# New HO scale layout



## 73greenF100 (Jan 25, 2020)

Hello friends. At first I hesitated to post this here after having seen the great layouts from other members. The creativity, detail and work that has gone into a lot of what I have seen is amazing! But I figured I have to start somewhere so here is my post. Before doing this layout I surveyed my home and workshop for a suitable location to run my trains and was left with just one option. Due to space limitations,I decided to construct a track around the inside perimeter of my workshop. All corner track sections are 18 inch radius and the straights are 1"X5" clean plank sections. The track shelving has enough room to run another track next to the one installed if I so choose in the future. I hand built the "door" insert section and it is flawless! The trains run with no drop in voltage or derailments of any kind. Please see the photos attached and comments welcome as always. As of yet I have no scenery but I am now considering how I want to go about that. Cheers!


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Really nice work...you get the enjoyment of the hobby without
intruding into your work space. 

You do limit the type and size of locomotives you can run on
your layout by the use of 18" curves. If you can find a way
to widen to at least 22" curves you would have a wider choice
in what you can run.

Don


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## 73greenF100 (Jan 25, 2020)

DonR said:


> Really nice work...you get the enjoyment of the hobby without
> intruding into your work space.
> 
> You do limit the type and size of locomotives you can run on
> ...





DonR said:


> Really nice work...you get the enjoyment of the hobby without
> intruding into your work space.
> 
> You do limit the type and size of locomotives you can run on
> ...


Hi Don. That is my name too so it will be easy for me to remember. You hit the nail right on the head. Actually, the good thing is that the corners are deep enough to install new curves at least 22 inches. The curves and straights that are there now are mounted closer to the inside of the room so that the wider curves and straights can be laid down closer to the wall with plenty of space for passage and such. You and I were thinking on the same channel!


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## Bonz85 (Sep 16, 2019)

Looks good. Basically that's how I have my layout, just track on the plywood. The advantage of doing it that way is it's easy to make changes and adjustments. Once you get a track plan you're happy with scenery can be added.


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## Jscullans (Jul 8, 2019)

It appears to me that you would be somewhat limited on anywhere that you could put an industry if you decided to but if you just want to watch your trains run looks perfect to me


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## 73greenF100 (Jan 25, 2020)

Jscullans said:


> It appears to me that you would be somewhat limited on anywhere that you could put an industry if you decided to but if you just want to watch your trains run looks perfect to me


Jscullans, you are correct about being somewhat limited as to scenery. Depth in this case is not available but I could put building and hamlets in the corners. Being a landscape painter I am sure I could also do some country views with wall sections. But yes, at least now I am able to run the trains.


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## vette-kid (May 2, 2020)

That's a pretty awesome way to do it! I'm curious how you did the door section, can you expand on that a little?

Sent from my SM-G781U using Tapatalk


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## Chaostrain (Jan 27, 2015)

I like it! I'm looking forward to watching the progress.


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## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

73greenF100 said:


> Hello friends. At first I hesitated to post this here after having seen the great layouts from other members. The creativity, detail and work that has gone into a lot of what I have seen is amazing! But I figured I have to start somewhere so here is my post. Before doing this layout I surveyed my home and workshop for a suitable location to run my trains and was left with just one option. Due to space limitations,I decided to construct a track around the inside perimeter of my workshop. All corner track sections are 18 inch radius and the straights are 1"X5" clean plank sections. The track shelving has enough room to run another track next to the one installed if I so choose in the future. I hand built the "door" insert section and it it flawless! The trains run with no drop in voltage or derailments of any kind. Please see the photos attached and comments welcome as always. As of yet I have no scenery but I am now considering how I want to go about that. Cheers!
> View attachment 563831
> View attachment 563832
> View attachment 563833
> ...


73green;

First off, beginner's are very welcome here. You don't have to be some sort of "expert" to join the forum.

