Hi yeah, I just joined, and I'm taking people's advice, I'm asking questions. I would like some help with my first N scale layout. I am looking at around a 36" by 6" layout. From what I've been debating lately with myself, I am probably going to have the size of a door layout as opposed to an actual door. I don't know what's cheaper, do you? As for other help, I need some help with deciding on an era and place. I kinda wanted to do something out of my "region" sorrta like a fremo door layout. But yet, I wanted to do something eastern themed. I am also looking, track plan wise, for an operational layout, not just to run trains, but I'm talking like waybills and what not. Is there any suggestions to this like industries? Big, small in between? Could you help me?
Other then the layout theme...check out the hollow core door group at the link in my footer. A HC door is perfect to use as a first layout. Plus they are easy to store with less damage. Track selection is your choice. Unitrack is pretty bullet proof but more expensive then flex track. Cork roadbed...or foam roadbed. Lots of decisions...keep asking questions. You will get plenty of good advise. Jot down some questions and bookmark this thread...it will come in handy in the future. :tb-wink::thumbs_up: .
Hello! 36" x 6" is good for a switching layout. I'd check out Bryon Henderson's site & blog for quality operational ideas. http://mrsvc.blogspot.com/ Most of this will be dictated by what ERA, PLACE & PURPOSE you want to model. Now looking at yr post, I'm thinking you ment 36" x 6', since you reference a door layout. With this size, another consideration (in addition to those above), includes SPACE: is this going to up against a wall? or free standing? if it's up against the wall, then 36" is WAY too deep to reach the back (unless yr Mrs. Incredible or Wilt Chamberlain). so you should be thinking about cutting a bit out of the middle. if yr freestanding / island, check out David Vollmer's site: http://thevollmerfamily.com/Pennsy/index.html fabulous stuff you can do with doors! figure out what YOU want to do, then throw some ideas out. we're happy to help! cheers! --mark
Hollow-core doors are usually 80 inches long, and can be from 24 to 36 inches wide. Ideally, anywhere from 27 to 30 inches shoudl work, and still allow for reaching issues (front to back if the layout is against a wall). They can be had cheap at most hardware stores- a used one, or one with a little damage, is all you need. If you can't go any longer than six feet, there are still some good trackplans to be had. Mike's Small Trackplans Page has quite a few 2 by 4 foot trackplans that can be stretched out to fit the space you have, plus some plans for a hollow-core door. And of course, there's the Hollow Core Door Layout Society minigroup here at Trainboard to help on any HCD layouts. Welcome to Trainboard, and let us know how we can help you withh your layout.
I have to disagree. 36" is no way near 'to deep". Now 48" may well be. Most modelers will use 36 as a base if for no other reason...to get a wider turnaround at the ends. JMO Like Bob said...damaged HCD's can be bought for as little as 5.00 at lowes or home depot. Also check construction sites for damaged doors in the trash. ask first before taking them. IA HCD with a small hole in one side is usually good on the other. You only need one good side anyways. HCD's can be laid on a bed if you arent gonna make it 'permanant' and slid under a bed or stood up in a closet. Putting legs on a HCD is really simple and requires NO framework for a more permanant area. .
The reach factor also depends on the layout height. My layout is 40 inches deep, but I can easily reach every corner because it also sits on a podium just 40 inches tall. Another factor can be it's placement. Again, mine is on a podium which I can easily scoot out from the wall to get better angles at derailments or to clean track. If it were secured to the wall, I wouldn't want to go so deep. One thing I regret on my layout is that it has an open center. From the onlookers perspective, the trains are just going in circles. I highly recommend designs which utilize a center backdrop to separate the two halves (length wise) so that you get the illusion the trains are actually going somewhere, especially if you are interested in waybills and stuff like that. Take a look at Mike's Small Track plans as pointed out already. Then create a list of things you "need" your layout to have, and things you "want" it to have but are willing to do with out if no possible way to included them is found. Then, after you find something along the lines of what you want, post your plan in the Layout Design and Discussion forum and let others critique it for you. I like to think we're really good at pointing out trouble areas and finding ways to make them better. Oh, and welcome to Trainboard!
