i am a 13 year old and i need help with my ho layout if you have any ideas pleas let me know.i have an 8x4.9' to work with. 
13 year old need help with layout
- Thread starter 13Mtrainer
- Start date
13Mtrainer, can you give us a little more info to work with.
What scale?
would you prefer some sort of loop for continious running, or a switching / operation layout?
The dimensions you gave us, are these the dimensions of the space available to you or of the size of layout that you had in mind?
Do you have existing model trains or rolling stock that you need to plan for? i.e locos with 3 axle trucks, passenger cars etc.
Any other info you can think to include will be helpful. Have you checked out any track planning books or websites?
What scale?
would you prefer some sort of loop for continious running, or a switching / operation layout?
The dimensions you gave us, are these the dimensions of the space available to you or of the size of layout that you had in mind?
Do you have existing model trains or rolling stock that you need to plan for? i.e locos with 3 axle trucks, passenger cars etc.
Any other info you can think to include will be helpful. Have you checked out any track planning books or websites?
the layout can be up to 8' x 4' 9"
the scale is HO
i would like a mix of continious and switching but mostly switching
i have look and web sites and book but i want a more persinal layout
the scale is HO
i would like a mix of continious and switching but mostly switching
i have look and web sites and book but i want a more persinal layout
Have you looked at
http://thortrains.net/poorhox.html
or
http://thortrains.net/4holayx.html
lots of ideas there
http://thortrains.net/poorhox.html
or
http://thortrains.net/4holayx.html
lots of ideas there
Okay. I'll have a go.
Hello there 13MT,
So let me help with your track plan. All I ask is that you answer a few questions first. If you want to see a plan I made recently, check this out.
Track Plan For TrainSteve
The Questions. :sleeping:
1) How high off the floor will your layout be?
2) Can you, or, do you want to, be able to walk around the whole layout, or is it against a wall with only one or two side accessible?
3) Do you want elevated track? i.e. mountains or hills. Or do you want the tracks to be flat on the board?
4) What kind of budget are you working with? (no use me designing a plan you can't afford, Just a rough idea will be good enough)
5) How handy are you with tools? Can you do simple wiring? Can you solder wires to tracks? How handy are you with a hammer and saw? Do you have someone who can help with stuff like this? Once again, I want to design something you can build.
6) Do you have any buildings? If so, then what have you got?
7) How many switches/turnouts do you have right now? Turnouts can be expensive, so how many do you think would be enough?
8) I'm not going to worry about how much track you have, because track isn't that expensive. But you could give me a count of your curves and straights, that would help. Or do you want to use flex track?
So post your answers here in this post and I'll keep half an eye out for it. I know what it's like to be a kid and no one seems to want to help.
If you use my track plan, then you can tell your friends, some clown you met on the Internet helped you out.
And it wont be a lie. Truth is sometimes stranger than fiction. 
TrainClown :thumb:
Hello there 13MT,
So let me help with your track plan. All I ask is that you answer a few questions first. If you want to see a plan I made recently, check this out.
Track Plan For TrainSteve
The Questions. :sleeping:
1) How high off the floor will your layout be?
2) Can you, or, do you want to, be able to walk around the whole layout, or is it against a wall with only one or two side accessible?
3) Do you want elevated track? i.e. mountains or hills. Or do you want the tracks to be flat on the board?
4) What kind of budget are you working with? (no use me designing a plan you can't afford, Just a rough idea will be good enough)
5) How handy are you with tools? Can you do simple wiring? Can you solder wires to tracks? How handy are you with a hammer and saw? Do you have someone who can help with stuff like this? Once again, I want to design something you can build.
6) Do you have any buildings? If so, then what have you got?
7) How many switches/turnouts do you have right now? Turnouts can be expensive, so how many do you think would be enough?
8) I'm not going to worry about how much track you have, because track isn't that expensive. But you could give me a count of your curves and straights, that would help. Or do you want to use flex track?
So post your answers here in this post and I'll keep half an eye out for it. I know what it's like to be a kid and no one seems to want to help.
If you use my track plan, then you can tell your friends, some clown you met on the Internet helped you out.
And it wont be a lie. Truth is sometimes stranger than fiction. TrainClown
:thumb:
Ha 13, Welcome to the gauge. You found a great place with lots of knowlagable folks. TrainClown asked some good questions about your available space and budget. As he mentioned, turnouts aren't cheep and most everyone is operating on a budget. Also, with a 4' wide layout, you won't be able to reach the back if it's against a wall. Be patient, I've been working on a small plan for a couple of mouths, and have got lots of good ideas/advice from the guys here.
to answer your first question i am only 13 so my dad is going to help me too. But what were are going to do is have the layout on a polly system were i will lower it from the ceiling.
too anwser your second question all sdes will be accessible.
