Building a new 104 sq ft Layout 3-Rail O-Scale Track

ThomasT posted:

Hello everyone,

When one side and end of your layout table is up against a wall, what is an maximum acceptable width?

Depends on how strong you built your "table", or how far you can reach. When we built our layout, I constructed the benchwork framing strong enough so that 4 or 5 big adults could be up on top of the 3/4" plywood top at any time, laying track and/or doing scenery. As a result, the one big section that was up against the back wall, was about 12 to 16 feet wide. It was no problem getting up and walking, between buildings, on that area.

Have a great day,

ThomasT

The widest portion of my round-the-wall layout is 3 feet.  Most is 2 feet.  I used some triangular insets in the inside corners to increase the width so I could use larger O72 and up) diameter curves.  The depth there can be 4 feet or more, but the track is no more than 2-3 feet from the edge.

Jan

Most recommend keeping width to 30" to minimize any chance of not being able to reach something without having to climb on it to fix a derailment, clean track, etc. Some folks can reach further, so they go wider and some depends on the height of the decking. Anything above waist high reduces your reach. Others don’t mind using step stools or climbing on top to fix things, add landscaping, etc., so there’s no hard rule. I tend to think of the 30” in terms of reaching track, not thing’s behind it.

Hot Water posted:

ThomasT posted:

Hello everyone,

When one side and end of your layout table is up against a wall, what is an maximum acceptable width?

Depends on how strong you built your "table", or how far you can reach. When we built our layout, I constructed the benchwork framing strong enough so that 4 or 5 big adults could be up on top of the 3/4" plywood top at any time, laying track and/or doing scenery. As a result, the one big section that was up against the back wall, was about 12 to 16 feet wide. It was no problem getting up and walking, between buildings, on that area.

Have a great day,

ThomasT

 

Hello Hotwater,

Wow! This will be my first layout and will be inside my house so I do not plan on making it strong enough to walk on. I have a work table in the shop that is just over 3-1/2-ft wide and that is about my max reach. I have one location that the table could be 24-ft long and I was thinking about making it into a "dog bone" shape. On one end it could be 5-1/2-foot wide by 4-1/2' long for a turnaround for 0-54 tracks. Then reduce the width to 3-1/2-ft for 14-1/2-ft long and the other end the same shape and size of the first end.

Thanks for you help and have a great day,

ThomasT

Jan posted:

The widest portion of my round-the-wall layout is 3 feet.  Most is 2 feet.  I used some triangular insets in the inside corners to increase the width so I could use larger O72 and up) diameter curves.  The depth there can be 4 feet or more, but the track is no more than 2-3 feet from the edge.

Jan

Hello Jan,

OK, this is close to what I have drawn out in AutoCAD as I have described. I can redraw it and reduce the center portion down to 3-ft.

Thank you, have a great day.

ThomasT

If the benchwork table top is strong enough everything Hot Water said is true. I never thought 18 years ago when I built my layout, it would be such a struggle to climb & bend over. I'm only 63 & arthritis sucks! After 2 knee surgeries, back surgery & a recent hip replacement my 48" high layout is becoming a bit difficult, but not impossible to navigate. 48" is great to work under seated, as well as for storage, but a little difficult to climb onto. Crawling on your knees isn't fun either. My point, reach is also partially determined by height.

My layout space is 13.5' x 36' & I hope in a year or so, my next layout will be lower & walk through, with a 2' to 3' maximum reach. I intend to continue using the around the wall type plan for 3 sides & NO duck unders.

DoubleDAZ posted:

Most recommend keeping width to 30" to minimize any chance of not being able to reach something without having to climb on it to fix a derailment, clean track, etc. Some folks can reach further, so they go wider and some depends on the height of the decking. Anything above waist high reduces your reach. Others don’t mind using step stools or climbing on top to fix things, add landscaping, etc., so there’s no hard rule. I tend to think of the 30” in terms of reaching track, not thing’s behind it.

Hello Dave,

I had planned on making the table about 32" high just so that I could reach out to the 3-1/2-ft area but now plan to only make the long stretch 3-ft wide. As soon as my Loco comes in I will make a mock up table and see if I can work the 3-ft. One end will be in a corner but the other end is open except for the wall.

Thanks for you help and have a great day,

ThomasT

ironman1 posted:

If the benchwork table top is strong enough everything Hot Water said is true. I never thought 18 years ago when I built my layout, it would be such a struggle to climb & bend over. I'm only 63 & arthritis sucks! After 2 knee surgeries, back surgery & a recent hip replacement my 48" high layout is becoming a bit difficult, but not impossible to navigate. 48" is great to work under seated, as well as for storage, but a little difficult to climb onto. Crawling on your knees isn't fun either. My point, reach is also partially determined by height.

My layout space is 13.5' x 36' & I hope in a year or so, my next layout will be lower & walk through, with a 2' to 3' maximum reach. I intend to continue using the around the wall type plan for 3 sides & NO duck unders.

Hello Ironman1,

Well I have a few years on you, I am 78 and like you having a bit of trouble getting up on things. I wish that I had as much room as you, but hope to make my layout work.

Thanks for your help and have a great day,

ThomasT

Hello everyone,

This is a pdf drawing of my planned Layout Table. I revised the drawing after the suggestions and help that I received. The two circles denote a 0-54 and a 0-36 scale 3-rail track which can be duplicated on both ends for turnarounds. I have no idea how the rest of the tracks will be installed but will work on some designs.

Thanks everybody for all the good help and advise.

Have a great day,

ThomasT

Tom, corners are why I don’t adhere to the 30” suggestion. The track doesn’t go into the corner and track is all I’d really worry about. Corner landscaping can be placed on removable platforms for easy replacement, cleaning and repair if it’s going to problematic.

