At the end of my previous post I gave myself two objectives: 

 

To do:  slim down the baseboards for my next narrow gauge project, and

The big question:  to consider alternatives to a continuous run for a standard gauge HO project.

 

Although August hasn't seen me doing practical modelling for my project threads, enough has been going on behind the scenes for me to split this blog update into two entries.  This first section is about narrow gauge:

 

How to not plan a model railway (part 2.I) - The narrow path

 

Proof of concept testing a few months ago led me to rule out a combined H0 Standard Gauge / H0e Narrow Gauge interchange layout.  I'd liked the idea of having everything all together, but in the space I have the size of the standard gauge trains was destroying any illusion of space I'd create using narrow gauge models.  Instead I put together a simple plan and built a baseboard for a simple narrow gauge layout (images from the previous blog entry).  It gives me what I most want by avoiding over-crowding, even if operation is rather limited as a consequence.

 

 

 

Although the new baseboard would fit through the doorways of our house, it was more cumbersome than I'd expected.  Revisiting the plan showed me I could trim it to fit a space 1.8m x 0.6m:

 

 

While this revised design places the loop tracks much nearer the front edge of the baseboard, it has two big ergonomic benefits:

1. the 0.6m width fits onto the IKEA tables I use as a sub-frame.  As the tables are 0.6m wide there's no overhang.
2. The layout is much less cumbersome: although there is only a limited weight saving (it's mainly the hole in the middle that gets smaller), the footprint is - and this surprised me - fully 25% less!

 

 

While the run will be a bit shorter, it is still almost double that of my first, start circuit layout.  A 1.0m passing loop can easily take a seven coach train of standard H0e Liliput 4-wheel coaches - this photo needed just one 1yd (914mm) piece of track:

 

 

While it might be possible to squeeze in an eight coach train for Bank Holiday Heritage Specials, I think the illusion of space is easier to carry off if there is space either end of a loop so the train fits comfortably into it. 

 

The O&K MV8 diesel will pull the train quite comfortably at narrow gauge speeds, but for my Kato powered road engine it's a breeze.  I do like running longer trains, as I've noted previously in earlier blog posts:

 

 

 

Having decided not to pursue the idea of a contemporary era interchange station, I've traded on my H0e bogie coaches and class 2095 loco to raise funds.  In the past I'd have been sad to let go of them, as they were all very impressive models, but having more of a focus on what I'm aiming to achieve means I haven't regretted it, another point worth noting.

 

It's not been easy to get time in the garden to work on baseboards this summer, but when the chance came I was able to take it:

 

 

I did question my wisdom in deciding to shorten the boards by just 10cm (4") as it turned a one hour job into a three hour job (I'm not a quick worker).  But even though the board is still taller than I am when it is upright for carrying through doorways, it does now feel a lot less cumbersome.  I think the ratio of scenic space : hole will now be more attractive too.

 

I'd already settled for a 9" (228mm) minimum radius end curve for this layout, so trimming the baseboards didn't change that.  I still have the template I used for track laying end curves on my first layout.  The first iteration of the design for this new layout had a different profile for the end curves, but with the reduced width I can now reuse this template as it is.  That will be helpful, not least as I already know a 1yd piece of flextrack is long enough to do a complete end curve with no breaks.

 

 

This shot shows that I haven't fully boxed in the front of the baseboards, saving some weight where it doesn't show.  I wouldn't feel confident doing this with boards less than 12mm thick, but as I'm still using up heavier plywood it may be OK.

 

Next task will be painting the boards (a house rule).  Without really planning a narrow gauge layout, I'm happy I've got something that meets my objectives, fits into my space, and is within my capabilities to get finished.

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But what about my standard gauge dreams?  Showing the new baseboard alongside the test board I'd begun working on for a standard gauge HO test circuit shows even more clearly than before how big the difference is - both are for HO scale:

 

 

(I've also realised there's a measurement error in the top right corner of the standard gauge board - the end curve won't fit without a bigger fillet coming in from the corner).

 

In the second part of this double episode I'll explain where my standard gauge thinking has been taking me.  Further updates on my narrow gauge project and builds will be posted on my narrow gauge thread.  Thanks, Keith.