well guys my new layout is on hold agin, due to my brother in law ( a.k.a brother zilla) he was over last night and asked me if i could build him a layout and he would pay me for it. we sat down and i asked him many qustions on what he would want, he said he would want it to be in n scale due to a small space he has no bigger than 60 inches long and 27 inches wide. i was ok what would you like to run on it he said the loco's you would see to day, with a small yard some where and if possable two trains running at the same time and (he would like it to be a loop to loop) i was like would you want any switching he said some, i was like ok, so i took all the info he gave me after he left and hit the pc to come up with a track plan but with that kind of space i came up with nothing, that is why i am here with this, i haven't done a small layout in this small of a space and with the locos he wants to run are the longer ones, i think they wont look right on a tight radis like that but he is willing to pay me for it so i took a part of bench work i had maed to add to my work bench and it was buy luck the same size he would want. and all track would be code 80 flex due to i have 8 cases of it for the new layout. so i would like any plansif possable. that would fit into a space that i can show him and we can then get a better idea on what he would want. (he never aske how much i would charge him for this .)
borther wanted a layout
- Thread starter scoobyloven
- Start date
I model ho rather than n scale, but in ho most of the largest diesels will operate on a 22" radius, with the possible exception of brass. If that translates down to n scale, then a 12 or 13" radius would work which barely makes it on a 27" wide layout. If he was willing to forego long six axle power in favor of -8 40b's, you might get by with a 10 inch radius. I'd start with a dogbone, and put a small yard in front of the main line between the return loops. You might be able to put some industries in the middle of the return loops. Robin or cat probably have a better idea than I do what sort of minimum radius will work. Is 27" the absolute limit? Could he live with a dogbone shaped benchwork with say 30" ends with a 36" center section 27" wide? In n scale, an extra inch or two might make a big difference. I forgot he wanted to run two trains. I think he will need to have two passing sidings and have meets.
I have a loop of Kato Unitrack with 11" radius curves. I've been able to run 6-axle SD80Mac on here without any problems. However, it looks weird, like you say - the overhang is ridiculous. Plus, you will have to space the inner loop further away, making it pretty tight.
hmm.
60x27 works OK with N-scale.
My bet is your brother in law won't *know* the difference between an SD90 and a GP40. GP40s stayed in use through the 1990s, and are still in use on shortlines, so thats probably 'modern enough'
9-10" curves look fine with 40-foot Reefers/Boxcars, 36-foot tankers, 30-foot ore cars, etc.
11-12" curves (which are what I'd reccommend) should handle 50 to 60 foot cars (Reefers, Boxcars, Hoppers, and Gondolas) without much overhang. 80-90 foot passenger cars, autoracks, and doublestacks will work, but will overhang badly.
Give me a few hours and I can put something together in RTS for you.
60x27 works OK with N-scale.
My bet is your brother in law won't *know* the difference between an SD90 and a GP40. GP40s stayed in use through the 1990s, and are still in use on shortlines, so thats probably 'modern enough'
9-10" curves look fine with 40-foot Reefers/Boxcars, 36-foot tankers, 30-foot ore cars, etc.
11-12" curves (which are what I'd reccommend) should handle 50 to 60 foot cars (Reefers, Boxcars, Hoppers, and Gondolas) without much overhang. 80-90 foot passenger cars, autoracks, and doublestacks will work, but will overhang badly.
Give me a few hours and I can put something together in RTS for you.
As promised
As promised, a quickly thrown together layout, based on the '3x5 for the absolute beginner' website. I lengthened the 2x4 version of the track and added a double track:
theres a slight curve of the backstretch to make the trains' movement more interesting.
the 3 track yard can be expanded to 5 tracks with a few more turnouts
the industry area is actually a stretched timesaver, with plenty of room
As promised, a quickly thrown together layout, based on the '3x5 for the absolute beginner' website. I lengthened the 2x4 version of the track and added a double track:
theres a slight curve of the backstretch to make the trains' movement more interesting.
the 3 track yard can be expanded to 5 tracks with a few more turnouts
the industry area is actually a stretched timesaver, with plenty of room
Attachments
thanks screwysquirrel
i'll show this to my brother and see what he thinks
as for the running locos he woulden't know the diff between a gp and a sd so i might give him two of my old gp38-2 i have that he runs all the time when he come over. but as for changing the bench work to a 30 inch on the ends wouldn't work i went to his house and looked at the space the bench i have for him would just fit . and two sides would be along the wall i told him i could build it as a coffie table a bout 12 inches above the floor and put a glass top on it for a four sides can be seen he was in joy about it .
i'll show this to my brother and see what he thinks
as for the running locos he woulden't know the diff between a gp and a sd so i might give him two of my old gp38-2 i have that he runs all the time when he come over. but as for changing the bench work to a 30 inch on the ends wouldn't work i went to his house and looked at the space the bench i have for him would just fit . and two sides would be along the wall i told him i could build it as a coffie table a bout 12 inches above the floor and put a glass top on it for a four sides can be seen he was in joy about it .
well guys here is a couple of photos of the layout
it is a dubble loop with a small yard on the front side under the layout and all joins in the back behind a back drop he can have all the switching he wanted and still run another train it is all going to be wired for dc due to he don't want dcc yet but it is made to add to a bigger layout at a later time
it is a dubble loop with a small yard on the front side under the layout and all joins in the back behind a back drop he can have all the switching he wanted and still run another train it is all going to be wired for dc due to he don't want dcc yet but it is made to add to a bigger layout at a later time
Attachments
It looks like you have a reverse loop in the first picture right in the middle. Is he ready to deal with a reversing section? Of course the second pic looks like the reverse loop has been elimintaed, so my question may not be justified.
it is some what of a reverse loop in the middle it is their for he can enter that middle for any way but the power does not switch that is part of the middle loop i tested it and can run a train on it with no problems
in the 2nd pic that is the outer loop that runs under the rest of the layout and in to the yard and at each end their is track to join it to another layout the track can't be seen it is under in the back at the two coners
in the 2nd pic that is the outer loop that runs under the rest of the layout and in to the yard and at each end their is track to join it to another layout the track can't be seen it is under in the back at the two coners
It looks like a neat layout. I hope he enjoys it. If it is in a coffee table, he will be able to access it to do switching and operations won't he? I'd hate to see such a nice operational layout reduced to just having a train go around in circles.
it would make a nice coffie table i was thinking when i was working on it today i would have to build me one this size for i can have a talk pice in the living room