Small Layout on a Budget

My budget is the equivalent of kraft macaroni & cheese with a side of ramen noodles. You don't need to throw money at a layout in order to make it fun or nice. There are a lot of "hacks" that you can do in the mean time. I am currently printing out a bunch of card stock buildings. Its your layout, have fun with it.

It's the bench work that I'm focusing on. The buildings will be card stock a lot cheaper than kits.

Yep, that's me too, small layout and smaller money. LOL

My layout is 39" by 80" built on a hollow core door. I added 2x2's along each long side to increase the width from standard 36" to 39" wide. It sets on top of an old desk.

I had some leftover foam underlayment from a laminate floor project so I put a couple of layers of it on the door. Since I was looking for more of a toy train style I wrapped it all up in a fleece blanket throw. Some 1/2" foam board and paint on top of the door would do well too for a less toy like setup.

I'm wanting to go with more of a toy train style that way I could have more freedom with it

$ 50 - yeah, ok.  Good luck with your project.

FYI, I got all my lumber, plywood, etc from building sites in my area.  It's amazing how much scrap they discard.  Just ask permission and get what you need.  They're usually good about letting you take some.

Holding to $50 is gonna be a huge challenge, but I guess anything is possible.

 

Here's a link to an OGR Forum member's website that should provide a bit of inspiration for you. 

 

http://home.comcast.net/~graz6....cgi-home.html-.html

 

The scenery and modeling is nothing short of magnificent, and I was floored when I found out it was "only" 6' x 10' in size!!!    That's tight space no matter how you cut it for O-Gauge, but the photos on the website would lead you to believe the layout is MUCH larger.

 

We live in an era where an increasing number of folks blessed with the financial where-with-all build these huge basement empires, and we often get lulled into thinking that "big" is a requirement for O-Gauge satisfaction.  Not so, especially after taking a few moments to view that 6x10 layout.

 

David

 

Great looking layout

Honestly, I think that you can do it. Talk to the folks at Lowes or HD they will work with you. Talk to the Manager, explain your restrictions. These folks are very helpful. In most cases they will give you their mistakes and damaged.

All I can say is.......GO FOR IT!!

4' x 4' or less, shouldn't be a challenge for your budget especially if you can get the lumber from a scrap bin at a construction site. For that size you don't really need any bracing more than 2 x 2's. The biggest expense will be in hardware. If you can dry fit all the lumber components first to determine what type and how many screws you absolutely need you'll probably come in under budget.

cheap and easy bench work..1" x 3" cut to length..build  like its a floor joist system..spacing each 'oist" at 24" at most..pre drill is a must use dry wall screws..cover with blue or pink insulation foam..all supplies available at construction sites...or at wholesalers..talk to they yard boss,, offer a case of beer to "clean up" the lot...thats how I got a lot of my foam...you can see my crappy layout on youtube @  "1jefreys"

this was built during a time I thought we might be moving..nothing leveled or plumbed..and its a blast to run trains on...

Kahyden, I've really never paid attention to terms such as "small" or "big" regarding layouts - just enjoyed gauging how happy a hobbyist's layout made him or her. Layout size seems to me to be relative.

 

However, on the subject of money I have planned to spend on our hobby, all I can offer you is the experience I had when I went to my first rain show (P.A.L. bldg, Wayne, NJ)

 

I remember saying to myself, having taken stock of the cash in my wallet before exiting my car, "Oh, I'm not going to need that hundred dollar bill, that's for sure."

 

It wasn't fifteen minutes of being in the building that I went rushing - yes, rushing - out to the nearest ATM for as much as I could withdraw. That was in 1995. I'll let you imagine how many trips to banks there have been since then.

 

It's all relative, isn't it.

FrankM.

 

P.S. At one show, approx. a year later, my wife got so enthusiastic about my happiness there that she bought me a Williams scale Challenger AND a scale MTH cab-forward. Of course, that kind of kindness is, also, relative, but I don't mind telling you folks, here, that she knocked-my-socks-off with that embrace!

Take a look at http://www.thortrains.net/

Some interesting small layout track plans.

 

Steve

http://tracks.lionel.com/model...budget-a-diy-video/, not sure if this would work for O (despite it being Lionel tracks I think the video is for HO)

Ping pong tables are an easy instant table. In the 50's Lionel had many layouts designed for 5' x 9' as the game was popular then. I don't know where you are in MA, but here is a $600 dollar table for $30 in the Woostah  area on craigslist.

 

Instant layout, can fold and roll. 5' x 9' gives you enough room for some interesting plans. Find a friend or family member with a pick-up truck and go snag one.

Get a small section of Luan for your base, some 1x3's for the framework and 2x3's fpr the legs probably less than $25 for the benchwork.

enjoy and post pictures here on the forum

That's where l found the track plan for my layout.

a sheet of 7/16 OSB is $7 at our local big box. I have a 6x10 bench built in my garage for our community layout as we speak, 2x4's, OSB plywood, all for $35. It can be done. 

 

if this was my personal layout I would cover the entire top with used ceiling tiles I recently aquired for free. I would also visit the mis-tint cart in the paint section of the same  place I purchased the plywood. 

