Quilt Patchwork Patterns

4′ x 8′ Model Railroad

Is this as much space as you as you’ve got for your model railroad? It would be really inconvenient anywhere else?  I dig you. Nothing to worry about.  4’ x 8’ is a good amount of room for a model railroad.  HO model railroad manuals advice this as a minimum space requirement.  HO?   Not versed in HO?  HO is the most popular scale of model trains these days.  Real locomotives are 87 times larger than their HO versions. Want my two bits on your track plan?

A loop:  This is the most basic layout for a model railroad. Around and around it goes like laundry in a dryer. It’s an simple solution for a limited space. Avoid boring people by making use of the interior.  Consider building a little town on the interior of your setup. Add small details like hills to the central space to spice this basic track plan up.

Just like in ice skating, a figure eight can be great: One of the best alternatives to the basic oval is the figure 8 set-up. This set-up cuts right into the large interior space that makes the basic oval a bit awkward. The figure 8 divides the space into four distinct zones where you can still add artistic detail to the landscape by setting up little buildings and other landscape features.

Concentric tracks also work well:  You can create several alternatives on this, but the basic idea is to have a smaller track surrounded by a larger track. You could perhaps have two trains, one on the short and one on the outside track. Although a train yard usually brings this setup together, you might try a artificial lake at its center instead.

Dual train tracks:  Another way of increasing interest to this set-up is to have two separate trains, one on the interior and one on the exterior of the track  Now two trains draw the viewer’s gaze.  This makes the need for interesting interior decoration less imminent.

Using N Scale trains increases your track possibilities greatly:  To get more bang for your buck in terms of space, use n-scale trains.  These little guys are just one 160^th the size of real trains. With these guys you will no longer be forced into the three types of formats I have mentioned. You can add interest to your design and variation to your landscape.  You could perhaps have a tiny metropolis on one end and a hilly landscape on the other. But, of course, n-scale is virtually microscopic to the point of eye strain.

Your imagination can overcome many of the drawbacks here.  In model training we are always trying to overcome space limitations but solving this problem creatively can actually add interest to your model training experience. Some of the most unforgiving space requirements have produced some of the most imaginative layouts.

Here is more information on Model Train Information. Here is a website with a free mini-course dedicated to Model Trains.  

N Model Railroad Layout

So you’re into the miniscule tikes, huh? You won’t hear an dissent from me.  There is nothing so neat as little tiny trains.  These miniature beauties really can make for a captivating model training experience.  Another interesting thing about these tiny trains is that they are so tiny you can practically fit them anywhere.  Let’s think a little bit about how we could use them in different spaces:

The smallest N scale space:

It doesn’t get any less space consuming than this. See that little table over there where you have that plant, that’s enough space for it.  If we do this layout though, we are really constrained to just having the trains go around in a donut. The only other possibilities would be a figure 8 or concentric donuts.

Pre-fab n scale scenic highlights:

N-scale is so small it is hard to work with. Craftwork is beyond most people’s ability for these little guys but don’t worry, several companies offer lines of pre-fab handiwork.  A good way of adding interest to your n-model railroad layout is to hand over your hard earned money for some of these and add them to your layout. Atlas is a good first stop for these accessories.

3’ x 3’ N Model with lake and bridge crossing:

If you can get just a small amount of extra space then you can make things a lot more complicated. It doesn’t seem like much but it makes a humungous difference.  You will need a dedicated train table to do this, but if you place a lake at the center of your track you can have the trains circling it and crossing over its river at the edges.  This makes for a really captivating scene in a really uncompromising space.  I wouldn’t advise trying it in a space any smaller than this however.  The attempts I’ve seen to do this just don’t really function.

Add systematically to your track layout:

Commence with a basic circle and connect, connect, connect.  So you can set the ball rolling with a track plan similar to our 3’ x 3’ plan and then when you are ready add another 3’ table to it.  You might extend a stream so that it is in the middle and then have your track criss-cross it as it moves down the table.  This is also a good way of adding variations to your landscape as you go. Perhaps add a ruined boom town or a waterfall to create interesting variations and harness your growing modeling abilities.

N scale gives you the most choices for the least amount of space.  Just try to think outside of the box and make your track plan both manage your space and to realize your imagination.  If you find a particular landscape captivating, construct it.  Others are likely to find it captivating as well.

Here is more information on N Scale Model Trains. Here is a website with a free mini-course dedicated to Model Trains.

Track Plans for Model Railroads

Just getting started huh?  Well, it’s probably a good tip to begin simple to get going.  It’s wonderful to think of the initial fundamental track design as one of three possible seeds that you are going to develop into a huge more spread out design.  Choosing one of them gives you a wonderful starting point from which to expand your model locomotive empire. So which seed to choose? Here are some tips:

Start by choosing the location your toy train will occupy:

Attempt to pick the biggest most open place available for your track.  You simply can’t run your model train empire out of a shoe box or closet.  Your tracks need their elbow room for turns.  Too sudden a turn and you will have constant derailments, so don’t attempt to do too much in too little of a location.

What is the minimum space?  

Alright, well here are the extreme minimum requirements for area.  You can never get too giant but you can definitely get too small.  So here they are: If you own the little guys, N size trains, you will need at least a 2’ x 4’ location.  4’ x 8’ is the requirement for HO size.  If you you’re into those O size Lionel trains, you’ll need an 8’ x 16’ area.  This is also about what you’ll need for those German garden locomotives, but those you should really put in your yard instead of keeping them cramped up indoors.  You’ll only be able to do the most basic designs with these minimums.  This is the amount of area you will need to do the absolute least with your locomotives.  You should really think of them as a starting point and not a goal.

What are the best track designs for these limited locations? 

The three fundamental layouts are oval, figure 8, and concentric circles.   The oval shape is the most common and straight forward layout for most rookie toy train enthusiasts.  The track simply goes around the edge of the area leaving the inside for a model city or for a pretend lake perhaps.  Think Matterhorn at Disneyland with the Disneyland Monorail winding around it.  The version I experienced was fairly successful for what it was attempting to do.  The second option is to create a figure 8.  This makes for a more fascinating layout but cuts into the internal location giving only four tiny areas for you to work with in terms of accessories.  But if you’re mainly into watching the locomotives go round this is a great circuit.  Finally, there is the concentric circles set up where you have two concentric circles for your locomotive to go around.  This works especially well if you make it into a train yard with a round house at the center.

What else do I have for you?  

My huge suggestion would be that you use what are called hobby tables.  With these tables you can configure your display space to any shape you can imagine.  This is a big help as you start to rethink your track design.  Wife bothering you about what an eye sore your circuit has become? Just move it.  It’s no big deal with domino tables.  So you’ll still be able to park your car in the garage.

Just remember the usual cliché; a journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.  A lot of the sorts of complications that you might anticipate are easily answered as you get into the process of creating your model railroad. But figuring out a solution to a seemingly untenable complication can be half the fun of toy trains.  So what are you waiting for?  Away you go!   

Here is more information on Model Train Track. Here is a website with a free mini-course dedicated to Model Trains.