# question on something



## little fat buddy (Jan 14, 2011)

hey guy's i have a question on a track pack. im lookign at the atlas track and want to build a layout loosely based on the wgh plan but with 22 inch radius turn's what all would i need to do this plus add a second spur track to it as well and also add a bridge can this be done in 4x8 maybe 5x8 thank's zach.


----------



## norgale (Apr 4, 2011)

Hi Zach;
I have a 4x8 layout with 22" curves on the outside around the table. There's 18" on the inside track and bent up flextrack for the yard oval. Yopu can see the layout under Bonita Grand Central If ya want. Pete


----------



## tkruger (Jan 18, 2009)

One thing to consider is that with 22" curves there will be a 44 inch diameter to turn the train around. This leaves 2 inches between the track and the side of the table with a 4x8 layout. If you are entering one of these curves on a downgrade or after passing through a switch make sure that there is something there to catch a derailment. Also if there are little hands around this will leave no buffer area for the watchers. On my layout I added the control panel to one side. This allowed the track to be moved to that edge and gave a 4 inch buffer.


----------



## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

In regards to TK's comments, two extra points ...

A standard sheet of MDF is 49" x 97" ... a precious extra inch all around for help with that 22" radius track.

I slipped tubular pipe insulation foam (which comes pre-split) along the edge of my MDF base. It offers an inclined soft cushion to the trains to help prevent over-the-edge derails, and offers a little cushion to people leaning up against the layout edge.

TJ


----------



## little fat buddy (Jan 14, 2011)

okay cool what would i need track wise to do what i want i tried flex a while ago and just wasn't my thing i like the atlas code 83 track and i see it come's in up to 24 inch radius was why i was thinking i might go to five feet wide with eight feet long can i get the two indutrie's the interchange and the bridge over a small body of water in this amount of room no little hand's will be touching it just me i kind of like the idea of a twice around but i don't know if it would be possible to do on a five by eight with 22 and 24 inche curve's i was just thinking of ya knwo modifiying the wgh track plan to 22 inch curve's with the second industrie and then the interchange and the bridge i was thinking of haveing two bridge's one the interchagne goe's over and then the mainline as well what ya think. thank's for any input's.


----------



## norgale (Apr 4, 2011)

TJ the insulation on the edge is a great idea. Thanks for the tip. Can ya paint the stuff/ Pete


----------



## tkruger (Jan 18, 2009)

little fat buddy said:


> okay cool what would i need track wise to do what i want i tried flex a while ago and just wasn't my thing i like the atlas code 83 track and i see it come's in up to 24 inch radius was why i was thinking i might go to five feet wide with eight feet long can i get the two indutrie's the interchange and the bridge over a small body of water in this amount of room no little hand's will be touching it just me i kind of like the idea of a twice around but i don't know if it would be possible to do on a five by eight with 22 and 24 inche curve's i was just thinking of ya knwo modifiying the wgh track plan to 22 inch curve's with the second industrie and then the interchange and the bridge i was thinking of haveing two bridge's one the interchagne goe's over and then the mainline as well what ya think. thank's for any input's.


I used a mix of Flex and Snap track. I used the flex were possible to illuminate as many joints as possible. Any raised track I used snap. This was especially true for a section of a raised curve. The reason for this is that the Snap track is stiffer and will not loose its Snap, does not attempt to push back into a straight line and supports more weight with fewer supports. All of this said I found that I needed to solder most all of the rail joiners. Over a short time the rail joiners work themselves loose and do not supply a good connection for the current to flow. By soldering the rail you will make it into a solid conductor.


----------



## jzrouterman (Nov 27, 2010)

tjcruiser said:


> I slipped tubular pipe insulation foam (which comes pre-split) along the edge of my MDF base. It offers an inclined soft cushion to the trains to help prevent over-the-edge derails, and offers a little cushion to people leaning up against the layout edge.
> 
> TJ


Great idea. How far in from the actual edge of the board does the inner edge of the insulation reach when correctly installed? I ask this because I have 3/4 x 6 inch vertical edge around my layout that's flush with the top. If I was to install a 3/4 x 1 inch horizontal board flush against the side of the existing edge, flush with the top, then your idea should maybe work for me as well if in addition I back it up with a few small screws along the length of it to hold it. Or would I even need the screws? Hmmmmmmmm. Thanks, TJ. 

