This is rough room size for my HO layout. Any ideas? Thought about switch yard on side wall with mainline down center of room? Want tostart small but be able to expand without to much trouble.
Room
- Thread starter plbab
- Start date
I think you forgot something - like the dimensions. While you're at it, maybe a rough drawing (using Paint, even) showing the locations, sizes, heights, etc. of doors, windows, outlets, vents, etc. could be helpful.
Hi plbab,
My advice is go to a hobby shop, & see if they have some books with published track plans...(you can find these on line too - amazon.com, or www.walthers.com )
Atlas has several books of HO track plans, or look for titles like 101 Track Plans For Model RR's, or HO RR That Grows, or Small RR's You Can Build, HO RR From Set To Scenery...& I'm sure there are others.
These should give you lots of ideas about what you might want to do with your available space
Back issues of Model Railroader magazine, if you can find these, also have a lot of ideas.
Model Railroader also has an annual publication called Model RR Planning. (you can find these in a lot of hobby shops) They have lots of great ideas, especiallyu for spare room type situations
There's also a Track Planning For The Future forum here at The Gauge. If you post your room dimensions, whatever ideas you have, & I'm sure you'll get some feedback.
Good luck to you, & keep us posted on your progress!
My advice is go to a hobby shop, & see if they have some books with published track plans...(you can find these on line too - amazon.com, or www.walthers.com )
Atlas has several books of HO track plans, or look for titles like 101 Track Plans For Model RR's, or HO RR That Grows, or Small RR's You Can Build, HO RR From Set To Scenery...& I'm sure there are others.
These should give you lots of ideas about what you might want to do with your available space
Back issues of Model Railroader magazine, if you can find these, also have a lot of ideas.
Model Railroader also has an annual publication called Model RR Planning. (you can find these in a lot of hobby shops) They have lots of great ideas, especiallyu for spare room type situations
There's also a Track Planning For The Future forum here at The Gauge. If you post your room dimensions, whatever ideas you have, & I'm sure you'll get some feedback.
Good luck to you, & keep us posted on your progress!
If you will send us a drawing of your room,I am sure we can come up with a workable layout.IMHO the biggest problem with layout books they lack reason for being for the railroad.Even a branch line has a reason for being.So far you are on the right track.
Having trouble attaching paint drawing. So i will try to describe it . Standing at the entrance the room is 11 ft long along the right wall is a door way and a closet. it is 7 ft wide, at the half way point it goes to the left 2 ft making it 9 ft wide.
Plbab, as I se it from your description, you have two choices. One being around the walls with bridges that go past doors etc, and the other is an island type. For me I have an entrance door, a bathroom door, and a large patio door in my room so I chose the island type. I made the layout out of four modules with the two larger ones on large casters so I can move it around. I can put it up against the wall if I am finished and pull it out when I want to work on it. Presently I have it sitting with one end against a small wall and I am now adding on small modules to it to expand it. Just a thought. As others have said, visit your hobby shop, local clubs and talk with them, there is also lots of books out there filled with great track plans. Happy railroading.. Ron..
Excellent ideas; but you could probably do more with the "around the walls", and generally have larger radius curves. Perhaps a combination of the two: around the walls on the outside walls; and then a walkway between the doorway and the closet on the one side; a "walkunder" allowing access to the "substantive" hole in the middle of the layout.
It also depends if you want access to the closet too - you might just block that off - or take out the doors and use it as additional space for the layout.
It also depends if you want access to the closet too - you might just block that off - or take out the doors and use it as additional space for the layout.
Well i think i will use around the walls, and a island type the best of both worlds. Thanks for your input. now to come up with a track plan...........