# Ok, I gotta ask for some help



## BNSF Fan (Feb 27, 2010)

My layout is N scale on a 36" X 80" board. I'm having trouble deciding on a layout. I want something not too complicated and involved. For basics, I've been trying to think of an oval around the board with a switch on one side to lead to some trackage on the inside of the oval to store some rolling stock, and to service some kind of a distribution center. I would like to have the outside oval track to appear to be going somewhere.
I haven't decided on desert scenery, or something more wooded with trees and greenery, my big problem is deciding on what to do as far as the track goes.
I've looked online at bunches of track plans, but have yet to see anything that grabs me. Maybe some of you can get me headed in the right way with some thoughts on this.


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Tunnels are often used to make it look like your train
is going somewhere even if it simply comes back into
view at the other end of the tunnel.


It's not easy to find a whole layout that you like.
Look again at the various layouts shown on this
forum. Look for parts of various layouts that appeal
to you. Perhaps other layouts have other ideas
you like. Put these together with your basic track
plan. 

Don


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## mesenteria (Oct 29, 2015)

Unfortunately, in our confined world of domestic spaces, around-the-room, no-lix/helix, Plywood Atlantic, and shelf-type layouts are it. This, in turn, limits what we can do with our tracks plans. You have either an end-to-end, no turnback type of layout, such as an ISL, or you have a loop of some kind.

In my case, I like trains running through scenery. The best way for me to do that is to be immersed in it, so I have an around-the-room layout where I pivot in place and watch the trains move around me. To keep it longer and more realistic, I have bridges, tunnels, an overpass (it's really a folded loop, and the overpass is a through truss bridge), and add culverts, some water features, and some hills. It's a ton more work, but it's worth it to me.

Your space seems to fall into the Plywood Atlantic category. It's a loop, or a curved open end, or it's a figure 8. That's it. With tighter curves you can have industrial spurs inside and outside of the oval or figure 8. Other than that, I don't see what other choices you have.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

Any chance you can divorce your plans from that 36" x 80" board? As misenteria says, that can be awfully limiting.

Two other questions -- do you HAVE to have a loop, or is a point-to-point arrangement something you might like. That is, do you want to watch trains run, or do you want to be doing things with them.

2nd -- what kind of equipment do you want to run (which determines the minimum acceptable curve radius and turnout size).


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## Ko Improbable (Mar 15, 2017)

*My $0.02*

A 36" space gives you more than enough room for a 15" radius 180+ degree turn, if you're wanting to do a semi-simple loop. That leaves you a 6" area for a spur on the outside, as well.

Here's a quick and dirty basic example, and there's still *tons* of room inside that loop to work with. This is using all Atlas pre-made track, with only one piece of flex track. Use plexiglass along the edges, if you use this sort of thing, however, because, while that *does* fit on a 36x80 surface, there's very little room between the tracks and a drop to the floor.


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## BNSF Fan (Feb 27, 2010)

CTValleyRR said:


> Any chance you can divorce your plans from that 36" x 80" board? As misenteria says, that can be awfully limiting.
> 
> Two other questions -- do you HAVE to have a loop, or is a point-to-point arrangement something you might like. That is, do you want to watch trains run, or do you want to be doing things with them.
> 
> 2nd -- what kind of equipment do you want to run (which determines the minimum acceptable curve radius and turnout size).


The outer loop would be for watching the train run, and what I do for the track inside the loop will be for feeding a distribution center, and possibly a engine repair shop, or something like that. I'm back to looking at layouts on the net, and hopefully I'll see something I like.
This is the equipment I have to run.


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## BNSF Fan (Feb 27, 2010)

Ko Improbable said:


> A 36" space gives you more than enough room for a 15" radius 180+ degree turn, if you're wanting to do a semi-simple loop. That leaves you a 6" area for a spur on the outside, as well.
> 
> Here's a quick and dirty basic example, and there's still *tons* of room inside that loop to work with. This is using all Atlas pre-made track, with only one piece of flex track. Use plexiglass along the edges, if you use this sort of thing, however, because, while that *does* fit on a 36x80 surface, there's very little room between the tracks and a drop to the floor.


Thanks, I kinda like this idea.


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