8x13 atlas layout.

Looks nice! Glad to hear you want a lot of scenery. The biggest negative I see in layout plans today is they are all track and no room for much scenery or buildings. After a while, the makers will get real tired of seeing nothing but engines and cars, with no real purpose other than to watch them go round n round the one train station on the layout. As you look thru the magazines, the best layouts are the ones with lots of scenery. Its good to see you are maintaining a balance between the two.  Best wishes!

I have an 8x12 running three loops (two are O72, the inside is O36). Main drawback I've had is reaching stuff in the middle. I have to have a foot stool set up to lean out there, or crawl up on the table itself, which I've done many times. It's harder in the back, because I'm 18" off a wall and my middle loop is raised with a bridge there. I've also got three of the Helper Hand claw thingies stashed around the room to reach out there ...

The primary issue I see above is the curve clearances. If you only run smaller locomotives and rolling stock, you're not too bad, but anything with overhang might hit unless you've got about 6" between the center rails. I do on mine, and when my Big Boy and Challenger come around opposite directions at times it'll make you cringe, but I've adjusted everything to where nothing hits, though at one spot it's about 1/2" or so. Same with my Centipedes and long passenger cars and 80' box cars.

As I alluded to above, I also hope you have clearance all the way around the table, or the whole thing is on wheels to move out from the wall when you need to get there.

Hi Brandon,

Yours looks good. needs something to do. Passengers?

instead of just a runner, here is a similar design with more operations. One can run a train and make stops a pick-ups, while another is building and cutting in the yard.

Something behind a hill top left. Corners can have buildings.

The ends of the almost inner loop around the yard serve as the arrival departure tracks. Atlas O turntable and Roundhouse.

Atlas track, Ross Custom Switches

Just some ideas. SCARM attached.