Your layout looks good to me, in fact, you have an excellent shape to your layout in that it is a shelf type that runs all the way around the room. One of the advantages of this scheme is that you don't have to limit yourself to using 18" radius curves, as someone modeling on a 4 x 8 sheet of plywood might. 18" radius is a pretty tight curve for HO-scale. Some larger locomotives, and long cars, may tend to derail on these tight curves. Just about everything, except unusually short cars & locos, will have excessive overhang, and look somewhat unrealistic. My first recommendation would be to re-form your flex track into wide radius curves that will both handle any HO-scale equipment, and let it look better running through the bigger curves.

Deeper shelves would work better for scenery, and leave room for sidings, and/or a second main line track. My own layout uses 16" deep shelves, and I model in N-scale. (There is a diagram of my railroad in the "Layout Design" section of this forum. It is at the end of a thread called "Here are the layouts of some forum members.) Even with my 16' deep shelves, and a smaller scale, its difficult to model convincing scenery. (see photos)
I use all the tricks I've learned through decades of model railroading. Now this is my seventh layout, not my first, so don't expect to duplicate it now, or maybe ever, your choice. For now, keep it simple and make gradual improvements. The files below have some information on shelf & other shape layouts plus some other model railroad subjects. Look through them if you like.

Good Luck & Have Fun;

Traction Fan 🙂


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## shaygetz (Sep 23, 2007)

I like it. A couple of sidings wouldn't be difficult, and building flats done right are very effective. How long will it be before you couple every car you own and see who your pullers are?😆👍


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## Chops124 (Dec 23, 2015)

That's really thinking outside the box. Having a big vacant lot in the center of a layout is not convenient.


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## PrairieKnight (Nov 10, 2015)

I really like this track plan and it looks like alot of fun. I must be honest that the track being so close to the edge causes me to cringe at the thought of a derailment that could go straight to the floor. Do you have any plans on putting something along the edge to keep that from happening? Don't mind me..... I am just the soul of caution. I am looking forward to watching you build this layout.


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## 73greenF100 (Jan 25, 2020)

Thank you all for your kind comments and suggestions!! As our home is small as well as the workshop I had to do a lot of thinking about I was going to handle this. I love my small collection and have a couple of nice vintage steamers but had no place to run them. I am also an artist so I needed to reserve that space in the workshop as well as being able to work on my RC airplanes. This layout not only made sense but was just about the only option. PrairieKnight, as far as caution you are my soul brother!! I am still thinking of skirting. It is like my next application. But any suggestions as to how to do that from my friends here would be welcome. Chops, thank you for the compliment. Shaygetz, I have only pulled a few cars as of yet. I was surprised that from one side of the room to the other the track is very level. The straight on the wall with the door has a very mild grade but nothing perceptible while running. Traction F, thank you for the photos!! I will drop them in my layout folder for future use! Great scenery by the way. A request was made for how I did the door piece. Here are a couple of photos. Not pretty yet but extremely functional and very smooth transition. Donald


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## Bonz85 (Sep 16, 2019)

First I need to ask where you got those small screws to hold down your track. My layout is the same with the track laid on plywood and small nails don't work very well.
As far as skirting, I use plexi glass. It can be heated and bent to make curves. I only use it in areas that have a chance of a derailment ending up on the floor.


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

A little dab of black paint on those screw heads and you wouldn’t even notice them….


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## 73greenF100 (Jan 25, 2020)

Bonz85 said:


> First I need to ask where you got those small screws to hold down your track. My layout is the same with the track laid on plywood and small nails don't work very well.
> As far as skirting, I use plexi glass. It can be heated and bent to make curves. I only use it in areas that have a chance of a derailment ending up on the floor.


Bonz, the only place where I could find screws small enough to do the job was at Hobby Lobby in their craft wood working section. I happened to get the last two bags they had! I use a small hand (not electric) drill and use a bit about 1/16" to start the hole then drive it in the rest of the way with a small phillips. Nice because it allows adjustments as needed.


