I am new to this forum. I usally run G gauge outside, but this winter I would like to have an indoor O27 for my kids and I to “play trains” with.
Here is a little back ground. We live in a 12’ by 60’ mobile home, so we have VERY LIMITED space. I would like to have a 3’ by 5’ layout with some action to help keep it fun for us andmaybe one yard siding. I have looked at some here on the net, but haven’t found the “right” one as of yet.
I found one that is very close. It was a rual farm layout with a lot of scenery and such. I just didn’t know if someone on here might be able to help out or not. I don’t have any layout software, but to be honest, when I do use them (friends) I can’t seem to figure out what I am doing.
[#welcome] to the forum Matt !! You’re only limited by your imagination as to what you can put in a smaller layout !! Lots of guys have just that size you mentioned & have plenty of action on it. The site below will give you some more ideas & hope this helps !! A small lyaout is the best place to start !! Gets you familiar with everything & a chance to decide what you may want in a bigger layout down the road.
Welcome to the forum! My first layout was 3 ft by 5 ft, using 027 track - I was in a small home with no basement or extra space. I started with a train set loop - then added track to make it an oval - then added two interior switches on each of the 5 ft sides that gave me two sidings - I made them team tracks to keep the scenery down - Here’s another idea I used: folding legs on the table. So I could take it down and slide it behind the couch when I was done. The track stayed and I took the trees and buildings off. Thor’s website has lots of other clever layout ideas - I discovered it after I was done.
My first layout was about 3 1/2 x 4 1/2 feet, similar to yours, due to lack of space and materials. I used a plan from Thor’s site (www.thortrains.net) that essentially made an outer loop with two small inner loops created by adding two pairs of switches. It was a fun layout, especially for the minimal investment (I was only short a pair of switches and a couple of sections of track).
Find a track plan that’s appealing to you, then put what you can in the space available. 3x5 is enough room for at least one operating accessory, and you can fit more on it and make it look bigger by using 1:64 scale (S scale) vehicles and such whenever possible. O27 locos and cars wont dwarf the 1:64 stuff. If you make every square inch count, you can have a great layout even in that small of a space.
Why don’t you post that near-miss layout you found so some of us can tinker with it a little?
This is the layout I am thinking of. My wife grew up and farms and my childs grandparents still own them. I thought it would bring the farming and railroading together, as to keep their intrest up.
Thank you for your help. It is wonderful to have a site like this one.
There should be enough room to add a siding up front there. Sub in a switch for one of the curves and then snake out. You’ll lose the TV station in the front left, but you’ll gain your siding.
Nice looking! I’ve seen layouts like this at train shows many times, and they always draw a crowd. One thing said before needs to be emphasized: use “027” sized engines and cars. I would recommend small diesel switchers (nothing bigger than an NW-2 and maybe even small “Vulcan style” switchers) and one of Lionel’s new “Dockside” steam switchers would be perfect if you want to go with steam. Have fun!
How about sliding it under a bed? A twin bed is 39x75 inches. Those extra 3 inches of width would allow a little margin outside the track of the layout you’re looking at; and you could make the layout almost 6-feet long and still clear the legs of the bed. And the layout doesn’t take up any floor space when it isn’t in use.
Another way to get more of a margin is to slide the switches that connect to the double-ended siding 45 degrees around the corner, so that the siding has only a single curved piece at each end. This would bring it about 3 inches closer to the figure-8 main line.
With 39.5 inches, you could still do the figure-8 inside the inner loop for reversing and put a double crossover in a corner (or two corners), to get between loops. The crossover would put the outside tracks 6.25 inches apart on the long sides, which is plenty of clearance.
Even better, you could put a single crossover at two corners along one long side and use Marx O34 for the corners of the outside loop. This would fit within 39 inches and would give you a place to run longer pieces (certainly the ones that need O31) when you want.
For locomotives and rolling stock, you might consider the “BEEP” and it’s growing family by RMT trains. They run on O-27 track, and for want of a better word are truncated lengthwise. They look very good on small layouts, are relatively inexpensive, and are said to be very good quality. From what others have said on this and the OGR forum, you can get a lot of action in limited space with RMT. (I do not have any personal experience with them – yet.)
Check out the website and do some searching on the forums. Spend some time studying the site. Ask for opinions from other forum members. They might be just what you’re looking for.
Small and relatively affordable motive power I would recommend for a small layout:
RMT BEEP (best value overall at around $50 or so)
RMT BUDDY (around $65 or so, as I recall; very nice, but tends to run a bit too fast)
Lionel 0-6-0 Dockside (at around $90 or so, a best value in an under-$100 die-cast locomotive)
Lionel O-4-0 (about $150, and a very nice, small, die-cast locomotive)
K-Line Plymouth (at around $65, another best value in the under-$100 range; still widely available, and Lionel will supposedly reissue in 2007)
RMT BEEF (when ultimately released/reviews not yet in)
MTH, Lionel, Atlas, or Williams SW or NW switchers (price depends on brand and features)
MTH Brill (with PS2) or Birney trolleys (Brills w/PS2 at around $200; Birneys at around $50)
MTH Dockside (around $140 these days, I believe; a bit noisy due to the somewhat unusual grooved driver wheels)
These are just personal recommendations based on models I currently have (except for the still-to-be-released BEEF). Prices are only estimates based on what I remember paying or have seen advertised. Shop around a bit and you can likely do better.
The beeps wide wheel spacing can make 027 operation problematic. It can be done successfully but once in a while you might jump off the track especially on a reverse S curve.
3’x5’ means that the structures will have to be S Scale and HO Scale in proportion.
What springs to mind for buildings are the less than O Scale structures made by Bachmann as Plasticville and Ertl Farm Buildings. Bachmann and Ertl are a place to start.
Gee, I have a ton of BEEPs (well, actually only 15) and I run them on my O27 layout (Atlas track) all the time–reverse curves and all. Have never had one of them derail. They also negotiate the switches just fine.
Indeed, there were problems with the earliest BEEPs (first production run) derailing cars on O27 curves. This was caused by inadequate clearance between the coupler arm and pilot structure, and the problem was corrected in all subsequent production runs. The problem with those earlier models can also be easily corrected with a little X-acto knife surgery (not visible) on the pilot, and RMT will even provide you with a diagram of what to do if you have that problem. None of the BEEPs you buy today will have that sort of problem operating on O27 track/curves. They are excellent–ideal, even–little locomotives for a small layout.
I’m also working on a small O27 layout (4x8) and want to know if HO scale buildings will look OK with my trains. I assume by your response the answer is yes?
Perhaps I should confess that when my Beeps jump of track it is usually because the track is not perfect. When I had beeps climbing an 027 spiral they would jump off the track under heavy load at the same two locations. Perhaps if I worked on the track enough I could have fixed it. Still, they are not as forgiving as my Plymouth Switcher.
I am still trying to hash out the details with the banker/real estate tycoon (wife). I do have to admit it is an uphill battle. She keeps reminding me that I have a 50’ by 60’ layout outside.
