4X8 Suggestions appreciated


You can make a curved spur in two ways:

1) Put in your tunout. Draw a straight piece of track where you want to end up. And use the join tool.

2) Put in your turnout. Use the curved track tool to draw a curve near the diverging leg of the turnout. Use the connect two pieces of track button to join them.
 
Thanks. I still can't seem to get it to work, but its a minor detail at the moment.

My next problem is to decide what station building to have, as that is almost the linchpin of it all. It virtually decides how big the city scene will be.

I don't want anything too ostentatious (so I can scratch the beautiful, but huge Walthers Milwaukee off the list ;) ), but it does need to be convincing enough as the city's main hub.
 
Well I've been pondering things again and have done another "variation on the theme". The track is the same as what I did in Xtrak, but this time pushing the divide back and using the 1x8 shelf I have for the country station and some sort of industry. (Green lines are rocky outcroppings). I've also just realised that I wouldn't be able to flick that switch unless I went around the back..:rolleyes:

3103141694_9e758c4448.jpg


And I have a bit of a question - am I right in thinking that a 4x8 can only accommodate an 18" radius and that the long Pullman cars can only do 22"?

And as for the City station situation, well the "neighbours" seem to do a nice one but then I converted it from that metric nonsense and figured out how big it is! :rolleyes:
 
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Another idea I've had....

Have the 4x8 "as is" and then put the 1x8 on top of it as a second deck - would that work or just look like an eyesore?
 
HB, a 22" curve will fit fine on a 4' wide space. 22+22=44, which still gives you two inches of clearance on each side for the curves. Your last track plan look fine to me. You really can't add a top section since you can't get enough run (length) to make it up the rise to the second level on a 4x8 without a horrendous grade.
 
Thanks UP. I have a GN Empire Builder pullman car and that's ideally what I want to accommodate on the layout.

And sorry about the upper deck thing, I didn't explain myself very well (it was late when I typed that) and the idea just struck me and I began typing.

What I was thinking was having the upper deck as a separate scene and not connected to the line underneath. But it begs the question on how to do it so it doesn't distract from the scene underneath?
 
A mountain scene works well for that if it fits your vision. You have a scene below and a scene higher up the mountain. Or a two level cityscape.
 
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I'm just trying to think how a two level city scape would look.

The only other way I think I could do it is if the city was in the foreground with a mountainous backdrop with the top of the mountains forming the base of the scenery for the upper level.

Either way I guess that the underside of the upper level would be quite handy for some sort of low power light.
 
Latest hiccup - the GN has a nice little line of text on the box "minimum 24" radius recommended".

Grr.. Well I think I could just squeeze 24" on the table if I add a small over hang either at the front or the back.

I've also measured the shelf and its 1'4"(x8) - any suggestions on a mini scene for that?
 
So I decided to grab the bull by the horns and carefully rip up the current track.

Then I discovered that I hadn't accounted for the Eastbound platform, so basically the whole thing has just gone down the toilet.

Gah!:mad::mad::mad:

All I want to do is get on with building the darn thing!
 
SpaceMouse said:
Try this to start.

http://www.chipengelmann.com/Trains/4x8Contest.html
Click to expand...

There are a lot of good ideas there. I especially like the Du Bois and Punxzy line.

For me space is limited and while I would love to go bigger, right now I need to stick with a 4'x8" layout that can be moved and then expanded upon when we buy a bigger house someday.

The thing I like about the Du Boise and Punxzy line from the link above is I alone can run two trains. One kind of on auto pilot around the outside loop while I control the 2nd one throughout the switching yard.

Having at least two trains running at once is something I really want to have.
 
Brubakes, Thanks, that was my design.

There is good news in the rip-up. You are no longer limited by your old design. You can start fresh and with a new mindset. You'll find that by not trying to incorporate the old, you have a lot more freedom to build your vision. Congratulations.
 
Wow. I never thought of it like that. I guess it does free me up a bit. Those are wonderful words of wisdom there Mr. Mouse :D

I'd still like to pursue the elevated station idea as it effectively saves space. But I guess the my insistence on having Pullmans (and a 24" radius) is still a stumbling block.
 
Think of the space you have and not the structure you have built. The structure is the cheapest part of the layout.

Start with the dream and build it into your space.

(PS: My job is helping people decide what they want and helping them acheive it.)
 
I dont have time to post the pics in this thread but if you could take the time to look at my post of my layout, Maybe it will give you some ideas, Mine ain't done yet, for probably another 6 months but it's getting there. Mike
 
Thanks Mike. Where abouts am I looking?

And Chip, another gem there. I will try and give it some thought over Christmas. All I know right now is space wise I've got 10'x7"(ish) to work with.

Well unless I have an apostrophe today and get a plan sketched out, Merry Christmas to you all!
 
:eek: Let me just pick my jaw up off the floor! :D Wow that's something!

I could fit so much of my ideas in there! Not just the City, but the country, the mountains....


EDIT: Just been to re-measure. Looks like I really over estimated the measurements. Practically speaking I'm looking at 5½ (7 at a real push) by 8' (9 if I have no access down the one side).
 
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^Thanks.

Well I decided to get some track down, so I've measured out a 24" radius and have found some more scraps of MDF my Uncle left behind. I'm going to attach them to the front of the layout to accommodate the overspill of the track and the southern platform.

Once I can find a covered footbridge I can start to put the 1x8 shelf in place for the town.
 
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