I have a 4X8 layout. I'm very proud of it, and it looks great. I've just been really bummed out lately that it is so small and there are so many restrictions due to 18inch radius curves. I watch the train go around and it looks awesome, but I want to take it to the next level. So I started doing some switching, but the yard isn't that big, and over all it just got a little boring. My question is for all the guys who have or had a 4x8 layout. What do you do to keep yourself occupied and not get tired of watching a short train go around the track over and over? How do or did you cope with having such a small amount of space? Any help much appreciated!
Welcome to my world! I had a 4x8, had some fun with it, but after a while I tore it down. Then I built an L shaped switching layout. In some respects I've enjoyed the switching layout more, but I do miss the option for continuous running. You can jazz up a small layout in many ways. A scenic divider in the middle, some tall structures to act as view blocks...if you have no bridges have a road cross over the tracks on an overpass. Basically any way to break up/divide the scene that's before your eyes. Some pretty neat 4x8 (and smaller) layouts can be viewed here for inspiration: http://www.gatewaynmra.org/project.htm
I'm in a similar situation, I'm building a 4x10 with a yard "appendage" off to the side. I have played more with elevation on this layout, having a track switch off and spiral up 180 degrees through a mountain, then wiggle back and forth along the mountain face and dissapear into a tunnel again. Add some various spurs and working signals. I am considering having a track switch off and drop into the center of the layout, then come out at the edge and connect the yard appendage there at a lower elevation. It's alot of work and requires some careful planning and good carpentry work. but it's very worth it.
Thanks. I've already built a big mountain and a river, and a highway in the middle of the layout so if I wanted to put a divider in the middle, (which btw, when I first started the layout I thought this looked cheesy and I didn't want to do it. Now looking back, I wish I had done it.) so that's out. There are plenty stuff I could do scenery wise. What's your suggestion on how to jazz up operations?
Well, you could move out to 22" radius or use flex track and go for 19" or 20" radius to widen it. I get the sense though that you don't want to relay track. I do think your best bet is to try and add some sort of extension with a small yard. Perhaps something that can be disconnected when not in use. Do you have any additional space to work with?
Can you give us an idea of what your track plan looks like? On small layouts, when you're not in the mood for roundy-roundy, industrial switching can really jazz things up. My 4x8 had 3 industries and a small yard off on a hinged shelf, and I could keep myself busy for a while. Use switch lists or car cards, use one siding as an interchange track to justify moving cars on and off the layout. Sound equipped locos add another interesting dimension...
This is probably not the "correct" answer, but in my 4x8 I went to Z Scale and got about 45 feet or more of running track [more than two miles with yards etc]. ...don
I would also look into switch lists or car cards and start operations. I have a 2 1/2' x 5' layout in N scale, and I basically operate using switchlists. I do that by switching industry A, then running a loop or two before switching industry B, then running another loop or three before switching industry C, etc. That way, I can emulate more distance between industries served, and create more switching work in the process. And to keep things from getting too normal, I change the order the industries are served, which train serves which industries, etc. etc. etc. ---jps
I'm building a small N scale layout with a Midwest granger shortline theme. N scale makes the layout seem larger, but I still don't have space for a yard. I have several switching opportunities in two towns. Thus the layout gives continuous running (and not in a circle) plus switching industries. I'd sure like to have a yard, but this would require removal of one of the two towns. I don't want this to happen, so I move rolling stock onto and off the layout with the old but handy 0-5-0.
4X8's The Longview Kelso & Rainier Club had a small 4X8 that had a track plan from an Atlas planbook that was excellent. We could run two trains and switch a small yard all at the same time. There was a scenic divider on an angle that divided the layout. The divider made the layout seem bigger than it actually was.
That's a nice looking layout, but it is begging for just something a little more. I think if you have the space to add an extension somewhere opposite your yard, that would be best. If not, there's plenty of space in the middle to add at least 1 siding. or, maybe make it a 4x8.5 layout and you'd get a lot more space. What I mean by this is that if you add 6" along the edge, you can either add a siding on the outside, or add more scenery there, or both which will also add depth and adding an additional siding on the inside will make more sense. Additionally, you could add that 6" on the same side as your yard and turn it into a more complex facility. Then, you could have a train that just ran round and round to simulate mainline freight and have a little switcher "workin the yard" I also see a lot of scenicing possibilities there. I'm not sure what type of landscape you want, but the post in the middle begs to have some mountains put up around it which would provide a scene block. I'd also consider removing 1 lead in the yard and adding more scenic detail to the remaining tracks, but that's just me.
Another couple thoughts, I feel like it could stand a few more trees and more buildings over by the KFC.
That's good advice. I think I'll add a little extension on the opposite side of the yard to make one siding and some scenery. I was skeptical about adding another siding, because in the past I had too many tracks on some layouts and it just didn't look real enough. Some layouts are just over crowed with tracks, sidings, and switches in the middle of their town and it just doesn't work for me. But I think this will look good. In back of the KFC and abandoned building, I could have a siding with an old box car sitting by itself, and use it to store freight cars and do some operations. There are a lot these types of sidings near my house. The part in front of the pole and close to the switch tower is the used car lot which I'm not happy about. I couldn't get the driveways straight and they just don't look good enough, so I'm going to get rid of that and build a mountain and some more scenery. And I'll think about covering the pole up with plaster and landscaping, but the layout might not be permanent. And when I move out of here, the layout might be dismantled and having a mountain attached to that pole won't be a good thing, but what the heck. What did you mean by adding scenery to the track in the yard?