Routerman


----------



## little fat buddy (Jan 14, 2011)

so back to my question what all would i need to build this track layout to do it with 22 inch radius curve's two more spur's and two bridge's i kind of know what bridge's i want to use other than that im clueless on what all i need thanks' yall.


----------



## norgale (Apr 4, 2011)

WE can't tell you all that without a picture of a plan to work with. Just remember that a straight piece of track is 9" long. Two pieces would be 18" and four is 36' or one yard or three feet. Sit down with some graph paper and draw a plan. It doesn't have to be super accurate but just something to give you a guide to the layout. The plan will change as you build. 
The main thing is to not be in a hurry. Take your time and think it out and then build it. Go buy twenty pieces of round and twenty pieces of straight and two left hand turnouts and two right hand turnouts to start. Use your 22" radius track on the outside of the layout and then get some 18" radius for an inside track. The sooner you just start building the sooner you'll know how far you want to go and what you'll need to get there. Pete


----------



## Gansett (Apr 8, 2011)

norgale said:


> Sit down with some graph paper and draw a plan. It doesn't have to be super accurate but just something to give you a guide to the layout. The plan will change as you build.  Pete


Bingo! We have a winner! I think having a "plan" is the way to go but you also have to be open to change. I've now commited to a layout I found in Atlas track plans book #11, plan HO-15. It's a 4 x 7 twice around and I'll keep the basic twice around but eliminate their spurs/sidings developing my own to serve this area, aka the "town". Expanding the layout to 4 x 12 will give me a separate industrial area*. 

Jack

*subject to change


----------



## sstlaure (Oct 12, 2010)

Lots of small trackplans here.....(These are N scale plans but for HO, just multiply everything by 2)

http://www.cke1st.com/m_train2.htm


----------



## MacDaddy55 (Aug 19, 2008)

*Good Call TJ!*

Wow, nice tip there TJ....good call on the edging!!:thumbsup:


----------



## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Wow ... thanks for the nice comments on the pipe insulation idea. It's pretty simple/crude, actually, but it works for me ... especially with kids running the layout.

I'd think it could be painted with any latex (house) paint.

You can buy two basic different types of pipe foam ... one is somewhat more hard/brittle, and cheaper. The other (for an extra dollar or two) is more squishy, and made of neoprene foam, I think. I didn't use that type, but it might be the better choice.

Here's the foam on one of my edges ...










As far as the "extension depth" of the foam onto the layout board itself, it depends a bit on the specific size of pipe foam (tube) that you buy. The foam I used is about 5/8" I.D. (for 1/2" copper pipe), about 1 1/2" O.D., and extends about 1" onto the 3/4" thick layout board.

Again, it's really rather crude, but it helps ...

TJ


----------



## mr_x_ite_ment (Jun 22, 2009)

TJ...I LOVE the foam idea! I can see where that could make the difference between going off the table or not!

I agree with Pete...your track plan is going to change some as you go along. I would try my best to have as detailed a plan as possible. I don't think you should limit yourself to a 4 X 8 sheet of plywood though. If you are unsure of a track plan, I would do this...instead of making a 4 X 8, make a 6 X 8. Cut your 4 X 8 in half the long way, forming (2) 2' X 8'. They will be the long sides of a rectangle. You can have (2) 2' X 2' for the short sides. This would make a rectangular layout 6' X 8'. You would have to duck under to stand in the middle of it, but you should have a 2' X 4' area in the center to stand. I like this for two reasons...one, you can "reach" everything on the layout. Two, the possibilities for sidings and yards are endless. I could add a third reason as well...it might make it easy to "change" things as you go. Good luck!

Chad


----------



## little fat buddy (Jan 14, 2011)

well guy's have a big update i have more room to use now total of 8 by 16 want to do a doughnut style with a duckunder type of deal i don't mind it being a duckunder do it all the time to get to some thing's in our shoue as of right now. the loose track plan will be a single mainline twice around with coal hauling root's with a coal mine to a interchange type of theme for the main industy then a gravel plant and a lumber yard and maybe a grain storage plant with two bridge's one to go over the track at one point and the other to go over a small river.


----------



## sstlaure (Oct 12, 2010)

You can do a lot with 8x16. I'd do a 24"-30" deep shelf style layout around the walls, but I'd avoid a duckunder (I've got one and HATE it) Do a lift section or a hinged door instead of a duckunder. A little more work, but I think well worth the convenience. (Especially if you like showing your work to others that may not be able to easily negotiate a duck-under.)


----------

