Ahh… My big dilema… I’m starting to think about really tearing down my layout and starting over, there are so many things I would do differently.
My family and I currently rent a duplex with a decent size basement, my layout, which is your typical 4’x8’, occupies an 8’x12’ corner of that basement with a workbench on one side and the washer/dryer on the other. We were planning on moving so I figured the 4’x8’ would be a great way to get trains up and running and test out various tricks, etc on scenery. The layout hasn’t progressed very far scenery wise, all track work is done so it’s a dog bone running on a painted piece of foam with a tunnel/hill on one end and a stream at the other that is a long way from seeing water.
In reviewing my track plan (sketch can be found here) there are many things I’d love to do differently, primarily making better use of the space. I’m considering tearing down the whole layout and building a shelf style in modular form so that when the time comes to actually move, it will be easy to relocate and possibly reuse the existing modules. We forsee being in the home another two years.
This would also give me the oppertunity to plan my yard better and add staging
I’ve put about a year’s worth of time into the current layout so it isn’t a huge amount of lost time and could reuse most of the flex track. I would change my #4 turnouts to #6’s though and expand my 18" radius to 22".
Not too long ago, I found myself in a similar situation. My 4x8 was taking up too much space and was a pain to work on. It had to go. I tore it down and built an L-shaped sectional layout consisting of 2x6 foot sections, plus a 4x4 foot corner. Since it’s only 2 feet wide (well, 4 at the corner) it wouldn’t take up an entire room. Plus, if I ever have to move it (like I did last weekend when the layout was moved into a new house), it’s a million times easier. 4x8s are easy to build, but they’re a beast to move
Your situation sounds very similar to mine. I think the only thing that’s holding me back is the ability for continuous running. My step son enjoys operating the layout, but more from the point of allowing the trains to go around the loop, not so much in the switching, etc that I enjoy. If I were to put a reverse loop at both ends, that would suck up a great deal of the space I have available for use.
An option that I intend to employ to obtain continuous running (my next layout will start out as a shelf) is a portable simple oval layout with a few (2-3) turnouts that will be stood against the wall when not in use. I need the continuous run to test and tune my kit locomotives, as well as to satisfy the kids and my “watch trains run” needs that arise from time to time. I have found that a portable continuous run layout should be a maximum of 48" x 75", and smaller is better.
Having the continuous run layout fold up against the wall is another means to the same end. Or make the end loops fold up/fold down.
If you can arrange more of a U-shaped layout with the room’s opening at the top of the U, then you can get continuous running by adding a lift-off bridge across the top. I like continuous running on my layout while I’m keeping busy with switching. I find that the “traffic” on the main line adds another degree of realism to the switching operations.
While I am not one to advised tearing out a layout without thinking it over I think you should follow your current modular ideas because as you know come time to move they can go with you…
I do suggest that your track plan be based on your givens and druthers based on good LDEs.
There are as many reasons for starting over as there are people doing it. In my case it was a dramatic increase in the space I had available - in the same place. My wife ceded her half of the garage to me.
Unfortunately, the original layout was not well suited to enlargement. On the other hand, my list of, “givens and druthers,” is pretty much set in stone. By opting for a total redesign I managed to expand the operating scheme and include more of my want list items.
As it turned out, the only thing I could salvage from the earlier layout was one large L-girder “table,” and even then, it required some major rebuilding and an end swap. Looking at those wide open (not even roadbed) spaces, I have to keep telling myself that it will all be worth it - eventually.
Hope you find that redesigning will lead to a better railroad. I did!
Thanks everyone for your replies. I knew when posting this topic that there would definately be varied responses but it was definately worth getting the feedback. I’ve decided that I am going to go ahead and start fresh so no new work will be done on the existing layout short of building a few more kits which would be used on the new one anyway.
Now comes the time for one of my favorite parts of the hobby… designing a new track plan! I’m definately going to take a modular aproach, possibly using the bases that Woodland Scenics has available for their mod-u-rail system and then putting foam on the top of those.
I’m likely going modular on my next layout also (which will be my first as an adult). I know my first attempts will not be stellar. With a modular layout, in 6 months, you could go, “that first module was terrible… I’m going to replace it”, etc., without tearing out a huge layout, or a section that’s difficult to remove from other sections, etc.
Your efforts could then be re-concentrated on a 2x6ft or so section - seems much less daunting than even, say, a 4 x 8!
