(UPDATED) The 48 Club *** Announcing Division 59 Membership ***

@baltimoretrainworks posted:

I remember someone in the post by AmFleet about how unless you are in one of the smaller scales you're just watching your trains "GO ROUND IN CIRCLES" and that kind of rubbed me the wrong way and started me on this journey. I usually pick and choose my battles but every now and then something doesn't set well with me like that comment and I will keep pushing back. I guess it's a sad commentary on life these days where someone just can't let you enjoy what you have unless they approve of it or worse, treat you like you just don't realize or know better. The only restriction we have is 32 square feet of floor space taken up by the actual layout, other than that knock yourself out! One thing I did learn from building even my larger layout ( 5.5 x 10.5 which by the way was still just 5 trains going around in a circle, OK one was a figure 8 and the other was a dogbone with 2 switches but still ) was that if I went smaller I had more things to choose from or use for the given area at my disposal so it seemed more action packed so for me going smaller was more of a what don't I have room for choice. So I'm looking forward to seeing what others have been able to do in a smaller space.

Jerry

I hear you Jerry. I felt the same way when I read that in the original thread.

Coming along nicely!

Peter

Lookin' good Peter!

@baltimoretrainworks posted:

I remember someone in the post by AmFleet about how unless you are in one of the smaller scales you're just watching your trains "GO ROUND IN CIRCLES" and that kind of rubbed me the wrong way and started me on this journey. I usually pick and choose my battles but every now and then something doesn't set well with me like that comment and I will keep pushing back. I guess it's a sad commentary on life these days where someone just can't let you enjoy what you have unless they approve of it or worse, treat you like you just don't realize or know better. The only restriction we have is 32 square feet of floor space taken up by the actual layout, other than that knock yourself out! One thing I did learn from building even my larger layout ( 5.5 x 10.5 which by the way was still just 5 trains going around in a circle, OK one was a figure 8 and the other was a dogbone with 2 switches but still ) was that if I went smaller I had more things to choose from or use for the given area at my disposal so it seemed more action packed so for me going smaller was more of a what don't I have room for choice. So I'm looking forward to seeing what others have been able to do in a smaller space.

Jerry

Even if your layout is 40x50, you’re still watching trains go in circles, right? I mean, yeah, they’re bigger circles, but technically...

Earl, I noticed the green aspect on your Plasticville signal bridge was on the bottom, as was correct for Erie-Lackawanna! I did the same!

"My layout is a 3.5'x8' ... It's got 2 connecting levels, 2 reverse loops, and can run 2 trains..."

Hi Jon,

Do you have a diagram or drawing of your layout?  I'm very curious to see how you packaged all of that action in the space you have.

John

Great idea Jerry!!  Lots of nice 48's here folks!

Does this count?

Or how about this?

How about this?

@Mark Boyce posted:

Great idea Jerry!!  Lots of nice 48's here folks!

Does this count?

Or how about this?

How about this?

Works for me Mark. How many square feet is the ceiling central anyway?

@RSJB18 posted:

Works for me Mark. How many square feet is the ceiling central anyway?

Bob, Thanks!  I just measured the Ceiling Central Railroad.  43 square feet!  It was pretty easy since the shelves are all 1 foot deep.

Gracious sakes!!  When the lift bridges are up, the Blackwater Canyon Line measures 45 square feet!!  All of mine are under 48 square feet!!  I know how to hack up plywood into little pieces!! 

Here it is before I added the lift up bridges.

@Mark Boyce posted:

Gracious sakes!!  When the lift bridges are up, the Blackwater Canyon Line measures 45 square feet!!  All of mine are under 48 square feet!!

Here it is before I added the lift up bridges.

Sorry Mark, but 32 square feet is the limit.

8 X 4 = 32

The Christmas layout still qualifies tho.👍

@RSJB18 posted:

Sorry Mark, but 32 square feet is the limit.

8 X 4 = 32

The Christmas layout still qualifies tho.👍

Ooohhh!  I didn't think that through!  48 = 4x8 =32!  Duhhh!!

Hi CA John,

Appreciate your interest in my layout.

I  pretty much followed the plan from the Kalmbach book "HO Railroad That Grows" and made a few modifications to make it fit in the space I have.

I'll post more pics soon.

@Jon Stachowicz posted:

Hi CA John,

Appreciate your interest in my layout.

I  pretty much followed the plan from the Kalmbach book "HO Railroad That Grows" and made a few modifications to make it fit in the space I have.

I'll post more pics soon.

Looks great!  I built an HO layout based on that book when I was in high school in the early ‘70s.

