Why all the Hate for the 4x8?

@RSJB18 posted:

Hi. My name's Bob and I am a member of The 48 Club......Hi Bob!

@baltimoretrainworks- I might steal your artwork and hang it on a wall.  I hope it's not copyrighted
already.

Hi Bob! Not at all use it, I'm still working on the By Laws of the 4x8 Club and other such things that one has with a club, might even make up some type of membership card. I do need to figure out what font that is, I stole it from online and cut and pasted the letters to make it in PrintShop, it would have been a whole lot easier just downloading the font!  I see however what this discussion is about seems to be falling on deaf ears. By hate I think we mean tone deafness, condescending ( however unintentional they may be ) remarks and the assumption that many who model in 4x8 some how don't understand the limitations of it, on the contrary we do and make every attempt to use that to our advantage or to mitigate it as best we can or just ignore it and do what we want to. Everyone of us in 3 rail have at some point have dealt with some of the scale rivet counters sneering at us as a group but then some go about doing the same thing to their own brethren. We don't need or want a pat on the head and a "Well at least you tried but blah, blah, blah..." I'm fortunate enough to have a bit of space in my basement for a larger layout, 8x12 but even that has horrendous limitations that according to some posters here would make it better if I went smaller in scale. I don't want to go on a rant and maybe I have already but to tell someone they are in the wrong scale or that they can't run a scale Big Boy on a 4x8 (like we don't already know that) doesn't seem very sympathetic and certainly isn't helpful. And for the record I do have a 4x8 that I set up after I dismantled my layout and hope to be able to incorporate it into the living area of my basement remodel so I do have a dog in this fight. Well I have to go, my wife's making kielbasa and kishka and I have to turn the crank on the sausage stuffer.

Jerry

Jerry I am with you 100%!  I wish I had room for a 4 X 8 layout. I’m limited to 3 X 9.  I really like what I have, can run 2 trains, and I’m planning to add a small elevated loop or trolley line.  This is a big hobby with room for everyone.

Homemade kielbasa and kishka!  You better keep her happy so she sticks around.  😀

John

Love the Art Deco logo.  Count me in as charter member!  My 4x8er has kept my grandkids and me occupied for a number of years while we worked on a plan for a 17 x 25 walk through (The space finally became available recently).  But there are no plans to disassemble the our 32 sq. ft. empire.

Although the layout features some Plasticville buildings, the rest is more scale-like.  I use Atlas track for the two mainlines and long switches for the crossover and sidings.  I run all scale motive power, including some with three axle trucks, with both DCS and Legacy.  How about a slogan?   "Celebrate the 4X8"  or "Dare to run on 32 Square".   Oh, this is fun!

Got to go. My switch list awaits.

Peace

Earl

I smell a new thread....stay tuned....😁😁🚂🚃🚃🚃🚃

No hate for the 4x8 here. I started out in the 4x8 club, operating in a guest room. Years later,  with the consent of the cco, I was fortunate to graduate to the 2 x (4x8) club with the addition of another sheet of plywood.  Anyone who says a 4x8 layout is not enough to have fun doesn’t know what they are talking about. My kids and I had countless hours of fun with that original 4x8 layout. Just look at bobs set up above. What is that - 14 switches and an equal number of power blocks? That looks like a boatload of fun and an operators dream. Sure, we all want that big basement with huge space but for many of us, that isn’t happening, particularly for me down here in Florida. Nevertheless, we are by no means deprived of the enjoyment and fun associated with this great hobby.

Jerry

@Strap Hanger posted:

No hate for the 4x8 here. I started out in the 4x8 club, operating in a guest room. Years later,  with the consent of the cco, I was fortunate to graduate to the 2 x (4x8) club with the addition of another sheet of plywood.  Anyone who says a 4x8 layout is not enough to have fun doesn’t know what they are talking about. My kids and I had countless hours of fun with that original 4x8 layout. Just look at bobs set up above. What is that - 14 switches and an equal number of power blocks? That looks like a boatload of fun and an operators dream. Sure, we all want that big basement with huge space but for many of us, that isn’t happening, particularly for me down here in Florida. Nevertheless, we are by no means deprived of the enjoyment and fun associated with this great hobby.

You are correct SH. I run conventional so power blocks are a must. My next project is to add a third spur to the yard in the middle. Car storage is premium on a small pike. Here's the current and new plan. I bought some MTH scale-trax switches and will modify them to fit. The old 5122's are as close together as possible.