If I still had a 4x8 layout, I'd rip up all the truck scenery and roadbed and cut that baby down the middle long ways so I'd have a 2x16 switching layout. Then again, that's just me and I've become obsessive with switching lately. Thats one of the better looking 4x8's I've seen. You should be proud, you have more layout than I do!
Most of us started out just like you did. I believe the responses to your question posted here, pretty much substantiated this. The thing is I look at your layout and the memories of mine flood in. Sometimes, I wish I had it back... and then I snap back to reality. There just comes a time when the layout you have has lost it's appeal. You've explored as many options as possible and done as much as you can with it. You could elevate to where you have an over and under layout as though it was running through the mountains. You could move your stub end yard off the layout to a separate appendage. I mean extension. Turning your layout into an L shaped. You could add a shelf type of main line that would run around the room. Or run out to another location for a point to point type of railroad. I'm not sure how much room for expansion you actually have. Have you consulted the Atlas Layout books? Lot's of ideas that you can incorporate into your own design. I will forever remember the fun I had with my friends, my dad, my grandad and the time I spent with my mom as she really got into the scenery and had a ball building the mountains out of paper mache. I wouldn't recommend that. Grin! You might try your hand at scratch building train equipment, buildings, or re-motoring a locomotive. I can't tell from the pictures and you may have already done this: Change out all the couplers to Kadee's knuckle couplers, body mounted and add some magnets under the track for uncoupling in your stub end yard. And/or Consider building a run through yard. Whatever you do...I wish you the best. You obviously have modeling skills and I would encourage you to continue...before you run off and get married. Grin! Like I did and that was the end of model railroading for a short period of time. Number one son changed all that. Have fun!
I see a definite need for at least one or two industrial sidings, whether you can fit them in or add an extension. They add so much operational interest. Nice job on the layout though, looks good!
Looks good to me. Now for the crazed suggestions.... 1. Build a two foot tall rock face where that long road is expanding all the way down the middle. 2. Add an extension for a real yard. Make your extension something like 6 feet x 1 or more feet. 3. The current yard becomes a coal mine. Run a big coal mine structure over those yard tracks. Just scratch build it out of masonite covered with aluminum or wood coffee stirrers. It's cheaper than buying a structure. 4. The back side of the ridge becomes another scene with some purs for industries. 5. Make sure the ridge hides the tall pillar coming out of your layout. 6. Make a wye coming off the layout for the extension so trains can leave going either direction. 7. Make your extension two sided. Don't make a wye, now you have two towns with small yards that trains run between. 8. invite some buddies over to help run your pike.
I see this problem on bigger layouts too. This is my problem with 99% of the layout plans you find for 4x8. if you add that extension though, I think you won't have that problem. Just be very picky about what you put there. I think of 4x8s as excellent platforms for scenery and learning about how to work scenery. So enough sidings to maintain interest, but make scenery a priority. I feel like the yard just doesn't have enough going on. I think if you remove a track and add some structures, either another industry, or even just a basic single wide style office building. Add more to imply business is being done. I think you could accomplish that with the number of tracks you have too, but I think you get more by opening up the space. On a small layout like a 4x8, it's okay to make your scenes busy. It's not going to make your track plan any different, but it helps set the mood for what's going on at that location. Make it so each little scene you have tells a bit of a story. This really is a creative endeavor what to put where, what kit to buy, how to modify it and on top of that, it's the kind of thing that you can add a little to every so often at a low expense. Or, another way to say it is imagine you're a railfan photographing the line and turn your scenes into something that would catch the eye. You can even go back to structures in place and add to them and such. I think that's where the joy of a 4x8 can come from. You're never going to have the long mainline and you won't have the switching puzzles. Just give yourself enough that you can enjoy a little of that and then make it a piece of art. Plus, Buildings, figures, trees, can all be transferred when you build a new layout. Heck, I've even broken off rock molds and transferred them.
In keeping with YoHo's idea. Do keep your double track main. Add crossovers if you don't already have them. Now...the fun starts. 1. Add a run through siding that ends up in your yard. In other words take the inside track (next to the mainline) and curve it on around to the other side of the layout, put a switch in, on the start of the straight section. Now you can hold a train or use the track for switching industries. I realize this means tighter radius curves but I may have another idea that might help. This will fit in. And...when you are done one side of your layout will look like it has a three track main. If you want that. Grin! 2. Those tight curves are typical of any first time layout. Add a 2X8 section, to one or the other side of the layout. Now re-route your double track main and push the curves out to a minimum of 24" radius or more. If you can increase the radius to larger curves by all means do so. 3. If you did the above you are open now for a partial run through yard. You can use the space that your stub end yard occupies. On each end of the original 8ft section just before both curves, put in switch's at each end. That should open up all kinds of options for you. 4. If you've followed this so far: On the new 2x8 addition you can curve your main line in, just a little, to break up the idea of running around a square. Perhaps adding a body of water with a bridge over it. 5. Again, I don't know how much room you have. More fun! In addition to the 2x8 let's push it out one more time. Add two each, 2' (2 foot) extensions to connect the two sections (2x8 & 4x8) creating an access isle. Now put in backdrops so you can't see across the layout and effectively hiding the access space. What do you think?
