Newbie with plans

[Oranoco]

Evening all. Not entirely a newbie as I built a OO layout with my dad when I was... er.... a bit younger. Discovering pubs, girls, cars etc meant my model railway got boxed up and kind of forgotten about for the fat chunk of 20 years. My mum kindly reminded me that I moved out a few years ago and there was still loads of my stuff there. The model railway stuff saw the light of day and was put in our spare room. An eagle eyed nephew spotted it all and before long a simple loop was put together on the dining table.



One very happy nephew put a big smile on the mrs face and suggesting maybe putting a 8x4 board in the spare bedrroom was met with approval (I love that girl). Will be staying DC as with mountain bikes and cars eating my spare money if I add another significant expense I will be sleeping in the shed. Thoughts and opinions would be great, not on making the shed comfy lol

This is my 8'x4' plan


And a 8'x4'-6"

[kiwitram]

Hey there,

I like how simple it looks - you're not overstretching yourself (Unlike this lady here... Oops!)

What have you got planned for the space in the centre? personally I'd be tempted to make a station diorama or maybe a small scrapyard of some kind; it'd give scope for all sorts of things.

I see you liked the look of the Dapol engine shed over on that new thread; might we see a few of those pop up in the sidings?

I'd be very interested into the era and type of stock you're planning to run. On my layout it's a bit of a free-for-all, so anything goes.

Still, I'll keep an eye on this thread with interest..


Good luck!

Alex

[Oranoco]

I have to be honest the plain areas will probably receive some grass and low level foliage and that's likely to be about it as the board has to stand on its side down the back of the bed when not in use. The 3rd bedroom has been converted into my home office so I can't begin to imagine how much trouble I'd be in if I render the only remaining spare room useless as a bedroom.

I might have to get a Dapol engine shed kit or 2 for old times sake but this must be done on a budget which I know will compromise the end result but I'm quite happy to get the green light to do this at all. Think there might need to be a grateful shopping trip funded for this one. lol

[pete12345]

It's worth considering that an 8'x4' slab doesn't really make very good use of the space. You need to provide access to at least three sides of the board, so the actual space used is more like 8'x10'. With this in mind, it's worth turning the area 'inside out' and having the operator in the middle. The layout can then run round the edges of the room on shelves- either as an end to end design, or with a removable section across the doorway. This not only gives you more layout area within the same overall space, but the room can usually still be used for another purpose.

[Oranoco]

Great idea but no way on earth I'll get it past my very long suffering Mrs. She puts up (without moaning ever I might add), mountain bikes in the utility room and boxes of car bits under the stairs so really I can't risk breaking her with this. The room is approx 18' x 8' With the room space an 8' x 4'-6" will allow access to both ends and a long edge and when in use the board will span across the bed so unfortunately whilst I agree a layout operated from the centre would be preferable it's not doable.

[pete12345]

With the room space an 8' x 4'-6" will allow access to both ends and a long edge...

Unless you have a four foot reach, this will leave a part of the layout inaccessible. Inevitably this is where the trains choose to stop working or derail! Consider a narrow shelf along one long wall running an end-to-end setup. For most of its length this can be as narrow as 12" wide, widening to maybe 2' at one end to allow room for a terminus station or goods yard. With this arrangement, the room itself isn't really compromised and the layout can remain in position. Remember with a portable layout, you'll either need to allow enough clearance for buildings to remain in place, or else make them removable and find a place to store them as well as all items of rolling stock. This can take up a surprising amount of space even with the layout put away.

[Emettman]

The room is approx 18' x 8' With the room space an 8' x 4'-6" will allow access to both ends and a long edge and when in use the board will span across the bed so unfortunately whilst I agree a layout operated from the centre would be preferable it's not doable.

Hello and welcome, Oranco!

I'm not yet so sure, and I would suggest considerable thought about almost anything else before going for "The Devil's Tablecloth" size of 8x4 in a single slab.

Larger curved radii, a bit longer train length, and more of the bedroom accessible without heavy lifting should be possible all at the same time.
Easier baseboard build, too, quite likely.

Can I ask where the door is in the 18 x 8, is that a double bed, and what else in terms of furniture/storage normally lives there?
I may be able to sketch an idea or two.

While I was learning to use Anyrail I did have a go at seeing what I could do with 8x4: On one level, and assuming tender steam locos would be wanted, this eventually came out (avoiding the use of first radius curves.)
If all passenger trains were double-ended DMU or EMU and no tender steam locos were required, things can get appreciably simpler.



The light green/middle green is not really a third running oval. The light green on the left is a dual-direction terminal road, and also the headshunt for the goods yard.
The inner mid green on the right is mainly the loco road to get locos to turn round via the reversing loop and also to get locos to and from either end of a train sitting at the light green platform.
This leaves the two outer loops unencumbered for running trains.


Chris

[Oranoco]

Many thanks for the welcome guys and gal.

Having a look at the room to see what I can do to either access the 4th side or may have to consider a smaller board which will be disappointing as I was looking forward to going bigger that the one I did as a kid.

[End2end]

Hi Oranoco and welcome to the forum.
How about something "up in the air" like this thread - http://www.newrailwaymodellers.co.uk/Fo ... il#p591862
Thanks
End2end

[Emettman]

Many thanks for the welcome guys and gal.

Having a look at the room to see what I can do to either access the 4th side or may have to consider a smaller board which will be disappointing as I was looking forward to going bigger that the one I did as a kid.

One idea, just for example, would be to have two boards making an "L" shape, against two walls, essentially permanent (resting on chests of drawers or other storage means the space keeps a dual use) with two narrower boards (largely with simple track) being removable and completing, when in place, a much more impressive "oval."
the main station and sidings being on the 18" (ish) wide boards that would not need moving.

Or a layout 12, (14, 16, 18) ft long, but only 4ft wide at the ends, narrowing down to 18" or even less in its long middle section. A "dog-bone" layout.
Classic here would be to run the rear double track hidden behind a retaining wall with a road, and street scene in low relief above. Lots of room for an impressive station and yard , with similar square footage to an obtrusive 8x4.

Chris

[Oranoco]

I can't have it as a permanent install as there is no way I'll get that past the mrs. The board has to be placed on its side and be tight against the wall behind the bed and bedside tables. It will be heavy and cack handed but it's the only way the mrs will agree to me doing this.

[End2end]

I can't have it as a permanent install as there is no way I'll get that past the mrs. The board has to be placed on its side and be tight against the wall behind the bed and bedside tables. It will be heavy and cack handed but it's the only way the mrs will agree to me doing this.

For temporary buildings whilst the layout is out why not use magnets sunk into the baseboard at each location and on the bottom of the buildings themselves
A dececnt looking model building looks good on its own on a shelf otherwise lilliput /danbury et al wouldn't have a business
Thanks
End2end

[JasonBz]

It doesn't have to be a single solid lump of a board to be the size you wish -Its possible to create an access area under some removable scenery, or even just to have some scenery that you can take off for storage.
If you are feeling brave with the planning and some tools you can even make it fold in half so that when it is "in storage" it is only a 4 foot square space stealer

[Oranoco]

I love the idea of a sectional board but woodwork isn't where my talents lie. Always open to bribe people and have a friend who's a competent chippy.

Perhaps a bit more thinking is needed to accommodate this and maybe even the consideration of a reduced 6' x 4' board instead (Noooo!!)

[ParkeNd]

Small domestic spaces, wives, layouts having to be packed away - you have just discovered why N gauge is seeing such growth in popularity. In OO your scenery will be 8x the volume of N scenery and you will also be limited in that area too.