A Model Railway System

[Baldwin30762]

Hi guys.

 

I have a question. I think most of us have or in my case still do think about building an American style room filler. The layout will consist of at least two stations and a fiddle yard.

 

But I was wondering what do you all think about how much clear running line is acceptable between stations in a room of 20ft x 10ft the layout is Irish broad gauge in 4mm scale?

 

I would like to run 7 60ft length bogie coaches or 14 30ft six wheeler coaches as the idea train set size.

 

Any suggestions?

['CHARD]

Hmmmmm!!!   A maths question!  I love maths questions.  

 

But with most of the variables spoken for, I'm not sure there's much latitude for the answer, is there?

[Dunsignalling]

To give any real illusion of distance, I would recommend the clear gap between stations should be about three times the length of the longest train being run, with scenic breaks incorporated. Even at that spacing, your trains won't really have time to work up to "line-speed" realistically between stops.

 

For your proposed train length, that's roughly 20' - 22', though you can go a bit closer if one is a small station or halt which is included largely for scenic, rather than operational, reasons.

 

I have been involved with two big layouts that allow continuous running via hidden storage roads one 30' x 12' and the other 50' x 18'; in neither case is a second station included!

 

To get what you want in your available space, multiple levels will be inevitable. 

 

John

[Baldwin30762]

Thanks Guys some good answers and I can see a solution with them.

[Stubby47]

Would something like this work ?

 

(Depends on the radius of the curves...)

 

 

It stretches the distance between the stations without multiple levels

 

 

Edit : No, it's a cr*p idea, the stations would be far too small...

[Nearholmer]

The other option is a "behind the back scene" section of track. These appear to pose access challenges, but a few ingenious souls seem to have solved them by using "sliding cupboard door" style backscrnes, and I've thought about using a long roller-blind (explanation available, if you are interested).

 

Kevin

[uax6]

A friend has a network of 7mm narrow gauge in a room about the same size. The lower terminal is at knee height, and it climbs up along the walls to do two complete spirals of the room to meet the terminus at chin height.

 

Being narrow gauge he runs typically short trains, but these can be four or five feet long....

 

Fun to operate, but also bewildering too, I've been trying to get my head around it for about 4 years...

 

Andy G

[luckymucklebackit]

Just two stations?  I have three, mean train length 5 coaches, can accommodate up to 8 (at a push), full operational timetable!  I find the best way is to do it on a spiral, most of the intervening track is behind backscenes, with just enough for running interest.  Follow the link in my signature for my idea

 

Jim

[Baldwin30762]

I like the idea of spirals at each end of the stations, that sounds like it could be fun, the FY could be at say 3ft and the first station could be at say 3ft 9ins then one long run around the outside of both stations to the second station then a second spiral down to meet up with the FY again.