Tight space means getting creative… but first explore your options, any space in the loft, round the garage, could you make a fold away or hoist a layout up to the ceiling. If you really are stuck with basically the size of a door… why not go for an alpine scene so you get at least two levels, some tunnels and bridges and a small shunting yard and maybe include a turntable.
your first thing would be to draw up a plan for your idea and decide how much space you want to use
many people underestimate just how big an HO scale layout really is
even on a 4×8 sheet of plywood it can fill up a small room
model railroader magazine has many useful tips on how to build a layout in any scale and scope so getting a subscription will be a big asset to you
track is fairly easy. looking at your plan you will know how many turnouts you need and about how much flex track to buy in addition to any special track pieces like crossovers, bridges, and bumpers
trains and rolling stock are the lifeblood of your layout so you need to decide what time period you want to showcase
a moden locomotive is going to be really odd running through an1880′s old western town filled with horses
likewise a steam locomotive will be out of place on a modern one
get cars that ran during the period or just a bit earlier
locos are an investment in your layout due to costs involved so going cheap here is not recommended
modern locos come in 2 basic forms powered and unpowered
power is also in 2 basic forms old style DC or new DCC
many DC units now come with a socket inside it to plug in any NMRA standard DCC card
many DCC units also come with sound and also have a feature that allows them to run on an older DC layout
steam locos only come powered but many have DCC and sound available
buy locos that ran during your chosen period
scenery is totally your option and can include anything you find pleasing to your eye
many buildings are fairly broad spectrum for time periods
many bridges built at the turn of the century are still in use today
other vehicles and people to fill the trackside scene
trees and shrubs, hills and mountains all form the base upon which your trains will run this is totally your choice
want a Kansas town no hills needed and just a few trees
challenging the Rockies, tons of trees and mountain scenery that reaches the floor to give a real impression of height as your trains cling to the cliffside and crawl through tunnels and high bridges
urban center/industrial, buildings galore with lots of people and vehicles
A 4′ x 8′ sheet of plywood is always a good START, but for HO scale you can do little more than a basic oval with a siding or two (STILL FUN).
Todays standard gondola car is 40 feet long, the box car is 50 feet long, and most passenger / container / auto carrier cars are roughly 80 feet long. So in HO scale (1:87), those would equal:
So 10 coal-cars (gondolas) will be over 4 1/2 feet !! N-scale is 1:160 (or roughly half the size of HO scale… so you get almost TWICE as much railroad for the space !!
Now what to PICK (scale) depends partly on what you wish to model !! You COULD do HO scale on a 4′x8′ sheet of plywood if you are ONLY doing a small yard with no run-trough trains (20 gondola cars would go from end to end of your “layout”.
I spent the last decade working on an N-scale “Shelf” layout (runs around the walls of a room) modelling the Union Pacific Stockton Yard. I went with N-scale after doing some sketching and realizing HOW little room a 10 x 12 foot room would allow.
Just think that a STANDARD coal unit train today is 50-60 cars long… that’s 23 FEET in HO or 12.5 feet in N scale.
GOOD LUCK and feel free to ask anything else that strikes your mind Eugene.
I want to make a train set with the same layout as the model made by the Doc in Back to the Future 3….?
Does anyone know where I can find the plans to do this? Or at least enough photos from various angles of the set to be able to work it out myself?
How do I build a HO/OO Model Layout?
I am planning to build a Model Layout.Its just,what are some of the steps I should know about building one.I know I need a table and track and Trains and Rolling Stock.But what else do I need to know?I want a layout that is able to be captured by a camera.Could anyone help me???
how many model train locomotives i could fit on a 50×100 inch board? i am an h.o. scale modeler.?
i am planning to model after the burlington northern santa fe railroad and i am asking this question for some help. i am also planning to have around 24 to 26 freight cars on the layout or should i go for n scale model trains instead. please tell me and my name is eugene.
Can you use a DCC fitted model train with a standard analogue controller?
I am planning on using a dcc fitted train on a standard ‘oo’ guage layout with an Analogue controller…
Stuck for space for model train layout.?
Got a model train 00 scale for Christmas but i have only got about 2 meters by a meter to work with anyone got some photos of other small layouts or plans? It would be cool to get scenery and detail in the layout as well.
