# Will expand ho layout area slightly



## Water Stop (Apr 18, 2015)

See the unused area behind the entry door? 

That's 91" x 50", minus the diagonal area I'll cut away for the door to open to the amount shown.

This will allow me to extend my 43" radius loop into that corner by 3 feet, extending the mainline run by 6 feet OR, if I used a 36" radius loop, I could extend it even further into the corner for a longer mainline extension. 

My present loops and curves are 48" and 43" radius.

(I can't use the area in the left-hand corner of the room, because that area contains my Stereo Cabinet, my Couch, my Coffee Table, and my Lamp Table)

That's all...

Water Stop Hal


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Water Stop said:


> See the unused area behind the entry door?
> 
> That's 91" x 50", minus the diagonal area I'll cut away for the door to open to the amount shown.
> 
> ...



But will you do it?
Or change your mind?....................again?

I ought to take bets and put the odds in.:laugh:


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## Water Stop (Apr 18, 2015)

I'm never sure of that, Big Ed, but with encouragement and support, I'll do it, but without it, I may not.

(But I sure like setting up that Table Saw, cutting and drilling holes in the 2x4 wall joists, diagonal beam, and legs, putting lag bolts into the game room's wall studs, cutting and nailing down the OSB sheets, spiking down the track, and doing the desert landscaping!)

Yeah...building on is a positive effort...I like it!

Water Stop Hal


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## JNXT 7707 (May 5, 2013)

YOU'RE LOSING ME HAL...:laugh:

I thought you decided to ditch the HO and go back to O? What'd I miss?


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## Bkubiak (Oct 20, 2013)

Have you considered moving the door to a corner or to the center of the room, I moved doors all the time when I was younger and in the remodeling Biz. It's not a big deal, watch them do it on and DIY remodeling TV show


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## Water Stop (Apr 18, 2015)

Mr.Bkubiak:

You want me to relocate THIS DOOR?

(Stucco on frame construction, wiring in the walls)

I had this addition built by a General Contractor who employed Subcontractors for Framing, Roofing, Electrical, Drywall, Windows & Door, Finish Trim, Painting, and Carpeting. 

I'm not going to allow myself or any other "neighborhood handyman" to screw up what professionals have created!

But I appreciate your suggestion!

Water Stop Hal


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

Water Stop said:


> Mr.Bkubiak:
> 
> You want me to relocate THIS DOOR?
> 
> ...


And he was supposed to know it was an exterior door how?

That said, yes, you can move an exterior door, it's just a huge project and not undertaken lightly.


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## Water Stop (Apr 18, 2015)

Very well, thank you.

water stop


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## Water Stop (Apr 18, 2015)

Tell Big Ed that it's too late to change my mind again...I've set up the table saw, got my tools laid out, and located the 7 studs!

W.S.


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## SBRacing (Mar 11, 2015)

*Make A Bridge*

If you wanted the track and trains to run around the whole room you can. Where the door is make a bridge. While train are in operation the bridge is down and whenever you are done rise the bridge so that you or whomever can walk in and out of door. I would make sure that the door is locked when bridge is down.


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## Water Stop (Apr 18, 2015)

DEAR SBRACING

Having a bridge would throw away half my trackage by eliminating my loops! I'm looking to ADD trackage to my layout, not reduce it!

I'd also have the bother of raising and lowering the bridge! 

My design allows the longest main line for a room of this size and and shape, and allows continuous running with no interruptions.

My loops are the best feature of the layout !

Water Stop Hal


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## Bkubiak (Oct 20, 2013)

Water Stop said:


> DEAR SBRACING
> 
> Having a bridge would throw away half my trackage by eliminating my loops! I'm looking to ADD trackage to my layout, not reduce it!
> 
> ...


If you are happy why are you seeking suggestions and then knocking them???? Are you off your meds??


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## Water Stop (Apr 18, 2015)

HEY DR. BKUBIAK: 

What's this about "meds"? I take just one medication for hypertension, which is pretty good for a man my age.

Now knock off the crap! 
HAL


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## JNXT 7707 (May 5, 2013)

Water Stop said:


> My loops are the best feature of the layout !
> 
> Water Stop Hal


Those giant radius loops are definitely a main attraction. Heck any radius over 22" sounds incredible to me!
My goal for the next layout is minimum 24", maybe 30" if all the stars and planets align :laugh:


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## Water Stop (Apr 18, 2015)

Well Jerry, even HO needs wide curves to look right. 

