Thinking outside the ( 4x8 ) box

Model Railroader Layouts and layout building
1

Well, it looks I have the opportunity to create a larger HO scale layout in my basement.

I had started building our existing 4x8 HO layout (old pictures here: http://www.trains.com/TRC/CS/forums/977938/ShowPost.aspx ) a couple years ago for my older son. About a year ago, I started a second 4x8 layout for my younger son, for the Lionel (O-scale) train set he had received for Christmas. As it turns out, the O-scale layout has not seen much action, and all have agreed that the available model-railroading realestate in the basement can be wholly consumed by an HO layout.

Here’s what I have to work with:

The squares in the figure are 12" x 12".
The top, left, and right sides are walls.
The white area is available layout space
The yellow area is mandatory access/aisle space.
The red area is off limits – walls, washer/dryer, furnace, electrical box, etc.
The smaller 3x10 area on the right can be accessed by a 90 deg curve of 28.5" to 32" radius including transition curves (as shown in the figure, according to the Atlas RTS software.)

For prototype “inspiration,” I am looking at transition era freight and passenger operations along the Hudson River / Valley (New York.) In particular, the Hudson Highlands (Beacon to Peekskill) and the Beacon Branch (Beacon to Hopewell Junction.) However, I don’t expect (or want) the layout to be historically accurate.

So, what do we want out of this layout?

  • Passenger and freight operations.
  • Steam locos (in particular, Hudson class) and early diesels (in particular, E’s and F’s)
  • Passenger trains, including Walther’s “Pullman-Built Heavyweight” cars.
  • A double main
  • A junction with a grade. In particular, river-level tracks meet inland tracks.
  • A continuous loop

M

2

Right off the bat, I’d keep the right hand long and thin area for either a yard, or for staging…with a nod toward the staging. More an eye movement. If you have several trains that you’d like to call on in any one session, keeping them in staging really makes things work.

The rest is substantial and wide open. You’ll need a central access aisle of some kind to reach things. But apart from that, you have room for a generous folded loop, even room for a nice elevation change…say, 6-8" to keep it at or below 3%. You have space for maybe a double main loop, sidings, a small but functional yard, engine servicing, several industries. With some thought, if you want scenery, plan it for bridges and trestles.

Why not doodle for an hour and come up with two or three good plans, then image them and post them here? Several guys have done just that and ended up with mightily tight and potentially excellent plans.