I am new to this fourm and I want to start to put together a layout plan . I plan on building a 4x8 layout,and it being ho gauge.I was woundering what the best plan to use seeing it is my first layout. Thanks, Fitter539
newbe
- Thread starter fitter 539
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Welcome fitter 539
Hello 539,
Tell the lads what you would be inclined to operate, Frieght, Passenger operation oorrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr Traction
and I bet in a jiff the thread will be full of great IDEAS,
Thats when they sober up after tonight 
Hello 539,
Tell the lads what you would be inclined to operate, Frieght, Passenger operation oorrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr Traction
and I bet in a jiff the thread will be full of great IDEAS,
Thats when they sober up after tonight
I plan on modeling freight and would like to include a powerplant with a coal yard and a oil refinery and a town. thanksfitter539
One more ?
Is the 4x8 against a wall , or can you /will you be able to use all sides of the new lay out??
Is the 4x8 against a wall , or can you /will you be able to use all sides of the new lay out??
I plan on having acess on three sides the two 4ft.sides and one 8ft. side I would like to also run two trains at the same time.thanks fitter539
cidchase
Active Member
Hi fitter,
At your local hobby shop (LHS) you'll find a couple of inexpensive Atlas layout handbooks which might give you some ideas.
You've got to have access to that back side somehow, either by pulling it out away from the wall (even temporarily) or by cutting an access hole in the center of the table.
You can fit a double mainline, I'm not sure about the available radii using fixed track, but it's in the book.
Go for it!!
At your local hobby shop (LHS) you'll find a couple of inexpensive Atlas layout handbooks which might give you some ideas.
You've got to have access to that back side somehow, either by pulling it out away from the wall (even temporarily) or by cutting an access hole in the center of the table.
You can fit a double mainline, I'm not sure about the available radii using fixed track, but it's in the book.
Go for it!!
Fitter,
Welcome aboard to a fellow Minnesotan! I was thinking it would be ideal if you could pull that 4X8 away from the wall so you could walk around it and have total access. It would also help you create seperate scenes on each side of the layout (you could put a back drop in the middle or place a view blocking hill in the center). If you have to keep one side against the wall then an access hole is a must. Double track curves on a 4X8 are possible but you'll need to settle for shorter freight cars and four axle locomotives to help avoid derailments on the tight inner curve.
As for ideas regarding building a first layout, you might want to look at the January 2003 Model Railroader magazine. This magazine usually publishes a "how to get started" article at the beginning of every year so if your library has back issues check those out too.
Best of luck and Happy New Year!
Ralph
Welcome aboard to a fellow Minnesotan! I was thinking it would be ideal if you could pull that 4X8 away from the wall so you could walk around it and have total access. It would also help you create seperate scenes on each side of the layout (you could put a back drop in the middle or place a view blocking hill in the center). If you have to keep one side against the wall then an access hole is a must. Double track curves on a 4X8 are possible but you'll need to settle for shorter freight cars and four axle locomotives to help avoid derailments on the tight inner curve.
As for ideas regarding building a first layout, you might want to look at the January 2003 Model Railroader magazine. This magazine usually publishes a "how to get started" article at the beginning of every year so if your library has back issues check those out too.
Best of luck and Happy New Year!
Ralph
Fitter,
Are you planning on building this layout in a room dedicated to it or will it be in a multi-use room?
If it will be in it's own room, I would recommend NOT using a 4X8 but instead building shelves (anywhere from 12" to 30" wide) around the walls and leaving the center of the room for people. That way you can use larger radius curves, and you will have more room for your power plant, coal yard, oil refinery and town. The only drawback to an around the room layout would be doorways and how to deal with them, duck-unders, liftouts and or drop-leafs.
Check out you LHS for some of Kalmbachs layout books. Also pick their brains for some suggestions.
Dan Raitz
Are you planning on building this layout in a room dedicated to it or will it be in a multi-use room?
If it will be in it's own room, I would recommend NOT using a 4X8 but instead building shelves (anywhere from 12" to 30" wide) around the walls and leaving the center of the room for people. That way you can use larger radius curves, and you will have more room for your power plant, coal yard, oil refinery and town. The only drawback to an around the room layout would be doorways and how to deal with them, duck-unders, liftouts and or drop-leafs.
Check out you LHS for some of Kalmbachs layout books. Also pick their brains for some suggestions.
Dan Raitz
I am placing my layout in my unfinished basement it is used for storage and my 3yearolds play area. Fitter539
Fitter539
Great idea to go to your LHS and look at a few mags. The first track plan is out of the book, "The Practical Guide to HO Model Railroading" and the second plan is from, "101 Track Plans for Model Railroaders". Both published by Kalmbach.
Sale or Trade
I have a sante Fe F7,It is a older Atlas Yellow & Blue Possible ROCO drive X2F cuplers,and is a smooth runner $30.00 or trade for 50's era New York Central engine,or a few Pacemaker box cars painted red & gray
I have a sante Fe F7,It is a older Atlas Yellow & Blue Possible ROCO drive X2F cuplers,and is a smooth runner $30.00 or trade for 50's era New York Central engine,or a few Pacemaker box cars painted red & gray