Over/Under Starter Layout

Cannonball

More Trains Than Brains
Ok, so I worked up a simple over/under layout in RTS for my buddy and his son to build for their trainset. It shouldn't be too difficult for them. It's 3x4 with nothing less than half tracks, 11" curves, a couple of switches to make an industrial or small storage siding and truss bridge for scenery. I figure we can do a small mountain or something and put in a couple of tunnel portals as well. Pretty basic but it should give them an idea of whether or not they want to do something larger down the road.

Opinions welcome. :wave:
 

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Cannonball

More Trains Than Brains
Thought..... Is 2-1/2 inches enough clearence? If so, I could get away with a 3% incline starter and not have to buy the whole 12 feet.

Edit: nevermind... Misread the discription. It's 2-1/2 wide. Only 3/4 high.
Dang...
 

Cannonball

More Trains Than Brains
cannon ball I think all you need for n scale is 2 inch clearance

Yeah, but I still have to buy the whole set of risers to get that 2".
I've been prcing this thing out and I'm looking at almost $100 for track and the foam risers so far. I wonder if it would be any cheaper with flex track??
 

logicman

Greybeard
Hi, Cannonball.

I like the layout - it's excellent for a beginner.

Here's my 2 cents / pence worth:

Start with a 4 x 4 and take out a 1 x 1 foot square in the top right corner.
That gives you 3 square feet of extra room, but leaves good 'stretchover' access to all parts of the layout - assuming this is going up against 2 walls, west and south.

Just add two more pieces of track to extend north - that's not a lot on costs, nor is the 3 square feet of baseboard. Of course, the cost of another 3 square feet of scenery is another matter!

hth, have fun!
 

Cannonball

More Trains Than Brains
Shouldn't you have a runaround track to have some interesting switching on the 2 spurs ?

Jacques

Actually, the new plan eleminates switching altogether.
The layout really isn't about running or switching, it's to see if the kid has the patience to do something constructive besides blow up cars and shoot gangsta thugs on his Playstation or X-box or whatever. If he can get through a small layout, then they'll start something bigger with switching and whatnot. (Dad eventually wants to do something L shaped about 4 x 12 on each leg in their basement. :twisted: )
 
Reminds me of one of my early layouts! Complete with Bachmann Pier Set... they didn't have those newfangled foam riser things back then!
 
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