Let me see your 4 x 8 layouts?

Check out this site.

http://www.thortrains.net/

http://www.thortrains.net/marx/48fastrack1.html

NJCJOE posted:

Check out this site.

http://www.thortrains.net/

http://www.thortrains.net/marx/48fastrack1.html

Oh wow! Thanks!

few years ago I had a 4 X 8 layout with two loops etc.

How about this for a track plan?

Why do I feel like I have seen that picture in a Model Builder magazine?

Youtube has a whole bunch of  videos with train layouts, some of which are frequent posters on the forum here. Just type in "Lionel 4x8" in the searchbox and get vids like this;

and this one from Hobby Masters;

There's hundreds of videos to look at.....

Built this a few years ago. Never was into trains until this. I am now expanding to XXXL size. Guess I caught the bug. 95% of whats on this table is O-27 post war with a few new items, i.e. Azatrax infrared controls, Cities Service (was Sunoco) Oil Pump.  Some is pre-war I think. 

Night time view. 

Here is a schematic of my layout. It's a FT outer loop of O36 curve, a FT siding using O31 curve, and then O27 rail for an inner loop. Could probably complete that siding and make an O31 complete loop if I packed the O27 in a bit tighter.

The layout is more of a 4.5 x 8 layout. When I get my kids to sleep I'll take an actual full length picture.

I imagine if I had gone completely O27 rail I could have fit even more in.

Bigger pic. 

Planned expansion using all full O-tubular and O-22 switches. 

I am regretting going all O-27. O-27 engines from MTH, i.e. the 49er, wont run on it. That's what is really driving my expansion, running bigger trains given to me and that I purchased. I should have done what DEUCE is planning and using O-36 also. 

I drew this in the free software package called SCARM written by Milen Peev.  Really nice software, well done and easy to use. Drew my expansion in about an hour. 

Mark Boyce posted:

WowMark--that's awesome! Is all that 4 x 8?  Do you have a track plan, I can't really see the switches.

Thanks everybody--I love seeing your 4 x 8s.

Here is the 4.5x8 ...

Sorry for the mess, I'm still building.

pdxtrains posted:

Mark Boyce posted:

WowMark--that's awesome! Is all that 4 x 8?  Do you have a track plan, I can't really see the switches.

 

Thanks everybody--I love seeing your 4 x 8s.

Thank you.  The Christmas one has no switches, only two loops.  The other one has a two track yard of sorts, one switch off the inner loop, then a switch for the two track yard.

5.5x8

  Knowing how YOU will run trains is a good idea before planning. So is knowing what you will run*.   I"m fine with just looping as it is like watching a campfire.

   I added stub sidings more for looks, and for other folks entertainment. The original plan was no scenery except for what I painted on the wood, and some Plastiville or operating accessories. I just kept want to do something new and did.

  I laid two, then three lines at first, four lines eventually.  But found four to be cumbersome on those days where derailments run amok for no reason. I was just as satisfied with three.

     The elevated line was the best thing ever. Little locos no longer got lost in the spaghetti bowl action and it added depth to the landscape. (Landscape...Go buy a cheap water based craft acrylic, flat black & greys, or browns. Usually under a buck each. Find some garbage foam and paint it black, then "dry brush" color over it in haste. You almost can't mess it up and if you do, you can paint over it, or even wash it off. Cheap, but it will last   Finish with dumping (ok...or brushing), your dirty brush water on it; a weather wash. I say this because it will likely inspire your design and confidence both. Fyi, I play with my trains far more than seriously model with them. The modeling part just won't stay away, lol. )

  A table and thoughts of recreating the layout Gomez had started me off again (I was born into a toy train family), the result kinda evolved on its own.  Planning was done as a simple go-no go for fit, and was just an approximation anyhow. Though fairly accurate today, don't trust it 100%. Maybe 99% at best       Scarm did it's part with the visuals on the mine later.

   In the ov erhead shot, my controls are on the left. But the plan was originally made with running from the right side. I just found that I liked the view better from the other side. Railing was engines was easier there too.

Wheels on the table legs? I love them. Mine dont even lock. It wont roll around, even if I'm on it. It seldom moves even a fraction of an inch. Leaning just pushes it against the wall tighter. Occasionally. a telephone pole falls, but glue would fix it fast if I was inclined to permenancy.

*On the right, the Super O siding lost it's turnouts so the "Fat Wheeled" prewar tinplate could run. They don't like post war or modern turnouts. The gear on the wheels often extends clear to the flange tip, making for a wider wheel that hits guide rails in the modern turnouts (prewar Marx are as universal as a turnout gets)

It will be a bit before I can dig some old shots out of the "clouds". My cloud is having issues, but I will. 

A thought on the subway. Going under the table at the edge, hanging like a ceiling layout would be a "real subway". But connecting to the surface within the space of a 4x8 would leave you with a challenge to lay graded track in a tight space and climbing a hard grade both. Maybe look hard at something like "Lionels Dissapearing Train/ dealer layout" and it's limits before you try a grade. Bryan from Ohio has a (big) subway I really like (a regular in "what did you do on your layout today".  Ask, he will show off I'll bet )

I think you've seen this, nothin real special (also made a point to keep mt methods very easy so I could head at it with a childlike passion free of heavy expectations and hope for discovery.  

Last year....

Maybe 3-4 years ago.

From at the controls (3 yrs ago)

Across from controls, now behind the tunnel again as the gantry was shipped to the moon rhis summer 

 From summer

Older, but maybe $2-$4 here, old foam, chopsticks, & old crap laying around. Even the HO was free. Rocks salvaged from a razed old postwar layout.

