4 x 8 plan for the son of a single parent

With a 4 x 8, it's hard to beat an outer oval around a figure eight.  There should be room for spurs/sidings.

Look at track plans google, best plans are 5x9.

If you don't have engine cars  look at polar express or Hogwarts everyone loves those!

Just recently, I had a 4x6 O layout using all atlas track. I had an O45 oval with an O72 left switch leading 8 into a half circle of O36 with a straightaway with an engine house. You could just add more straight tracks to make it 8 feet long instead of six. The layout was TMCC/Legacy with an MTH Z1000 powering the switch and lighting. Believe it or not, the biggest locomotive I have (Conrail C-630) made it through every section of track with decent clearance.

There are a plethora of track plans on this website:

http://www.thortrains.net/index.html

You're bound to find one you like.

-Greg

Ahitpy posted:

I have been made aware of a 4 year old boy, an innocent victim of a nasty divorce.  He has a K-Line battery Xmas train set but has been wanting a layout of his own.  I have plenty of left over O27 track and a few switches as well as a couple of beginner transformers.  I am not asking for donations, just layout ideas that I can use to build a first electric train board for a deserving young child.  My plan is to build it on a 4 x 8 base, with short legs for his height.  A few simple action accessories, nothing toxic of course, but also something that he can grow with.  And to deliver it on Xmas eve.

Your ideas are appreciated.

What size curves do you have?

I would recommend a modular layout. That way, as he grows, and possibly has more space, he can add more track and accessories without scrapping what you worked hard to build for him.

You could lay out the end pieces with curves transversely, and lay out the straight track longitudinally.

You could use four sheets of 2' x 4' plywood for this. 

Also, I would make the legs detachable, so as he grows, he can add longer legs.

I have had great success making starter layouts for needy children using a hollow core 36" door ( habitat for humanity often has them, plug the door knob hole, or new ones are about $30 at Home Depot without hole for door knob), with 027 with either a figure 8 , a single siding into the middle, or a combination of these depending on the age of the child, at 4, something simple and easily used would keep his attention longer, with lots of interactive stops and activities. These can be slipped under a twin bed if space is a problem, and played with on the floor, add legs or set on the kitchen table if mom allows it. 

The most used accessories I have found, are lumber loading, construction site with several trucks and a loader, a open station with lots of figures, a farm with animals and a tractor. If given the chance, their imagination keeps them going. If you can, use manual switches. 

Do they have room for a permanent layout?  One solution if they don't is to make a 3' by 6' and put it on rollers so it can roll under a single bed.

Jan

I have 27 and 42 inch curves.  I like the idea of a figure 8 surrounded with a loop and siding(s).

Not having kids I don't usually comment on these threads, but I was one once, with a very nice 4X8 027 layout built by my father (he even built some buildings), with 2 spur tracks and a passing siding.

But - stay away from the 027 curves if you possibly can; they are very limiting as to equipment choice, especially if he stays with the layout for some years. I know that square footage is not elastic, but if you can use 036 minimum diameter curves the layout will look - and run - and evolve - better.

An L-shaped (nice changes in perspective; good "here to there" action) 036 layout in a corner is a good way to go if you can swing it. 

I will let all the experts comment on ideas for your layout. I just want to say what a great guy with a good heart. I'm sure this will be one of the biggest smiles the little one has after all of the devastation. 

Dave

Having watched my grandson grow with trains, at 4 and 5 he was not that content to actually run trains as much as he wanted to play with the cars on the tracks.   I would highly recommend gondolas, flatcars and boxcars with opening doors.  Lots of autos, trucks, construction equipment and a variety of figures.  I bought different sets from Walmart.  Operating accessories are a must.  They are into playing,on the layout.  As they grow out of that stage the can change things up however they want.

You are a pretty nice person for doing this.  

Ed

Ahitpy posted:

I have 27 and 42 inch curves.  I like the idea of a figure 8 surrounded with a loop and siding(s).

That is what I was thinking. But, also thinking about space considerations at the user's location, I was also thinking about making the table into two or three pieces, along the modular ideas previously mentioned. That puts limitations on the track plan.

Where to do want to go with the physical table, one whole piece or two or three sections? You know the situation where it will be located.

