Layout size?

I think that depends more on available space.  I think most folks would agree that a 4x8 or somewhere in that neighborhood would be considered small. Yeah, there are some that are no more than a circle of 027 track, but that's not the norm. 

Medium?  Gets fuzzy here. Perhaps 10x12 or larger.

Large, I'd say anything in the 20x15 or larger size.

Here in TX, there are only a very very small few with basements due to the lousy soil. So large here would be someone who had space over a garage, or the garage itself, or (lucky souls) those who built a separate building just for trains.  So something just a bit smaller than 20x20.

Homes with basements tend to go much larger.

I think of my layout as a medium size layout,  the building is 20ft by 50ft.  The layout is 19ft 6 inch (+/-) wide by 49ft on the north wall.  Inside picture is of the south wall looking to the west wall. The south end of the layout is approx. 35ft long. The building has a Work/repair area, bed, ice box, A/C Heat pump, TV/DVD and full bathroom on the east end.  (Man Cave).

Magazine polls have shown that 4'x8' is still the average size of most layouts. I would consider the door-sized layouts and 4x8's small, table-sized layouts using up to four sheets of 4'x8' to be medium, modular-type sectional around-the-room layouts to be big, and anything that requires a separate building as immense. 

My own pride & joy is 4'x12', runs two trains and a LOT of operating cars and accessories. It pleases me, and that's all that counts.

I think mine is in the smaller range of layouts. 16 X 30.

Any layout is good. I think sometimes I had just as much fun on the floor as I do with the current (6 or 7th) one. It's all good.

Larry

Carl Orton posted:

Here in TX, there are only a very very small few with basements due to the lousy soil.

The all-encompassing reasons most Texas homes don't have basements:

https://dengarden.com/basement...Texas-Have-Basements

The limestone excuse (in addition to the frost line) applies in my neck of the woods, where placing fence posts requires a jackhammer and planting trees involves dynamite.

What, me worry?

I have multiple layouts for different gauges and body types.  My 0 Gauge layout is 8x20 and I still consider it to be a medium sized layout.  I have a small 4x8 S gauge layout and an even smaller 3x4 two level all tinplate 0 Gauge layout.  During the Christmas season I set up a 6x12 layout in our living room which accommodates  both Standard and 0 Gauges.  I consider our Christmas layout to be on the larger side of the smaller layouts.  

Boo Man posted:

What does the majority feel is a small, medium, or large personal layout?

Many years ago CTT ran a survey in their magazine and the average layout size was 120 sq ft. I imagine this number is still somewhat realistic.

Lou N (with a 6 x 20 foot layout )

Boo Man posted:

What does the majority feel is a small, medium, or large personal layout?

Depends.

My layout (still under construction after 15 years) is, I consider, a medium size layout. It is 28'x20'. I have seen many that were much Larger.  It is roughly "L" shaped with two peninsulas.

I have several active tracks including two main lines. There is a diesel service area and a steam engine service area with turntable and round house. Plus sidings and a freight car yard.  However, for the most part no scenery except for a mountain under construction. So, no pictures.

I consider my layout just medium.  Mine is in a finished room (12' X 17')  in the basement.  It's an around the room layout with a 36" hinged lift out.  I kept it at 30" deep all the way around for easy reach.  It has central air and hot water radiators and I keep the temp at 70* year round.  That's plenty of layout for this grey haired kid.

Layout size matters.....LOL  When I was younger, I dreamed of a Lorrell Joiner type layout.  The layout I am planning at the moment will be a 5x9 action packed with operating accessories.  Last year, when I decided to get back into "O" gauge after a twenty five year absence, I had a large layout in mind.  But my thinking has changed.  Maybe due to age, maybe I want my grandchildren involved sooner rather than later.

So the question posed by the author of this thread was layout size.  As I see it, 4x8 is small, 12x12 is getting on the medium size and anything larger is, well large.  

Have a 17 x 8 O gauge layout in 1 side of my 2 car garage. No basement in my house. Other side of the garage is reserved for my mini firebird, a 2004 Pontiac Sunfire which are getting fewer and is guaranteed a spot when it snows here in NJ.

I started mostly, when living in So Cal I started a a small time O gauger,  6'X8' in the eighty's 8'X8' and 8'X19' Then started  Angels Gate Hi Railers with Matt Jackson , Howard Packer. I transferred to DC and guess what they have in Virginia they din't have in So Cal.  BASEMENTS! I bought a house with a unfinished basements. I am presently  building a layout, it is 20'X40'X20' at times building the monster may have been a mistake...NAH H!

Here's the home layout.....I consider it small to medium: 6x16 main level. 6x8 subway level. 2x16 yard.

But I have 2 more layouts which I get to run on.

The main modular layout of 19x38 and the small easily transportable 6x11 layout:

The group will be taking the small one to a local Assisted Living facility this Saturday to run trains for the residents.

Peter

Brother Larry, Nice layout.  Loved it especially when I saw the square and compasses. 

