What's your favorite kind of layout ?

Montignac. · August 11, 2016, 01:39:45 PM

Hello folks !
A very simple an basic question:
What's your favorite kind of layout ?

I like small layouts like these two ones. And you guys ?

Chris Morris · August 11, 2016, 02:36:57 PM

At exhibitions - ones with plenty of movement
At home - ones with operational interest

On a sunny summers day my G scale garden railway is my favourite kind of railway but in the midst of winter my N gauge becomes my favourite.

Newportnobby · August 11, 2016, 03:57:47 PM

As long as there is plenty of realism and the layout has an atmosphere representing the era/location then I'm a happy bunny.
There are lots of N gauge layouts mentioned here............

http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?topic=22405.0

Jerry Howlett · August 11, 2016, 04:19:55 PM

Not mine!
I would prefer one that worked and did not have mice trying to eat my Mk1 brake when it is parked in the fiddle yard.

However I like busy industrial and though I model 60's modern image still hits the spot, not a great countryside fan despite living in a remote village!

Jerry

Kris · August 11, 2016, 04:58:50 PM

I tend to like larger layouts, particularly those that are based on a real location, but if it is a large layout with sharp curves or that looks completely unrealistic (steam age track layouts running modern image stock - yuck) it turns me off entirely. I also don't like seeing locos and trains that are significantly out of context, i.e. seeing and HST running on one line passing a slow pickup steam goods on the other line. That said I do recognise that what I dislike some people love, and that's great.

Caz · August 11, 2016, 07:11:31 PM

I'm very happy with mine, I wanted a "roundy, roundy" and either "end to end" or "out and back" in the end I've ended up with all three. A little bit more room would have been great but I've only got one spare bedroom and still needed to fit in a extra bed if needed for visitors as well.

Komata · August 11, 2016, 07:23:29 PM

My favourite kind of layout?

For my 'personal' use: layouts that I can actually get to work and that don't require hours of time for only a few minutes of running ('operating') time; Something that I can 'turn on and go' if you will...

For other people's layouts: ones that 'tell stories' and involve the viewer.

Thanks for asking.

DELETED · August 11, 2016, 08:24:40 PM

I like something which looks "about right", big or small. End-to end layouts don't hold my attention though -believe me I've tried them many times but fair play if you're into shunting or timetables. For me it's watching someting appear at one end, travel a landscape, dissapear again and I don't mind it going round and round again for ages at REALISTIC speeds, not by scale, but for the length of track.

I have rule "0.5" -expanded timescales but "roughly right at a push". Hate pure "rule 1" but again fair play to anyone running that and I have learned (eventually) not to criticise.

Track-wise I'm really open to making whatever fit in your space. I'd rather see well laid and ballasted code 80 than poorly laid and ballasted code 55. I don't like hand laid track on copper sleepers -personal choice. It may be correct code and sleeper spacing, but solder blobs always look worse to me. I LOVE Kato and would use it as it looks great ballasted and weathered, but the points are too big so I struggle to fit it in.

I'm not such a fan of money no object layouts though again, fair play if you have the cash to spend. I really like folk trying scratchbuilding buildings and not just planting Metcalf card kits absolutely everywhere.

...I think the best layout is a finished one. I've had so many failed attempts -I came close to a 4x2 but it had to go when I thought I was loosing the house because there was no work. Thankfully now work is good, kept the house but in the clear-out for selling I have a dog-bone type layout running round 2 walls in the spare room. Couldn't fit in double tracks so it's single track and I'll have to live with that -R1 curves at the end by the way!. That's IF I can finish it LoL 'tut 'rolleyes.

Whatever works for you, as I am slowly beginning to learn.

Rich

port perran · August 11, 2016, 08:30:59 PM

Definitely scenic and medium sized.
I also like layouts that are reasonably true to life but not bothered if rule 1 makes an appearance.
I like some movement but am happy to see trains simply run around.
Im not keen on the slow shunting layouts really.

Skyline2uk · August 11, 2016, 09:27:19 PM

Era 7 onwards for me, so Blue to Colas.

Not really fussy about region or even if it's a fictional location.

My ideal layout has either multiple operators or is automated so more than one train is running. One thing I really like is when a layout has either a TMD / Depot or some form or yard / sidings that are actually being used. Whilst they add a lot in terms of stock display potential, I always find myself wishing that the locos would arrive / leave / be swopped around for example.

Skyline2uk

Ditape · August 11, 2016, 09:41:27 PM

I go for anything that has a sense of realism and well made, for my own layout I like a roundy-roundy as I like to sit back and watch trains go by.

Zogbert Splod · August 11, 2016, 10:16:02 PM

I'm lucky. I don't know much about railways so I don't know how to count rivets. I like a layout that looks TO ME like a model of a railway. If it has 'things' that pull some other 'things', I'm usually happy. I do like a bit of roundy roundy coz it's nice to see trains go by.
What I don't like on a layout is tracks/tracks/tracks and nothing much else. It has to convince my uneducated eye that I could be real somewhere!
The answer I got once on asking a guy at an exhibition, "Uh, where are the trains?" spoiled a layout for me... He pointed at a printed timetable on a stand and said, "There isn't another one due for 20 minutes or so.", then went back to the book he was reading.
I think that a shuttle arrangement adds a lot of interest so I'm working on one right now for my own layout.

njee20 · August 11, 2016, 10:20:14 PM

Big, main line, modern image for me. I want to see long, full scale length trains snaking past.

PLD · August 11, 2016, 10:21:40 PM

Any one that works! For me that always comes first, whether operating or viewing...

Webbo · August 12, 2016, 06:54:03 AM

Longish trains snaking through the landscape is what I'm trying to achieve with my layout although I'm intrigued by all sorts of other kinds of layouts both large and small that I've seen on the NGF and elsewhere. I'm constructing a biggish layout at the moment, but I'd like to have a go at a micro-layout next time inspired by some such layouts I've seen on this forum. Prefer industrial scenes to towns, open spaces to clutter, freight to passenger.

Webbo