# Space saver 4 x 6 HO Layout



## Tom G.

My son, who turned 11 recently, got his first summer "job" this year mowing lawns for our neighbor across the street. This neighbor is an 80 year old retired BN employee, who had a large collection of HO scale track & equipment that had been in boxes since the 70's. Well, one day he pulled out the boxes and gave them to my son, and BOOM, the model railroad bug bit him.

I still had my own collection of HO trains from my years of model railroading in the 80's, so I brought them out and we set to work building his 1st layout. Our home is a 1950's rambler, with a tuck under garage, and with two kids, and two dogs around the house, space is at a premium. His bedroom is only 11' x 10' so after some head scratching, I hit upon a novel solution. It's a twist on the old "under bed" tuckaway. Anyway, I just thought I'd share in case anyone out there is looking for a simple way to add a semi-permanent train layout into a kids room, without giving up much space.

His bed is raised up on a loft that we put together for him about 6 years back when he wanted a bunk bed. Prior to this, all we did with the under bed space was put toy bins and a dresser under it so we could put a desk in the room for doing homework. The open space under the loft was almost exactly 4' x 6'. The solution was simple. I bought 4 "L" shaped shelf brackets at the hardware store, a sheet of plywood, and 2" foam board. We built a shelf under the loft just high enough to tuck his dresser underneath. It turned out to be at an ideal height for a layout. High enough I don't have to stoop to work on it, and closer to eye level. I've attached some pics below.

We've had a lot of fun this summer layout out the track, and planning the layout. Since the layout is only 4 x 6, we had a 2 x 4 piece of foam board left over, which we used to carve up some hills. It's been a great father son project. His 13 yr old sister has even helped out.

We painted the foam with some cheap acrylic paint, and even carved out a little creek, and a pond. The buildings are paper, from the "Build your own Illinois Main Street" website. Just printed them out on card stock, and cut and folded. 

The layout is still a work in progress (but aren't they all?) Half the fun for him has been moving the hills, and roads, and buildings around to change things up. It seems every day when I get home from work, there's something new.

Anyway, here's the pics. Enjoy.


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## gunrunnerjohn

Great story, and I love seeing the kids getting into model railroading, they're the future of the hobby!


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## tjcruiser

I agree ... excellent father/son story, and a very practical layout solution.

There's one big problem, though ... How does the kid possibly get to sleep with the exciting temptation of all those trains so very close?!?

Cheers,

TJ


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## sstlaure

Very nice.....


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## Ranger

That's nice looking


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## Armchair

*Son's model rr*

I see you found "Build your own main street". I built some of those card models myself. A cheap and quick way to populate your town. Glad he & his sister are interested.

I have some card model and other building items on my blog "Armchair Modeling".
http://armchairmodeling.blogspot.com

*Armchair* aka Glen


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## zorba

nice little layout. about the size im looking at building. i love the fighter jet hanging above it too.


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## Tom G.

Yes, the fighter jet was a nice touch. But all those trains circling around, and the low flying jet, must make for one noisy town.


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## Tom G.

Thanks Glenn. The "build your own main street" card models are a terrific way to populate a layout. Since the photo was taken we've also freelanced a grain elevator, and the Texaco station. We've also taken some $0.69 pieces of black and gray poster board and built roads & sidewalks.

The card models are so cheap and easy, it isn't a big deal to redesign the layout on a whim. It offers an inexpensive way to do a lot of model railroading in a small layout.


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## [email protected]

*Space saver 4 x 6 Ho Layout*

Tom,
Interesting concept. However, I am in the process, of planning a similar layout for two of my three grand children that will actually be on the floor and roll out from under the bed. They have the Bachmann Thomas the Tank engine trains so this layout would be perfect. Could you email me the track plan you used to make it all fit? I was thinking of using Atlas Track or maybe even Bachmann. My email address is: [email protected] and any help would be appreciated. Thanks


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## dwarven1

[email protected] said:


> Could you email me the track plan you used to make it all fit? I was thinking of using Atlas Track or maybe even Bachmann. My email address is: [email protected] and any help would be appreciated. Thanks


Tom, I have to admit that that plan looks pretty catchy - I'm trying to figure out the track plan from the photos, myself. But if you have a drawing, could I ask you to copy me when you send it out? Or maybe you better post it here - or you're going to be spending a LOT of time emailing folks!

Ross
dwarven1 at gmail.com


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## Model Train Structures

What a great story! Cool layout too; I never thought about putting it under a bunk like that.

D.A.


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## WxToad

Great job. Hope your son gets bit good by the model RR bug!


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