# Second attempt at HO, figure 8



## mosinRR (Oct 29, 2010)

Using the advice I got from my first attempt, I tried another simple layout. Instead of manually trying to get the flex track to curve, I used the fixed curve track as a sort of guide. No red lines this time so I hope that is a sign of improvement.  And the actual center, not sure if I would construct a type of riser/bridge/whatever or just get that crossing track section.

Please let me know what you think and any advice/comments most welcome.


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

The riser taking one track up and over would be an
interesting scenic idea but you would need a bit
of long track to achieve the 2% grade recommendations.

Doesn't Scarm give you elevations when asked?

Don


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## mosinRR (Oct 29, 2010)

I'm actually using AnyRail but plan on looking at Scarm later today. Yeah I think it be really cool to have one track going over the other but would just have to see how it worked out. Just an idea I had the other night.


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## cabledawg (Nov 30, 2010)

Post up the .any file and I'll play with it. Let me know what you're trying to do and I could probably tell you how to do it.


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## Bone1977 (Jan 17, 2014)

Since you are using flex track you could open up the radius a bit on one side, do a nice lazy turn/rise on the inner loop, and do your cross with a riser that way. Would be realistic for a track going up a mountain, something like you see on the Polar Express spiral layouts.


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## mosinRR (Oct 29, 2010)

cabledawg said:


> Post up the .any file and I'll play with it. Let me know what you're trying to do and I could probably tell you how to do it.


I'm just making a simple figure 8 layout. Obviously I'm trying to maximize my space of 4x8. For the middle the two options are to simply get a crossing section or raise one of the tracks so it goes over the other.



Bone1977 said:


> Since you are using flex track you could open up the radius a bit on one side, do a nice lazy turn/rise on the inner loop, and do your cross with a riser that way. Would be realistic for a track going up a mountain, something like you see on the Polar Express spiral layouts.


Yeah, I was being pretty conservative and I'm sure the final layout would look a bit different.


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## cabledawg (Nov 30, 2010)

Kalmbach Publishing has some good ideas for the ole 4x8 layout. I'll try to get some pics from a few mags I got sitting around. Of course, credit goes to the original designers and publishers but since I love the process of designing layouts, I have piles of resource material sitting around. Give me a day or two to pick some and get the pics posted.

Here's a link to Model Railroader's track plan database, but it's hard to pinpoint jus the 4x8 layouts. Still good stuff though.....

http://mrr.trains.com/how-to/track-plan-database


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## mosinRR (Oct 29, 2010)

Thanks for the link and the help.


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## cabledawg (Nov 30, 2010)

Here's a few 4x8 layout ideas. Keep in mind that these are owned/published by Kalmbach and not my own designs.


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## cabledawg (Nov 30, 2010)

A few more from the same magazine. Sorry there's some other scales mixed in; I didn't feel like doing a bunch of cropping just to get the HO layouts.


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## mosinRR (Oct 29, 2010)

Wow! I really appreciate the time and effort to get these on here. Very helpful.


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## cabledawg (Nov 30, 2010)

I have a few of my own in the Member Gallery, but looking back on those days, I'm not really impressed with myself. And it looks like I have to finish uploading the rest of my layouts to the gallery. Most are bigger than a 4x8, but it's fun to look anyways


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