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Finally finished putting together the layout I plan to mount on a board for my kids. I'm limited to 5'x10' and I wanted to have room for a couple of tunnels, operating accessories and be able to have the train reverse direction to keep the kids from getting bored too quickly. I think this plan hits all of my goals and best part is that I only had to buy two switches to pull it off (shocking how expensive they are!) As time and budget allow I could expand it to include an additional outer loop (2nd pic, addition in gray) and expand it again to allow two train operation (3rd pic, addition in blue). Once I have it mounted I plan to put tunnels in the upper left corner covering the top 3 O72 curves and the 3 O36 curves on the inner figure 8. The tunnels will form a plateau for adding a small town scene. Controller and switches will go in the lower left corner.

 

These drawings were done in SCARM. According to SCARM several connections don't link up but FasTrack seems to have some pretty good wiggle room and it went together quite easily and hasn't come apart after a few hours of use (and definitely won't once screwed down to a board). 

 

The color coding is:

Orange: O36 curves

Red: O72 curves

Yellow: 10" straight

Blue: 5" straight

Pink: 1 3/4" straight

Green: 1 3/8" straight

 

Track plan

Track plan phase 1 expansion

Track plan phase 2 expansion

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Images (3)
  • Track plan
  • Track plan phase 1 expansion
  • Track plan phase 2 expansion
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I like it, at least the final iteration. I've got a 6x11 table done and I'm going to see how this translates to RealTrax. The table is the first section of an 11x11 table, but since it's for a temporary layout, I'm looking for ways to be satisfied with just this first section. If RealTrax doesn't fit, I'll play with ScaleTrax, what I really want to use because of the flextrack. My slightly larger size should allow for adding some sidings or a small storage yard too.

Ace:

 

Yep, I pretty much tried to copy your plan but in FasTrack. Had to tweak it since there are no FasTrack O54 curves and the spacing around the 45 crossing can be fiddly - lots of trial and error and it never does link up in the SCARM program I used. What I loved about your plan is that you can reverse the direction of the trains with only two switches. Adds a lot of variety to the plan at a fairly low cost. Nice thing about FasTrack switches is you can run the train through them when they're in the wrong position and it won't derail so my kids can just set the trains running and not have to worry about switches. No way this would fit 4x8 in FasTrack, at least not without swapping out all my O36 curves for the new O31s which would be pricey.

Originally Posted by Mike Donahue:
Using the new 031 curves on the inside, it is possible to build a Fastrack version in 4x8.


4x8 Fastrack OGR Ace

This base layout and the various alternative iterations are great for a small space.  Adding a connection to the top of the inside loops to complete the oval in these, would allow one to run 2 unattended trains for display purposes or when you just want to watch a couple of trains run.

You guys have really gone to town with this plan. I've fit in the crossover for easy two-train operation like SeattleSUP showed earlier with O36 minimum curves, but this version is 5'x 9', a foot shorter.

  

5x9-folded loops-3

I just noticed today that my AnyRail software has updated to include the new O31 FasTrack curves.

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Images (1)
  • 5x9-folded loops-3
Last edited by Ace

It's such a great plan because it has a lot of variety without needing a lot of expensive switches in its most basic form but can then be expanded to include sidings or two train operations as your budget allows. Not too many designs allow for that. I also like using the O72 and O36 curves - I think if you used all curves of the same radius it would be a little too symmetrical/monotonous looking. I plan to put tunnels and a plateau over the upper left O72 and O36 curves. Coming down off the plateau between the two curves will be a river so I can put a small bridge where the bottom 10" straight section is. I only added those two 10" sections because I had them left over.

Thanks for this post. I have been looking for something like this for my 4'X19'

footprint..

Between Ace's curve easments and my already on order 31" fasttrack curves. I think I can be happy building something incorporating Mike Donahue's 4x8 as a center piece.

If some one would publish a track listing for the 4x8 I would be greatful

Thanks Again   

Ironside,

The layout was secured to the walls with simple 2 1/2" drywall screws. I built the frame of the layout out of 1 x 4's, and screwed another 1 x 4 ledger to the 3 walls to support the layout. I think I set the layout at a kid-friendly 24" high, to allow my nieces to reach the back side of the layout (I built 2 pop-out sections to allow them to access the back areas).

 

Geno

After endless fiddling with SCARM I finally settled on a design and have built it out. I decided to add an elevated return loop on top of the tunnels to add some interest. It's a 4% grade which definitely requires some attention when coming down off the plateau though my 6 year old daughter hasn't derailed it yet (knock on wood). It's a fun layout with lots of variety but only two remote switches and two manual switches (the switch for the elevated loop is manual). Now on to landscaping....