I broke evey "rule"for foam. Stacking produces a better rocky look.

2012 (?)

Small doesn't mean it can't be out of this world fun either....

o-17                                  o-20

That is impressive! I do like it!

Thank you Dennis. It didn't happen fast, but was soooo easy my usual answer is "no it's not". And that's also why I love it

My D-190 display layout recreation, fits on a 4x8:

CSXJOE posted:

My D-190 display layout recreation, fits on a 4x8:

 

I always liked this layout. A lot of action in a small space.

Steve

Impressive uses if space. If I were confined to 4'x8' I do confess that I would probably go smaller scale. 

Posted mine many times before but here it is again.

I call it a 4X8 layout but the right side is actually 38" wide to clear the file cabinets. All 027 curves and 15 switches. Conventional control and block wiring so that I can spot equipment and move other trains around. I can have 3 trains out on the mains and run two at the same time. My first layout in O (I was a HO kid) and first permanent layout in over 30 years. Having a blast building and running trains.

Bob

RSJB18 posted:

Posted mine many times before but here it is again.

I call it a 4X8 layout but the right side is actually 38" wide to clear the file cabinets. All 027 curves and 15 switches. Conventional control and block wiring so that I can spot equipment and move other trains around. I can have 3 trains out on the mains and run two at the same time. My first layout in O (I was a HO kid) and first permanent layout in over 30 years. Having a blast building and running trains.

Bob

That is a nice layout. The track plan is perfectly designed to fit your available space, and looks very fun to operate. Well done!

Tomco posted:

Built this a few years ago. Never was into trains until this. I am now expanding to XXXL size. Guess I caught the bug. 95% of whats on this table is O-27 post war with a few new items, i.e. Azatrax infrared controls, Cities Service (was Sunoco) Oil Pump.  Some is pre-war I think. 

I like the backdrop, nicely done. 

Nice big (huge) control panel! Looks like fun to run!

Adding a second level really adds another dimension to the layout, doesn't it? 

If it weren't for the fact that I'm going to finally be able to run trains on a completed layout, I'd attempt adding one myself!

Gee guys, I love what you're showing me!  Thank you!

Deuce posted:

Adding a second level really adds another dimension to the layout, doesn't it? 

If it weren't for the fact that I'm going to finally be able to run trains on a completed layout, I'd attempt adding one myself!

Yes! I think adding a second level will give me an ideal place to run my MTH subway trains, and the lower lever can be passenger trains. Excited by the possibilities!

Here is a 4X8 I did a while back.  It was published in OGR, and Lionel has a version like it on the web site.

Here is a link to one of the threads on the layouts:  Cisco 4X8 in OGR-run-275

Here is another thread discussing expansion ideas:  Cisco expansion discussion

I expanded my Cisco layout along these lines:

And considered adding an outside loop:

  So you do want an "El" vs an actual subterranean subway. That's cool too.

The one thing I do wish I had done was use a figure 8 in an oval (4 turnouts) instead of sidings. It creates "reverse loops" to turn a train around without rerailing.

Kinda like skootching a campfire log

But if switching or prototypical operations is your game, a yard or sidings is for you. Duece for example incorporated a famous modeler's switching puzzle game into his layout (John Allen).... he also set up to loop

For more small ideas, look to the U.K. for "Rabbit Warrens". (usually not O, but an idea may transfer). Plain and simple, they have less room on average than most do here. 

Here is a 5 x 9 plan that I was enamored with early in the process of building a layout.

I think with careful monitoring, you could run two trains on that without much of an issue. I will eventually expand, and the first move will be to go from a 4 x 8 to a 4 x 11 or 5 x 11. If I go 5 x 11, I wonder if I could make a longer version of this layout and throw a reversing loop in somewhere. 

My greatest fear is that running loops will get old real quick, and that the siding puzzle won't be enough to keep the little ones entertained (if they're interested at their age anyways). Honestly, without 2000 square feet to work with, you're always going to have to tailor the layout to what you think will work best for you because you won't be able to jam it all in (though I tried as best I could).

My layout started life as a 4x8 and, essentially still is. I added a 4x4 "bump out" which accommodates an 0-27 "Folded Figure-8", bump and go trolley, and one siding for my elevated loop. On the 4x4, the 0-27 loop, trolley and siding all cross at a "triple crossing" such as you see in Richmond, Va.

SouthernMike posted:

RSJB18 posted:

Posted mine many times before but here it is again.

I call it a 4X8 layout but the right side is actually 38" wide to clear the file cabinets. All 027 curves and 15 switches. Conventional control and block wiring so that I can spot equipment and move other trains around. I can have 3 trains out on the mains and run two at the same time. My first layout in O (I was a HO kid) and first permanent layout in over 30 years. Having a blast building and running trains.

Bob

That is a nice layout. The track plan is perfectly designed to fit your available space, and looks very fun to operate. Well done!

Thanks Mike! Spent a while playing around with SCARM to finally settle on this. Its been holding up well so far. I have plans to add a extension (2 X 8) off the right side to add another yard and reversing loop off the upper level. Still need to negotiate with the CEO for building permits.

Here's a few pix of my 4' x 8'layout. We started it about 2 yrs ago w/ my grand kids, that's why it sets only about 2' high. We originally called it The Mystery Mountain, then we renamed it Mackenzieville after my grand daughter.

Later I'll post a short video showing why we called it The Mystery Mountain. 

My layout is a little smaller than 4' by 8', it is 4' by 78".

Here is a pic about a year ago. The H&H Feed Mill now sits where the Korber building is in this pic. Curves on loop are O36 and all swiches but one are O48.