Can any one giude me in the correct area to find a ho scale track plan that fits these dimensions. I am looking for a around the room style layout. two tracks with a rising incline on one of them. for a bridge. I have checked the track plan database with no luck. Is there a site or somewhere i can find this.
Cheers,
Welcome to the forums.
A couple of pieces of information needed to help the folks give you a more complete answer.
What scale?
A diagram of the available area with such things as doors, windows, furnaces, posts, electric panel and other such things that are in the way or need access to.
Era and location will also give some additional ideas of what may fit your desires.
Since you haven’t found something to fit your space, have you read John Armstrong’s “Track Planning for Realistic Operation?” Even if you are not heavily into operations, it has a lot of good ideas on track planning. You have a basic idea of what you want, so you can expand from there.
Good luck,
Richard
HI Thank you fro your response, Its going to be in ho scale seeing how the previous trains were in that scale and i have a lot of stock. I plan to do it in chessie seeing as when i was younger i fell in love with the paint scheme. I have recently got married and bought a house and that is all th space i have. no windows or furnace just the size of the room to limit me. Era modern to early 80’s.
Cheers,
OK. Now a couple of more questions.
Do you want continuous running? If so do you want it full time or only for when visitors. (If kids are in the possible future, they like to watch things keep going round and round.)
If you have a continuous loop around the room, you will need to plan a duck under or some sort of gate.
Another thing for you to think about is layout height. This has little to do with the track plan, but something you will have to decide. Somewhere around chest height is concidered “best” viewing angle, but some folks like it a bit lower. Here again, if kids will be watching, lower will be better for them. I am planning mine a little lower, with stools to operate from, thus easy to work on, as it will be a little lower than chest height.
How much switching would you like? A city yard or more of an industrial district?
Are there any types of industries you’d specifically like to have?
Hidden staging or everything in view?
If you plan a 2’ wide around the room shelf, that will leave you a nice 4’ central operating area. 30" is the deepest recommended width, as it is difficult to reach the back of the layout much further than that with buildings and scenery in place. If you wanted a to widen it 30" all the way or part of the way you have plenty of room, as you’d still have a 3’ operating area.
Afraid I’m not much of a planner, just asking the questions that I have seen other folks ask as they were trying to help in similar situations. My dream plan is a single track mainline with a double ended yard, serving as both ends of the run, that will have some surrounding rail served customers. There will be a small town on the opposite side for some local switching and several single spur industries along the route. Haven’t decided if I will have a hidden line for interchange traffic or not. Dream is on hold until I get&nb
Have you checked out the HOG (Heart of Georgia)? The published plan is a single-track in 8’ x 9’, but it looks like it could be rather easily expanded and redrawn as a double-track. At least I hope so, because that is what I hope to do with it. I’m a newbie just like you though, so we’ll see.
hi,
i found these ones, though they are not suited to modern model railroading. Long modern freightcars (89 ft) require a 32+ inch radius and #6 or #8 switches.
As you can see a drawing of your room would be welcome. The “behind the backdrop” scenes are at the open side facing the room.
The second plan is greatly influenced by the HOG and has a 24" minimum radius; the third is a Pelle Soeberg design redrawn for a smaller room.
Smile
Paul
HI where did you find this?
hi Noname
you 'll be disappointed, such a database does not exist. Some “would be” designers have a database of their own, beside having various books about track-planning.
Planning starts with a drawing of your room and dreaming about the trains you would love to run. Easily said but how do you envision running them? And do they fit on the radii and switches you are planning to use?
Designing a railroad with a long main with broad radii suited for long modern trains (and cars or coaches) is quite different from a layout tailored for the wayfreight or a local switcher in the fifties.
The original design by Pelle Soeberg had 32+ radii and due to the grades to get to the underground staging area no other stations then the one before the east wall. His layout was not designed for loads of operation, he kept it pretty empty. Long modern freight trains however do have space to run and are looking great on his pike. And some local switching, including the plant on the peninsula, is possible too. In this design you could let the the trains cross each other by a bridge build at the south wall, before the lower track disappears into staging.
It is up to you to come up with your wishes and to come up with a possible trackplan. Only if you know where you are heading to, people on here are able to help you. I have some money and some space, please design me a house is not enough.
Smile
Paul
Hi Paul my name is Henry , thanks for the advice.