Layout size poll

[Guilford Guy]

My layout is an oval, but functions as a point to point. Trains work out of the 2 track staging yard, into the town, shove up to switch out Veryfine, then reassemble the train in town, and head back to staging.

[Slick]

4X8,    DCC  and an outer loop running a Hornby Live Steam  A4.    Concept is a Preservation Line which will allow me freedom to run the unusual together.

[robman]

Great thread as I have often wondered about what size layouts others have. For myself I have a 4'x8' layout with the track laid in a folded over figure 8 with of couple of passing tracks and three sidings (spurs?).Because one track rises up over the other I kept the approach and descent as long as possible and it's not too bad. It's enough to keep me going and entertained for the moment but I'm also negotiating future trackage rights for a much larger piece of real estate, a double garage. Loco power on the present layout is restricted to 4 axle diesels and 40' rolling stock. All my larger diesels and steamers are boxed away just waiting.  Still using DC double controller and block wiring. That's it from over here, happy modeling. Rob. 

[Yampa Bob]

My layout is also an oval that represents about 50 miles point to point between Craig Yard and Phippsburg transfer station, with imaginary line to Denver. Locos will eventually be all diesel except for my wife's vintage steamers/excursions. Actual table size at present is 42" X 86", thought of expanding, but we don't really want two tracks. 7' fiddle track on my side will be a program track and extra car storage.

[grumpy]

My layout is approx. 10' x 10' with a pop-up in the middle I have a main line and 3 feeder lines , 1 to a typical prairie town , 1 to a small mining area and one to a yard. It is all EZ track. I run almost all steam.
Don

[WGL]

pdlethbridge, I was in too much of a hurry & read 160" on the tape as 16'.  My inner oval is 6' 4" x 13' 7".   

[pdlethbridge]

What's that old saying measure twice, cut once, or in this case record once.

[Bill Baker]

I've got around 150Sq Ft in a 16 x 24 dedicated building in the back yard.  It's comprised mostly of code 83 flex track with a small section of hand laid code 70 on some of my spurs.  I model the Rock Island as it was in Little Rock back in the late 40's and early 50's.  I run mostly Bachmann steamers (2--8-0, 2-8-2, 4-6-0, 4-8-2 & 4-6-2s)  diesels (RS-3, DL109, E-8, F-7 and a Budd RDC-3).  Currently in DC mode, but am planning DCC as soon as I decide on a brand.  I've just finished a streetcar line with 9" radii to run in my down town area. Buildings are mostly DPM with some Walther's pre-builts.  All are illuminated.

Bill

[Axim1]

New layout under construction is in area 8' x 18' , will be E shaped , 1900 to 1930 logging and an interchange track.  22" max radi.( this part single main for grandson around outside edge )   ,mostly 18"-- radi. plan on code 83 with atlas and pico turnouts, will power with NCE power cab, Rooster consists of Bachman 2-8-0s,3 truck Shay ,4-4-0 and a 0-6-0 Porter .

[lwmlwm44]

Well my layout, bench, pike or whatever folks like to call it is not as grand as most folks and not as large as I wish it could be but one has to restrain oneselves based on the space I have.


I have a extra bedroom at my house at the lake that is 13 ft 6 in by 3 ft 6 in square.
My bench is 2 levels and kind of a oval shape.  The lower bench runs 12 ft 2 in. along the back wall and 10 ft wide on the left side.   The right side is 9 ft 6 in wide since I had to make room for the entry door on that side.   The front of the bench is also 12 2 in. wide with a 28 in. opening to get thru to the center area where the control section is.   The control section is a somewhat tight squeeze and is about 30 in. wide x 30 in. deep.   

The upper bench width and side lengths are the same in the back as the lower bench but about 6 in. narrower at the front and along the inner sides where the control area is.