Here I thought plywood sheets was 4x6 (feet).  I think some element of hate for the 4x8 must come from the aspect ratio and it's lack of appeal to the eye. A

@RSJB18 posted:

You are correct SH. I run conventional so power blocks are a must. My next project is to add a third spur to the yard in the middle. Car storage is premium on a small pike. Here's the current and new plan. I bought some MTH scale-trax switches and will modify them to fit. The old 5122's are as close together as possible.

Looking good, Bob. A wise decision for this addiction we share. Adding on more side tracks invariably leads to filling those side tracks/yards with more trains!  I did the same with my main level when I grew from the original 4x8 layout. Almost all of the extension was devoted to a storage yard. This is what I wound up with:

Which soon became this, with wonderful additions to my pike-

One suggestion though. Like you, I originally ran only conventional. One day, I picked up a dcs system and I was blown away by how much more fun it is to run in command mode on a small layout.  Try picking up one of those dcs commanders and try it out.  It can run 3 trains at a time. If you have more Lionel, get the older  tmcc system.  Also, on small pikes, command control works really well with all of the power blocks that we have.  Signal strength has never been an issue for me, and I have 4 levels with over 20 independently powered sidetracks in total connected to the dcs. Running the conventional stuff on a layout wired for command control is also not a problem.  Give it a try.

@Strap Hanger posted:

Looking good, Bob. A wise decision for this addiction we share. Adding on more side tracks invariably leads to filling those side tracks/yards with more trains!  I did the same with my main level when I grew from the original 4x8 layout. Almost all of the extension was devoted to a storage yard. This is what I wound up with:

Which soon became this, with wonderful additions to my pike-

One suggestion though. Like you, I originally ran only conventional. One day, I picked up a dcs system and I was blown away by how much more fun it is to run in command mode on a small layout.  Try picking up one of those dcs commanders and try it out.  It can run 3 trains at a time. If you have more Lionel, get the older  tmcc system.  Also, on small pikes, command control works really well with all of the power blocks that we have.  Signal strength has never been an issue for me, and I have 4 levels with over 20 independently powered sidetracks in total connected to the dcs. Running the conventional stuff on a layout wired for command control is also not a problem.  Give it a try.

soon

IMO it’s all a matter of perspective. A small 4x8 layout can look as good, if not better than, a larger layout if every thing is kept in proportion. By that I mean, if building a smaller O scale layout then running smaller consists pulled by smaller engines. And of course adding the appropriate sized buildings, figures and scenery will really bring it to life. MELGAR’s NYT&BRR that was featured in run 316 of OGR is a great example of a small layout done beautifully.

One thing to consider with older postwar and prewar AC motors and 4 x 8 multi spur / loop layouts is the fact that they don't run well at very low speeds and negotiating spurs and small loops requires that.

John

@Strap Hanger posted:

Looking good, Bob. A wise decision for this addiction we share. Adding on more side tracks invariably leads to filling those side tracks/yards with more trains!  I did the same with my main level when I grew from the original 4x8 layout. Almost all of the extension was devoted to a storage yard. This is what I wound up with:

Which soon became this, with wonderful additions to my pike-

One suggestion though. Like you, I originally ran only conventional. One day, I picked up a dcs system and I was blown away by how much more fun it is to run in command mode on a small layout.  Try picking up one of those dcs commanders and try it out.  It can run 3 trains at a time. If you have more Lionel, get the older  tmcc system.  Also, on small pikes, command control works really well with all of the power blocks that we have.  Signal strength has never been an issue for me, and I have 4 levels with over 20 independently powered sidetracks in total connected to the dcs. Running the conventional stuff on a layout wired for command control is also not a problem.  Give it a try.

Really nice looking layout.

John

Hi. My name's Bill  and I am a member of The 48 Club......!

Maybe Miller Engineering can help us with building a logo

Often thought that on the layout design forum layout dimensions in the topic would be helpful. As much as I like the very large layouts, 4.5' x 16 is about all I can do and the .5 is a stretch.

@Craftech posted:

Really nice looking layout.

John

Thanks John! Here is a video from last year -

If you check on Facebook there is a whole group dedicated to 4 x 8 and has a fast growing membership. Check it out!

I have never been on FB, and never will be. I'll just stick with the OGR forum.

@Silent Flyer posted:

If you check on Facebook there is a whole group dedicated to 4 x 8 and has a fast growing membership. Check it out!

Link? This one?   https://www.facebook.com/groups/2256332937737920