Suggestions anyone?

To design for the biggest curves, RR-Track software will make it easy for you to make the most of the space available.

Gargraves track and Ross switches allowed the most flexibility for my Run Room .

I agree RR-Track is a good design program and it will also tell you just what you need for track parts.

As far as Track choice there are many, I personally am using MTH Scaletrax on my New Layout. It has the smallest rails made in O gauge and the easiest to bend Flex track pieces. Note the Flex needs to be soldered at each joint prior to bending to maintain the curve even. There is a limitation to this type of track: Switches; Only O-31, O-51 and O-72, plus #4 and #6 in left or right. However, You can mate Ross Switches to Scaletrax, just put normal 5mm load roadbed under the track and 2mm cork sheet under the Ross Switch. The railtops line up nice. Also the rails of both are actual rail shape, the Scaletrax rails are a bit smaller but most folks won't notice.

Now, for design I suggest a walk through liftgate or such and an around the walls layout. This accommodates the largest curves and gives the most track length for a given area.

Build it around the walls, not on a table in the middle of the room.

It is much easier to get large radius curves, and you get more running room by building around the perimeter of the room.

Yes, that was my plan to build it around the walls to maximize the running area and allow for big curves. I've been told a lot about the Ross switches and Scaletrax.  Sounds like the right way to go.  I've seen some members ask for ideas on layouts and members sent diagrams of their take on a nice railroad.  I'm modeling Union Pacific and Southern Pacific.  So, I guess I can go get the RR track program and come up with something, but I would like to see ideas from some of you who have been at this awhile.  I'm great at flying, hunting and fishing...could help anyone with these items, but I'm a complete rookie here...uncharted waters you might say.  Any schematic drawings would be great.  Thanks

I second the around-the-wall idea. Best decision I ever made. My minimum curve on the inside main is O104 (Ross) which permits a lot of flexibility. 

Join a club. Save time and your money without the mess.  

Boeingman,

    Rich is right on the money, build around the outside walls as much as possible, however he did not go far enough, pick track that you can run both Tin Plate and modern post war trains on, you may want to run Tin Plate Trains someday, with your more modern stuff.  The wider you make your engineering build spectrum, the more and different Trains you can run on your layouts.

PCRR/Dave

Bob, I would love to play with your track layout if I had an extra week or two.  If you click on any of the three track plans on the bottom of this page you will get an idea of how many decisions have to made by every layout builder.  My preferences were maximum running capabilities and ability to have all my stuff on layout.

Your main area can start with 7' and 6' diam. curves to run 2 loops then add turnouts and go from there.  If you go "around the wall" you will need people access bridges .  The odd track pieces are for copy paste and the straight lines are for clearance spacing.

Here's your start for the main area with 7' and 6' diam. curves.

Thank you for your reply and suggestions.  This basic two main configuration was my initial look.  Looking at your bottom left though, I plan to run a straight 14" wide board straight down the next 16' to 17' of the garage and place as many rail sidings in there that it would allow.  Would kind of be my staging yard. Possibly a front side and backdrop of a Station.  Put the long passenger trains in here. Also, from that same corner going to the right lower corner of your drawing would be my two rail access bridge.  Saw your web page.  Looked at your pictures...that's what I want!  Also, going back to that left lower corner again...I thought of a Y there and also benchwork that would go from that corner to the upper right corner, with a 33" round table there and a staging area for my diesels and locomotives.  Want to leave enough room though to walk around that upper right area so that I can access the rest of the layout.  I believe I have decided on Ross track and switches. Their turntable and roundhouse.  I obviously have a lot of reading and studying to do to learn how to lay roadbed and track and wiring.  I want to put enough power supplies at whatever intervals too, so as to have enough power to run an occasional UP Double header excursion train with my full complement of 21 cars....yep...I like big!!!! Emphasis on "Occasional"  I've decide my lower bench work will be through a friend who works with metal.  He will weld my bench work and have awesome wood framed diamond plate doors to hide boxes and my other man cave stuff.  Wood tops can then be bolted onto metal frame work and wiring grounded there too.  I already had tons of outlets installed into garage in anticipation of doing a railroad someday.  Power supply plug in will not be a problem.  All my walls and ceiling and garage door are all insulated a lot.  I have ac or heat vents installed in there too and floors and walls are finished just like the house.  The beginning look is great...now time to build the dream.  Thanks for taking a shot at my design.  It's very helpful and I'm grateful.

One last additional note:  I would like to elevate slowly one mainline and then come back down.  Kind of a mountain climb and decent look. Tunnel? Idea's?  I welcome all experience advise...thanks

A couple of questions:

1. What are the overall dimensions of the garage area you want to use?
2. Are you looking for a basic "run the trains around" build or scenic elements? If the latter, you probably want to look at either Atlas, Gargraves, Ross or ScaleTrax as these have a better look and will be much quieter than FasTrack.

There's an H.O. layout concept called "Heart of Georgia" aka H.O.G. that translates into 16'x18' in O scale that features broader curves with room for scenery. The shelves in O scale would be 24" deep. Here's an RR-Track rendering using MTH ScaleTrax with #6 turnouts and flex track.

My current plan (always a work in progress, though) utilizing a similar space (12' x 18') can be found here:  https://ogrforum.com/t...to-the-drawing-board

Thankfully, you don't have to deal w/an irregularly shaped perimeter!