Dan Padova posted:

Layout size matters.....LOL  When I was younger, I dreamed of a Lorrell Joiner type layout.  The layout I am planning at the moment will be a 5x9 action packed with operating accessories.  Last year, when I decided to get back into "O" gauge after a twenty five year absence, I had a large layout in mind.  But my thinking has changed.  Maybe due to age, maybe I want my grandchildren involved sooner rather than later.

So the question posed by the author of this thread was layout size.  As I see it, 4x8 is small, 12x12 is getting on the medium size and anything larger is, well large.  

 

Dan, Lorrell Joiner RIP.  I have not heard that name for 15- 20 years since his passing. I read about his huge layouts in MR magazine etc.. He was quite the builder of large 2 rail layouts. I am still impressed with his layout to this day. I never saw it in person but was always wowed at the shear size of it for 2 rail O. I wonder what ever happened to that layout "The Great Southern" I think it was located in Texas? Chopped up or sold off. At least it remains in the pages of model train magazines.

Seacoast posted:

Dan Padova posted:

Layout size matters.....LOL  When I was younger, I dreamed of a Lorrell Joiner type layout.  The layout I am planning at the moment will be a 5x9 action packed with operating accessories.  Last year, when I decided to get back into "O" gauge after a twenty five year absence, I had a large layout in mind.  But my thinking has changed.  Maybe due to age, maybe I want my grandchildren involved sooner rather than later.

So the question posed by the author of this thread was layout size.  As I see it, 4x8 is small, 12x12 is getting on the medium size and anything larger is, well large.  

 

Dan, Lorrell Joiner RIP.  I have not heard that name for 15- 20 years since his passing. I read about his huge layouts in MR magazine etc.. He was quite the builder of large 2 rail layouts. I am still impressed with his layout to this day. I never saw it in person but was always wowed at the shear size of it for 2 rail O. I wonder what ever happened to that layout "The Great Southern" I think it was located in Texas? Chopped up or sold off. At least it remains in the pages of model train magazines.

I first read about Morrell Joiner in O Gauge Railroading, way back in the late seventies.  There were several photos of his layout that inspired me to build a Hi-rail layout back then.  I believe you are correct with the name "Great Southern" and that it is or was indeed located in Texas.  Last year I asked about Lorrell Joiner and had some responses.  I believe the layout was sold.  If I can find those posts, I'll copy and paste the contents here.

Found it.  The Morrell Joiner topic.

https://ogrforum.com/topic/lorell-joiner

My dream space is now. The "new" house we bought over five years ago has a four car L shaped garage. We leave our cars in the shade down the driveway. Don't know if I will ever finish it but just love building things. I don't ever lay anything down on paper so I build as I go. If it doesn't work I take it down and rebuild. Don

Dan Padova posted:

Found it.  The Morrell Joiner topic.

https://ogrforum.com/topic/lorell-joiner

Not trying yo hijack the thread. Kalmbachs Great Model Railroads of 1993 had Mr. Joiners layout showcased in it.

Personally I have a 16'x40' finished attic which recently suffered water damage due to ice dams recently.  I want to get a hi rail around the walls up at some point.

I have a 70s range where I made the living/dining room into a 28' by 14' train room.  The layout is around the room with a center peninsula.  I would consider this to be a medium size layout.

Jan

A small layout is any layout where the curves are too sharp to run your largest engine or car or the next engine that you are planning to buy.

A medium layout is one where you can run most of your trains but you feel dissatisfied because engines are chasing the train's caboose.

A large layout is one where you can run anything that you want but it is too big to maintain and run without a dedicated group of friends.  (Don't try to build one unless you have some friends or hire a professional layout builder.)  Large layouts take more time to maintain than you want to spend and your family wonders whether or not to file a missing person report after you disappear into the train room.

I have a medium home layout at about 10 X 20 feet.  The club's layout is too big for any one person to build and maintain.

NH Joe

I think that everyone will agree, that my layout which is triple deck, in a 1900 square foot room qualifies as large. With over 3000' of track and 310 switches, people often ask if it is a club layout.  I've seen a lot of smaller clubs over the years.

New Haven Joe posted:

A small layout is any layout where the curves are too sharp to run your largest engine or car or the next engine that you are planning to buy.

A medium layout is one where you can run most of your trains but you feel dissatisfied because engines are chasing the train's caboose.

A large layout is one where you can run anything that you want but it is too big to maintain and run without a dedicated group of friends.  (Don't try to build one unless you have some friends or hire a professional layout builder.)  Large layouts take more time to maintain than you want to spend and your family wonders whether or not to file a missing person report after you disappear into the train room.

I have a medium home layout at about 10 X 20 feet.  The club's layout is too big for any one person to build and maintain.

NH Joe

Interesting points...

Big_Boy_4005 posted:

I think that everyone will agree, that my layout which is triple deck, in a 1900 square foot room qualifies as large. With over 3000' of track and 310 switches, people often ask if it is a club layout.  I've seen a lot of smaller clubs over the years.

