Any interesting bedroom sized shelf layouts using ez track?

[Traindude51]

Does anyone have a interesting bedroom sized shelf layout using ez track? Thanks in advance for your replies

[Len]

Here's something that will fit on a 1ft wide shelf:



It uses #6 crossovers for the runaround, and #4 switches for the sidings. Ignore the colored boxes and labels, they're from an explanation of facing/trailing point switches and why a runaround is needed with there's an opposing spur on a siding.

The siding lengths, and distance between crossovers can be increased if you have the space.

Len

[Joe Satnik]

TD51,

If you want a contiuous loop around all 4 walls, you will have to figure out how to get the shelf around the room's door,

and how to get your self into the center of the room. (e.g. duck-under, lift bridge, swing bridge, shelf above door.)

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=Shelf+Layouts+for+Model+Railroads&FORM=IRBPRS&=0#a

Hope this helps.

Joe Satnik

[Hunt]

Do not overlook -- Most of the bedroom sized shelf layout track plans online that you consider interesting can be adapted to use E-Z Track.

[Len]

Kalmbach publishes a number of books based on articles from Model Railroader Magazine that are vary helpful. You may find something useful in "Shelf Layouts for Model Railroads" Item #:12419  $19.95. It can be ordered directly from Kalmbach, through your local book store, on-line at Amazon, or Walthers.

Most of the layouts are regular track on cork roadbed, but many of them can be adapted to use EZ-Track fairly easily.

Oh, the 1ft shelf idea I posted above is intended to be part of a larger layout. Even if it's just extending the ends a foot or two.

Len
 

[Trainman203]

Here's some scenes on my 16" x 50' shelf layout, through two rooms.  It's a 1945 Missouri Pacific branch line in Louisiana.  It's mostly EZ track heavily ballasted and weeded as branch lines were.

[ALCO0001]

Nice
Jack

[Jerrys HO]

Trainman203,
Very nice, you would never know you had EZ track under there. Roger you see this? Can you believe that's Bachmann's EZ track!

[Len]

Trainman 203 - Very nice!

Those pics need to go in a scenary FAQ. Then maybe people will believe me when I tell them, the exact same techniques apply to ballasting and scenicing EZ-Track as those used for regular track on cork.

Len

[rogertra]

Nice model railroad.

Cheers

Roger T.

[Trainman203]

The reason I put those pictures up was to show the original poster that a really nice layout can be had in 16", plus EZ track can really be made very prototypical looking by ballasting and painting the ties and  the rails.  My track plan really isn't much, it's similar to what Len showed earlier on either end , with two middle passing tracks with a setout at each. However , making up and running two opposing trains with a meet halfway and getting each to either end can take 2 or 3 hours or more.

[Trainman203]

Here's a picture of a partially finished area with temporary trees and undergrowth, where you can see a section of painted weathered track not yet covered, and see how clunky the ties are compared to EZ track whose ties actually are nicely sized in comparison.  That warehouse siding is going to be buried in an oyster-shell paved street like we used to have in Louisiana..... as soon as I figure out what to use for the shells.  The ballast is pea gravel, to agree with MP historical information.  The Frisco decapod is one of my favorite bach man engines which I remotored.  The MP in my hometown was originally a Frisco sponsored property so it has an honored place on my railroad.

[Len]

Would white chalk, pulverized into small chunks in a blender*, work for the oyster shell? Maybe with a bit of blue & black mixed in.

*I've got an old blender I picked up at a yard sale for $2.00 I use for this kind of stuff.

Len

[Trainman203]

It might Len.  I was looking at mixing Woodland Scenics snow with fine light grey ballast.