08-03-2013, 11:24 AM
Your biggest challenge will be the length of your sidings on the left -in HO a 50' cars is 8" over couplers, and you need to allow clearance at turnouts to ensure that cars don't sideswipe each other - I suggest you get (or make) some turnout templates ( put LH and RH turnouts rail-side down on a photocoipier or scanner and print at 100%) and do some planning on the floor in that space, with some masking tape, a loco and some cars, long before you go into the woodcutting stage - you'll save yourself money, believe me! - If you are in an apartment - I'd go for several sectional/modular boards - much easier when you come to move out, Looking at the left side of your plan - you can lengthen those RH sidings by taking out the curve between the turnouts - butting tthe same ones back to back and then curving the tracks to head towards the end of the board - it would also let you make that side of the board narrower - narrow boards LOOK longer.
What do you have beyond the alcove in the living room? Is it possible that you could have a removable extension board, that will store under the layout, or vertically in a cupboard, or behind a door?
What do you have beyond the alcove in the living room? Is it possible that you could have a removable extension board, that will store under the layout, or vertically in a cupboard, or behind a door?