Hi everybody! Just got into trains and looking to build a 4x8 layout for o guage. Maybe not looking in right place but was trying to find 4x8 layouts to get different ideas from. Thanks
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Hey Santa Fe,
Welcome aboard .... For different ideas this link is a great place to start.
http://www.thortrains.net/index.html
Welcome aboard .... For different ideas this link is a great place to start.
http://www.thortrains.net/index.html
santa fe 1953,
please post your email in your profile, I have some pictures I would like to email you for 4x8.
please post your email in your profile, I have some pictures I would like to email you for 4x8.
mayersman2@yahoo.com
Thanks
Thanks
A four-by-eight is just a teeney bit too small. Adding a six-inch strip on the long side or the short side will add greatly to the visuals (or eight inches or 12 inches) and the pleasure. Finally consider a single extension between six-by-twelve inches wide by three-to five-foot long for one end as a storage siding. It can be raised up with a hinge. The only thing going for 4X8's is that plywood comes in that size, unless special ordered. I am a fan of a simple double-tracked oval with the largest radius possible. I think an O-54 (or 0-48) curve is about right for a beginning oval, single or double tracked, and that won't fit on a 4 X 8. The difference in running and visually observing between 0-27 or 0-31 and 0-54 (or Lionel fastrack 0-48 just a little bitty big for 4X8) is quite significant. Small engines, short cars (ore cars, for example) and the largest radius possible works best for me.
I've been doing what Joe said for almost eight years now. Everyone of my Christmas layouts are different from one another, but always start out with a
4x8. ALL of them, depending on what I chose to track plan, have had either a six inch extension on one side or end, and a couple of years, one on the end and one
on the side.
I use three MTH switchers, and small pro-type cars, such as short 32' hoppers and a few 36' reefers, and such, and bobber cabeese.
These layouts, I have to add, really came alive with Proto 2 and DCS. The four chuffs per revolution and the slow speeds with the engines is just great.
I always have the outside loop with larger radius track, and keep it isolated from the rest of the track so I can run conventional on it, this morning I was running my MTH B6 switcher on the inside track in command, and my 71 year old Lionel train in conventional on that outside loop!
Ed Mullan
4x8. ALL of them, depending on what I chose to track plan, have had either a six inch extension on one side or end, and a couple of years, one on the end and one
on the side.
I use three MTH switchers, and small pro-type cars, such as short 32' hoppers and a few 36' reefers, and such, and bobber cabeese.
These layouts, I have to add, really came alive with Proto 2 and DCS. The four chuffs per revolution and the slow speeds with the engines is just great.
I always have the outside loop with larger radius track, and keep it isolated from the rest of the track so I can run conventional on it, this morning I was running my MTH B6 switcher on the inside track in command, and my 71 year old Lionel train in conventional on that outside loop!
Ed Mullan
