Hi everyone,

A sad but necessary moment came at my house this week, when my loved (and near complete minus some scenery) Bemo HOm layout project passed on to a nearby friend. it was started 3000 miles away in a larger home, and the reality is it never fit the new space properly. On top of that the new space technically wasn't even space available for trains! So when a good home popped up, I had to pass it along.

Initially I planned on having the whole room for trains (see here: THREAD ON LAYOUT ) but that won't be a reality until we decide whether we live in the place longer-term.

The space can still be used for train activity, but only in a very temporary way. What this means is a layout that can be stored on its side (vertically) when not in use. Think a test board, but perhaps there is a way to make it more interesting or more of a real layout? Or a "monocque" style layout of minimal height? I'd love a construction challenge to keep me engaged.

The "must haves" are essentially as follows:

- Can't be larger than 4' x 7'. Smaller in either direction- particularly narrower- a major plus. Lightweight.
- Cant be very tall due to the need for vertical storage. (I could pull structures off for storage though)
- C track, digital. Signals if necessary/beneficial but no computer automation, occupancy etc... The layout is about running trains.
- I relish the construction of the layout- not necessarily the operations. Shunting type action not really necessary, although trains running for sure are.
- One clean/clear test loop without connection to rest of layout, and easy "hand of god" access (for decoder tuning, wiring to switch between analogue/digital etc) Presumably this just runs around the outside.
- If a way to sneak an HOm/TT loop in was present, Im all for it.

it comes down to needing a test board/layout for train maintenance, but why not have some fun building it?

Ideas anyone?

My current muse, although it seems too tall, long and wide (and I run swiss trains haha) Perhaps the upper section was the HOm shelf style-layout:

Then a Stummiforum member once started with a test circle ...

... which evolved...

...into this.


www.stummiforum.de

Thank you so much- I only saw your replies now! Some lovely ideas, as usual you are the master of the non-traditional track geometry! I'm up for some studying....

I may ditch the loco facility, or perhaps do one level, but with an option to drop a cityscape second level on top so I can do some structure modelling, and the layout give the appearance of being more than an oval with sidings. (not unlike your own layout!)

Clearly its time to study the C track geometry thread on the forum, and do some "testing" on the floor in the coming weeks....