Edit: I just saw the pdf and I wouldn’t hesitate to build it even though there might be times you encounter trouble in the corner.

DoubleDAZ posted:

Tom, corners are why I don’t adhere to the 30” suggestion. The track doesn’t go into the corner and track is all I’d really worry about. Corner landscaping can be placed on removable platforms for easy replacement, cleaning and repair if it’s going to problematic.

Hey again Dave,

This is just my rough draft and subject to change as needed. Looking at my drawing, the "end" on your left has access from 3-sides, but the other end is in the corner and I only have access to two sides. That outside 0-54 loop could be a problem to reach but I don't know how to work around that. I have some large sheets of cardboard so I might make a model of that corner and see if I could reach a Loco without a step stool. I actually could make a "swing out" stool on a pivot when I weld up the frame???

Really do appreciate all the suggestions, I know as a "Newbie" that I am allowed a few mistakes, but I don't want to use them all up at one time

Have a great day,

ThomasT

Hi Thomas,

By the way, that's a nice bass! Yeah, its not the age, its the mileage. High school & college sports took it's toll. I know most here would agree that I have a nice amount of space for a layout, but there's never enough room! I like my scale steam engines & will only run 072 minimum but an extra 2 feet in both directions would be nice, mostly for me moving around.

It's hard trying not to squeeze that extra radius in. One of the most important things I've learned is having everything within an accessible reach, especially those turnouts. Its amazing how the hardest places to reach for me are where I have the most problems. A dog bone or folded dog bone is a nice solution for a layout & can offer an isle to walk through.

The important thing is to make it enjoyable & simple helps to achieve that, especially when your older! I like eye level viewing which is why some of my layout is 5 feet high. My next layout will be eye level but while on a chair. I like to just watch them run with my Grandsons, although the older one loves to do switching & he's just 5.

It's all fun, take the time to plan & try not rush it! There is plenty of information out there to get some ideas.

Enjoy,

Joe

Hello Joe,

I am mighty proud of that bass, caught it on a 4-weight fly rod that I had hand made with a "Love Frog" fly, and that Bucketmouth weighted in at 8-lbs & 13-ozs. It took over a week to get that smile off my face

My original plan was to have all 0-72 track but my space just will not allow that, so I re-sized to 0-54 on the largest track. Just getting started both trains that I have on order will operate on 0-31 and the biggest train on my wish list will operate on 0-54, so I am good for a while.

I am redrawing my layout now with several changes and I will make a mock up and see what needs to be altered.

I am retired and work very hard to have FUN...everyday, all day.

Walking on top of my layout is not an option, so about 3 feet wide for my around the walls layout that is 48 to 50 inches high, is maximum for me.

However, there are 2 places where my layout is 4 feet wide. In those places I left just enough space between the wall and the layout so I can crawl under it, and stand up between the wall and layout (my chest touches the layout when I do this) so I can reach a derailed locomotive or train car.

I do a fair amount of crawling under the layout and reaching/stretching because of derailments, thanks to my 031 curves and Postwar cars. I now think of this as my Yoga and part of my fitness plan, in conjunction with long athletic walks in the State Park near my home that I do every other day. 

And, I say to myself when doing my model railroad Yoga, if it doesn't kill me, it's good for me.

LOL, Arnold

ThomasT posted:

Hello Joe,

I am mighty proud of that bass, caught it on a 4-weight fly rod that I had hand made with a "Love Frog" fly, and that Bucketmouth weighted in at 8-lbs & 13-ozs. It took over a week to get that smile off my face

My original plan was to have all 0-72 track but my space just will not allow that, so I re-sized to 0-54 on the largest track. Just getting started both trains that I have on order will operate on 0-31 and the biggest train on my wish list will operate on 0-54, so I am good for a while.

I am redrawing my layout now with several changes and I will make a mock up and see what needs to be altered.

I am retired and work very hard to have FUN...everyday, all day.

One of my retirement plans is fishing. You made me laugh with the week long smile comment! I don't blame you for being proud & happy!

You sound like you're being realistic & most engines are good on 0-54 so I'm sure you'll be fine.

Joe

Arnold D. Cribari posted:

Walking on top of my layout is not an option, so about 3 feet wide for my around the walls layout that is 48 to 50 inches high, is maximum for me.

However, there are 2 places where my layout is 4 feet wide. In those places I left just enough space between the wall and the layout so I can crawl under it, and stand up between the wall and layout (my chest touches the layout when I do this) so I can reach a derailed locomotive or train car.

I do a fair amount of crawling under the layout and reaching/stretching because of derailments, thanks to my 031 curves and Postwar cars. I now think of this as my Yoga and part of my fitness plan, in conjunction with long athletic walks in the State Park near my home that I do every other day. 

And, I say to myself when doing my model railroad Yoga, if it doesn't kill me, it's good for me.

LOL, Arnold

Hello Arnold,

Well you are a better man than I am, crawling under a low table would almost kill me I just made a cardboard mock up with all square corners and set it at 32" high and that inside corner I could not reach but just over half-way. I going to create another pdf drawing with several options and will get it posted here shortly.

Thank you for your help.

Hey again everyone,

I am attaching another pdf drawing with couple more changes and another option. I rounded the corners on all outside corners and that helps a little, but the blind corner is still not accessible standing flat-footed

I am showing Plan #2 on this drawing which would be in a different location and have easy access on the entire layout. However it is smaller in square foot surface area. I would appreciate all opinions on this second option vs Plan #1.

Not sure what happened but I will try again to post the pdf drawing

I still vote for #2, but have you thought about removing 18”-24” out of the center and moving the right side away from the corner. That should be enough for you to get in the corner to deal with derailments, etc.