Not Rushing into This

Jerry

there are many levels to this hobby.  I’ve had a permanent temporary layout for 11 years.   I’ve had a layout 11years but I tear it up every couple of years.   I change vision so I sell trains and accessories and buy new ones.  I can honestly say I’ve never finished a layout. I’m not happy with my current version and decided yesterday to rebuild.   Nothing is permanent.  What you have as a 4x8 today my evolve into something different.  Enjoy it your way.  Jeff

@Jerryc41 posted:

 I don't want this to become a fanatical, all-encompassing hobby.  

 You just offended a whole bunch of us on this forum Jerry!! 

Good luck on the layout, post photos of your progress.

It's your layout and you're the only one it has to make happy. The large layouts we see on line and in magazines are amazing.  I have a max space of 9x16. The room I am in has 3 foot knee walls before the ceiling starts to pitch so my the height of my layout is limited. That being said I have had a floor layout for the last 15 years and I have changed the trackplan 5 times. It makes me happy. The bottom line is this hobby has room for everyone and if your layout makes you happy then you've succeeded. I look forward to seeing future posts and pictures of your progress.

@Jerryc41 posted:

With age comes wisdom - or at least patience.  ...  In my younger days, I would have had a 4 x 8 sheet of plywood in the living room by now, but I'm taking my time.

I don't want this to become a fanatical, all-encompassing hobby.  ...  I have two sizes in mind - a door and a 4 x 8 sheet of plywood.

I would have a 4 x 8 layout with a section of elevated track and be able to run two trains at the same time.

Jerryc41,

Your thinking is similar to mine. I have two layouts in my basement (12'-by-8' completed in 2004 and 10'-by-5' completed in 2019). I didn't want layouts that would take too long to complete (5 years) nor occupy the entire basement. Having completed them, I now would be happier to have made them somewhat larger. Once you get started, you may find that you enjoy layout-building more than you anticipate. Whatever you do, leave room for layout expansion and consider that when you design your track plan. Unless you will be satisfied with just two ovals, a door is too small. It's better to begin with a somewhat larger layout than to expand it when it's complete. In your case, you could consider 10'-by-5' (on two 5'-by-5' sections) as I did.

MELGAR

@MELGAR posted:

Jerryc41,

Your thinking is similar to mine. I have two layouts in my basement (12'-by-8' completed in 2004 and 10'-by-5' completed in 2019). I didn't want layouts that would take too long to complete (5 years) nor occupy the entire basement. Having completed them, I now would be happier to have made them somewhat larger. Once you get started, you may find that you enjoy layout-building more than you anticipate. Whatever you do, leave room for layout expansion and consider that when you design your track plan. Unless you will be satisfied with just two ovals, a door is too small. It's better to begin with a somewhat larger layout than to expand it when it's complete. In your case, you could consider 10'-by-5' (on two 5'-by-5' sections) as I did.

MELGAR

Thanks.

Personally I found when I had a larger layout that I was more into the trains than operations. Took down large layout and built a five by ten foot with two levels and four loops (one for Flyers). No switches at all. So it depends on the individual. What is your interest. I personally prefer five foot width as I can run all my postwar stuff comfortably on that.

I've had small layouts, and I decided this time I was going to go big (or at least bigger) or go home.  I'll have O72 or larger curves all around on a 23 x 13 table with two levels.  I'm a modern train guy with lots of big iron, so a small layout would preclude me running a significant part of my inventory.

Norm’s first layout was a 4x8 with tinplate track. You’re in fine company.

Do your self a favor and do not glue any thing down.  Unless you are an A.I. you will change and want to grow.

It takes a modest start to get comfortable.  Like the first drink of an future AA member.

At least trains are a lot cheaper than off shore powerboats.

Jerry, you are correct in that so much of what we view can be intimidating. So many of the forum contributors are not just hobbyists but artists. Personally I’m in the paper planning phase for my layout. I have found displays to be very intimidating and I have been provided with insights to where I think; “I might be able to do that or, I never thought about that.”
Start with the basics of how much space you want, ( keep in mind you WILL want more space) what era do you want to model, and what equipment  do you currently have on hand. Check out magazines like OGR because there is a good narrative to go along with the photos. There are a plethora of books on the market from which to learn and gain insights.