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## Murv2 (Nov 5, 2017)

My first thought was how to rig a springloaded stopper to stop trains from running off the end when the bridge is down. That would be bad.


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

A 'bridge is out' 'stopper' is very simple.

1. Gap the 'right' rail (only) 2 or 3 feet back from the bridge opening.
2. Attach wire to 'right' rail and connect it to a small brass or copper
strip where the bridge closes.
3. Attach wire to 'right' rail of the bridge feed which
connects to a matching metal strip where bridge closes.
4. Since this appears to be a 'lift out' bridge, do this for both
Track approaches. 
5. If the bridge is not hard wired, use
a set of copper strips similarly to power the bridge from one end.

Thus, anytime bridge is 'up' the power is cut to the approaches, stopping
the loco.

Don


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## 73greenF100 (Jan 25, 2020)

Old_Hobo said:


> A little dab of black paint on those screw heads and you wouldn’t even notice them….


Yes, good idea!


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## 73greenF100 (Jan 25, 2020)

DonR said:


> A 'bridge is out' 'stopper' is very simple.
> 
> 1. Gap the 'right' rail (only) 2 or 3 feet back from the bridge opening.
> 2. Attach wire to 'right' rail and connect it to a small brass or copper
> ...


Thanks again Don for your reply! Seems like a great way to be sure none of my locos go off the "cliff"! I will go out to the layout and see how I can make that happen. One of my concerns is that my wife will walk through the door while the "bridge" is in and crash the door right through it!  My plan is to put a lock on the inside of the door so it can't be opened from the outside. But I haven't done that yet.


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## Gramps (Feb 28, 2016)

73greenF100 said:


> Thanks again Don for your reply! Seems like a great way to be sure none of my locos go off the "cliff"! I will go out to the layout and see how I can make that happen. One of my concerns is that my wife will walk through the door while the "bridge" is in and crash the door right through it!  My plan is to put a lock on the inside of the door so it can't be opened from the outside. But I haven't done that yet.


At the risk of being "the glass is half empty" guy and maybe it's just my age, but I have a concern about putting a lock on the door. If something should happen to you like a fall or worse, there would be no access to the room without forcing the door and damaging the bridge. Is there any reason why you couldn't just remove the door?


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## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

73greenF100 said:


> Thanks again Don for your reply! Seems like a great way to be sure none of my locos go off the "cliff"! I will go out to the layout and see how I can make that happen. One of my concerns is that my wife will walk through the door while the "bridge" is in and crash the door right through it!  My plan is to put a lock on the inside of the door so it can't be opened from the outside. But I haven't done that yet.


73green F100;

Having a lock on the door that can't be opened from the outside, with you and the trains inside, and your wife outside, sounds like a great plan to me! 😄
There is a potential bad side though. She may not approve of that arrangement. 
An alternative would be to re-hang the door to open outward. Most wooden home doors can have their swing changed without too much trouble. Or, as Gramps suggested, remove the door altogether, which is even simpler. Just pull out the hinge pins.
Does your "train bridge" lift completely out, or is it hinged at one end? Section 3&4 of the files I sent you discusses options for getting trains across doors. Duck unders, lift outs, tilt up, tilt down, and swing horizontally. Each has its advantages, and disadvantages. It is possible to use the door itself as a "swing horizontally" bridge. Cut both ends of the bridge section of plywood and track at the appropriate angle to let the door swing open, with the bridge attached to the door. She might still come in while you're running trains, but unless a train is actually crossing the bridge at the same time, it won't hurt anything if the door is opened, as long as you adopted Don R's wise suggestion about cutting power when the bridge/door is open.
Maybe you could rig a red light outside the door, like a photographer's dark room, to let her know that a train is crossing the bridge. There are commercial train detector circuits available, for operating model grade crossing flashers & gates, that would do the job.
One possibly serious disadvantage of your "Bolt the door from the inside" idea would be getting emergency access to your workshop. If that door is the only way to walk in, and you have a medical emergency, people will need to get in fast, even if it means destroying your train "bridge." You might limit the door lock to a small, simple, barrel bolt (the type that works like a bolt-action rifle) That way the door can be forced open with minimal effort, and minimal damage to the door & doorframe. I guess Gramps and I are both at the age where the next big "adventure" in our lives could be a medical emergency. 😄

Traction Fan 🙂


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## Murv2 (Nov 5, 2017)

Can you mount the door so it opens the other way?


