15'x40'

Thanks David.
 I keep feeling like a "fish out of water" in O Scale. It's truely aweome as far as the size&have enjoyed many videos of different layouts.
I come fresh out of 30+ years in HO& over those years,I bought many times faster than I could build. Now I'm faced with a dilema. I'm depending on sales of my HO to largely fund my O scale. Nothing moves,so I'm held back there. Most of my collection never made it out of the box stage and are brand new. I've got 30+ locos alone in pristeen condition.
I watch ebay for bargains&have found some nice pieces of rolling stock,but the others I try to buy I get outbid on.
I'm looking to build using mostly Ross #4 turnouts,with Gargraves flextrack using 2 rail radius because I want to install some type of scale couplers with release levers like the Prototype railroads use.
I guess I'm trying to do too much too fast.
You hit on a point that presents a real problem:a lack of O scale only track plans I can study&restuding taking highlights from different plans&putting something together. I learnedin HO a long time ago, if you don't have plans&goals to work at you'll wonder aimlessly in the wilderness.
 
Thanks for your insight!
Al

Al,

yes, 1/4 scale is daunting. The layout design becomes an artistic endeavor to reduce the cramped look and still have operational realism with visual appeal.

 

A switching layout can quickly increase the ratio of track to scenery, increasing the challenge of avoiding the cramped look.

 

The train will always draw the eye of the viewer in O scale. Like Rocky said of a recent post "they're big".

 

Spend some time viewing layouts on the web wherever you can find them. This will help with your perspective of what can look good to you.

 

My initial impression is that you would like the looks of an around the room single mainline with your yard(s) and industries at opposite ends on opposite sides. Definitely not a table approach. Think 072 mainline.

 

Taking your experience and starting the entire planning process with a definite list of "givens and druthers" would help ease your mind on the cramping. Selecting which "layout design elements" are a must for you will provide a foundation to begin sketching something. Then mix in an artistic eye to create the visual perception that it's 80' x 40'.

 

Enjoy the journey!

 

Thank you Moonman for the excellent input. I've got ideas,maybe even sticking the mainline inside my existing 4 tier shelving to get some use out of that space. I was going to have a double main,but that;s gone. I want 1 main for running with a passing siding or maybe just double ended runarounds that might serve the same purpose. Even considered linking 2 yards with multiple industries everywhere,so switching wouldn't have 2 have special considerations as far as space. Radius wise, how does 072 compair to 54"?  
 
Got a full day ahead,but will be in touch.
Thanks again,gentlemen.
Al

Sorry, Al . I overlooked that you were using radius or 108. 072 is only a 36" radius.

54" radius out on the mainline will be very nice. Some have dropped down into the 90's to accommodate a reverse loop or smaller turnaround.

 

Enjoy your day.

 

This is the original plan for my layout designed my friend Matt. Its 14ish X 24ish but might give you some ideas. I did not follow this plan as drawn. kept changing and tweaking as I built the layout. 

Here's an old plan I dug up from somewhere. Believe it or not, it's only 11x22 and packs impressive operation, plus continuous running. It seems to be a more urban design. I'm sure this could be stretched and the curves widened to fit your space.

 

 

Thank you. I think there may be hope for me yet.
Thanks again.
Al

Wow!! Nice layout!! This gives me a starting place. Do you know what track radii were used?
Thanks,
Al

Alan,

 

If you look carefully at the 6 inch squares where curves are obvious, my best guess is that mainline curves are about 84" radius.  Thus, I am assuming plan is O gauge/scale.  Hidden track or track where no 180 degree curve can be seen might be different.

 

Chuck

 

 

Thank you Chuck,my maximum curve only has to be 54" &someone onebay said he uses 40"-54" as long as no 89' cars are used&said it looks pretty good. Do you recommend any layout planning books for O scale only? I look at books  devoted to all scales but these focus heavily on HO without saying it.
Thanks,
Al

Actually, the curves are minimum 36" radius (O-72) on the layout image. Some of the broader ones one the "mainline loop" appear to be around 42" radius (O-84). I tend to gravitate toward layouts that will be 36" radius or better when converted to O scale. This one happened to be O scale already, and I have actually considered building it with some modifications since it literally has everything you'd need -- operation, car storage, and continuous or point-to-point running options.

Matt, I really like that layout.

