Small layout track plans

[Densha]

Not sure if such a topic already exists, but I found this nice small layout under construction I wanted so share:

http://kscafe.main.jp/sougoumokei/reiautoseisaku/kotodenreiauto.html

Makes me realize again you don't need much space for a nice layout.

[Mr Frosty]

That is an excellent little layout. Thank you for the link.

 

I am always searching for similar, but not knowing the correct Japanese terminology hampers my searches.

[Claude_Dreyfus]

I see the builder suffers from hayfever ("pollen flying around","iching eyes", etc. etc.). Not conducive to concentrating on fiddly modelling!

[Densha]

At the very bottom of that page there's a link to this page with a few (good and poorer) examples: http://kscafe.main.jp/sougoumokei/koneta/reiautoplan.html

[JNRModelsNick]

Outstanding! I'm working on a similar thing building a tram layout on a bookshelf. I really like how this guy has done the raised road sections. I really want to do a similar thing but I'm pulling my hair out just trying to get my head around the geometry. This is helpful so thanks for posting the link!

[ToniBabelony]

Just to bump in. Recently, I've been designing some track plans in RailModeller for future use. My plan is to make a layout in a small space, can host trains of 4-cars (or more) and have mainline and a sideline operations while still looking interesting and non-spaghetti like.

 

So far, I have come up with one plan and perfected it a little bit. It is however largely inspired by Plan 03-12 on the Kato website: http://www.katomodels.com/unitrackplan/plan_p3.shtml, but is more simplified and smaller (1500 x 700mm).

 

 

The layout uses Tomix Finetrack and uses some unconventional track combinations, like the three curved points on the top right of the layout, to save space. The mainline station is inspired from Keisei Narita, so one might call this layout a play on the Keisei Main line with a parody of the branch to Higashi-Narita/Shibayama Chiyoda.

 

I'm a big fan of this plan, but I still am not satisfied with it.

[brill27mcb]

Neat plan! I would not worry about the three curved points. Your subway train could use the center track in the back station, so people could theoretically transfer to either train on the outer tracks. It would share some trackage on the way there with the mainline railway. The plan certainly packs a lot in a small space.

 

Rich K.

[MikeMendoza22]

That is a wonderful little layout!!   l

[enodenlover]

I really love this layout, the builder has managed to fit so much in such a small space. Lots of great detail too. I'd promised myself that I would never attempt a permanent layout again ( all previous such projects were flops ) but seeing what can be done with so little space may have me rethinking that. My last attempt was an N&W / VGN N scale layout set in West Virginia but I found out pretty quickly that I had bitten off more than I could chew. Maybe something like 15" x 24" would be more in line with my meager modeling skills.

[katoftw]

i saw these the other day.  long discontinued tomytec diorams.

 

 

and current diorama base available:-

 

Edited April 2, 2015 by katoftw

[Staffy]

I think those dioramas are 3x2 is that right?

 

So they would use either 215 or 249mm radius curves?

[NXCALE]

Hi.

 

For any beginners reading this post, Tomix has two magazines called Tomix Mini Curve Rail Vol 1 and 2 (7312 and 7316).

These two magazines are quite simple but provide the basics when starting with mini layouts (using Tomix finetrack).

 

Here some pictures:

 

Tomix 7312 (Mini Curve Rail Vol 1):

 

 

Cover

 

 

Tracks

 

 

Basic layout examples

 

 

Some rollingstock for Mini and Super Mini track

 

Tomix 7316 (Mini Curve Rail Vol 2):

 

 

Cover

 

 

Example of "Normal" Track and Mini track used together

 

 

This example shows a simple modification for the Tomix 5563 Mode 1 (Automatic Operation Unit)

 

 

Other examples

 

Cheers,

 

Nxcale

 

 

[tossedman]

I like the page that shows a layout on a window seat, in a drawer, on a shelf, in a box, on a cart, in an aquarium... "Hey Dad! I flushed the goldfish and made a train layout! Is that OK?"

[dabsan]

I like the page that shows a layout on a window seat, in a drawer, on a shelf, in a box, on a cart, in an aquarium... "Hey Dad! I flushed the goldfish and made a train layout! Is that OK?"

Bad news for fish everywhere but good news for rail modelers  

[JR 500系]

Thanks for sharing this! Very interesting... What amazes me is that the Spacia is inside the roster of cars that can run on mini curve rails ~  :)

[splifdfx]

What amazes me is that the Spacia is inside the roster of cars that can run on mini curve rails ~  :)

 

I don't have the Spacia (yet), but, as I'm trying to collect the Supermini- and Mini-able sets, I can tell you that some of the Mini-able do also pass the Supermini curves.

[NXCALE]

Thanks for sharing this! Very interesting... What amazes me is that the Spacia is inside the roster of cars that can run on mini curve rails ~  :)

 

You are welcome, not a problem.

 

Even for the experienced ones, there is always some small pieces of new information to pick up from these little magazines (28 pages each).

For 300 Yen each, I think these are good value. This is specially applicable for any beginners who want to save themselves from basic mistakes while using Mini/Super Mini track.

 

Power Up!

 

Nxcale

[nah00]

Thanks for sharing this! Very interesting... What amazes me is that the Spacia is inside the roster of cars that can run on mini curve rails ~  :)

 

I'm more shocked by the low-loader 8-axle flat car working on them. What absolute madman would do that?

 

 

I like the page that shows a layout on a window seat, in a drawer, on a shelf, in a box, on a cart, in an aquarium... "Hey Dad! I flushed the goldfish and made a train layout! Is that OK?"

 

 

I like the layout in the Tomix train case. Very meta. 

Edited July 29, 2016 by nah00

[Densha]

Okay, this is weird... this layout based on the Keihan Keishin Line and Ishiyama-Sakamoto Line is almost exactly what I had in mind for my own layout: http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/naoyan021/30623476.html

 

[Densha]

This may be my craziest small layout plan ever. It's largely based on this layout (overview here) and layout 13 from the 50 N Gauge Layout Plans Collection book and has enough features to either run two trains around the loops at the same time, or do point-to-point running between three or even four stations. A small freight station or provisional street-running is also a possibility. All stations support up to 20 cm trains, which means only space for two 15m cars. The terminal track of the viaduct station and the subway station, however, have a maximum length of about 35 cm, which should be enough for even three 18m cars. The track system is Tomix FineTrack, with most visible curved track being R177 and most invisible curves R140. Inclines should be 6% at maximum. The layout size is 70 x 40 cm.

 

This is the the basic plan, with the other two plans showing the tracks above ground and under ground separately.

 

 

Here's some 3D images and a quick scenery edit to make things a bit more visual:

 

 

For street running the only option is to use the surface level track in the middle, which then either terminates on the street in front of the viaduct station, or continues under the viaduct tracks to the left side or back side of the layout to be able to couple the layout to T-Trak modules or something. Having the street running track end up on the left side may be too difficult to fit in though, considering that there's already inclines of the +1 level and -1 level tracks there. Anyway, here's how the layout with a street running section could look like.

 

 

Regardless of whether you go with the street running section, with this layout it is possible to attach another layout or other modules by simply attaching them to the terminal platform of the viaduct station.