2' x 4' N scale layout

Doing something small as the title says. I planned on doing an oval with two industry sidings and an interchange. See first plan.

This week something got into my brain to do more switching than roundy-round.

I thought having the trains going around for a bit is a good way to break in the locos.

I put together this second plan, switching, to see what I could satisfactorily come up with on a 2'X4' for switching.

Which would you rather do?

Please critique both if you wish.

Thanks!

 

With these tiny 2x4 layouts (having built two myself, thinking of doing a third) the roundyround is the only way to go. Add enough tracks for switching, but at some point, you will just want to sit back with a cold beverage and watch trains run. I would keep the posted roundyround design mostly intact, but just add a passing track in there somewhere.

 

I'm a fan of 2x4' roundy-rounds too. Here's a plan for one I built in a High Sierra setting:


It had 10" radius curves and a very short passing siding. The station area was based on the track layout at Gold Hill, Nevada on the V&T.

The layout under construction:


The big gap in the roadbed is for a tall wooden trestle.

Of course these little layouts have their drawbacks, I eventually got bored with mine and tore it up. Everything is now being recycled into my new 3x6' layout - just a little bit more space = a lot more operation.

 

You mean something like this?

 

This might work!

This is only going to be temporary. I already know that. This is to build my skills whilr I re-organize and fix up the basement. Something so I can run trains, enjoy a brew, you know?

 

I would build the roundy round but if at all possible go to 3'x6' for wider curves and avoid the track following the edge of the layout. A good option if available is to add a small "L" for an industrial area like John Olson's Jerome and Southwestern.

 

How about this? I have a bigger version of this same 2X4 plan, which you can actually read. PM me if interested.

 

Well, it all depends on what kind of operation you want. I built my 2x4' primarily as a scenic train-runner with very little focus on switching. One thing I think is universal though when it comes to planning these tiny layouts, the K.I.S.S. principle should be in full force! I like the new plan.

 

I strongly favor the use of scenic dividers for small roundy-round layouts to make them "go farther."

A port scene with 2 switches, on one side of a 2x4 foot layout built in 1975.

Features switching on both sides, seems to go "somewhere," and allows different kinds of scenes. Limitation: only allows 1 train at a time to run. Train can be operated as a "local," doing a little bit of running and a little bit of switching.

Okay, I am cheating- this one is 2'4" x 4'.

Dock and elevator switching, military base switching, and a tiny bit of what could hint at a yard. Two trains can be kept on layout, a through train and a local switcher to run alternately.

Still cheating same amount- 2'4" wide, same footprint as above. Loads in/empties out pair.

Two trains could possibly run at once in opposite directions with careful dispatching, or one could switch a little while other runs...

SMALLER than 2x4. This 2x3 represents the internal tracks "aboard" a navy base connected by a track running off the layout to a theoretical mainline.

The oval allows continuous roundy-round running, but in operation, it is primarily used as a "switching circulation loop," to get to various spurs AND to make a runaround move by running around the oval.

 

Kenneth,

As always, a real good voice of reason. I know you have mentioned this before, but it seems like I am piecing more of this stuff together recently. Both of these plans are definitely viable. I am liking the divider concept now. Now to figure out how to build and put one in....

So, I may expand to 28" and maybe to 60" on the length.

Something to thing about watching all this snow melt...

Thanks for the input!

In addition, I went to one LHS today and I saw in the display case, my holy grail! (455 Alco PA1/PA1 set, PRR #5754A/5759A, 5-stripe Tuscan, w/ Antenna, both units powered w/ Paragon2 Sound/DC/DCC, N
) I asked about itand I was given a nice demo which rendered me speechless. The guy used an MRC Prodigy setup to demo it on a basic oval of EZ Track and I am still speechless! The features, the details, everything!

Looks like I can and will go DCC up front so when I expand I will have a nice working knowledge of it.

And, I am still speechless!

Here is one with a backdrop rendered...

 

Here's my 48"x32" twice around. It's basically the track plan of the Gorre & Daphetid, converted to N-scale and adjusted to increase the radii of the curves.

- Jeff

 

Hey, strasburg:

As far as the plan, I would put the passing track around a curve to extend it. this will:

a) allow you to run around an entire train for switching

b)allow you to run two trains on the same layout when you don't feel like switching

 

My favorite so far:

Why:

• The flow of the turnouts coming off the curve. I'm surprised more people don't do it that way.
• Lots of switching
• Lots of scenery - on the backdrop
• continuous running.
• Expansion off of any of the corner "leads"

Idea:
Removable yard off of one of the "corner leads" which could be stored under it.

 

Thanks for the input guys.

After the demo of the DCC system this weekend, I am looking at keeping it simple and using what I have.

See I want to go DCC. The more track I buy, the longer I need to wait.

Should I be sacrificing track work for the holy grail?

:thinking:

 

How long should the industry sidings /spurs be?

One 5" straight with a bumper should fit two cars comfortably, right?

Is having 10" and a bumper overkill?

Thanks!

 

I have a 24" x 48" framed out already I just need to add track. What is the easiest way to expand to 28" x 48"?

I have a feeling it will be buy a new board and frame it out...

 

Why not just start building the layout?

 

Here's a plan to consider. The Jersey City Industrial Railroad packs both roundy-round and plenty of switching action into a 24" x 48" space.



I'm in the process of building it now; you can watch the progress here: http://whiteriverandnorthern.net/chapter_9.htm