'O' gauge track plan-critique requested

[aartwmich]

Hiya folks...this O gauge track plan was generated using RR-Track software by MTH then exported and some labels added-I hope it shows up OK.

The plan is for a 5'x13' area with a highly desired overpass, hard to do in such a small space with O gauge but we think it will work. If anyone sees anything wrong, your advice would be appreciated.

Track used is MTH Easy-Track. The curves are 031 (31'' dia) except for the turnout/s-curve at the top right which is 072 (72'' dia). The arrows denote the UP direction of the grade, grade is approx. 2.5%. The numbers along the track show the elevations, 0, 3, 6 in inches.

The rectangle in the upper right, for which all the lines don't quite show up, is a table about a foot high that the Christmas tree will sit on. The tracks go under the table.

Soooo...how's it look???

TIA

 

[aartwmich]

Oops..pic didn't attach! ops:

 

[Arlaghan]

I think it looks mighty fine. Is this going to be a tear-down layout or a permanent one? You mentioned a Christmas tree... I was wondering.

 

[Jim T]

One thing I noticed is that if the turnout in the upper right was moved to the left of the turnout in the upper middle you could continuously run the whole track without have to throw any turnouts. Hope this makes sense. LOL

Cheers, Jim

 

[Greg Elems]

Aartwmich that is a nice layout. Since you will be using it with a Christmas tree, it will be fun to watch the train run through canyons of presents. Be sure to post some pictures as you build it. I don't think the grades will be a problem. The newer engines and easy rolling cars should do fine.

Greg Elems

 

[Arlaghan]

Originally posted by Jim T
One thing I noticed is that if the turnout in the upper right was moved to the left of the turnout in the upper middle you could continuously run the whole track without have to throw any turnouts. Hope this makes sense. LOL

Cheers, Jim

That's a good observation!

 

[aartwmich]

Arlaghan..yes it will be a temporary layout, only set up for around Christmas-2 to 3 months.

Jim T...Hmmmm.....That's a good idea, it would give a larger lower loop, BUT the upper left leg of the table is in the way. We could move the table to the left but there is a large window that the tree on the table would block if we did that. Will have to play with that idea...hhmmmmm....

Greg...Thanks...The grade and S curve were our concerns. No room for presents, there will be a ski slope coming down from the table, buildings on the table; a log loader, roadways and other buildings on the floor. Quilt batting snow everywhere.

Thanks for the feedback folks. I will surely post pics of the layout, tho the whole shebang, snow and all, probably will not be layed out until next holiday season.

 

[Hoss]

Keep in mind I know basically nothing about O scale, but will the trains be able to run on 31" diameter (15.5" radius) curves? That's pretty tight even for N scale. I thought larger scales needed larger radius curves?? Someone educate me please.

 

[screwysquirrel]

31" Diameter

O-scale runs shorter-than-scale cars to fit in its 31-inch DIAMETER(!) curve. Instead of giving an exact-detailed scale, it gives an 'impression' of railroading action, instead of exact scale.

These were the first popular electric trains, the ones Lionel made famous, and sometimes derided by Rivet Counters because they arent true-to-scale.

 

[60103]

aart: are you planning this as a one or two train layout?
There's a way to wire the switches so that when the train comes out of the loop and turns one, the other one turns as well. That would let you run it around one loop and automatically go to the other loop, like a figure 8. Of course, you could do it by hand as well.

 

[Hoss]

Interesting. I did not know that. I knew about Lionel, but I guess I never paid much attention to the radius....errrr....diameter. Learn something new every day.

 

[TR-Flyer]

Hi Aart:
If you do what Jim T suggests, do you still need the turnouts? You could have continuous running without them and the train would cover all the track each time around. What did you want to do with the layout? Are you just running one train or more than one? Any trollys or other "citified" rolling stock?

Have you been to the "All Gauge" page? http://www.thortrains.net/ This is a great site for large gauge modelers. Thor has a bunch of O-gauge (and "S"!!) layouts. Some are just for Christmas and some are for fun. I set up a "fun" layout for Christmas two years ago and we had a great time running multiple trains during the holidays.

A note on using batting. That's what i used and after Christmas i had to pull the wheels on most of my rolling stock because the batting gets balled up around the axles. It balls up around the very end of the axles, in the sideframes, and i had to pick the stuff out of the sideframe axle holes with the tip of my xacto. Didn't set up a layout this year, no time, but am trying to figure out an alternate to batting for next year.

Neat to see you messin' with the "big stuff". Nothin' like trains at Christmas. We went on a Carribean cruise for this Christmas. Were docked in Costa Maya, Mexico for Christmas. My mother-in-law brought a paper "fold out" Christmas tree, about a foot tall, and my wife bought me a "N" gauge battery powered 4-4-0 train with tender, boxcar, flatcar, caboose and circle of track from the Dollar store. For another dollar each she got a crossing signal and a lamp post. So, we had the full treatment for the holidays!

Who says ya can't take it with ya!

Ho, Ho, Ho!
Ted

 

[aartwmich]

Hoss..I too have a hard time thinking in diameter instead of raduis when talking about track curves, it does seems strange.

60103....One train will run either on the lower loop or the overpass loop. At least that is the plan for now.

This train was obtained by a dear friend of mine to run around the tree at the holidays and to revisit the joys of a childhood experience. After 2 years of a single loop we found the need for an overpass bridge, thus the two loop layout-for what's an overpass without something running underneath it?. A simple, non-rivet counting, endeavor to play with trains and the visionary impressions that can be created with some model "stuff".

TR-Flyer...I did visit Thor's page, but found nothing in the smaller O layouts that contained an overpass. Maybe I didn't look far enough, but he is pretty happy with what he has designed. I did the drafting and posted here to make sure we weren't designing something that couldn't be built...lol.
I will have him check for batting threads in the wheels, but I think the batting is pretty well contained away from the tracks.

Thanks again folks for the feedback...always open to new ideas.