layout suggestions

Hi Darth,

Welcome to the hobby and forum.   The begin with, the more information you provide, the better responses you will receive.  Instead of starting with a layout, think about how you would like to interact with the layout.  You can start by asking yourself if you want realistic details or more toy like operations, accurate to scale or more traditional size, do you want a yard  for switching?  Do you want operating accessories/cars or more scenes with building.  Do you want lots of trains operating at once or fewer longer trains, urban or rural...or both.  How do you intend to control your trains, command controls or conventional.  You don't have to answer all these but the more you do, the more you can focus on what appeals to you, and get better responses on this here forum  Also, youtube can be a great visual resource.

Best of luck

O scale is big. The trains and the stuff that you can put on the layout take up space. I would suggest that you cut one sheet in half and make an J that's 12' x 4' x 6' wide.

This will permit O60/O54 curves, room for some interesting track movement and space for scenery/accessories.

Another option is to cut the sheets into 30" pieces and go around the perimeter of the space. This permits the use of large radius curves and scale size equipment. Not really that limiting on the scenic and operational choices available.

Big table attached in SCARM. Right-click and "save target as", then double-click it after it lands. Absolute coordinates was used in the Toolbox to create the baseboard.

Darth Sage posted:

I am coming up blank and I am looking for layout suggestions. I would like to utilize three 4x8 sheets of plywood. I was thinking of having the three sheets form an upside down J or an U shape. I am still learning how to use Scarm

I would like to have to reversing loops that maybe overlap each other.

Note-I am fairly new to this hobby but I think that is pretty obvious.

 

thank you

We were all new at one time.  Curious, what are you wanting to do?  There are people who like toy trains and accessories, others who run "display" layouts which are loops of tracks to show off trains or an operational layout.  Some folks pattern their layouts like real life.

Also, when you mention you have those 3 sheets of plywood, KNOW that the average person can only reach 30 inches.  Too many folks make their layouts overly wide.  No matter how you arrange your bench-work, just be sure to make it easy on yourself and plan to keep EVERYTHING in a 30 inch reach.  This is an age-old mistake in model railroading in all scales.

So what are you planning to do?  Do you have a favorite railroad or area? Do you like main line running, switching, a combination?

Hello Ironhorseman,

These were great questions to ask myself.

I prefer more realistic details.

I would like a yard

I do want operating accessories but I like ayouts with more scenery than buildings, something more industrial.

Right now I am running my train the conventional way but I intend to switch to command in the future.

For now I rather run longer trains, two at most

thanks

IMO, if a railroad yard is of importance going with Ross Custom Switches would make the task easiest. They have a very good assortment of turnouts, of which a 4-way yard switch is a great space saver.

Thanks Moonman for the article, some more great question to ask myself that I did not think of

Hello John,

When I really think about it I like the thought of it being more operational with some accessories.

I am leaning towards Chicago & North Western since I'm from Illinois but not set on it. A combination of a Mainland with switching is what I'm thinking.

I am doing this layout with my 5yr old son so I want to incorporate some items that he is specifically asking for like a tunnel, bridges, coal tower and a switch tower

Lots of switching possibilities in northern Illinois!  I don't know what your area looks like, but you could take one of the 8' x 4s, cut in half long way, and having a good area for switching, 16' x 2' or an "L" shape.  You may want to do this layout as two layouts...having a switching section that is based on realism, because it's challenging and fun to switch cars around, and the other area to enjoy the accessories.  These could be connected, and if they are, I would wire them to allow both he and you to run it at the same time.

That's not a bad ideal, I don't want to rush through anything.

Have to do some research on wiring the track, I'm just starting to read up on bus and feeder wires 

So, tell us about the room or the space for layout. Then, we can offer solutions for the 3 pieces of ply. One of those will work with how you want to run your trains or build your layout.

I have a pretty open area for my layout but I am limiting myself to three sheet....for now

Darth Sage posted:

I have a pretty open area for my layout but I am limiting myself to three sheet....for now

Well, there are enough combinations. There was a CTT layout that cut the third sheet in many small pieces to create an offset of the 4 x 8 with over/under tracks.

It was still a small diameter curve layout. The table was sort of U shaped.

What is largest diameter curve that you would like to use?

Hey Moonman, that sound like something I would like to check out.

 60 curve but not set on that

Nice article

PSU1980 posted:

Nice article

I went the long way - read the books, looked at layouts, read and watched videos with designers, studied scenic theory and techniques and on...

Then, I found that article.  So, if you work backwards from the article it's quite comprehensive.

It's best to follow the path set out in the article and one can't go too wrong.

Darth Sage posted:

Hey Moonman, that sound like something I would like to check out.

 60 curve but not set on that

Sorry, bad memory. it's 12'w x 16'L using four sheets.

I converted it to FasTrack. You can see the sheet cuts in the attached photo.

thanks Moonman, I like how that layout has a N scale track in the middle of it as a carnival ride. I'm starting to play with Scarm more now but it is still taking me a while to navigate through it.

Darth Sage posted:

thanks Moonman, I like how that layout has a N scale track in the middle of it as a carnival ride. I'm starting to play with Scarm more now but it is still taking me a while to navigate through it.

 

email me, I'll send you the SCARM file.  it would definitely be some work time to recreate it in smaller radius curves. It took me a while trying to interpret the CTT symbols, and, like most plans, was only close but not an exact fit. That took more finagling.

In SCARM, you can get some of the photos from the thread (or any where), save them to your computer. Then, open SCARM, select View, and select background image, then point it to the photo of the track plan. This puts it in the layout. Grab the gray corner at the lower right, click and drag to resize it. Lets you use images for templates. many times, I tell someone to pencil a single line track plan and post a photo of it. Then, I build it with track using this method.

ok, I just emailed you