3) all flat but at one point i want t have a multi beck layout.
4)i have $400 give or take to work with.
5)my dad can do any kind of wireing he is an electrictrion.
6)to begin i dont wont more than a cuple of buliding i have a chuch a house and a house.
7)i have 31 swicht and i dont kno what turnouts are sorry tell me though this is a learnig thing for me.
8)i want to use flex track as much as possible.
Thank you so much for helping me. I have a layout drawn on paper so i will show it to you by tommarow.
3) all flat but at one point i want t have a multi beck layout.
4)i have $400 give or take to work with.
5)my dad can do any kind of wireing he is an electrictrion.
6)to begin i dont wont more than a cuple of buliding i have a chuch a house and a house.
7)i have 31 swicht and i dont kno what turnouts are sorry tell me though this is a learnig thing for me.
8)i want to use flex track as much as possible.
Thank you so much for helping me. I have a layout drawn on paper so i will show it to you by tommarow.
13MTrainer, turnouts are a piece of track with another piece of track turning either left or right that allow the train to turn onto another track. When the train approaches a turnout it can choose to continue forward or make a turn. Also these can be referred to as "switches".
Have you looked at the track plans at www.atlasrr.com
Have you looked at the track plans at www.atlasrr.com
13: have you seen the 'World's Greatest Hobby' track sets from KATO and Atlas?
here is the trackplan:
It's a 4x8 bent oval layout. Kato offers a Unitrack set of it for HO. Atlas offers the track set in their code 83 'True Track'
Here is the atlas pack:
IMHO its good starter track plan. More spurs and a yard can easily be added as you go
here is the trackplan:
It's a 4x8 bent oval layout. Kato offers a Unitrack set of it for HO. Atlas offers the track set in their code 83 'True Track'
Here is the atlas pack:
IMHO its good starter track plan. More spurs and a yard can easily be added as you go
Yes I'm stll here..........I think
Hi 13MT,
Sounds like your on your way to a great layout. So, correct me if I'm wrong, you have 31 switches, or turnouts, as we rail maniacs call them. That's real good. From what you posted, I would suggest a rural railway serving 2 towns, or a town and a mine or boat dock or other industry. This would be best accomplished, with your limited space, with a dividing backdrop, say 1 foot high, that would run down the center of the layout and divide it into 2 areas. I will post a plan soon to show you exactly what I mean.
The idea to have your layout drop down from the ceiling is a good old idea. What you should tell your dad to do is, make it with a boat trailer style hand cranked winch. This is a good idea because you could lower the layout without dropping it and without disturbing any rolling stock. I like this idea better than a counter balance, as with a counter balance you can still drop it by mistake. You could use garage door cables to do the work. Those boat trailer winches can be had for around $20 to $40 and are well worth it. With one of these winches, one person can lower the layout half way, stop and lock the layout there, unfold the legs, then lower the layout the rest of the way. Nice and safe like. :thumb:
Keep dreaming of a second level of tracks, but for now, just start with one, as you will learn a lot with this, your first layout. Don't think it will be your last. Ask anybody here on the Gauge and they will tell you that life is a bunch of layouts, each one better than the last one. The more you learn and try, the more and better ideas you will have about what you will do different on your next layout.
More to come.
TrainClown
Hi 13MT,
Sounds like your on your way to a great layout. So, correct me if I'm wrong, you have 31 switches, or turnouts, as we rail maniacs call them. That's real good. From what you posted, I would suggest a rural railway serving 2 towns, or a town and a mine or boat dock or other industry. This would be best accomplished, with your limited space, with a dividing backdrop, say 1 foot high, that would run down the center of the layout and divide it into 2 areas. I will post a plan soon to show you exactly what I mean.
The idea to have your layout drop down from the ceiling is a good old idea. What you should tell your dad to do is, make it with a boat trailer style hand cranked winch. This is a good idea because you could lower the layout without dropping it and without disturbing any rolling stock. I like this idea better than a counter balance, as with a counter balance you can still drop it by mistake. You could use garage door cables to do the work. Those boat trailer winches can be had for around $20 to $40 and are well worth it. With one of these winches, one person can lower the layout half way, stop and lock the layout there, unfold the legs, then lower the layout the rest of the way. Nice and safe like. :thumb:
Keep dreaming of a second level of tracks, but for now, just start with one, as you will learn a lot with this, your first layout. Don't think it will be your last. Ask anybody here on the Gauge and they will tell you that life is a bunch of layouts, each one better than the last one. The more you learn and try, the more and better ideas you will have about what you will do different on your next layout.
More to come.
TrainClown
