4x8 using Lionel tubular O31 track

By no means am I an expet with SCARM but I managed to put ths together...not sure if this is what you are looking for...I used Lionel O27 track and added in Atlas O track where you will need to cut some custom pieces....GL with the layout

Thank you Joe, while I have some 027 pieces, most of tubular and switches are 031.  I appreciate the fine work.

MTH Real tracks uses O31....Can you be more specific on what manufacturers track you are using????...one other question ....are you more interested in 'running' or 'operating'....The obvious answer is 'both' but with the space you have right now its easier to start with one or the other......expanding later on always an option....

Here is a basic double-oval design using conventional tubular track. The crossovers are arranged to eliminate S-curves, and to keep most switches up front for easier access. You could modify the reversing cutoff tracks into spurs if you wish. Good starter plan which is easy to set up, easy to modify, runs two trains and has two reversing tracks for some variety of operation.

May I suggest you change your topic heading to "4x8 layout ideas" or something like that.

I always thought this guys 4x8 was pretty neat;

I changed the topic title as you suggested ACE.  Like the design since it is close to the atlas, enough it gives me a start.  What software did you use, ACE.  I have SCARM, AnyRail and MTH's limited RR-Track

It's done with SCARM, file attached.

Thank you very much, Ace

I attached two different modified versions of what Ace sent me.  The one has Gargraves outer track and some changes on the interior loop to make more switching similar to the Atlas version I like.  The second maintains Lionel Tubular track throughout with changes in the middle loop.  I am struggling trying to get pieces to mate.  Any suggestions/help would be greatly appreciated.

RichC,

   Ace has a real good eye for layout design, this particular one is definitely way cool for a 4x8!

PCRR/Dave

Thank you Dave, I enjoy your tagline.

RichC,

   Thanks much sir, my Grandfather, Father and my Boss all lived by that Tagline, I try very hard to live up to what I have been taught.  

PCRR/Dave

My father and I used to fish big and little Pine Creeks.  I grew up in a small town along the west branch of the susquehanna river, called Lock Haven

RICHC, I reworked your modified versions to minimize cutting and fitting. SCARM files attached. I stretched the ovals so the spurs could be lengthened. Still fits in 4' x 8'.

Outstanding...Love it thank you so much, ACE.  Since I will be retiring in the next year or two, I cannot dedicate a permanent space for an O scale pike, but this gives me much of what I would want in a limited space

Ace, the first file is the same one I uploaded, could you send it again?

RichC posted:

Ace, the first file is the same one I uploaded, could you send it again?

 

Ooops. I corrected that in the previous post. Same file name with "=" on the end.

Here is a link to more O31 4X8' layouts:

http://www.thortrains.net/marx/funlayo1.html

Peter

Peter, that site got hacked.

@452 Card posted:

Peter, that site got hacked.

Yes and no. The owner of the original Thor sight passed away a few years ago. The name eventually got picked up by someone else. The Thor layouts were reloaded to another web page but I don’t recall its name. Maybe a search in the OGR archives will provide the new name.

Steve

Just don't open it. Who knows what gremlins lurk there. Might be too late for me.....

Thor died in 2018……..I believe the new address is

www.thortrains.us

Peter

This is the thread that tells you how it was saved….

Peter

https://ogrforum.com/...-gone-offline?page=2

For 4' x 8" consider 027 track and Marx 1590 metal frog switches.  1590 switches are compact, inexpensive, and will accommodate fat wheel Marx engines

The oval and figure 8 with another loop on the out side is good choice

A great transformer is a Lionel LW at 125 watts and very reasonable to buy

If possible consider 5" x 9" ping pong size table, a little more space will allow more track or buildings

For lots of details on how to build a small layout that includes the track plan above, see below with table of contents on bottom of page 1, post 1

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

Charlie