Thank you,Matt.
What I'm looking at is keeping things on 1 level. Have 3' deep shelves along  50' walls-yes walls are actually 50' long but have shelving on both ends &sides,so I have to take out 3' on both sides&ends as shelves go around entire basement except on 1 side there's about a 20' area without shelving due to appliances such as a water softner,salt tank&sump pumps,plusI allow about 2 feet for isle space. I'm thinking once shelves get cleared more ar least on 1 level as there's 4 levels of shelves,that I could use about a 35'-40' shelf for either mainlines or yard tracks. 2 possibly 3 35'yard tracks would hold tons of freight I'm thinking much more than I can afford now. I'm also thinking an industry or 2 could go in other shelves. The shelf that'd be most practical is 3' high from the floor up.
Bremen had a foam production factory that had 3 doors at 1 time. It used 1 door to unload chemicals from tank cars. The other 2 doors were used to load boxcars with foam bales. Now only 1 door is used. The other 3 doors are abandoned as far as rail use.(What a pity). The factories moved &Johns Manville took over. They only use tank cars now&load out on flatbed semis.
But I'm trying to salvage that 1 level for rail use. If I do this,depending on what guage plywood I use,I'll need to keep my layout height at 36"+ as the shelf height is roughly 37".

My original idea was double mains all the way around with crossovers. Since my emphasis is on industries&yard(s),1 mainline with passing sidings is acceptable.

A list of the industries I'm looking strongly at are as follows.
1. At least1,possibly 2 large modern grain elevators. These will load cvd hoppers of the 4750&5161 cu ft varieties. 2 or 3 tracks per elevator will be used for loading. A bulk fertilizer dealer may also be located at the elevator.
2. Paper factory. This will require 2-3 tracks. Consists will be heaviest on boxcars for paper loading,with an area for tank cars &cvd hoppers of bulk materials.
3.Steel factory. Emphasis here is on Atlas 42' coil steel cars. Tank cars&coal cars would also be used with scrap loads, also. This could also be changed out to a factory that uses steel rather than producing it,though the former would offer a wider variety of freight car types used.
4. Lumber using factory. (Bulkhead&centerbeam lumber cars). 1 track
5.Bulk factory that prodces feeds for livestock. Again this will use cvd hoppers.
6.A factory that uses small tankers of liquid sweetner,for pop,etc. 1 or 2 tracks. 17,600 gallon Atlas tanks come to mind for usage here. 1 long track or 2 medium size.
7.Johns-Manville. Uses 25,500 or 17,360 smaller tankers. 1 long siding or 2 smaller ones.

This is my list of general Priority goals for factories,that I thought might give you a better idea of what I need for track room that'll effect what I can do with my track plan overall.

By the complete 50' run of shelves,about midway is my furnace that requires roughly a 6'x6' space. The furnace is smaller,but I'm allowing room for servicing.

My celler steps have about a 2'6" space between the highest part of the steps where head room clearance comes into play. I can get 2 tracks between the steps&shelves. I then have to allow about 7' for the steps to enter the basement. In other words,I'm planning my layout to run around the steps. The steps will come down from the kitchen&enter the train room,&as stated I'm planning the trains to run on both sides of it so duckunders will be avoided.

That's a LOT to make sense out of I appologize just wanted to supply a better feel of what's going on in my cellar.

I look at all types planning books I've had over the years,but none are written for the O Scale modeler. They're "101 Track Plans," written for all scales. I need scale plans not Lionel plans n offense to tinplate,it's just not what I'm after in O Scale. My idea here is to basically bring what I had in O Scale& enlarge it into O Scale. It's not quite that simple as I found out,but this gives you a better idea of my goals which may not be possible.

I plan to put scale Protocraft couplers&airlines on all equipment. I hope a ground throw similar to the Caboose Industries 'throw will come out with rotating targets. The current model comes without. If I could mount a stand with rotating targets only&combine it to hook up to the through bar of the turnout,then I could also use the Cab Industry stand. This&Safety Shelf couplers are my 2 "must haves," for remaining in O scale. I'm told the shelf couplers are easy,the ground throw is very much in the"if" stage.
I did this years ago in HO before Caboose Industries came out with rotating targets. I don't know why this idea is almost shunned in O Scale?

Safety shelf couplers as well as standard E couplers are all available in HO from Sergent Engineering.

Thanks again Matt,will be in touch.
Al

Matt, that layout was in 48/' around '95 or so.  It was a series of three articles where I believe all the guy had to use was his dining room.

 

Very compact and well thought out, even had a traction loop to loop and a car float.  Look close  and you will see two tunnel portals where I believe he ran into a right a way procurement  issue going into the next room.

 

I revisited his plan several years ago to steal some close quarter ideas. tt

Now I remember. I used to subscribe to O Scale News. Was even consulted on an article regarding converting a K-Line bay window caboose to 2-rail. I stumbled across the plan image on the web, so someone must have scanned it with the intent of building it.

Did you have any curved turnouts on this track plan? Most t/o's look like #5s from the scale drawing. How many switches did you end up with?
 
Thank you.
Al