Well I got started

[oldtanker]

I built the table for a lay out yesterday evening with the help of my 3 year old grandson who was mad cause he was wearing his bob the builder hat and i didn't have one. I'm going with a 4x10 for the time being. I must say that the cultivater I built looks a lot better than my wood work. I still haven't decided on a track plan but i am thinking about the one from that greatest hobby vid with a few changes unless someone has a better idea

 

[jim currie]

don't know about the track plan from the vid but all the ones i have for 4 ft wide are 18" curves if you could go to 5 ft wide you could go with 24"curves.

 

[Gil Finn]

I have a better idea, get cha one of dem Bob the builder hats sign1

 

[oldtanker]

Jim, i already built the bench for it at 4x10....Gil.....i don't know about that...LOL

 

[Russ Bellinis]

A 22 inch radius curve will take 44" out of your 48 to make a half circle. This puts the trains within 2 inches of falling to the floor. It is probably safer to use 18 inch radius curves. If I remember your original post on model railroading, you were looking to build a layout that your grand children could enjoy, right? 4 axle diesels will work fine on 18 inch radius, and for the kids, I think all of the Thomas and friends trains will work on 18 inch radius. I'd just stay away from big steam and the big modern mainline diesel power units and you shouldn't have any problem with the radius.

 

[oldtanker]

thanks Russ

 

[green_elite_cab]

Hey if you are carefule, you can use 22s. i do, and even when my trains do derail, they never fly off the table. that only happnened once on a double track part of my layout. Thanks to draw bars, it kinda just hung there.... it was surreal


anyway, HO trains don't generally fly off curves at high speeds. You probably would have nothing to worry about with being close to the edge of the layout. youse flextrack and make a 21 in radius track if that makes you feel more comfortable.