Just a check on my sanity????

[BLVDBUZZARD]

I have been searching, reading lots of old mags and books, reading new books and mags, hitting every site on the net I could find, trying to decide on what I want in a layout. I have come close to figuring it out, atleast for now.

I am not locked into any scale, I am trying to decide bewteen HO and N scale. I will be making a medium sized HO in the near future but would like to get started on a smaller 4'X8' layout now. I do not really want an oval with a few turnouts and a siding. That does not allow me to do much watching of the trains roll. I am not really into the operation of the trains, but like to watch them roll around while I play in the yard with a switcher messing around with a few cars.

I think I have found out what I am going to do. The LHS or LTS ( local hobby shop, local train shop) has a 5'X8' HO display layout built from the Atlas track plan # HO-10028. I like the way the trains can run around while I do other things around the layout. The changes I would like to make are some what minor and major.

I would like to take the size of the HO layout, but do it all in N scale. That would give me large radius curves, lots of room for scenery. I could expand the track plan to have a small yard and a round house with turn table. I just really want a turn table, I have no real reason for a turn table, I just want one.

I need compents on this before I start and find I was just being stupid and not seeing the whole picture. Has anyone out done something like this???? Does this sound like it would work or is the light at the end of the tunnel, another trian???

Thans.

Dru.

 

[brakie]

Well,Here are some smaller HO layouts on 4x8 foot and 4x6 foot pieces of plywood.These are above the standard 4x8 or 4x6 track designs.

http://www.gatewaynmra.org/project.htm

 

[pgandw]

Actually, the plan you cite is 5x9, and I've seen it built also. It would fit very nicely in 4x8 (scaling to 80% of HO) in N.

A friend who built it as a personal layout was not happy with it because of the lack of switching opportunities, and no easy way to add any. He ended up tearing it down almost as soon as he "finished" the basic scenery. You did say you wanted lots of watching 'em roll, so it might be the right layout for you.

yours in planning

 

[BLVDBUZZARD]

Well 5'X9' is still alright for me. Well itdoes not seem I am to far out of my mind then. Since I am going N scale with this, I should have plenty of axtra room to add a few tracks for more yard and switching stuff.

Thanks.

Dru.