Wow!  That is something.  

My layout is small: 7' x 12', with a 3 1/2' x 7' second level, but I can run 4 trains at once, while another waits in a spur. I could go bigger, but with two kids in the house I felt it was important that my basement serve more than one purpose.

My current tinplate layout is an L-shape. The main table runs along the back wall of the basement for 18' x 4'. The there's the L attached on the right side which adds another 9' x 4'. Total of 108 square feet. It's nice for displaying prewar tinplate, but seems small when I run larger postwar equipment. I think the next layout will be more of an "around the wall" layout, depending on where we end up when we downsize. 

Tim

Big_Boy_4005 posted:

I think that everyone will agree, that my layout which is triple deck, in a 1900 square foot room qualifies as large. With over 3000' of track and 310 switches, people often ask if it is a club layout.  I've seen a lot of smaller clubs over the years.

Elliott:  Your layout is NOT large.

It is G.I.H.U.G.E.N.E.M.O.U.S.!!!  My layout relatively fills a 1300 square foot basement and it is large--as Joe's description---thank God I have anywhere from 6 to 12 people to clean the track.  I wouldn't want more.  My main line (not both tracks) is 230 feet long.  Then there is one big yard, 4 staging lanes and multiple spurs and sidings.  I'm guessing 750 feet to 1000 feet of track.

Which is nothing compared to Elliott's.

Lastly, this is not a snide remark or comment or reflection on any of us that have large layouts, some of the finest layouts I've ever seen were on a sheet of plywood eight feet long and two feet wide.

It's not all about the size.  It is the quality of craftsmanship.  It is the theme.  It is the operations plan.  It is how much satisfaction and enjoyment it provides.

Dave Frary has made incredibly layouts in average spaces; as have others.

I used to believe when I began back in the 70s: more is better.  The more switches, the more track, the more fun.  NOT true.  You could have an outstanding model railroad situated on the top of a couple of bookcases.

Go for better!  NOT bigger.  Going smaller will give you the opportunity to do the fine details that set great models apart from good ones.

The Glacier Line will probably never see the day that all track is weathered, all building interiors are detailed, all boxcars have loads with finished interiors, all passenger cars have interiors including people.

Lastly, Elliott you have got to have one of the LARGEST SUPER SUPREME home layouts of all time!!!  

I've been in the hobby for nearly 8 weeks now.   Started with a 8x6 tabletop. Then it was 10x6.  Now it is 12x6 with plans to add another 4 feet when I can.  No real plan to go off of.  Just going to adjust as I learn. 

Jim

I use to think like most for size of layouts...and as I designed my current layout I started to think outside the box, by using along and through the wall building techniques, such that my overall footprint is small to medium but I have excellent runs that give a much larger impression of layout scale.

I guess mine would be considered medium.  I use three sides of the basement, 12 feet to the corner, 26 feet to the opposite wall, turn the corner through the wall into another room for about 22 feet (yes the basement footprint is small).  With some creative planning (ie dumb luck) I have a mainline run that approaches a scale half mile and considering this is a single track loop to loop arrangement out and back is almost a scale mile.  More than enough for me since my attention span wavers.  Anything larger would be a pile a bare lumber.

carsntrains posted:

I've been in the hobby for nearly 8 weeks now.   Started with a 8x6 tabletop. Then it was 10x6.  Now it is 12x6 with plans to add another 4 feet when I can.  No real plan to go off of.  Just going to adjust as I learn. 

Jim

WOW!!!  Three layouts in just 8 weeks.

My layout is 14'x39'. I regard it as "Medium". Two mainlines, a 5 track in/out yard w/ 12' lead , double cross-over, one (admittedly LONG) ~20' curved passing siding w/ double slips, Wye, and two nested reversing loops. Split about 50/50% between a finished attic train room and an unfinished storage area.

New Haven Joe posted:

A small layout is any layout where the curves are too sharp to run your largest engine or car or the next engine that you are planning to buy.

NH Joe

Exactly right, Joe!  I just measured my own small layout, and it's roughly 6.6 by 8 feet.  I only have room for 072 curves on one side of it, so I can't run the PRR S2 turbine I'd love to get.

I guess mine would be considered medium to large.  It fills a 24'x42' building I built for it.  Has a little over 1900' of track and 74 switches.

Small! 9x16 round-the-room attic layout.

Karl Reichenbach posted:

I guess mine would be considered medium to large.  It fills a 24'x42' building I built for it.  Has a little over 1900' of track and 74 switches.

I'm voting large Karl.  That's a very good amount of space.

4 X 8 is all the available space now. I filled it though- two tracks, 14 switches, sidings, etc.  Plans for a  3 X 10 "L" extension with passing sidings and a reversing loop, one day when space frees up (and children move out ).

Bob

We have an around the room layout and one inside that.  I could care less about the size of a layout.  Many modelers can put more into a 10 x 10 layout than I can into ours.    John in Lansing, ILL