4 x 10 Inquiry, HO


Sweet-Chuck

Sweet-Chuck

Member
Well, the good news is we will be moving. The 'bad' news is my current large L shaped layout in the basement is going to be reduced to about 4 x 10.

I know there are tons of images and such online for layouts in this size range, but would like to ask if any of ya'll would share drawings/sketches of what YOU have or have record of. It doesn't matter if it's switching, roundy round, or whatever. I am only looking for real world layouts to get ideas.
Thanks,
SC
 
Sweet-Chuck said:
layout in the basement is going to be reduced to about 4 x 10.

I know there are tons of images and such online for layouts in this size range, but would like to ask if any of ya'll would share drawings/sketches of what YOU have or have record of. It doesn't matter if it's switching, roundy round, or whatever. I am only looking for real world layouts to get ideas.
Click to expand...
I have never had a 4 x 10. But if it were me I would find a 4 x 8 that I liked and streach it out to fill the extra two feet.
 
Chuck -

You probably would get more useful feedback if you instead of looking for essentially "any 4 x something plan", with no indication as to desired era, locale and theme, tried to solicit comments on a design that fit your needs and wants, and at the same time described the whole room you are planning to put your layout into, along with how you plan to fit the layout into the room.

I take it that you are already aware of the fact that a 4 x 10 foot layout will need at least 8 x 12 feet of floor space, when you include 2 foot access aisles around three sides of the layout. If you actually have the exclusive use of 6x12 or 8x12 feet of floor space (i.e that aisles on both long sides of the layout are not also serving as passageways to reach other things in the room), it is quite possible that a different configurations instead of a 4 foot wide island might give you more railroading.

Not knowing any more about how your layout will have to fit into the room, it is hard to say anything more useful about possible proposals for you.

Smile,
Stein
 
Chuck,

I am currently building a 4x10. (I agree with Stein that an around-the-walls configuration is a better use of space. But it was not an option for me in light of other uses of the room.) I actually started with a 4x8 but tore it down and rebuilt the benchwork to 4x10. I can say from experience that the extra two feet of main line significantly reduce the impression of trains chasing their tails in circles. A medium length train actually straightens out and runs straight on the main for a critical few more seconds.

My track plan is a modification of a classic old Atlas plan, the Great Eastern Trunk. I eliminated one of the three tracks on one end and completely changed everything inside the oval. I retained two mainlines, which of course allows running two trains at once on the main but also, and more importantly, allows one of the two to act as a passing siding.

I put a 2" tall scenic divider diagonally across the layout, dividing it into two separate scenes. I am building a town scene on one side, which is the side you see when entering the room. On this side there is a spur to an industrial siding. On the other side of the divider will be staging and a locomotive servicing facility. I painted a backdrop on one side of the divider and used some Walthers commercial backdrops on the other.

Overall I am very satisfied with the track plan. I operate the layout by myself. I freely admit I am more interested in scenery and the overall look of the layout than in operations. I enjoy putting together an interesting train consist and watching it roll through the scenery. That said, you can put whatever sidings and facilities you want inside the oval.

I have posted some pictures of the layout in a thread called "My HO Layout" in the "Layout Design and Construction" section of this forum.

Hope you find this helpful.
 
4 x 10

i just screwed down the plywood and started ( not permanent ) laying some track 16 - 22 r and 4 3 ft flex did an oval (filled the 4 X 10) . going to use 18 r next and see where i end with that . then ill do diagonals and see what i need there . writing everything down . ive never have done this so i think its a matter of trial and error laying down your track . i dont know how to use scarm and some of the other ho software thats out there so i figure ill experiment doing the fall mills layout . im going to try and do segments and outline what ive done in pencil if i like it . the only other suggestion you might try is the atlas books that have the layouts and track needed . i think you can fit any layout to whatever size you want . best of luck .
mike
 
Ken Portner said:
Cut it down to 2' wide or less and do a small switching layout.
Click to expand...

That is one option, but it really comes back to what Chuck wants from his layout.

If he wants continuous run, a point to point layout (unless it is a trolley layout or an automatic reversing pendulum push-pull passenger service) is probably not the best choice.

If he wants modern era trains with long cars or big steam engines, the 20-22" radius imposed by doing a closed loop layout in H0 scale on a four foot deep table is probably not a great idea.

But going to N scale would turn that space into a huge layout - 4 x 10 feet in N scale is the equivalent of 7 x 18 feet in H0 scale.

On the other hand, if he in H0 scale wants to run small 4-axle diesel locomotives and modest length trains - say 7-8-9 40' cars, 18-22" radius is not a big problem.

If he wants to sit or stand in one spot and watch trains run past, it may make sense to use half the table (behind a backdrop) for "staging" (i.e. holding trains waiting to go on stage, and model a small town of some kind on the front half of the layout, where he makes one train take the siding to let another train past, or have one train set out a cut of cars, while a local freight train later places cars at industries, and take away outbound cars from the industries.

If he wants to walk along with his train, he could do two scenes - which would be very different depending on whether he wants to model a logging line in New Hampshire in the 1920s, narrow gauge railroading in Colorado, a granger in Iowa, coal railroading in the Appalachians, urban switching in Brooklyn, switching modern warehouses in Miami and so on and so forth.

If what he wants is more of an amusement park ride look - i.e. trains that pop into and out of tunnels in unexpected places, loop around, crisscrossing it's track above and below the path it followed moments ago, that is also possible - but it takes a totally different type of track plan.

So it would probably be smart if Chuck added some more information on what he likes, and how the layout will be fitted into the room.

Smile,
Stein
 
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Thanks

Ok guys, I appreciate the responses.
I was only looking for some drawings/layout designs that people have or are currently using in a space that accommodates 4x10'.
That's it...I wasn't asking for anyone to develop one for me or make recommendations based on the type of modelling I enjoy.

Thanks!
Chuck
 
Sweet-Chuck said:
Ok guys, I appreciate the responses.
I was only looking for some drawings/layout designs that people have or are currently using in a space that accommodates 4x10'.
That's it...I wasn't asking for anyone to develop one for me or make recommendations based on the type of modelling I enjoy.

Thanks!
Chuck
Click to expand...

Interesting approach. But whatever floats your boat. Good luck to you.

Smile,
Stein
 
I have never had a 4 x 10. But if it were me I would find a 4 x 8 that I liked and streach it out to fill the extra two feet.
Click to expand...

I agree You are going to find many many many more 4X8 layouts that you can stretch.

Steve
 
Adding some length will potentially make tangent (straight) sections longer. Wider table will allow more realistic(wider diameter) curves. Years ago, there were some plans for a 5'x9' shape, as I understand that's the size of a ping-pong table.

Years ago, I had a 5'x12' table. Was a nice size, with lots of possibilities.

I'm currently looking to adapt some of the Atlas plans with larger radius curves (Central Midland, and Rancocus Harbor, layouts).
 
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