O scale size for a 15'x40' area

Personally, I'd get some good track planning software and see what you can come up with to fit in your basement.  If you can stick with 80" diameter curves or bigger, I'd say go for it.

 

Also, don't dwell on the 15 foot width.  You have 40 feet of length to play with which will really give you a lot of options.  

 

Many nice O scale layouts have been built in spaces smaller than yours.

I had a similar choice to make. my room is 12 by 22 feet. I really wanted to see the detail on my trains and I wanted broad curves. So, O scale and around the wall double main provided me the best solution for  long passenger trains that can be close coupled and close coupled steam and diesel locomotives. You have the room where you can bring industries out on islands. In real life one very seldom sees and entire train nose to tail, but rather watch it stream by.

If you want to see 20 or 30 cars at one time go with the HO. If you want great detail one can see from 5 or 10 feet away and robust locomotive sounds go with O scale.

Everything is a compromise whichever way you go.

My two cents. Good luck and enjoy yourself.

My train room is 15' X 28'.  I built around the walls, sort of a walk in backwards G shape.  I only have access from one side and I didn't want a duck under.

Alan,

You have enough room to keep the trains from looking toy like. You also have enough to build any type of operation that you like. (Continuous, point-to-point, or both). A folded bone or around the room limits the wide areas needed to turn a train around. Reach is an issue in O.

 

peninsulas and under layout staging areas can maximize space utilization.

 

A 5.5 to 6 inch center rail-to-center rail is desirable on the curves to accommodate any modern scale engines and cars.

 

Your probably good with sketching the layout or SCARM is free and easy to learn to let you create some designs.

 

I think the design should develop easily for you as you have some "Givens" already with location and type of operation to guide the planning.

 

Some turn around examples attached for area reference. 0-89 needs 12'L x 8'W to turn around and 0-138 needs 18.5'L x 12'W to turn around.

 

Please keep us posted as you decide.

Thanks much Moonman,have been eyeing the penninsulas & thinking these would be good for industries. 6-12 car grain trains would probably be best along one of the 2 40' lengths of mainline.
Now if I can just start selling my HO empire & get some cash flow to get started,that'd be a big help. Have advertised on the HO forum but no serious takers.
Oh well,all in good time.
Thanks again for the advice.
Al

Thank you fellow railroaders for your advice on my 15'x40' space for my train layout. As always here,the advice is great.
Thanks again.
Alan