Once you provide the decisions on some details, we can put together a plan.

banjoflyer posted:

As mentioned earlier Thor trains provides some neat layouts for a 4 x 8 layout:

Lists of accessories are included with each layout.

Mark

If I visualize this layout correctly a train could go thru 5 loops before returning to the first route.

What a great task you have undertaken, keep us up to date and let us know if you need anything.

Unless this is one really exceptionally gifted four year old, I think you guys may be over shooting a little bit here.  Before you do anything, I would have a talk with the parent to see what would fit their needs. 

There was an article a couple years ago in one of the magazines with a layout built on the bottom of a perpendicular bunk bed.  If living space is an issue, that may be a good option.  

I think this is a really neat gesture on your part, but before doing anything I would recommend talking to the parent to find out a)if they feel the kid is ready for a layout and b)if they have the space. A layout that rolls under the bed can work great, but it could be there isn't space to roll the layout out in the room he will be sleeping in. Once you have the go ahead from the parent, I kind of like the plan banjoflyer posted, obviously that is subject to what kind of track you have and such. Again, I think it is a really generous offer on your part, and I am sure the kid will love it.

Very neat idea.

I would suggest including a railer like this, not sure if the make it for tubular.  Getting the wheels on the track are the hardest part for the young ones, in my experience.

I would also include little figures of shows they recognize - Paw Patrol, Mickey Mouse, or other characters that you know he would like.  They make good passengers for the gondolas    

I have spoken with the parent (mother) and maternal grandfather and they agree that a 4 x 8 layout is good and manageable.  I tend to agree with others that "playing" is key...we all played with trains before we became modelers .  I want to leave room on the board so he can "build" with legos....

027 42" curves on the outer loop, 27" curves on the figure 8 and a couple of sidings.....

I'll paint the board green, with black road..

Let's see what we can come up with...

I made this for my son and it fit under his bunk bed.  It's 5 x 3.5 and done with FasTrack. 

We'd pull it out from under his bed and run trains.  I also had a dummy F3 that he liked to push around the track.  I think he did that more then run the electric one.  I also had a road on there and he loved driving his Hot Wheels on it and over the track at grade crossings.  And the best part was since it was only a couple inches off of the floor, if a train came off of the track due to being run too fast it didn't have far to go.

If I were to do it over I'd do it with Atlas track.  And if going 4x8 I'd do this.

I would build an Oval and Figure 8 using 4 switches.  I  have found this to be a very good plan with limited cost and maximum operation fun. 

It provides two major operation runs with oval or figure 8, and reversing in either direction.

My brother and I had such a layout up for two weeks at Christmas until 10 or 11 years old and the advent of U control O27 airplanes.  I included in in my layouts initial train board stared over 40 years ago.  A $10 scratch built turntable can be added by adding one more switch as in my topic

https://ogrforum.com/...ra-027-layout?page=1  post 9.

See my inner circuit on the pictures below.

Charlie

Something I've considered with these "starter" layout boards is to have a fixed track plan on a platform at ground level (perhaps a 3/4in plywood board), such as those offered above, but also include a couple switches at the corners that diverge off the board to allow creative expansion on the floor space around the board.  When I was a kid, and even now, I enjoy creating and building the track plan, and then changing things around again later.  You could include additional track with the board for him to use.  Obviously, a four year old would need some guidance, but this concept allows the child to have a fool proof working figure 8/oval, and allow him to experiment with other concepts as he grows older.  You could include a couple small wedge pieces to help with the grade change off the board.

4x8 layout board:

4x8 layout board with temporary expansion onto floor:

Also, for easy sliding under a bed you could stick a few of these furniture slides on the bottom:

Moonman posted:

 

Looks perfect, to me, and I still -- play with trains!

Do they want a permanent layout or something they can quickly setup and play with?  I just built a convertible 4x8 layout. It is a train layout on one side and a flat table on the other. The layout table pivots on the center ends so you can pick the side you need. Made the end frames so you can flip it vertical, fold back one half of the end frames  and it only takes up 2 ft.

Something else to look at is the Woodland Scenics grass mat. It is slightly bigger than 4x8 so you can just lay it out, staple it down, trim it, and voila! You have grass!.  Just lay your track over the top. You could scrape off the grass and paint in roads if you want of just paint them in over the grass.

Outer Main is Lionel 042, inner Main Menards 036. Lionel O31 for the accessory sidings and passing siding.