Anatomy of a Layout - St. Louis Central

There are probably as many criticisms of 4x8 layouts as there are self-proclaimed "experts" who've decided that since they don't like 4x8 layouts, no one should. Well, actually there aren't because most of the "experts" just repeat the same few criticisms over and over. I can imagine all of them sitting around a pub or coffee house congradulating each other on how "advanced" or "enlightened" they are:) So let's look at a well designed 4x8 track plan and see how it breaks the stereotypes...

4x8 layouts take up too much space. Probably the most common complaint about 4x8 layouts is that they take up too much space. It's kind of funny, because many of these "experts" have large, basement or garage filling layouts with peninsulas larger than 4x8 feet and yet they never complain about those space requirements... Nevertheless, a 4x8 does really take up 8x10 feet when you allow for access on 3 sides (this is offset by the fact that it's easily portable), which for some people is quite a bit of space for a stand-alone railroad. The St. Louis Central overcomes this "limitation" by providing spur tracks that exit the table in three locations. In other words, it would be very easy to make this a part of a larger model railroad as you aquire more skills, time, money, space, etc.

An oval of track is unrealistic. With some noteable exceptions, that's true. However, the St. Louis central does a great job of disuising the oval with a series of tall buildings down the cenet of the layout. This is even better than using a center divider (which I don't like) or hiding part of the track in tunnels. With this design, the train seems to move from one industrial area to another as you follow it around the table.

4x8 layouts lack operating potential. Well, I beg to differ. This track plan has plenty of industrial spurs for switching and two tracks that could be used to simulate interchanges with other railroads. The small passing siding can be used to conduct meets between trains or as a small staging yard. Sure, it's not modern "Class 1" operations, but to say operations are "limited" only shows a "limited" imagination:)

4x8 layouts drive beginners away from the hobby. The "logic" behind this statement seems to be that if a beginner starts out with a 4x8 layout, they'll eventually become frustrated when they reach the limits of the 4x8 platform and then quit the hobby. That's stupid. It's kind of like saying that cars with automatic transmissions and 4 cylinder engines cause people to quit driving when the get frustrated with the limitations of the car, so everyone should learn to drive with a manually shifted V8. But back to the layout... I count at least 20 buildings to be built, rebuilt, super detailed, etc. There's scenery and a road to build (and rebuild as your skills grow) and since this is an urban setting you could go nuts with lighting, automobiles, power and phone lines, pedestrians, etc. No shortage of challenges for quite some time.

Now, I'm not saying that 4x8 layouts are the best choice for everyone, or even the best choice for "most" people. They are a great choice for a lot of people though (hmmm... maybe that's why they're so popular) and this layout is a good example of why they are.

Related links:
St. Louis Central model railroad
Harlem Transfer Company (RR)

2x4 - The N Scale 4x8?

I've started messing around with N Scale lately and it seems that lots of guys like to scale down a 4x8 HO track plan to 2x4 for their N Scale layout. It sounds like a great idea - N Scale is about half the size of HO, so just make the table half size and go for it, right? The only problem is 2x4 is just a bit too cramped. The N Scale equivalent to 18" radius track isn't 9", it's about 9-3/4". That means the curves will push your track closer to the edges (relatively) than the "equivalent" 4x8 HO layout, and your straight sections will be shorter since the curves take up more space. Instead of scaling down to 2x4, you should scale down to 27" x 54" if you're using the Code 80 9" radius curved sections. An even better idea is to make the layout 30" x 60" and use their Code 55 track with 11.25" curves. The broader curves will look a lot better (they're the equivalent of 21" radius in HO scale), the Code 55 rail is a lot closer to scale than Code 80, and you'll still end up with a nice, compact layout. Of course the best idea would be to make the N Scale layout 4x8 and just adjust the track spacing...

2x4 N Scale Layout