Enjoy the process.

About using doors as layout panels ...

My upm-teenth layout was designed and built using standard-size hollow-core doors; they are lightweight and a convenient size well suited to future expansion with "more doors" added-on where appropriate. For practicality, I "stretched" the 3-feet-wide doors to 4 feet wide in order to accommodate installation of O42 track and switches. The track plans of its two levels are attached for reference.

My train room is L-shaped - it was formerly a home office used the previous owner of our house (he was a draftsman). So my layout is also L-shaped with walk-around aisles; 15x19 feet along the outer perimeter of the "L."  Its two levels include East Suburbia and West Suburbia on the lower level, and three short trolley routes on the upper level with a Christmas theme and lighted Dept 56 porcelain buildings from the North Pole Village collection.

Editorial opinion (only): 4x8 sheets of plywood tend to fill up with two loops and interior sidings. In just a short period of time, the train routes may seem monotonous. Although adding more 4x8 sheets to such a layout to make other shapes (an "E" or "O" or "H" or "T" layout for example), the train room space may be limited.

Carry on ...

Mike Mottler    LCCA 12394
mottlermike10@gmail.com

@Jerryc41 posted:

.  I don't want this to become a fanatical, all-encompassing hobby.  

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

@Tom Tee posted:

Do your self a favor and do not glue any thing down.  

It takes a modest start to get comfortable.  Like the first drink of an future AA 

 

  I'm a modern train guy with lots of big iron, so a small layout would preclude me running a significant part of my inventory.

Jerry , I've ended up  ( so far ) having a 5×16 with an add on 30"×6 foot yard with eight rail lines.

I would probably have been perfectly happy with the 5×16 when I only had a couple of engines ........but once my inventory grew  ( and I don't seem to be able to stop my interest in the many great looking engines 😍 )  I had to have more room on the layout .  ( i don't keep many " shelf queens )

Once in a great while, only once in a great while  🤔  I think that it would be nice to have a lot less inventory and keep what I do have, super maintained and running extremely  well.     Sometimes it seems like I am behind in getting the steam up. 😓

Good luck Jerry.     😁  ENJOY

I totally understand where you are coming from. I'm 78 with a bunch of hobbies and interests. I have had a small 5x8 layout for the past 15 years. It is basically a sheet of double Luan wood held up by 4 saw-horses. Two loops of FasTrack gave me lots of room for scenics, which kept me busy and happy for two years (like detailed interiors for close-up buildings). I have NO desire for anything larger. I started out with Lionel TMCC, but now mostly run conventional postwar. I also have a small postwar Flyer layout plus this Christmas layout.

I'll be 78 in two years.  I still have to settle on a location for the layout - living room, my bedroom, guest room (which my son still uses for his "overflow.)

Jerry, did you get the 2-6-2 or the 2-6-4 Lionel 2026. I still have my 2-6-2 from Christmas of 1948. Great little engine. Don

@Jerryc41 posted:

I'll be 78 in two years.  I still have to settle on a location for the layout - living room, my bedroom, guest room (which my son still uses for his "overflow.)

Mine is in my bedroom. That was handy while "building" it, as some good ideas came upon waking. Now, I get to appreciate my work at least 2 times a day.

@Joe Hohmann posted:

 I also have a small postwar Flyer layout plus this Christmas layout.

      Looks great. 👍   Is this your present Christmas layout Joe ?       If so, I'd better get highballing on ours.    My lady took a real interest in the Polar Express and has been making buildings with yarn ever since.      I've got a lot of construction to do with the BIG day coming fast. 🤤       

Jerry, 

If you are thinking of making a door layout, I highly recommend you look at OGR Run 251 which has Dave Allen's Matterhorn Project. He shows how you can have multiple trains running on a door layout.

However, if you do the more traditional route...

Think about making a 4' x 6 1/2' table, it is a lot easier to get through doors and tight stairways. This is what I used for my "modular" 32' x 8' layout.