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## kilowatt62 (Aug 18, 2019)

Emergency access. All one needs to do is install a standard lockset Just like those on the main house. Hang a spare key on the outside somewhere. Hidden from possible intruders if need be. Can choose to take it one step further if there is a light fixture just outside the door. Put in a red light bulb...


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## Gramps (Feb 28, 2016)

My suggestion of possibly removing the door is based on the presumption that it's an interior door to the workshop. If not, changing it to swing out, as suggested above, is probably the best alternative.


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## MichaelE (Mar 7, 2018)

You could also turn it into a half-door. You can see in but you can't walk in without opening the bottom half.

Or, if it must be kept closed when no one is in the room, install a window in the top half. That should make everyone happy.


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Or...how about a door stop placed to prevent
any damage?

Don


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## MitchR (Sep 27, 2020)

73greenF100 said:


> Hello friends. At first I hesitated to post this here after having seen the great layouts from other members. The creativity, detail and work that has gone into a lot of what I have seen is amazing! But I figured I have to start somewhere so here is my post. Before doing this layout I surveyed my home and workshop for a suitable location to run my trains and was left with just one option. Due to space limitations,I decided to construct a track around the inside perimeter of my workshop. All corner track sections are 18 inch radius and the straights are 1"X5" clean plank sections. The track shelving has enough room to run another track next to the one installed if I so choose in the future. I hand built the "door" insert section and it is flawless! The trains run with no drop in voltage or derailments of any kind. Please see the photos attached and comments welcome as always. As of yet I have no scenery but I am now considering how I want to go about that. Cheers!
> View attachment 563831
> View attachment 563832
> View attachment 563833
> ...


Nicely done, Sir!


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## vpchianese (Dec 31, 2018)

MitchR said:


> Nicely done, Sir!


Is the J3 on final? :>))


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## 73greenF100 (Jan 25, 2020)

Gramps said:


> At the risk of being "the glass is half empty" guy and maybe it's just my age, but I have a concern about putting a lock on the door. If something should happen to you like a fall or worse, there would be no access to the room without forcing the door and damaging the bridge. Is there any reason why you couldn't just remove the door?


Bob, removing the door would eliminate the climate control I need for the room. But as the door is quite old and could stand to be replaced, perhaps hanging a new one so it swings outward would be a good solution.


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## 73greenF100 (Jan 25, 2020)

MitchR said:


> Nicely done, Sir!


Thank you Mitch!


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## 73greenF100 (Jan 25, 2020)

kilowatt62 said:


> Emergency access. All one needs to do is install a standard lockset Just like those on the main house. Hang a spare key on the outside somewhere. Hidden from possible intruders if need be. Can choose to take it one step further if there is a light fixture just outside the door. Put in a red light bulb...


Very good suggestions! One thing is for sure, the door "bridge" works very well. In face I plan to build an actual scale bridge on that piece. Should look pretty good!


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## 73greenF100 (Jan 25, 2020)

vpchianese said:


> Is the J3 on final? :>))


 LOL!! Actually that is the fuselage to one of my RC airplanes. Is is called the Senior Telemaster. Wingspan is all of 8ft. I have had to be very creative with space allocation in that room for my various interests.


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## 73greenF100 (Jan 25, 2020)

vpchianese said:


> Is the J3 on final? :>))


LOL!!


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