Some people take the 1/2 doors & use them, or cut things down. 36" is still quite a depth. My layout is at 40", & at it's widest (24"), I can reach comfortably to the rear, over any stuctures / scenery / trains. I'm 5'11'', with some monkey-arms, but if it were an 30" reach, I'd have to use a step or contort each time I wanted to get to the rear of the layout. (Especially considering any scenery / building towards the front). If you want continuous running, then, yes, you'd prefer 30"-36" ends to curve around. A door is groovy. You haven't indicated the space for this layout (against a wall, freestanding, etc.), or specifically what you want to do with it. You mentioned operations, which seems to lean towards switching rather than continuous. What industries? what scenes? If you have limited space, you could have a double-decker layout, both switching, but representing two sides of a river, with industries on one & incoming / yardage on the other. The more info you give us, the better we can help! Sky's the limit! btw- I'd be thoughtful of many of "mike's small track plans", since many, while they look groovy, don't include enough room to switch or be operationally realistic. Most of those layouts start with space constraints, rather than operational / place considerations. Which, to some, is putting the cart before the horse. But, ultimately, it's yr layout & you'll do what you want. Keep the ideas coming! It's always groovy to watch the birth of a new layout! Cheers! --Mark
A few thoughts... Hey there... First of all...welcome aboard! This is a great discussion board. Here a few thoughts I have regarding what you asked. My first layout was built by a myself and a friend to fit the apartment I was living in at the time. It was 6 feet long, 3 feet wide on the left end and 2 feet wide on the right end. This resulted in an angled front side but it was necessary to fit the space. We had a 7 track yard on that long angled side. We still managed to have a decent track plan that was operationally functional in that limited space. As for era and place? It seems to me that is entirely going to be determined by what your main interests in railroading are. For example do you have a favorite railroad? Does a particular paint scheme on a locomotive catch your eye? If that's the case you might consider modeling that railroad and go from there. Maybe you have a favorite area of the country? Regardless of where that may be, chances are it has or has had a railroad. Another way to decide is to ask yourself this question: "When I go to the hobby shop or search online for locomotives or rolling stock to buy, what is it I always look at?" For me its always been modern diesels from the mid 70's to the present. My main interest in railroading has always been what I've seen in the real world. Growing up in West Virginia in the 80's this was the Chessie System, Western Maryland and later on the CSX. The CSX is what I still model. Oh...and answering the above question will also help you decide what industries you'll have. As for track plan? I was never a fan of using a pre-designed track plan. I never found one that met all my wants and needs. What you can do if you find yourself in a similar situation is look at a lot of plans, and find elements you like. Then start drawing and find ways to incorporate those design elements into your own plan. I hope my suggestions will help you in some way. The main thing is just to remember to keep it fun and do what YOU want to do. Lee H. (Clarksburg Area Model Railroad Club) Clarksburg, WV.
Here I was gonna ask what the adverage size of a door was and it gets answered before I can ask! I measured a door in my apt. and it's 32"x80". If I rearrange my room a lil, I might be able to manage a door...
I'll guess from your user name your HO layout is NS. Well, this relates to your prototype... How different do you want to go? NS pretty much spans the east from north to south. A different era?
Thank you everyone! I'm at the beach, and it has been great! We leave tomorrow. I will then get to you guys about this... :tb-biggrin:
To answer your question: My Ho layout hasn't really found a prototype yet. But it is pretty much in the Eastern Appiliachian area, crap I spelled that wrong. The door layout now: I am seeing something like 70s, 80s. Maybe the Last years of N&W? Before the subsidary was closed down?
To mention, I'm pretty sure I can fit the door in as a freestanding layout. Double decker is out of the question for sure. Truth be told, lately I have been a huge fan of shortlines lately. But I do like Conrail and NS though too.
I have a 36-inch by 72-inch N-scale oval on an HCD (and am working on an 18-inch by 72-inch HO switcher on an HCD). It will have a viewblock down the middle so it looks less like a roundy-round. I've not designed the industry / yard section for the front portion of the layout yet though. It will have a transload facility for one industry since one can justify spotting a variety of cars there and maybe a couple of in / out yard tracks. I scrounged these doors from a neighbor's remodleing project so I didn't have a choice on length.
I bought a hollow core door at a thrift store for $10. I cut it to fit under a work bench in the garage. I mounted it on 22" drawer glides that are 100# rated. I laminated 1" foam on top. I've been posting progess as I go. See "figure 8 layout" here on N-scale. I'm playing it by ear on scenery and industries. I'm modelling local (SoCal) scenery. See what you think, and don't worry too much about the plan/theme......my inspiration rolls the more I keep putting scenery on it.
Thank you everyone, but I am actually going to convert a spare bedroom into a a layout room for the CSX downtown spur in N scale.