The table consist of a plywood base and frame with 2" rigid polystyrene foam board on top to keep the weight down (so one person can move it by themselves). Said table is propped up by two metal sawhorses.

To keep the size close to 4' x 8' you could make two 4' x 6 1/2' tables and put them side-by-side, giving you a 8' x 6 1/2' layout. 

You would have more square footage for trains! 

Bryce

@Oscale_Trains_Lover_ posted:

Jerry, 

If you are thinking of making a door layout, I highly recommend you look at OGR Run 251 which has Dave Allen's Matterhorn Project. He shows how you can have multiple trains running on a door 

 

Bryce

Bryce , how do you get to this  " OGR Run 251 "  ?

I'm still not great at navigating in the forum. 🙃

@Oscale_Trains_Lover_ posted:

Jerry, 

If you are thinking of making a door layout, I highly recommend you look at OGR Run 251 which has Dave Allen's Matterhorn Project. He shows how you can have multiple trains running on a door layout.

 

However, if you do the more traditional route...

Think about making a 4' x 6 1/2' table, it is a lot easier to get through doors and tight stairways. This is what I used for my "modular" 32' x 8' layout.

The table consist of a plywood base and frame with 2" rigid polystyrene foam board on top to keep the weight down (so one person can move it by themselves). Said table is propped up by two metal sawhorses.

To keep the size close to 4' x 8' you could make two 4' x 6 1/2' tables and put them side-by-side, giving you a 8' x 6 1/2' layout. 

You would have more square footage for trains! 

 

Bryce

Thanks.  This is why I'm not rushing into it - so many options.

@Jerryc41 posted:

... Ideally, I would have a 4 x 8 layout with a section of elevated track and be able to run two trains at the same time.

You can't go wrong on a single 4'-by-8' piece of plywood. You can certainly get your ideal concept - two loops (one elevated) running two trains at once. Don't overthink this. There are an infinite number of possibilities but you can only do one until you expand it later on. I recommend having two switches on the lower (outside) oval running onto two stub tracks that go to the edge of the layout. That will simplify expansion when the 4'-by-8' section is complete and may give you room to store two small locomotives on the stub tracks.

MELGAR

@MELGAR posted:

You can't go wrong on a single 4'-by-8' piece of plywood. You can certainly get your ideal concept - two loops (one elevated) running two trains at once. Don't overthink this. There are an infinite number of possibilities but you can only do one until you expand it later on. I recommend having two switches on the lower (outside) oval running onto two stub tracks that go to the edge of the layout. That will simplify expansion when the 4'-by-8' section is complete and may give you room to store two small locomotives on the stub tracks.

MELGAR

Would half inch plywood be enough?

@Dallas Joseph posted:

Bryce , how do you get to this  " OGR Run 251 "  ?

I'm still not great at navigating in the forum. 🙃

Dallas,

My apologies, I should have clarified that "OGR Run 251" is the AUG/SEP 2011 issue of the magazine and is not on the Forum part of the OGR website (A list of all of OGR's Back Issues can be found here). 

There are two options to view this magazine: get the print version or become a Digital Subscriber.

If you become a Digital Subscriber you get access to all the OGR Video Forums, the newest magazines in digital/PDF when they are released, and all back issues of OGR publications in digital/PDF format (1969-present).

Here is its link to learn more: https://ogaugerr.com/library/   

Bryce

@Jerryc41 posted:

Would half inch plywood be enough?

Jerryc41,

Yes. I would say so. Birch plywood would be best because it tends to have less warpage than constuction plywood and at least one side would be smooth.

MELGAR

Thanks.  I'd be getting it from Lowe's, so I'll have to take what they have.

@Dallas Joseph posted:

      Looks great. 👍   Is this your present Christmas layout Joe ?       If so, I'd better get highballing on ours.    My lady took a real interest in the Polar Express and has been making buildings with yarn ever since.      I've got a lot of construction to do with the BIG day coming fast. 🤤       

Yes, it has been put up every year since 1986. The only change has been a farm turned into a diner and parking lot. I also have a large 1:43 car collection.

@Joe Hohmann posted:

The only change has been a farm turned into a diner and parking lot.

Just like real life : )