Super Simple N Scale Switching Layout

Coolest idea I've seen!

Great idea for those of us who are "real estate challenged". Thank you for showing us your terrific layout.

June 2021. This is all you'll be able to have as far as a layout goes...$64 bucks for a SINGLE PIECE of 4x8 plywood. At this rate , that switching part you have will be a armchair modeler's "dream layout".

This is interesting and inspires me to do it since I am limited on space. Since I am new to modeling I have a few questions. 1) What is the tool you use to release cars? 2) How is the turn out operated without a switch ?

What loco where you using here? GP40?

Do you have any Conductivity issues after spraying with Brown Camo? I haven’t committed yet on N Scale Track.
What did you use to clean off rails? What a out protecting Switch Points and Pivot Contacts??

Love this idea

Great little layout, will be doing this but will be using blue flags... Blue thumbtacks to block movements so as to shrink inglenook based on rolling stock. 40 footers, 33 twin bay, and you can also run 3-2-2 with 60 footers. Thanks for the inspiration .

Inspiring to say the least.

Just subscribed!! Brilliant. Quick one, does the end of the Kato Unijoiner plug nicely (fit) into the female end of the Rokuhan controller? Cheers!!

Excellent job.

I built this cool little layout and it is super fun! Great way to alleviate stress after a hard day at work. Thanks for posting!

Steve,always get plenty of food for thought from your vids,thank you for sharing them with us!
Blessings from Ireland👍☘

Very cool. I would definitely use the edge pieces. I had to tear down a 2x8 n scale layout when I moved. I might even have the track to make this.

I'd like to try an 8'x12" ho version of this.

What? It can be that simple? I mis running Trains. My mind races. foam a bridge, roadbed and ballast. Very cool!

Great Idea Sir Steve! I just found an old box of N scale: 14 freight cars, 2 cabooses, 4 matching Con Cor Pennsylvania passenger cars and a little Bachman 0-4-0 switcher. Have to be 30 years old judging by the price stickers on the boxes (29.95 for the engine). A little shelf switching layout would allow them to be displayed instead of stuck in some box I didn't know I had. They all have the old style couplers that look like a big backwards C. Looks like a starter Bachman set is a far better deal than buying a power controller separately and it would give me an engine that for sure will run. LOL I would need a "conversion" car or otherwise swap out the trucks/couplers with knuckle couplers but other than that, hey they look still ready to run, each stored in the original cases they came in when purchased. 🙂

The card idea is brilliant in its pure simplicity. In lieu of white label full size sheet paper, I found some "Self Stick Printable Paper" at the local Dollar General store ($3 for 8 sheets) and cropped all my car pictures to 400 x 200 and put them into a Google Drive Doc page and scaled them to 3 x 1.5 inches each. I got 10 cars on one page. Color print and then quick perimeter cut with paper cutter (scissors also work), I then stuck them onto poster board using an architect triangle to apply without air bubbles. Then I cut them to individual size. Nice firm cards that work out to 3 x 1.5 inches each, about the size of typical board game situation cards used in Monopoly and other games. Now just waiting for my Kato track to show up! Due to the short wheelbase of the 30 yr old Bachman 0-4-0 and truck mounted couplers, I went with Kato #6 turnouts as they have powered frogs and hopefully the little engine that could won't stall out in the turnouts. If not, I couldn't resist and picked up a "still new in box" Arnold RS-1 with rapido couplers from Chicagoland Hobby so I don't have to swap out all the couplers on my 30 yr old cars. After reviews on the Bachman starter sets, I just found an old analog MRC HO/N transformer/power supply on eBay for $30 + $10 for shipping. I have no need to go "high end" with today's expensive DCC equipment so this should be just perfect. Unlike the Kato controller, these old MRC's have 18V AC to power the turnouts if i choose to "go fancy". In my long forgotten cache of stuff, I found some old Atlas daisy chainable turnout control boxes that should do the trick too.

late to this, but I like combining the inglenook with a circuit layout with 5 or 6 generic industries that could take any kind of car. adding 6 industries changes the 6200 options to about 4.8 million possibilities. can do it with 3 industries on a 2x4, or 5-6 on a door layout

The more I use this layout the more I enjoy it. I still need to get around to making up some cards and do an actual switching session on it.

NICE IDEA LIKE THAT I WANT A LAYOUT JUST DONT HAVE THE ROOM BUT SEEING THIS MIGHT MAKE ME RETHINK THAT. CAN IT BE BIGGER ?

Simply brilliant!! 👏

Could this switching Layout be also used as a programing / test track ?

You have finally got me out of the armchair.

Thank you for these videos on the micro layouts. I am just getting back in the hobby and do not have a lot of room to create.

I knew a someone had one of these with a hinge in the middle for portability.
I thought they introduced digital control of engines and switches in model railroads, guess not

Bay side somewhere

Nice idea!

Why did use a rerailer track piece on the lead track?

Thankyou Steve for sharing this video. It made me pickup the hobby where I left it many years ago.

I borrowed your idea for this simple setup to get me started again. So I inspired upon your function as a game. And made the board a bit bigger so I can practice on creating landscapes/scenery. I’ve never done that before. So this is a good way to restart my hobby and don’t overdo myself in expectations and stuff 🤣

Very interesting, I think I've been looking for this concept in HO. Thanks.

Thanks for the video! I have been working on final plans for a layout in my hobby room, but in the meantime I'm going to build a small diorama for testing and programming.... I may do something like this... I also eventually plan to make a small N scale layout, something portable, this would be a great, simple project, so that I'd have a spot to play with N scale cars while I build a little collection for that eventual project. Thanks again for the video.

Very nice! You should invest in a small pneumatic brad nailer!

Really cool Steve !!

This is a classic Inglenook Siding layout. Interesting for me was to see that a loco runs over the switches by Kato very smoothly.

A lot of these tracks pieces are no longer made...

Hi Steve, what is the make and model of the power supply and the loco.. thanks

Are you using a slotted head screwdriver to uncouple, and are you putting it in the middle of the two couplers and twisting, or just moving one arm to the left or right side by twisting?

Hi Steve. Did you just cut the power cords off flush on the bottom of the turnouts?

What is the tool used to uncouple the cars…I am getting back into the hobby so getting acquainted with the new stuff…I am sixties vintage…

How do you calculate the 6720 permutations?

Thank You for making this video it's really changed how I look at building a layout.

“I’ll just throw together a whole little layout while I wait for this paint to dry.” ;-) Brilliant! This would be a great learning project. I love the game idea, too.

Your cards are about the right size to fit in PVC (firm) collectible card sleeves, which would make handling them somewhat easier if they're going to be used a lot.

Now... add automatic decouplers for each track, take Arduino, camera, mini-servo mechanisms for track switchning and make AI to sort order of your choice :)

i am putting together one of these right now. i am using a kato v1 pack to make it. if you use a small locomotive (i'll be using one of the new kato nw2 switchers) and 40ft rolling stock then the v1 has all the track you need. it is even smaller than yours, it will be 37.5" x 6" when complete and will easily fit on my desk at work. thanks for the inspiration!

love it

Why don't you use the uncoupler track from Kato? Don't they work?

Great layout, I think to make it extra perfect a magnetic decoupler would make operation feel awesome.