Designing a model railway layout

[Ben howell]

I’m just starting out building an n gauge model railway layout and was hoping if they’re was any tips or tricks people were willing to share 

[Tullygrainey]

Welcome to the forum Ben and best of luck with your layout plans. That's a big, broad question so it's hard to know where to start with an answer. If you're an experienced railway modeller trying out a new scale, then you already know most of what's laid out below but if you're just starting out in the hobby, then I hope some of the following will be useful. Please read on...

There's a wealth of advice and examples of good practice buried in this forum so I would suggest as a first step that you spend some time exploring what's here. If you follow some of the threads in the 'Irish Model Layouts' section for example, you'll get an idea of how others have tackled what you're embarking on. It will undoubtedly confirm some of what you already know about the job but also point to other things you might not have thought of. That will help you refine the sorts of questions you need to ask to help you with your build. And do ask questions. It's been my experience that the folk who hang out here are friendly, knowledgeable and very willing to share that knowledge freely. Whatever the question, someone here knows the answer.

A bit of planning before jumping into laying track will stand you in good stead. Think about what region, era and type of layout you want ( for example, Irish? British? Continental? Passenger? Goods? Industrial?) and how you want it to operate (Round'n'round? Terminal station to fiddle yard? Shunting yard? etc). Spend a bit of time drawing track plans. Drawing these full size (in your case N gauge) on wallpaper lining paper will give you a good idea of what works and what doesn't. The Peco website has downloadable templates for their various bits of track which can be printed out and used for this purpose. 

https://peco-uk.com/collections/track-plan-sheets/n-9mm

As a general rule, we all start out thinking big but often find as we go along that what we aspire to is out of reach for one reason or another. The spare room isn't big enough. The time it would take is longer than we've got. The piggy bank isn't big enough either. Whatever. By all means think big but be prepared to slim down your aspirations as you progress - and don't regard that as a failure. It's part of the learning process on the way to getting the layout built. 

There are lots more specifics that you'll encounter as you get further down the road with this but whatever you do, take your time and enjoy each stage. Again, best of luck,

Alan

Edited January 21 by Tullygrainey

[Galteemore]

Great stuff. Kato unitrack is a great place to start with N - like Lego track for adults! Plugs together and is designed for frequent assembly /disassembly so ideal for trying out layout plans. 

[David Holman]

Amen to the above plus the following:

• Read as much as you can - magazines, books, online
• Start small - a simple track plan that can be incorporated into something larger later, or just be disposable in terms of building experience. Better than diving in feet first and finding it is all too much.
• Do you want to mostly play trains, or are more on the creative side of things? It can be fairly easy to lay some track on a board and get stuff running, but months and years to make it scenic.
• How are your basic skills? Carpentry (baseboards), electronics (soldering, wiring), kit building  and so on. Doesn't matter what level you are coming from, because there is much fun in learning
• If you can, join a club. Great for advice and they may have a layout you can run your own stuff on too.

[leslie10646]

Hi Ben

These guys have given you very good advice.

Take note of David Holman's "Start Small" and deciding whether you like running trains, or building them.

I like running them and if there were guys out there to build things for me, I'd just throw money at the problem.

That said, there is a great satisfaction out of creating something yourself, even to my very low standard.

I always wanted a big layout, but with an eye to having "Track Nights", but neither of my sons were into the hobby and no like-minded pals within thirty / forty miles. So I've got a layout which is really beyond me. It takes a train over a minute to do a circuit, I can't see the train as it goes througbh the station at the other end of the loft and IT'LL NEVER BE FINISHED"!

So keep it manageable.

[Mike 84C]

Hi Ben,

 Lots of good advice there, I like Leslie have been down the "its my last layout" route, finished up with a bowl of spaghetti in my garage! track everywhere. Totally overwhelmed me and set back running trains by a few years. So I think take small steps and grow into it.

 Keep it manageable is sound advise.

  Mick

[Ben howell]

9 hours ago, Tullygrainey said:

Welcome to the forum Ben and best of luck with your layout plans. That's a big, broad question so it's hard to know where to start with an answer. If you're an experienced railway modeller trying out a new scale, then you already know most of what's laid out below but if you're just starting out in the hobby, then I hope some of the following will be useful. Please read on...

There's a wealth of advice and examples of good practice buried in this forum so I would suggest as a first step that you spend some time exploring what's here. If you follow some of the threads in the 'Irish Model Layouts' section for example, you'll get an idea of how others have tackled what you're embarking on. It will undoubtedly confirm some of what you already know about the job but also point to other things you might not have thought of. That will help you refine the sorts of questions you need to ask to help you with your build. And do ask questions. It's been my experience that the folk who hang out here are friendly, knowledgeable and very willing to share that knowledge freely. Whatever the question, someone here knows the answer.

A bit of planning before jumping into laying track will stand you in good stead. Think about what region, era and type of layout you want ( for example, Irish? British? Continental? Passenger? Goods? Industrial?) and how you want it to operate (Round'n'round? Terminal station to fiddle yard? Shunting yard? etc). Spend a bit of time drawing track plans. Drawing these full size (in your case N gauge) on wallpaper lining paper will give you a good idea of what works and what doesn't. The Peco website has downloadable templates for their various bits of track which can be printed out and used for this purpose. 

https://peco-uk.com/collections/track-plan-sheets/n-9mm

As a general rule, we all start out thinking big but often find as we go along that what we aspire to is out of reach for one reason or another. The spare room isn't big enough. The time it would take is longer than we've got. The piggy bank isn't big enough either. Whatever. By all means think big but be prepared to slim down your aspirations as you progress - and don't regard that as a failure. It's part of the learning process on the way to getting the layout built. 

There are lots more specifics that you'll encounter as you get further down the road with this but whatever you do, take your time and enjoy each stage. Again, best of luck,

Alan

Thank you Alan for the information I will hopefully send updates soon Ben

[Ben howell]

Thank you to everyone that answered my question I have thankfully been able to de identify on a few things about my layout such as the era and a rough trackplan I will update you all on progress

ben 

[Mol_PMB]

I look forward to seeing your plans!

[LNERW1]

I would say, as someone less experienced than the rest of the people here, the best thing to do is look at what you want and see how you can achieve that with the space, materials, skills and time you have. I’m very much still finding my way in the hobby so am probably not the best source of advice around, but I am very sure of this. I’ve made the mistake before of claiming or trying to do things that I simply cannot and so have disappointed myself and maybe one or two others several times. I would say from the experience I do have that its best to keep your aspirations realistic and work with and around what you have. I don’t know how talented or experienced you are so I can’t give any more specific help but I really do hope I’ve been of help here, if nowhere else on this site.