Thanks Mark!

Forgive me for breaking the # 1 rule of this thread, my 4x8 has grown many times over.

Why do I think I deserve forgiveness? Click on the "Articles" link on my website and you will see that my original 4x8 still exists in Warrenville - ALMOST 40 YEARS LATER NOW.  That's gotta count for something - right?

At least can I be a sub-honoree member?

@Coca Cola guy posted:

Even if your layout is 40x50, you’re still watching trains go in circles, right? I mean, yeah, they’re bigger circles, but technically...

I guess if you built a 4x8 switching layout that would defeat their argument. It's been a cold dreary day here so I was using SCARM to try and come up with this weeks layout idea. It has been kicking my butt big time, I must have a bug in it. It won't let me layer things like for a 2 level layout, sometimes the 48x96 green rectangle I use for a template gets locked to whatever I'm moving or deleting and it goes bye bye on me and the scrolling doesn't always work.  I miss my RR-Track, probably going to have to bite the bullet and get a new one. I miss not being able to put Plasticville and accessories on my plans. But I did come up with an idea for an O27 layout that might be good for a Halloween set up, lots of curves and turns that would let your train wind thru a haunted scene. It is the first time I've ever designed a layout with O gauges little brother, not as elaborate as the one I can't get to work out for me but now I have a whole week to figure out what I'm doing wrong. I might go old school and just take a box of track into the garage and try out some ideas on a sheet of OSB I have in there

It uses 24 - O27 curves, 4 - 8.75" straights, 2 - 7.37" straights custom cut for the 2 loops, 2 - 7 3/4" custom cuts for the entrance straight away into the switches, 1 - 2" custom cut in the middle of the figure S and 2 - O27 LH switches.

I know, the color sucks, wanted it to look like the brown ties of O27 track.

I'd also like to thank RSJB18 for welcoming new members, I have been some what remiss in my dutys in that respect! I do want to welcome everyone to the 48 Club and I hope for a long life for it like The Brotherhood of The Crappy Basement Layout has enjoyed over the years, in fact I would hazard a guess many 48ers are probably members in that group also. And Mark like RSJB18 said, your Christmas layout gets you in but your misunderstanding does raise a point, should we as a club call ourselves THE FORTY EIGHT CLUB or THE FOUR EIGHT CLUB ? A 4x8 is 32sq' not 48 but 48 is usually pronounced forty eight, and a 48sq' layout is a monster, maybe I'm over thinking this and should just play with my trains!

I also kicked around this as an idea...

I can see a NYC  J3 Dreyfuss Hudson pulling a string of these cars!

I think I missed my true calling, when I worked in retail back in the days of actual for real stores I used to get tasked with dealing with the store displays, I really liked the creativity it allowed me, that plus it got me out of real work!

Jerry

@Lionelski posted:

Forgive me for breaking the # 1 rule of this thread, my 4x8 has grown many times over.

At least can I be a sub-honoree member?

I remember when my dad let me set up a "small" 4x8 in the basement during Christmas after I had gotten an HO set for my birthday, at the time they were putting I-95 thru the area and us kids had a field day in that construction site! My layout grew by leaps and bounds with every piece of scrap plywood or lumber I could drag home, it was truly the Golden Era of fort and tree house building for our neighborhood! I don't think there was one day in several years when most of us weren't covered from head to toe with orange clay from our explorations!

As for your inclusion I think Member Emeritus is a good title for those whos layouts started out as a 4x8 and then moved up in real estate! Welcome aboard!

Jerry

@Coca Cola guy posted:

Even if your layout is 40x50, you’re still watching trains go in circles, right? I mean, yeah, they’re bigger circles, but technically...

You mean something like this?

Jerry

Here’s my 4x8

https://ogrforum.com/...-in-its-present-form

Here's a sneak peek of the new track plan:

The basic RTC concept is a glorified test track for my many projects, so we have a 42" oval for larger locos and cars, a 27" oval/8 for smaller trains and a bump and go track for trolleys.  Since I plan to have the ZW at the lower right corner, I'll probably flip the plan and have the manual track switch for the bump and go cars at the right.  I'll be using a postwar 1022 switch, taking advantage of the anti-derail feature to control power to the individual branches... 

Mitch

@baltimoretrainworks posted:

You mean something like this?

Jerry

Haha, yes!  That’s about 10,000x my talent level for sure!

@baltimoretrainworks  Jerry, I think 4 more 027 switches would really make this neat.  Incorporate the switches to make a "loop" on the perimeter. Lots of different routes then.

another great looking car!  Hmmm.......can i squeeze that onto my O36 curves?

