Shrinking the layout

Most modellers dream of king size layouts, some of us want to create miniature gems. In their, and mine, quest to design ever smaller model railways, a special kind of layouts emerged. These layouts are called “micro layouts”. Carl Arendt gave a clear definition: Micro layouts are small model railroads, usually less than three or four square feet in area, that nonetheless have a clear purpose and excellent operating capability.

A reader of this website, called Jaap, asked me if I could design a micro layout for him. The layout had to consist of a loop and two sidings. The well-known narrow gauge “Feldbahn” trains, made by Roco↗ were designated to run on this layout.

For this type of layouts the tracks made by Tomix↗, are of interest. This track system has the smallest radius available. And from my own experience I know that the rolling stock of Roco can navigate the tracks well enough. This Japanese rail system is of high quality but sometimes difficult to obtain. In most countries only over the internet. But the minimum radius is 103 mm, which really is not much and just what is needed. But it’s normal N-track. So the distance and size of the sleepers are not suitable for H0e. By embedding in gravel or (model) sand, the rails, the sleepers are no longer visible.

The layout is full with tracks and there is little room for scenery. I think there are some possibilities to place sheds and huts between the tracks, but you shouldn’t have high expectations for a realistic landscape. I assume this is the biggest planning challenge.

It should be possible to build this layout with another track system. It’s hard to bend a radius of 100 mm with ordinary flex track. Most flex tracks cannot be bent in such sharp curves. You should adapt them first. And even so, it’s difficult to get a constant radius. Standard track pieces don’t have this problem and are made within narrow tolerances. That’s why I’ve chosen for Tomix, despite the fact they’ve the appearance of standard gauge track.

Smaller

After I’ve finished the plan for Jaap, I strolled through my collection of track plans. In search for an even smaller layout. A real micro layout. I found the layout shown below. Scale h0 with 16½ mm gauge. Micro layouts at this scale are always miniature shunting layouts. There’s no room to construct an oval or loop.