Temporary Flyer Layout

Hi Russell

May I suggest a ping pong table with wheels ?

A ping pong table is close to 5' x 9' 

Your rooms height can be a factor of not using this idea ,  when storing  the table . 

I'll have to try that.  Thought I'd leave it in the garage and back out the cars when I wanted to play train.

There are many pictures on the Internet of garage layouts that crank up to the ceiling when not in use.

What about using two hollow core doors ?  put them on some sawhorses .  

Thanks for the suggestions.  Im working on a layout in SCARM and will post it for opinions.

Hello Russell,

Asas soon as I saw your topic and the reference to a ping-pong table, I thought of this video:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xMQojxGdBN0

If you can get past the "cringe worthy" part where his able assistant is helping to move the layout while in stocking feet, this shows a simple, but clever, traditional American Flyer layout in a form that can be temporary, and even allows the table still to be used for table tennis when so desired.

Here are a couple more videos of the layout in use:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=RfHwk_aJ5Hs

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=meXdlZx6XW4

Hope this gives you some ideas.

Cheers!

Alan

Here is my first attempt at design.  Feel free to comment.

Here's a picture of the layout so far...

for the space you want to use very nice plan

Nice layout plan. One thought about the 751A Log Loader placement. When I have used this accessory on my past layouts it added more operating possibilities if a track is also at the rear of the log loader. This allows the 714 log unloading car to remotely unload logs onto the 751A.

Just a suggestion, but if you can squeeze in an extra passing loop, it will let you set up trains or switch in the yard and allow a train to do laps on the outside without interference. Please excuse the rough-and-ready sketch.

If it interest you, Classic Toy Trains (gasp - an OGR competitor!) published the following track plan for O scale that fits comfortably on a 5'x9' surface and I imagine could be replicated faithfully in S scale.  I originally built a compressed version on a  4'x8' that I cut in half and reattached with a 4' hinge, allowing me to fold it up and lean it against a wall when I needed the space for something else.  I'm now rebuilding it in modular form for ease of transporting to METCA's semi annual train meet.

http://ctt.trains.com/rapid/20...-this-retro-railroad

Thanks for the link to the track plan.  I downloaded it to look it over

Firewood posted:

Just a suggestion, but if you can squeeze in an extra passing loop, it will let you set up trains or switch in the yard and allow a train to do laps on the outside without interference. Please excuse the rough-and-ready sketch.

Is there a way to wire it this way if Im only running conventional?

AmFlyer posted:

Nice layout plan. One thought about the 751A Log Loader placement. When I have used this accessory on my past layouts it added more operating possibilities if a track is also at the rear of the log loader. This allows the 714 log unloading car to remotely unload logs onto the 751A.

Never thought of that.  I'll have to work that in somehow.

Building the layout for 2 transformer operation is easily possible. I would have the outside loop and the passing track at the log loader on one transformer. The yard, lower passing track and the connecting loop back to the divergent side of the turnout at the log loader would be fed from the second transformer. Whenever possible feed power to the point rather than the frog side of Gilbert turnouts. It reduces and simplifies the wiring and the need for fiber pins. All turnouts should be set to 2 train operation.

To do that put a short, about 3" long piece of track between the turnouts on each side of the outer loop. Feed transformer one power at those two points. Similarly put a short piece of straight track between the two back to back turnouts at the yard entrance and connect transformer 2 power there. That is all you need. I think you may also need fiber pins in the base post rails of the 2 inner loop tracks colored purple on the drawing.

It looks like this is optimized for counter clockwise operation. I count 8 places for uncouplers. By the way, the layout as now drawn is 60" wide so it will barely fit on a 5' wide board. Definitely too big if you add the 3" pieces of track I suggest.

Unless I am missing something from the track plan, which looks very by the way, it will not lend well to a ping pong table unless you make several adjustments to allow for the table to be folded in the middle.  Since you have stated that you are planning on keeping this layout out in the garage, depending on how your walls are constructed, possibly a Murphy bed style of layout/table would better suit your track plan.  In case you are not familiar with a Murphy bed, it is one that folds up flat, parallel to the wall.  There is a gap between the wall and the layout therefore scenery could stay on the layout.  Murphy bed hardware can be purchased through places like Rockler Woodworking.

Kelpieflyer posted:

Firewood posted:

Just a suggestion, but if you can squeeze in an extra passing loop, it will let you set up trains or switch in the yard and allow a train to do laps on the outside without interference. Please excuse the rough-and-ready sketch.

Is there a way to wire it this way if Im only running conventional?

I think you could isolate the inner oval from the outer one to let you run the yard separately. Standard two-throttle cab control with center-off switches would do it. The extra passing loop options should let you swap trains that you made up on the inner loop for those coming off the outer loop into the yard.

Just a few questions:

Will this be  O Flyer or S Flyer?

If you constructed modules, what size would fit? Like cut a 5' x 9' into four rectangles and store them? They would be about 3"  thick.

Take a modular club approach and connect them narrow end to end.

Would a fold down from the wall work?