My layout extension will hopefully allow me to stretch one of my 43" loops into the new corner, but if I have to, I can always drop down to a 36" curve, which I've done before.

Here are my Trammel Beams for tracing the radii on the baseboard:

Good luck in getting the biggest curves possible on your layout!

Water Stop Hal


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## Cobratrooper11 (Mar 4, 2015)

what makes loops so spectacular? i was thinking an oval with a switiching yard would be awesome, or atleast more my style. but hey, does look cool when i see pics. so i guess i could go for both.


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## Water Stop (Apr 18, 2015)

GO FOR IT, CobraTrooper11! 

As for me, I was never interested in the "complications" of model railroading, such as Switching Yards, Sidings, Branch Lines, Roundhouses, Turntables, and such.

I'm the old-fashioned type (mainly because I'm OLD), who just likes to watch my single train run around its mainline loops, while I enjoy a cocktail!

Cheers, and don't highball (speed) in the Yards!

Water Stop Hal


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## SBRacing (Mar 11, 2015)

Water Stop said:


> GO FOR IT, CobraTrooper11!
> 
> As for me, I was never interested in the "complications" of model railroading, such as Switching Yards, Sidings, Branch Lines, Roundhouses, Turntables, and such.
> 
> ...


IMO (I MY OPINION) thats the whole fun of model railroading, passing sides and near misses (while sipping on cocktail, actually jack) makes for great stores later on. And it was a simple suggestion. All u need it to put a R hand and L hand turnout and then u have a round layout with your "loops". And heck make it so you can run one on "loop" and one in a circle.


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## SBRacing (Mar 11, 2015)

*Twin Peaks*

This in ONLY A SUGGESTION! (Yes quite a bit of work and time but great out come.) Make your loops into a helix to go over the door, and desiguse the helix as a mountian. So now your train in running along the side of the mountian. imp:

Again ONLY A SUGGESTION!

I thought you said you don't like have to deal with switching tracks. I did see you have 2 spurrs?


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## Water Stop (Apr 18, 2015)

HEY SBRACING:

My 2 "spurs" are on paper only!

Since I re-tracked from O-Scale 2-Rail to HO, I installed one long siding, with LH & RH turnouts. (see pic)

But I don't even use the ground throws...when I want to put a car on the siding, I just uncouple it, lift it off the main by hand, and set it on the siding. _ That's how I do model railroading!_

Spiraling around my mountains? I don't think so!

Anyway, I'm still building the 2x4 structure to support my loop extension...will send pictures before laying down the OSB.

Water Stop


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## SBRacing (Mar 11, 2015)

You may know this however, not to be a Donkey Butt, but you can buy magnets that go on top OR under your track so you dont have to uncouple the cars by hand.


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## Water Stop (Apr 18, 2015)

I've used those magnets in a small layout I built in my garage 45 years ago.

I don't mind uncoupling cars by hand, because when I do uncouple one and place it on the siding, I may not wish to put in back in the consist for 3 or more months...maybe never! 

My model railroading operating style requires no urgency or planning whatsoever!

Try to visualize a Model Railroad with an Elderly owner/operator who wants his Single Train to do _nothing at __all _except run endlessly around a closed loop!

That's what I planned, that's what I built, and that's what I enjoy!

_Yowsah, Yowsah, Yowsah,_
Water Stop Harold


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## SBRacing (Mar 11, 2015)

Water Stop said:


> I've seen those magnets.
> That's what I planned, that's what I built, and that's what I enjoy!


So...... no need to expand your layout?!.


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## JNXT 7707 (May 5, 2013)

What does the use of uncoupling magnets have to do with expanding a layout?  Especially when the OP indicates he has zero interest in ops/switching?


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## Water Stop (Apr 18, 2015)

HEY SBRACING,

You don't understand why I want to expand my layout? (I should have said "stretch" instead of "expand")

To increase my mainline length, and that's all!

Water Stop Harry


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## Water Stop (Apr 18, 2015)

Here's a picture of the supporting structure for the loop extension I'm building:

It required another 27 feet of 2x4's. This makes a total of 176 board-feet of 2x4 lumber in my layout.

I use 2x4 construction to safely support my 210 pounds while I crawl around atop the layout cutting and nailing down the track, which is far more durable than that 1x4 "girder" construction so often used.

AND, I don't use nails or screws either...only hex bolts, angle plates, and lag bolts to anchor the whole thing to the Game Room wall studs.

WATER STOP HAL


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