle dazzle that Mr Curry comes up with, it’s a wonder that your eyes are not glued to the screen.
Good to be able to view a new build, thanks MC.
Cheers, the Bear.[:)]

10

That’s why what should take under an hour takes three [8-|]