A nolix will connect the 2 levels together for the DCC Engines.   Currently I have 6 diesels and 3 steam.  The space between the 2 levels is 26 in. high.  The bottom bench sits about 2 feet above the floor.   Being a short person at 5 ft 6 I had to keep the height of the upper bench at a level where I could easily see all of it and also for access to the center areas.....still use a small footstool to stand on to reach the center of the benches.....hey I got short arms also.

The bottom bench is mainly DCC on the right leg and around the outer edges of the leg leg with my 57 year old Marklin HO on the remaineder of the left leg.

On the upper left bench will be my old DC HO engines from the early 1960's and part of the DCC this will all also run over the center section to the upper right leg.
I have a Eheim HO Bus that runs on overhead rails that needs to be merged into all this madness also on the top bench.


The majority of the bench will be a summer scene with the upper right bench being a winter scene   I plan on putting a turntable and yard on the right lower bench for the DCC and the same for my Marilin in the center area of the lower bench.

The majority of the track run is 2 tracks on the nolix with a small run  that has 3 tracks running side by side.   I havene't really figured out the entire track length yet but my closest guess for the DCC  lower bench is about 190 feet  which does not include the turntable and yard yet.

I am using mostly Bachmann EZ Track 28. 26 and 22 in radii with some Atlas flex track.....all track is code 100.   So far 3 Bachmann single crossover switches and 2 No. 6 switches....all DCC.

Progress has been slow but steady for the most part with a few rebuilds and redesign as I go along.   Putting in a nolix has been a challenge to say the least but it has been a worthwhile experience.   My grade is about 2 percent a 1 in rise for every 4 feet of track for the most part.

Larry

[rustyrails]

For those of you not familiar with the term "nolix," it is a contraction of "no helix" and is basically a ramp.  It is especially useful in the smaller scales where the track can reverse direction in a width that the operator can reach across.  The nolix trades width for length and can extend the visible main line instead of hiding it in a mountain or other geologic feature.
Rusty

[ATSF5700Bob]

 I built a folded dogbone that is in reality an off-sided donut with a central operators pit, and with a swing down access hatch which is disguised as a lake. Access to all sides of the layout is no more than a two foot reach, in spite of the layout's size which is 11 feet wide by 19 feet long. also there is the main yard, which a lead track connects from the yard lesd to form the entrance to the main yard. The main yard and engine terminal is 4 feet wide by 23 feet long. The whole layout fits in half of the basement.
   I would have built an around the walls for reachability, but other "mountains of shelves", and incoming water and gas mains were already in the way.
                                      ATSF5700Bob

[jward]

For those of you not familiar with the term "nolix," it is a contraction of "no helix" and is basically a ramp.  It is especially useful in the smaller scales where the track can reverse direction in a width that the operator can reach across.  The nolix trades width for length and can extend the visible main line instead of hiding it in a mountain or other geologic feature.
Rusty

rusty i like the way you think. since i model mountain railroads, i could never see the point of burying the climb in a helix. the climb is the whole point of a mountain railroad......

helixes would be fine if you were modelling the flats of illinois.....

[boomertom]

My space is much like Rusty's 8x12 although I eye the other wall of the  garage with envy. Too many obs ticales to over come - water heater, breaker box, freezer would require benchwork around the 66" level.

Layout premise is based loosely on the coal fields of Virginia and Kentucky and the C&O Big Sandy Subdivision and Clinchfield.

I am definitely a strictly  point to pint operation - pretty much the terminus of a mine branch back to the main line with some local industry at the junction point.

Track Code 83 flex track
min radius 22"
Control E-Z Command DCC

Tom

[rustyrails]

Posting to this thread has slowed down a lot, so I'm thinking that this weekend, if no disasters strike, I'll try to summarize the information that you all have shared.  PD has added several threads about how we view and run our railroads, and if he would like me to, I'll include information from his threads in my summary.  If you'd like to get your two cents worth into the discussion, please do so by the week-end.  Thanks.
Rusty