As of two weeks ago, I had planned to use Woodland Scenics SubTerrain system on a 4x8 board for a summer layout project. Sadly, that won’t be happening anymore. Now, I have no other option for a summer layout. I have a table, but my family is moving next year and I can’t bring the table, so it seems silly to set up something super permanent there. Ah well, I was sad about not having a summer layout to build for about 32 minutes before I realized WAIT! I know just what to do!
I decided that, for this summer, I would purchase a bunch of Bachmann E-Z track and put a temporary setup on the table. Easy to remove when it’s time, and gives me a place to run my trains/add scenery around just for the summer. I know for the majority of the folks on here, it’s a net loss because of all the downfalls (Not a true layout, Bachmann track has a ton of faults, I probably won’t be able to use it in the future, etc), but for me, it’s absolutely a net gain. I’m only sixteen years old without my own steady source of income. I like watching trains run more than building the physical layout (at least I think so…). Once we move, I’m planning to be way more serious about building an actual layout. At this point though, I just want some minor scenery and a cool trackplan to run my trains on.
That being said, I’ve done a ton of searching and I can’t find a single Bachmann E-Z track layout that I like that could fit on the 4x12 space I have. I was hoping someone might have a layout for me, or would be willing to draw up one. I’m useless with planning softwares myself, and I want to make sure I buy only the track I need. If anyone could help, I would really appreciate. Even better, if you have a better solution, I’m absolutely all ears. I haven’t purchased anything at all, so nothing is final.
I have an article that I based my own layout on http://xdford.digitalzones.com on as well as a couple of articles on “growing” a layout on a limited budget as well as operating a small layout, all free/gratis/nothing/all of the previous if you care to PM me or direct at xdford47@yahoo.com.au
Enjoy the railroad… I’ve been at it for 50 plus years and never lost interest!
I was just checking through stuff and found I have made the same offer to you before… sorry mate!
Personally I would use either Peco set track or Atlas track rather than the Bachmann track but that it a personal opinion. I like the idea of very long sweeping curves rather than dead straight track so I would use set track curves and flex track for the “straight” sections.
Although the front sections of my own layout appear straight and parallel, they are in fact slightly offset and (I think) give an appearance of extra length.
Good luck with your project and your projected move…
Gidday Griffin, the following is intended to be helpful but perhaps not in the way you wish.
Whether you’re 16 or 60, having a steady income that can be dedicated to a model railroading budget, is not a given. Welcome to the ranks of a high % of your fellow model railroaders.[swg]
Don’t go selling yourself short, a simple oval of Bachmann E-Z track allows you to do the following.
I suggest you have a look here, as you will find a very talented modeller running his trains on, what looks like, Bachmann E-Z track oval, set up (Shock, Horror) on the floor!!
I’ll have to agree with just about everything the ‘‘Bear’’ said…just not the accent. LOL… When I was younger living in the city (Chgo) I started out with an American Flyer trainset a smokin’ 4-6-2 with freight cars…of course the only way to play with that was on the floor, We lived in a two bedroom apartment, that My sister and I shared one of them. It was a rather long room, but not as wide. She had the left side, Me the right. We had started out using bunk beds, which We took apart. My parents decided to get Her a better bed. I declined and wanted the bunk beds. Then I was hit with the HO bug…1950 and I was eight yrs. old. That Christmas I got a Varney trainset and a whole new world opened up. I did not enjoy running that on the floor at all.[:(] Then like a bolt of lightening I was struck with an idea…take the springs out of the angle iron frame from the unused bunk bed frame and put the bunk beds back together with a piece of plywood on top for My very own 4x8 layout. I did exactly that. Could not afford a full sheet of plywood, but made it from numerous pieces, with a hole cut out in the center so I could work on parts without having to climb around on the top…worked like a charm. When We moved 3 yrs. later, the layout went with Me and become a starting point for a much larger layout that I built in My parents attic. The bunk bed layout was to Me pretty unique, did not take up any more space than the bed, did not have to put it away or shove it under the bed, when done playing or working on it and I built it all by Myself…Although young, I was pretty good with hand tools for My age. I did not have a Father that was into hobby’s…Hunting/fishing only.
Just thought I would pass My story on to You to say with a little planning almost anything is possible. ‘‘What ever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve’’ I forgot who said that…but I believe it.
I can’t be of much help in finding a layout plan but I have to think even the Atlas and Kalmbach layout books could be at least helpful in finding something.
What I can tell you is that Bachmann EZ track can be reused, with some work, on a “regular” layout where the sectional or flex track is laid on cork roadbed. You have to elevate the HO thickness cork roadbed slightly with a subroadbed of N scale thickness roadbed, such as the Woodland Scenics black foam roadbed meant for N scale trains. The combined heights make the rail match just about perfectly. You’d cut away the plastic “claw” that mates one piece of EZ track to another.
I cannot recommend as between the integral track systems of Kato, LifeLike, Bachmann, Atlas, Peco etc. All of them can, with some thought and work, be mated with regular track.
For a temporary beginners layout, I gave a clinic to my NMRA division’s “Beginner’s Meet” showing how Bachmann or LifeLike integral track from train sets can be kept in place, at least on a semi temporary basis, using pieces of double sided transfer tape. I used transfer tape for a piece of track on a piece of plywood and showed how I could hold the plywood upside down and shake it and the track did not come off. So you neither nail nor glue it down (doing that can make the track difficult to reuse). When you want to remove the track, you just spatula the track up. Easy and the track is good as new. An alternative to transfer tape are the “glue dots” for sale at craft stores. They are actually small ovals of transfer tape.
I have three sets of Bachmann track. Two sets of tracks I have 18" curves and 22" curve with a pair of switches. One of switches is struck to turn the points.
I have no problem with it. I run it on a yearly or bi-year basis.
I found this 4x8 layout, it can expanded into 4 extra feet.
I picked up a book at the hobby shop a couple years ago put out by bachmann that had different layout plans in them with the parts list of what you would need and an article about how to build it. I bought it for the cass senic railroad plan. Thought i might build that one some day.
The turnouts are obvious. The curve on the right is 22" radius (or something larger than 18" anyway) and the other curves are likely all 18" radius.
Any turnout leading to a curve directly are the STD turnouts. The one on the switchback at the top and the 4 at the bottom - the crossover and the siding on the pier, are the #5’s, and the one just above and to the left of the tower is the wye. How do I know this? That may be the one piece of information you are lacking - the STD turnouts have a curve int he diverging route that matches 18" radius curves, like most brands of sectional track. A #5 has a 1 in 5 straight diverging route, not a curve. So all the turnouts where the diverging route comes out at an angle, with no curve, would be the #5’s listed in the BOM and the ones where the diverging route is part of a curve like the ones inserted in the main line top and bottom left would be standard turnouts.
The straight and curve pieces should be easy enough to figure, what is a full piece and what are the shorter ones.
Gidday Griffin, I’m not deliberately trying to discourage you but the Kato instructions for this track plan say this, “(minimum table size of at least 5’-6” X 11’-0” is recommended)”.
So, attempting to compress this track plan by 1 1/2’ x 3’ is going to leave you with something completely different.
If you are now set on using Kato Unitrack, I’d suggest that you look for a plan that fits your actual area.
A Google search using kato unitrack ho scale track plans shows several.
That Kato plan looks extremely boring compared to the EZ Track one. Much more fun switching and stuff on the EZ Track one. And the Kato one just won’t fit your space.
Oh and Bachmann EZ Track is much less expensive than Kato Unitrak for something that will be temporary.
any other ideas?