I humbly submit my application to the 48 Club: Tinplate Chapter, with my 45" x 75" prewar Lionel display layout. Although a Christmas theme, it does not change from year to year and so is technically a permanent layout set up seasonally. Prewar O is perfect for a small layout, especially the 4 wheel shorties from the 1920s, and is completely at home with the Art Deco theme of your stunning logo.

Jerry, I love the logo.  The responses to your club formation have been amazing and gained a lot of traction the past few days.  I'm glad to be honored as the Founding Member.  

@Tom Tee posted:

Anyone here game for adding a suspended loop under their 4 x 8m for a subway run?

Adding a trestle set to such a creation would provide three levels of running within 32 square feet.

Great idea! With an independent upper loop on trestles, two separate loops and a bump and go track on the main level, and one or two subway loops underneath, you could have as many as 6 trains running! Hmmm, I may try this one of these days.

@Nucci posted:

another great looking car!  Hmmm.......can i squeeze that onto my O36 curves?

You can now! 

Mitch

@Amfleet25124 posted:

Jerry, I love the logo.  The responses to your club formation have been amazing and gained a lot of traction the past few days.  I'm glad to be honored as the Founding Member.  

I just followed the link to your airport model.  Astounding. I knew that people modeled planes, terminals, and hangars, but did not know that anyone did entire airports, except for in museums.  What is the footprint of that model (I'm guessing it's more than 4x8 ), is it a permanent setup, and where do you put it?

Just a couple more for the 48 Club's catalog of layouts.

The 027 tubular layout is actually smaller than 4x8. Had to size it for the recessed surface of an air-hockey table.

@Mallard4468 posted:

I just followed the link to your airport model.  Astounding. I knew that people modeled planes, terminals, and hangars, but did not know that anyone did entire airports, except for in museums.  What is the footprint of that model (I'm guessing it's more than 4x8 ), is it a permanent setup, and where do you put it?

Mallard4468, unfortunately, my 1:400 model airport has been shuttered since 2017 when we moved.  I still keep the link active on that website as a reminder that I need to get back to including scale airports in my hobbies.  Right now, some of the airplanes are just displayed on a shelf and I shifted to larger 1:144 and 1:200 scale models, which are sometimes seen in the background  of some of the photos that I post here on OGR.

Model Airports?  That is whole other rabbit hole that one can go real quick. Many modellers far more advanced than me that include illuminated lighting all over (terminal, runway, light pole towers, etc).  Heck, I had just started getting into it and hadn't purchased ground support vehicles yet, etc. Some build from scratch, others build using kits and ready made ground foils.  Here are two kit providers that I used to frequent

https://www.modelairportsandairliners.com/  The original name for this site was, wait for it..... 4by8 Airports! as he sells 4x8 ready made foils for people to build on.

https://www.nopoint-airport.com/pd-26321-2/product  This group is out of Holland and makes top notch stuff.

As for my Stanstill Airport, it was built on a 36x80 hollow core door and at the time was on the opposite from my model train layout in the living room.  Good times .  The dream then was to have both a 4x8 train layout and 4x8 airport.

Mallard, thank you for point out Kevin’s model airport link.

Kevin, you did a really nice job on the model airport!  Thank you for the other links

@Will posted:

I humbly submit my application to the 48 Club: Tinplate Chapter, with my 45" x 75" prewar Lionel display layout. Although a Christmas theme, it does not change from year to year and so is technically a permanent layout set up seasonally. Prewar O is perfect for a small layout, especially the 4 wheel shorties from the 1920s, and is completely at home with the Art Deco theme of your stunning logo.

I've always liked Tinplate, I have a number of Lionels older tinplate 2430 type passenger cars that I pull with my 221,1668E and Grandpas 1666E and over the years have toyed with the idea of selling everything and going Standard gauge, now that would be a challenge in 4x8 !

@M. Mitchell Marmel posted:

You can now! 

Mitch

Selective compression, I like it! I was thinking about a set of Lionel 2400 series for the smaller layouts but that works too!

@M. Mitchell Marmel posted:

Here's a sneak peek of the new track plan:

Now that's what I'm talking about! Packing as much in as we can and still not looking too overcrowded. Now if I had built something like that I'd be making myself nuts trying to come up with a way for the trolley to alternate between the tracks on the left side. That figure 8 plan in the center is perfect for a 36" hollow core door layout.

Jerry

Welcome to The 48 Club to both Will and randr !

