[ChrisE]

The basic track plan looks interesting and as others have said designing 8x4 layouts which fit standard boards has been a long tradition. It really is worth looking at CJ Freezer as suggested.

Let me suggest another very good reason for trying the plan before you actually fix it & something to keep in mind.

One of the real difficulties of an 8x4 is that users often plan to use the with the 8ft side against a wall or even more problematically into a corner of the room. If you are in this position make sure that you can reach all your layout for maintainance, cleaning, derailments etc. The points into the station on your design might be the obvious problem area.

Something else that you might like to consider is a reversing loop. This will change your design considerably but if a train leaves the station how does it get back? A reversing loop - a diagonal accross the layout - would let this happen.

You could also consider making the board bigger by making it have more than one level. Let us suppose that you arrange for a station along the right hand 4ft edge at a level above the main tracks reached by a line that climbs from the main line. That will now free space for the diagonal reversing loop.

As you have found out there are many many possibilities for you to consider. Sadly whilst this is probably the most popular size for a home railway it is rarely seen at exhibitions but it is worth going to model railway exhibitions, if you haven't done so, just to get some ideas.

Good luck & do come back & keep us updated as your thoughts develop.

Chris

 

[ChrisE]

Ref your second plan.

I agree with two points made above.

Firstly 8x8 baseboards are very heavy & almost impossible to move in a confinrd room without damage, It is difficult to know how much expertise you have so I am assuming you know that a baseboard must be rigid.

Secondly I agree that the network of poits at the centre bottom looks amazingly complicated and that anything that you can do to simplify it will both look better and is likely to give you a lot less trouble running your locos.

I note that you choose not to consider more than one level which is fine but your return loop may not do what you hope. I assume that you want a passenger train to leave the terminus, go somewhere & then return to the terminus. Unfortunately your crossover loop does not let you do this as it is the wrong diagonal. Try it with your finger and you will see what I mean. Without reversing the train you cannot get back to the terminus once you have left it. The crossover loop must be the opposite diagonal to the one that is the terminus. This is very difficult to arrange on one level unless you make the terminus outside the main loop. You should also note that it is common to put a station on the reversing loop as unless you are going DCC control you will need to switch the power whenever you use the reversing loop - the easiest way is to stop the train, flick the switch & then drive off. If you don't understand the electrics please ask.

As has been said designing intensive 8x4's is an art form!

Chris

 

[ChrisE]

Please remember that in what I say I have no idea who you are.
I know this does not answer your question yet but if we are to be as helpful as is possible we need to know a bit more first & you need to consider these points.

So firstly tell us about you. You might be 12 years old small & agile or like me you might be 50+ 1.80m+ far too heavy & stiff. This really does make a difference.

The second question is what do you want to run? Your initial suggestion was for long continuous run passenger trains & now you are looking at very short end to end small goods & local passenger where the main interest would be shunting. Be honest with yourself decide what you are really interested in. Do you want a continuous run & can't see how to get one or is it not a priority? Is shunting the thing & a continuous run eye candy. Are you steam or diesel or both etc.

Secondly lets talk about the space that you have available. You obviously believed that 8x4 was possible but difficult. What is going to be underneath the layout. This matters as a small central crawl access for emergency use allows ideas that if say the layout were to be above a bed would not be sensible.

Your current plan is for a guessed 8' plank. Is going round a corner onto a second wall with a narrow plank a possibility? What width of plank could you easily cope with?

Did your 8x4 need to be put away after every use & is that still true of your current design. It is a certainty that a layout that is difficult to get ready will not be used.

Are you committed to OO gauge or might N gauge be of interest to you?

Chris

 

[ChrisE]

OK now lets take this in stages.

Firstly you would like a double main line. Well the minimum radius I would work with is 18" ( and many would make it larger) which for the outer track gives a minimum radius of 21" and a width of 3'6" which is 4' by the time you have a bit of board on the outside of the track. Not really a starter I guess.

Secondly you would consider a shunting type layout with a yard at each end. Even if the yards actually meet in the middle this gives a maximum yard of 4'.

This is a micro layout. Might I recommend that you spend a couple of hours looking at:

http://carendt.com/

This web site specialised in the very small & tested. You mgiht find some ideas that appeal & will work - I am sure you will also find a lot of ideas that do not appeal at all but there is a vast amount on this site - keep looking.

Chris

 

[ChrisE]

I assume that you are going to permanently join the three boards as otherwise you will be cutting your points in half I think. If you are you could buy one 8x4 (2400x1200) sheet which they will cut to 1830x915 for no charge. You will then have spare for your bracing & it will be stronger.

This is your railway & you must do what you like but I guess many here would say you are trying to cram a quart into a pint pot & would go for something simpler with either cassettes or a fiddle yard. It is however entirely your own choice & I think that this is your best yet. There is an argument for saying the Westerly station is in the wrong place. When a train arrives it must reverse in the headshunt as it must do when it leaves. Passengers would love that. Why not put the platform on the headshunt in place of what I assume is a goods shed? I know that would put the two stations next to each other but that is a scenic challenge. The obvious answer is a scenic break diagonally across the layout NW to SE. Moving the station will also force you to change engines or reverse the stock into the loop to change the loco end & then reverse back into the station to pick up departing passengers. A nice activity.

Be careful as there are many locos that don't really like radius one curves.

Chris