One of the keys to a successful and satisfying layout is deciding at the beginning what you actually want to achieve. That may sound self-evident, but much frustration and wasted effort can be avoided by considering and defining the objectives of your layout carefully at the outset. You may have a very clear idea of what the layout should look like and how it should be operated, but if it is only a vision much care will be required. Visions can be difficult to pin down.

In the absence of a clear plan, it is tempting to “just let it grow”. That may work, but it is a high-risk strategy. Time spent at the outset thinking about your objectives and being realistic about the limitations of site, time, skill and money is rarely wasted.

This article is structured as a questionnaire. It asks the sort of questions that should be answered (as far as you can) before work begins. You do not have to answer every question, in fact you do not have to answer any of them (it is not a pub quiz). Not all questions apply to everyone. It is actually very difficult to imagine a scenario to which all of the questions apply. On the other hand, there are almost certainly questions that are not asked here. The primary purpose of this article is to get you thinking about your own circumstances and be guided by them.

Outdoors, in a loft, in a basement, in a shed, in a living room, spare room, or bedroom?

Is access easy, or only for the athletic?

How much space is there, how wide, how long, how much headroom?

How much light do you need?

What sort of light? Do you want the layout to be a theatre stage with all the light concentrated there? Remember when you are working on the layout, you will probably need a more widespread light than that.

Do you need a permanent light underneath the baseboards, or will portable lighting suffice?

How much of the layout will be in direct sunlight? Direct sunlight can cause colours to fade and plastic materials to become brittle.

How will you access all parts of the layout – for construction, routine maintenance and cleaning, and derailed stock?

Is there sufficient access underneath the layout to get at wiring, point motors, etc?

If a layout is to be on different levels, is there sufficient height between levels for hand and possibly head access? Strategically located mirrors can allow difficult areas to be seen.

How will you access the layout room? Remember that during construction you may have to bring in some large structural components.

Does the baseboard need to take the weight of a person to gain access at any time during construction or operation? If so, ensure that it is strong enough to take the weight without significant deformation.

What are their ranges? Without special treatment, a loft gets hot in summer and cold in winter; a basement stays much nearer to one level but may be damp. If outdoors in a shed make sure that heating is adequate for the worst of the winter. The more stable the conditions, the less likely is it that baseboards will distort and deform.

Consider the material used for baseboard construction. Any type of wood may expand and twist, but the problem can be reduced by using specific types of wood products.

Is the line to be built purely for your own use? To be built by you but worked by a group? To belong to a group or club? If it is to be operated by a regular team, consult them about its main features and scope. The happier they are with them, the easier it will be to achieve a purposeful team.

If it is owned by a club, are the plans generally acceptable, especially to those who will do the most work on the project?

How much can you afford, per month, per year? Is there any overall limit on cash?

How much of the layout building do you expect to do yourself? Are you confident you have the skills to do so?

What will you need help with? What help can you draw on, from friends, family, club members, professional assistance? Will such help be given or must be paid for?

How much can be allocated to the project, per week, per month, per year? Does the line have to be in a state where it can be run or exhibited by a given date?

Is it possible to build in stages so that something can be run before the layout is complete? This will encourage the builders and reveal faults when they are easily rectified.

Can you identify project “milestones”, when certain tasks or parts of the layout will be complete? This is another way to keep motivated.

Is there an overall time limit on the life of the project?

How will the line be equipped? Will it be exclusively your own, brought along by friends, or will there be group-owned stock?

Does the line need certain vehicles for testing at an early stage? For example, the largest locomotive or the longest coach to check on curve radii and curve and platform clearances.

What wheel and track standards will you use? Is the likely visiting stock compatible with those standards? Consider also types of coupling, and locomotive control systems.

Portable layouts may be:

• Layouts that are normally stored and put out for each running session
• Layouts that may be moved frequently for shows and exhibitions

In both cases there are additional questions that have a bearing on layout design to be considered.

If the layout is to be portable, it will almost certainly have to divide into sections. How many and how large are the sections?

Consider how the arrangement of sections relates to the track plan (a section join through the middle of complex pointwork is not a good idea).

Are the sections light enough to be carried by members of the group? Will enough people be available at all times to transport, assemble and disassemble the layout?

How will it be transported? If by car the sections must be small. If by van, larger ones can be considered. Heavy sections are more vulnerable to damage, but are more difficult and need more people to lift. Light ones must be sufficiently rigid to withstand the shocks of transportation.

Can the sections be stacked (i.e. are they all the same size) and can they be protected? This may make packing and transportation considerably easier.

Is there convenient access to the room where the layout is normally stored or set up to allow sections to be moved in and out?

What kind of running do you want from the layout? Is it primarily for testing locos and rolling stock, for the display of trains in motion, or for fully developed prototypical operation?

What is the time period to be represented by the line and the stock on it? Is it to be in an urban, an industrial, a rural, or an exotic setting?

For a fully scenic layout the track, buildings, structures and rolling stock should all be of uniform standard if the illusion of reality is to be achieved. Reflect again on the skills available for the project. Will they all be in balance?

Does your setting require open top baseboard construction where only the trackbed and specific surfaces are represented so that scenery can be developed below the level of the rail trackbed? Solid top baseboards are as named, baseboards with a full top surface so that all scenery or infrastructure is built above the rail trackbed.

Modelling a stretch of prototype railway exactly to scale is rarely possible. Compression is usually necessary. What compromises must be made, and where, to minimise their impact?

How are the movements of trains to be observed and controlled, how will uncoupling and coupling be performed, and where will these actions be needed?

Will you run strictly to timetable and signals, or just take it in turns to run trains? Do you want the option of both? What form of locomotive control system will be used? Remember that it is very likely that this system must be used by visiting as well as “home” locomotives.

Are you intending to use some form of auto-coupler? If so, how will it be installed and where will the controls be situated? What about the couplings of any visiting stock?

Where may maintenance be needed? Is access adequate to deal with track cleaning, derailments and repair on hidden tracks and turnouts, wiring, and point and signal motors? Think of the worst-case scenario, e.g. replacing a failed point motor while exhibiting.

Can you see the train at all parts of the layout? Do you need to? TV monitors allow hidden stretches of line to be observed. Mobile controllers, whether wireless, on a long lead or capable of being plugged in where needed, allow stock to be followed and placed exactly where needed, for example, over uncouplers or uncoupled readily by hand.

This article was originally written by the Technical Committee for the Gauge O Guild Manual. It was edited and adapted for the GOGWiki by Nick Baines.