ok, my plan for my first N scale layout,

ozzy

Active Member
ok, my space is 4' X 4'. now i can have a 4' X4' bench, or an an L shape or a U shape, just as long as it fits in a 4' X 4' space.

i want 2 main lines, one freight and one passanger.( do not have to run side by side) a working yard, a turntable, 2 or 3 industries, mountains with tunnels, and track on top of it, if not a main line then a spur to something. but would like a main to. i want a city with a trolly, even it the trolly just went back anf forth on 3 feet of track, have the ends hidden.

do you think it all would fit? or is this too much stuff going on.
 
4 x 4 is really pushing it to include all of that in my opinion. I think you're going to be restricted to a basic square, which has its disadvantages. A "U" would be out since you wouldn't have enough room to turn a train in the area you have left after allowing for a cutout.

A basic double track loop is possible. The yard would have to be small and perhaps diagonal to the sides; still not sure I can visualize it.

You could consider putting a disconnected trolley line on a viaduct "high line" such as those Atlas makes.
 

Dan Brown

New Member
The only plan I can find right now is the N-105 Monopoly & Octopus. The plan is in Nine N Scale Model Railroads from Atlas. This only has an oval with two short passing tracks, two reverse loops, and a few sidings. Not much room for a trolley line. I think Model Railroader had a small layout with a yard and oval back in the 70's or 80's.
 
The Monopoly and Octopus--- yes, that's the one I was thinking of also, but couldn't come up with. I dug out my copy of Nine N Scale Model Railroads and looked at it. There is a lot going on in 4 x 4 in that one. You could "convert" the elevated section of that plan to a trolley line, I suppose; but I agree, you couldn't do much more than that.

It's a very exacting plan and pretty much has to be built as it's laid out in the book.
 

Collyn

Member
this might work it has a yard in front the city is ment to be in the center on the mountian. I did not do a double line because of time but you might be able to squezz one in. The mountian did not come out right when the center line comes under the other line the left right line should be mkore of a bridge. The back should be exposed instead of a tunnel. sort of what dan couldn't visuailize
 

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ozzy

Active Member
hmm, thanks for the help so far, i think maybe i will be better off with more room. the 4'x4' space i was thinking about is at the end of my O gauge layout, its 2 4x8 tables in an L shape. maybe i could just have one 4 x 8 for the O gauge and one for the N gauge. hate to make the O gauge any smaller tho.


and one idea i came up with if i could not fit the trolley in, i could make a shelf layout 12 or 15" wide X 4 or 6 feet long. i think i can get that passed by the wife.lol
 

Collyn

Member
You might be able to comprimise a little less. A six by four would get everything you want in I think, that two feet doesn't seem like much but on n scale it is alot. I have a three by six and i have alot packed into it, two towns very small yard a three foot tall canyon and lots of mountian. If I had one foot in front I could put a nice sized yard in. If i got rid of the middle mountian I could have a town large enough for a trolley. If you get creative the turntable is doable. most would have said it was impossible to get a turn table into my HO but it is there, its in a 4 by 7 with a two loop trolley track.
 

Jim Krause

Active Member
With that size space, I would suggest doing a full size mockup on a piece of foam core board or even some pieces of a cardboard box. You could cut out the track radius's (I guess it's radii to be correct) and even make some quick and dirty buildings to scale in order to give yourself an idea of what will fit in that small space.
 

Triplex

Active Member
can you turn an N scale train around within 24 " ? or would i need more room?
You can fit a turnback curve in that width, but I wouldn't recommend that if you want passenger cars and other long equipment.
 

ozzy

Active Member
i was thinking about a shelf, 12" wide, but 24" wide on the ends look like a dog bone.

and i am thinking about a shorter table on wheels, that i can roll under my O scale layout when im not using it.

and thought about down sizing the O scale.


i did not think the hardest part of the new layout was where to put it.....lol
 

ozzy

Active Member
ok, i made a executive decision!!!!!! its going to be an 4 X 8 layout, that i can walk around 3 sides when running it, and im going to have 1. a walkway to get to the back, or 2. put it on wheels to move it out from the back wall if i need to get back there.
 
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