February 25th, 2011 
dwalton 
Posted in 
Tags: 
Tight space means getting creative… but first explore your options, any space in the loft, round the garage, could you make a fold away or hoist a layout up to the ceiling. If you really are stuck with basically the size of a door… why not go for an alpine scene so you get at least two levels, some tunnels and bridges and a small shunting yard and maybe include a turntable.
your first thing would be to draw up a plan for your idea and decide how much space you want to use
many people underestimate just how big an HO scale layout really is
even on a 4×8 sheet of plywood it can fill up a small room
model railroader magazine has many useful tips on how to build a layout in any scale and scope so getting a subscription will be a big asset to you
track is fairly easy. looking at your plan you will know how many turnouts you need and about how much flex track to buy in addition to any special track pieces like crossovers, bridges, and bumpers
trains and rolling stock are the lifeblood of your layout so you need to decide what time period you want to showcase
a moden locomotive is going to be really odd running through an1880′s old western town filled with horses
likewise a steam locomotive will be out of place on a modern one
get cars that ran during the period or just a bit earlier
locos are an investment in your layout due to costs involved so going cheap here is not recommended
modern locos come in 2 basic forms powered and unpowered
power is also in 2 basic forms old style DC or new DCC
many DC units now come with a socket inside it to plug in any NMRA standard DCC card
many DCC units also come with sound and also have a feature that allows them to run on an older DC layout
steam locos only come powered but many have DCC and sound available
buy locos that ran during your chosen period
scenery is totally your option and can include anything you find pleasing to your eye
many buildings are fairly broad spectrum for time periods
many bridges built at the turn of the century are still in use today
other vehicles and people to fill the trackside scene
trees and shrubs, hills and mountains all form the base upon which your trains will run this is totally your choice
want a Kansas town no hills needed and just a few trees
challenging the Rockies, tons of trees and mountain scenery that reaches the floor to give a real impression of height as your trains cling to the cliffside and crawl through tunnels and high bridges
urban center/industrial, buildings galore with lots of people and vehicles
A 4′ x 8′ sheet of plywood is always a good START, but for HO scale you can do little more than a basic oval with a siding or two (STILL FUN).
Todays standard gondola car is 40 feet long, the box car is 50 feet long, and most passenger / container / auto carrier cars are roughly 80 feet long. So in HO scale (1:87), those would equal:
40 feet = 5.52 inches
50 feet = 6.89 inches
80 feet = 11.03 inches
So 10 coal-cars (gondolas) will be over 4 1/2 feet !! N-scale is 1:160 (or roughly half the size of HO scale… so you get almost TWICE as much railroad for the space !!
Now what to PICK (scale) depends partly on what you wish to model !! You COULD do HO scale on a 4′x8′ sheet of plywood if you are ONLY doing a small yard with no run-trough trains (20 gondola cars would go from end to end of your “layout”.
I spent the last decade working on an N-scale “Shelf” layout (runs around the walls of a room) modelling the Union Pacific Stockton Yard. I went with N-scale after doing some sketching and realizing HOW little room a 10 x 12 foot room would allow.
Just think that a STANDARD coal unit train today is 50-60 cars long… that’s 23 FEET in HO or 12.5 feet in N scale.
GOOD LUCK and feel free to ask anything else that strikes your mind Eugene.
I believe you have to change the address to “00″ or “0000″
But, check the maual for your chip.
I keep the movie on pause and go from there. Good thinking though. I saw some time circuits on eBay for $1,300. My wife wouldn’t let me buy them.
I want to make a train set with the same layout as the model made by the Doc in Back to the Future 3….?
Does anyone know where I can find the plans to do this? Or at least enough photos from various angles of the set to be able to work it out myself?
How do I build a HO/OO Model Layout?
I am planning to build a Model Layout.Its just,what are some of the steps I should know about building one.I know I need a table and track and Trains and Rolling Stock.But what else do I need to know?I want a layout that is able to be captured by a camera.Could anyone help me???
how many model train locomotives i could fit on a 50×100 inch board? i am an h.o. scale modeler.?
i am planning to model after the burlington northern santa fe railroad and i am asking this question for some help. i am also planning to have around 24 to 26 freight cars on the layout or should i go for n scale model trains instead. please tell me and my name is eugene.
Can you use a DCC fitted model train with a standard analogue controller?
I am planning on using a dcc fitted train on a standard ‘oo’ guage layout with an Analogue controller…
Is this a bad idea? Will it work?
Thank you!
Stuck for space for model train layout.?
Got a model train 00 scale for Christmas but i have only got about 2 meters by a meter to work with anyone got some photos of other small layouts or plans? It would be cool to get scenery and detail in the layout as well.