 

$50 good luck? I say $50 is enough to build your bench and get a sammich from McDonalds on the way home.

Besides dumpster diving, go to Home Depot and Lowes. They often giveaway packing lumber free for the asking. I have many free 2" x 4" x 48" legs holding-up my layout that were skids on banded lumber packages.

 

In lieu of using expensive foam sound deadening, use free 1/8" thick corrugated cardboard from appliance boxes. Use 3/8" plywood instead of thicker stuff. For scenery, go with Oops paint from Home Depot. It's only 50 cents per jar. Much of the wire on my layout came is second hand and came from an elevator mechanic, free for the asking.

 

Operate with conventional power instead of DCS, TMCC, Legacy, etc. Buy train items at local train swap meets where you can negotiate for price.

 

Avoid costs by re-purposing stuff. Look at the attachments for some ideas. Build stuff from inexpensive materials like wood coffee stirrers. I get mine from a local deli in boxes of hundreds for $2.

 

Tight budget = greater satisfaction IMHO. 

I was also going to suggest, maybe find a table on craigslist. My 3x3 layout is support by a table I bought at Target, surprisingly stable.

A friend built his HO layout on a dining table that had been shunned to the curb and free for the taking. It's the only layout I've seen with cabriole legs. 

Some other ideas I had (thinking about my own experience). If this is the same layout in the "tinkering" thread, and you're aiming for a toy train type layout, two things. Plasticville buildings, I don't know what they go for now, but when I was doing this 15 years ago they were CHEAP, but really effective in adding to that "look." I know some purist say no glue, what I do is take some of that tacky stuff (feels like gum, sometimes people use it to hang posters with), and put some of it in the corners. This way, when you clean the tracks they wont' collapse, but can still be easily moved and re-collapsed if need be. Another thing is Marx accessories. Again, I'm not sure what they go for now, but 15 years ago, Marx tinplate accessories were cheap and looked great. Even if they don't operate, I think again, they still give a great "look" to this type of layout. On a related note, as you continue, you might look at some of the K line sets they made in the 90s. Some of them had building kits, signs and telephone poles. I got one of those sets for $100 recently at a show. 

 

I agree with what was said above about going to train meets, and in MA, I'd recommend the Greenburg shows in Willmington and of course the Springfield show. A good time negotiate: in the last hour of the show (although granted sometimes by then all the tables have been picked over). I'd also tell you to sign up for Trainworld's emails. They have some great sales. In the past few years, they've had great prices on some of the Williams by Bachmann locos. Most Kline/RMT trains will look great on O27 curves and are nicely priced. Of course the same with Lionel traditional sized, and as we've been talking, MPC offers some nice things less expensive.

 

The small layout, despite it size, offers to me the great advantage of "you can run trains." And you got a more interesting track plan than I do. I'm gonna attach some photos of my very humble layout.

I get the impression that a small budget is more of a constraint than small size here.  And while one can't bite off too big a layout on a tiny budget it's worth observing that sometimes trying to keep it too small can increase cost. Having been there and done that, the main thing is to be patient and wait to find stuff for free - srounge a bit and ask: if I found three old doors for free, for example, my layout would be about 80 by 90, etc . 

I think $50 is do-able. I have made a small layout with a base of thick foam core from a stationary shop with cross bracing with strips of it applied with a glue gun it can be very rigid. Mine was 1/2 inch and came to $12 a 4 ft square. Used track or even a used lower end set like an old K-line or MPC can be had for $30 at a train show. Switches are more pricey I have seen Marx 0-27 turnouts for $15 a pair though. Simple scenery of sawdust dyed and glued or dirt run through a strainer, coffee grounds, very rough bark works nicely when painted as rockwork. Could be a fun challenge for a contest.

I have been to the Springfield show for several years never been to the Greenburg shows in Willmington I'll look that one up

Not nearly as big, but still good size (at Shriner's auditorium). I don't know what part of MA you live, if your near Springfield, it might be kinda a hike, but I've always found the show to be good.

Hollow doors are great. You can use two 19" door glued together or add 2X2's like handyandy said. I'm building right now a 3-rail switching layout that can be considered as a micro layout (24X80).

 

Now for the cardboard structures, here is an interesting link:

http://modelrailroadlayoutsand....html?hop=alterview7

 

There were also an article in MR years ago featuring the work of Mike Tylick. This is a plaster structure that he built using a cinder blocks pattern.

 

 

 

And this is my next cheap project. AHM 2-rail set from the '70s complete with tracks, locomotive, cars etc ...  $29 on the bay !!

 

 

I have literally "nickel-ed and dimed" my layout into existence.

 

The infection started with one starter train set.

My future permanent layout should be called the Pocket Change Route...

My trains are financed by the tin can that gets my pocket change(the stuff that jingles) at the end of the day.

Over the past year I've accumulated more trains, track & accessories, mostly Marx Tin, than I'll need for the layout.  Until then, it's carpet central.

Here's a track plan that will be adapted to available space, courtesy of Ace.

http://www.createaforum.com/ga...46-011014221500.jpeg

 

Happy Rails!

Dave

 

 

 

Pocket change.

Yep, that's how my railroad is financed as well!

Also have a lot of Marx stuff too.

I wonder if there's a connection there???