8X4 Layout French Alps in HO

[TomCarter]

I know its a familiar story but I'm looking to get back into the hobby 30+ years after having a train set as young kid.

 

My requirements/constraints are :

 

1. Very small budget so DC

2. Small space but should have enough room for a just over 8x4 layout in quite a large (multi-user) room/office.  For instance I'm planning to keep it a corner and pull it slightly away from the walls when in use.

3. Want to scratchbuild buldings, learn electronics/electrics, build scenary

4. We now live in France so HO (also to gain a bit of space)

5. Fun for me and my young son: mix of roundy-roundy and simple shunting

6. Since we live in France thought it would be fun to model TGV in the Alps (at least in a very loose artistic licence type of way) - the dream though would be something like here : 

 

As a result I came up with this first draft of a plan:

 

Notes:

 

1.  The layout is multilevel (not shown in plan) - The outer level (top) is the highest point which descends to the level of the middle loop at the crossover (bottom).  The outer loop ascends back up to the top while the middle loop descends down to the meet the inner level at the crossover (top).  The inner loop continues round with an entry into the sidings and station according to space available.

2. The idea is therefore to have the possibility of running a tgv for example on the outer loop with the possibility of bringing it down via the different levels into a terminus station.

3.  Likewise a freight train could run around the middle and inner loops and do some shunting in the sidings

4.  The space inner right would used to put something in like a small village built arouhnd a small rocky river

5.  Outer loop is R4, for the 'straight' sections I'm planning on using flex track so that they contain some slight bends.

 

I would be very interested in hearing any comments and ideas.

 

I've a couple of questions though relating to the multi levels. 

 

I'm not bothered about having a big difference between the heights of the different levels - just enough to create interest (I aim to rely on the scenary to enhance the alpine look) - and erred on the side of caution by not having any loop pass under any other.  I'm a bit concerned though that its going to a look a bit silly - for instance how could I give the impression that a road serving the station and the village 'leaves' the scene and doesn't just stop in a dead end?

 

Also what do you think the maximum height difference between the outer and inner loop could be?

 

Thanks

 

Tom

[The Johnster]

My first reaction is that a small layout (8x4 is not big) is not the most suitable for TGV running, which requires long trains and open, fast, curves.  Even if you are prepared to accept the compromise on train length, anything over 4 cars is going to look very hemmed in here, and the sharp curvature will make those long coaches look very cramped indeed.  This is not what you want to hear, of course, but high speed train modelling needs much, much more space than this!  

 

Shorter trains of shorter vehicles will look more at home, and will, I think, provide more operational interest/play value, not to mention variety.  

 

As you are not crossing any railways on bridges, a wise move IMHO, you do not need to worry about height differences and clearances, and can adopt gradients as steep or shallow as you like; I would aim for making it possible to overload freight locos but not so much as to prevent normal running with acceptable loads.  Your passenger trains will be more or less exclusively multiple unit types I imagine, and all must be able to negotiate all your gradients and the sharpest (no.2 on running lines?) curves.  Keep changes of gradients away from pointwork, about a foot should be enough.  The maximum height difference between the innermost and outermost circuits depends on how steep you are happy for your gradients to be, but could be as much as 8 or 9 inches.  As all the circuits are going to be up hill and down dale to some extent, proper driving must be done to keep to speed; this sounds like fun to me!!!

 

The road exiting the village (what's it want a road for, it's got a railway, hasn't it) can cross the tracks by an overbridge, level crossings, or a combination of the two with overbridges on the inner two circuits (I'm not using the term 'loop' as this has a specific meaning in railway terms) and a level crossing on the outer; you would not have a level crossing on a TGV route.  If it goes in towards one of the corners outside the outer circuit, it can disappear behind an Alp around a bend, perhaps with the assistance of some trees and maybe a judiciously placed building.  

 

My memory of this area is that a lot of bridges and other civil engineering such as retaining walls are concrete, and this may help with the overall look, but you are probably more familiar with it than me and will know what you are after.  I'd suggest a local passenger service, a longer distance semi-fast, and enough freight wagons for a through train and a local one, which means two locomotives.  Keep 'em on the small side, so that the layout looks bigger for being less full of trains.

 

Think about how you are going to reach the trains.  If this is a solid 8x4 baseboard, some of those sidings in the middle are going to be a bit of a stretch, especially as your young son probably has shorter arms than you...  an operator hole in the middle, to the top left of the station area, may be needed but you will still need access all around the outer edge on occasion.  The pulling out for use is causing me a little worry; if stock is on the layout when this takes place it will have to be a very careful and smooth operation, and if it isn't, and has to be set out at the beginning of each operating session and put away afterwards, it will not encourage frequent operating sessions, though I realise that you have to compromise as this is a multi-use room.  Sooner or later you will have to put it all away in an unplanned hurry, and this is where damage occurs.

Edited July 5, 2018 by The Johnster

[Zomboid]

TGVs don't require wide curves etc, the line to Bourg St Maurice sees TGVs at least seasonally, and that is a twisty single track branch in the Alps. Getting a decent length on an 8x4 is more of an issue though.

[Andy Hayter]

Indeed - and TGV coaches are not long - 210mm or just over 8inches.  You will however have problems with a full length set on the size of layout you are planning - but a 5 or 6 car set (including power cars) would not be too bad.