Recommendations for Small Layout using 054 Curves

Broadly speaking, you might want to have some sort of loop around the edges and a working yard in the interior, especially if you can walk around the 5X10 perimeter. Otherwise, you may need an access hole in the center which limits yard possibilities.

Something I do with yards (mainly for childrens' play benefit) is that I don't put operating cars right on the sidings in the yard; instead, I put them on a dedicated piece of track so the kids can play with the milk car or cattle car without tying up a siding.

Try and find a way to bring an engine or train into the yard from the front and back of the loop around the yard.

Hope that helps.

Oh, last point, just because you have 54" curves doesn't mean engines and 18" or 21" passenger cars look good on them. I have 54" and 42" curves on the two loops around my yard but don't run engines rated for more than 31".  My layout is 8' x 11' and the giants look silly IMO on small layouts like ours.

In terms of layout designs and plans, an internet search will reveal there are plenty of them out there for free through various manufacturers. On this Forum, there are some great layout designers such as Ken O-Scale, Moonman and DoubleDaz who have posted many different designs - you should do a search and see what they have designed for a layout your size.

There are also other software packages out there, such as Anyrail, but I don't know that any of them are any easier to use. I'm no expert with it, but it gets easier the more you use it and if you come up with a basic plan, others here on the Forum can probably help with pointing out problems or making suggestions and helping you close it out.

As for track, you'll get many opinions as to which is the best, easiest, quietest, etc. My personal preference is Fastrack and I believe they make special pieces to join RealTrax to Fastrack. Remember that a FT 0-54 loop is actually 57.5" wide.

I agree that the locomotives and rolling stock you use should not be so large as to overwhelm the layout. Lionel and MTH both make good looking and feature laden trains that run down to O-31 and will look more realistic on a small layout. On the other hand, if there's a train you really like and it will run on O-54, I wouldn't hesitate to buy and enjoy it. Not many people are going to notice whether there's an excessive overhang.

Good luck.

Bryan,

Welcome to the Forum and there are some very good points above.  Richie's point about using the search tab at the top eight of the Forum page is invaluable.

I had a very similar space problem to yours when I began to plan for my currently in-work 5' X 10' Fastrack layout in that this was the maximum space that I had available in my "train room" due to an existing permanent layout that I had completed years ago.

Please understand that Lionel Fastrack does not have a 54" curved section so you will be limited to using either 36", 48", or 60" curved sections of Fastrack  unless you change to another type of track.  A loop made from 60" curves will require a minimum of 5'-4" to 5'-6" of table width.

It is also not possible to reach across a table that is 60 inches wide so aisle width will also be an issue.

Since I only had a 5'X10' space available I built my benchwork on casters so that I could roll the table away from an existing wall to reach the inaccessible 10' long side.

My largest Fastrack curves are only 48" due to my space limitations so my choice of locomotives and cars will be limited.  I got a lot of help on the final layout from "Moonman" and since I wanted to feature a "town area" instead of a train yard I am happy with the final result.

All things considered I would suggest trying to get a minimum of 6 foot in width for your table if possible as this will open up many additional options for a functional track plan.

A few timeline photos of my 5X10 layout are attached.

'Good Luck with your new layout.

My layout.  O54 with one set of O63 1/4 curve.  O45 inner loop.  12'8" X 11'6" room including closet area.

1st addition.  Turntable Roundhouse addition. Expansion into the next room Old Laundry area.

Final addition across a door-way in the laundry area. .  Coal tipple/ mine facilities.

 Atlas double track door-way bridge.

Camera walk around.  Click on underlined phrase for a slideshow of the layout.

Bryan,

    I do not really know what kind of room you have, however if you want to run the larger engines that take bigger curves consider a shelf ceiling layout.  Sense you are a loop runner this will be fairly easy to engineer and build, and the Shay you want run will not be a problem.  

PCRR/Dave

One of our Shay driven Tin Plate Consist on the over head Shelf Ceiling layout.