HO Switching Layout

[ACL-CSX]

In your place, I would try to re-negotiate the real estate deal to get 20 square feet along a wall, rather than a 4x5ft rectangle. You'll hardly have an inch of straight track in that space, and couplers won't work well on tight curves. It's true that you'd have to give up a loop of track, but I don't see a continuous run in that area as being much of an advantage.

Unfortunately, it's 4x5 or nothing. There is no other available space until either: 1) we moved into a larger home. Or: 2) I can afford to build/buy an outdoor shed that I can use solely for the purpose of the running trains. So what I have is what I have. My only other option is to build nothing until I amass enough track for N scale to utilize the same space.

 

[Railrunner130]

I've been toying with doing a version of John Allen's Timesaver as a New England harbor scene. There are plenty of drawings for it on the internet.

 

[ACL-CSX]

I've been toying with doing a version of John Allen's Timesaver as a New England harbor scene. There are plenty of drawings for it on the internet.

I've seen that one, but haven't looked at how to modify it from a "puzzle" style into something that would fit my space better. That is a possibility.

 

[MarkInLA]

Sorry to bug you again. I agree with John. You could cut the ply in half and put, say, two, 2'x5' pieces or, two 2.5'x4' sections end to end. A switching layout need not have a looped track unless it's supposed to be a 'belt line'.. If you do this and make it 'point to point' (no loop/continual/roundy-round) scheme it will give you a more realistic switching set up.. If you have steam locos there's no reason they can't back through the system if needed.. And of course diesel doesn't matter.. Plus, the narrower shelf-like bench may not have to be folded up. You could make it even narrower at say, 1'x8,' or shorter, and still have a great switching scene...A loop is not needed unless you truly like trains going in circles. Before you commit you may want to check out the myriad of switching layouts of members here in MRF and the many 'how to' books available.