Here's an updated membership list:

          Founding Members
1. BaltimoreTrainWorks
2. Amfleet25124
          Charter Members
1. RSJB18
2. Conductor Earl
3. bptBill
4. CA John
5. Walt Rapp
6. M. Mitchell Marmel
7. OKHIKER
8. Coca Cola guy
9. Nucci
10. Rich Wiemann
11. CSXJOE
12. graz
13. Melvin P
14. Mrhobby052
15. Khayden93
16. palallin
17. John E K
18. Miggy
19. pdxtrains
20. SouthernFan56
21. randr
22. Will
          Honorary Members
1. Harry Miller ... My grandfather
2. Jerry Makowiecki ... My dad
3. Thor Sheil
4. Alan Arnold
5. Allen Miller
6. Rich Melvin
7. Ed Boyle
8. Putnam Division

Jerry

Mitch is The Man!!

@Amfleet25124 posted:

...Model Airports?  That is whole other rabbit hole that one can go real quick. Many modellers far more advanced than me that include illuminated lighting all over (terminal, runway, light pole towers, etc).  Heck, I had just started getting into it and hadn't purchased ground support vehicles yet, etc. Some build from scratch, others build using kits and ready made ground foils.  Here are two kit providers that I used to frequent

https://www.modelairportsandairliners.com/  The original name for this site was, wait for it..... 4by8 Airports! as he sells 4x8 ready made foils for people to build on.

https://www.nopoint-airport.com/pd-26321-2/product  This group is out of Holland and makes top notch stuff.

As for my Stanstill Airport, it was built on a 36x80 hollow core door and at the time was on the opposite from my model train layout in the living room.  Good times .  The dream then was to have both a 4x8 train layout and 4x8 airport.

Thanks for the info.  Really amazing that they are 4x8 or smaller.

I'm assuming you've seen video of Miniatur Wunderland in Hamburg.

I forgot about this one, Jerry.  And yes, this one is 4x8=32 not 4x8=48!!  No wonder they pushed me out with an early retirement.  An engineer who doesn't remember his times tables needs to be put out to pasture! 

Here it is, my first in O gauge.  My 4x8s in HO and N were easy peasy.

@Amfleet25124 posted:

Mallard4468, unfortunately, my 1:400 model airport has been shuttered since 2017 when we moved.  I still keep the link active on that website as a reminder that I need to get back to including scale airports in my hobbies.  Right now, some of the airplanes are just displayed on a shelf and I shifted to larger 1:144 and 1:200 scale models, which are sometimes seen in the background  of some of the photos that I post here on OGR.

Model Airports?  That is whole other rabbit hole that one can go real quick. Many modellers far more advanced than me that include illuminated lighting all over (terminal, runway, light pole towers, etc).  Heck, I had just started getting into it and hadn't purchased ground support vehicles yet, etc. Some build from scratch, others build using kits and ready made ground foils.  Here are two kit providers that I used to frequent

https://www.modelairportsandairliners.com/  The original name for this site was, wait for it..... 4by8 Airports! as he sells 4x8 ready made foils for people to build on.

https://www.nopoint-airport.com/pd-26321-2/product  This group is out of Holland and makes top notch stuff.

As for my Stanstill Airport, it was built on a 36x80 hollow core door and at the time was on the opposite from my model train layout in the living room.  Good times .  The dream then was to have both a 4x8 train layout and 4x8 airport.

Kevin, its truly a shame that some dreams take longer to come true than others.  But don't despair,'  There is still time'........😪 

@M. Mitchell Marmel posted:

https://ogrforum.com/...-in-its-present-form

Here's a sneak peek of the new track plan:

The basic RTC concept is a glorified test track for my many projects, so we have a 42" oval for larger locos and cars, a 27" oval/8 for smaller trains and a bump and go track for trolleys.  Since I plan to have the ZW at the lower right corner, I'll probably flip the plan and have the manual track switch for the bump and go cars at the right.  I'll be using a postwar 1022 switch, taking advantage of the anti-derail feature to control power to the individual branches... 

Mitch

@baltimoretrainworks posted:

Selective compression, I like it! I was thinking about a set of Lionel 2400 series for the smaller layouts but that works too!

(grin) 2400s sound good too! 

Now if I had built something like that I'd be making myself nuts trying to come up with a way for the trolley to alternate between the tracks on the left side.

Well, I'm using the manual switch so I can leave one track dead for car storage, then send the stored car out for a run. 

But if you're using a remote switch, perhaps some sort of relay to automatically switch tracks?  Use the far bumper as a sensor, and when it bumps, the switch switches tracks. 

Mitch