 

 

2013-01-18 17.23.18

2013-01-18 17.22.38

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Images (2)
  • 2013-01-18 17.23.18
  • 2013-01-18 17.22.38
Originally Posted by Mike Donahue:

I have attached the track listing for the 4x8 version. Hope this helps.

Just came up from cellar from working on this.

Nice too see it back on page one again!

 

Mike if your still viewing the post..

 

Having a little problem figuring out 1.375 vs 1.75 and 4.5 vs 5" straights on the cross over center piece(31" Curve ends not 36 but 3  36" curves to the 90degree crossing along with the 45 degree crossing) Outside will be OK I am modifying it slightly.

Thanks for all your help on this

 

Bill

 
 

 

Last edited by bptBill
Originally Posted by SeattleSUP:
Because I just can't stop fiddling with it, I tweaked the design a little more to give two fully independent loops and two decent sized sidings, all in a 5'x10' FastTrack space.
Track plan expanded w sidings

I was thinking of using this layout for my son train. I got him the polar express for christmas with oval track but like to expand it for him. I was wondering if you could post parts list for this setup. I was also thinking of getting him another train that has better sound but if that is DCS can I run that on same track as the polar express

I've attached a color coded picture so you can see discern the 1 3/8" (yellow) and 1 3/4" sections (pink). The rest is pretty well labeled. Not all sections link up in the SCARM software I used but they connected just fine on my table. 

 

I actually wound up not going with this set-up. My daughter wanted an elevated section instead of sidings so I went with the second layout which uses the new O31 curves for the upper return loop. Both plans are nice because they allow the trains to change direction so you're not just watching it go in a clockwise oval over and over and over again. The elevated loop plan I built is also nice because it only requires to remote switches. The remaining two are manual - one is right at the front of the layout and the one on the elevated loop is on a return loop so it really doesn't matter what direction it's switched to. 

Track plan w siding

Track plan elev loop

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Images (2)
  • Track plan w siding
  • Track plan elev loop

Here's the parts list for the bottom plan with the elevation:
16 10" straight sections

15 O36 curves

1 Remote O36 left switch 

1 Remote O36 right switch 

1 Manual O36 left switch

1 Manual O36 right switch

1 90 degree cross

1 45 degree cross

8 5" straight sections

4 1 3/4" straight sections

6 O72 curves

3 30" straights

3 1 3/8" straights

7 O31 curves

 

 

Track plan elev loop

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Images (1)
  • Track plan elev loop

Pretty slick. I really like it. You get a lot of run in a smallish space with some switching fun. It also fit something I wanted in a small layout, an incline to 2nd level with return loop.

 

I have a thread with a few ideas for a smallish corner layout and two 5x9 layouts. Looks like space will be too tight for the L's but I have expanded the one 5x9 to 6x10 and it will go in a murphy bed style fold up!

Originally Posted by SeattleSUP:

After endless fiddling with SCARM I finally settled on a design and have built it out. I decided to add an elevated return loop on top of the tunnels to add some interest. It's a 4% grade which definitely requires some attention when coming down off the plateau though my 6 year old daughter hasn't derailed it yet (knock on wood). It's a fun layout with lots of variety but only two remote switches and two manual switches (the switch for the elevated loop is manual). Now on to landscaping....

 

 

 

2013-01-18 17.22.38

Looks awesome!  I came across your thread and think I might just have to snag some of your ideas for my upcoming garage layout.  I see a Santa's Flyer  Just got that exact set for my 4 y/o daughter this past Christmas.  

 

What is the green 'carpet' covering your table?  I can't quite make it out from the pic.  Does it work well with damping some of the fastrack noise?

 

Oh and about the Santa's Flyer, if yours has trouble with making smoke let me know.  Mine wasn't working at all, so I opened it up and went through a couple of steps to get it going.  Works about as good as can be expect now, perhaps even better!

The green carpet is nothing more than felt purchased at a fabric store. Dirt cheap and not too bad looking. Don't know if it helped the noise or not. My table is built on a 2x6 frame with 1x4 cross supports every 18 inches. The top is 1/2" OSB secured to the table every 12" with wood screws. The underside of the table is used for storage and that also helps keep the sound from resonating too much. It's noisy but not unduly so. I'm just about done carving/rounding out the mountains using a surform which is perfect for the job. 

 

I also had issues with the Santa Flyer loco but was able to get it working after following some tips I saw posted.

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