Track Plans-Medium To Large Bedroom Sized Layouts

Below you will find some medium to bedroom sized Model Railroad Track Plans for your use. They range in size from 4’x6′ up to 8’x10’and can be sized accordingly to suit your own Model Railroad space by adjusting the length, width, and radius as needed to suit your scale of Model Railroad.

Remember that these track plans are intended as ideas for your Model Railroad, and we encourage you to adapt them to your needs to make your Model Railroad unique. This holds true of any track plan you come across, often you will need to consider the overall plan and change the details within.

We have an excellent article on Track Planning, as well as articles on DESIGNING YOUR MODEL RAILROAD: BASIC DESIGN IDEAS FOR THE SMALL TO MEDIUM SIZED MODEL RAILROAD that we encourage you to check out that will assist you in planning and building your Model Railroad.

Below each track plan you will find a brief description of the plan, along with suggestions on how to change them for operational purposes or from a scenic standpoint.

We’d also like to extend our gratitude to fellow Model Railroader Darrell Maples for allowing us to use his designs below on our website. Individual track components for each plan below are available for free, email us at james@modelrailwaytechniques.com if you’re interested. Please include an image of the plan you’re interested in.

Plan #1 48″x72″

THIS CLEAN AND COMPACT MEDIUM SIZE TRACK PLAN OFFERS A DOUBLE-TRACK MAINLINE, A SMALL STUB YARD, INDUSTRIES, AND A SMALL TOWN AMERICA THEME. THE PLACEMENT OF THE THREE CROSSOVERS ALLOW SWITCHING MOVEMENTS FROM EITHER MAINLINE AND ALSO DOUBLE AS PASSING TRACKS. — THIS CLEAN AND COMPACT MEDIUM SIZE TRACK PLAN OFFERS A DOUBLE-TRACK MAINLINE, A SMALL STUB YARD, INDUSTRIES, AND A SMALL-TOWN AMERICA THEME. THE PLACEMENT OF THE THREE CROSSOVERS ALLOW SWITCHING MOVEMENTS FROM EITHER MAINLINE AND ALSO DOUBLE AS PASSING TRACKS. ADDING SOME LOW ROLLING HILLS IN THE CENTER AND ELEVATING THE TOWN AREA WOULD BE AN EXCELLENT WAY TO ADD A NATURAL SCENIC VIEW BLOCK TO THIS OTHERWIS EXCELLENT TRACK PLAN.

Plan #2 48″x72″

THIS MEDIUM SIZE TRACK PLAN OFFERS A LOT IN OPERTIONAL POSSIBILITIES IN ITS SMALL SIZE. A TWO OR THREE RAILROAD SHORTLINE INTERCHANGE, A CLASS ONE/SHORTLINE INTERCHANGE OR OTHER OPTIONS ARE POSSIBLE BY STUDYING THE WAYS TRAINS CAN MOVE ON THIS LAYOUT. ADDING A ROWE OF MAIN STREET BUILDINGS OR EVEN ONE MORE SPUR TO THE LEFT OF THE STUB YARD WOULD BREAK THE SCENE IN HALF.

Plan #3 48″x120″

IN THIS MEDIUM SIZED TRACK PLAN, THE USE OF A SCENIC DIVIDER IS UTILIZED TO DIVIDE THE LAYOUT INTO TWO DISTINCT SCENES. IT ALSO FEATURES TWO DOUBLE-TRACK MAINLINE LOOPS CONNECTED VIA CROSSOVERS IN ONE SCENE — IN THIS MEDIUM SIZED TRACK PLAN, THE USE OF A SCENIC DIVIDER IS UTILIZED TO DIVIDE THE LAYOUT INTO TWO DISTINCT SCENES. IT ALSO FEATURES TWO DOUBLE-TRACK MAINLINE LOOPS CONNECTED VIA CROSSOVERS IN THE BOTTOM SCENE. YOU SHOULD ALSO UTILIZE THE FULL TEN FEET OF LENGHT, THE SHADED PORTION WAS DRAWN TO SHOW HOW YOU CAN USE A SINGLE PIECE OF 4’X8′ PLYWOOD EFFECTIVELY. DOING SO WILL ALSO ALLOW A SECOND TUNNEL ON THE RIGHT SIDE AS THE TRACKS GOING THROUGH THE BACKDROP WOULD BE HARD TO DISGUISE REALISTICALLY.

Plan #4 72″x144″

THIS EXCELLENT DONUT STYLE TRACK PLAN HAS A DOUBLE TRACK MAINLINE WITH AN AMPLE YARD, SOME INDUSTRIES AND A SWEEPING RIVER ALONG THE FRONT SIDE. — THIS EXCELLENT DONUT STYLE TRACK PLAN HAS A DOUBLE TRACK MAINLINE WITH AN AMPLE YARD, SOME INDUSTRIES AND A SWEEPING RIVER ALONG THE FRONT SIDE WITH A COMPLIMENTARY S-CURVE IN THE TRACKWORK. AGAIN, UTILIZING THE FULL TEN FEET OF LENGHT WILL REALLY MAKE THIS TRACK PLAN A GREAT CHOICE EVEN IN O SCALE.

Build the layout above utilizing (2) each of our Complete Table Kits below

Plan #5 72″x104″

THIS BEDROOM SIZE LAYOUT WITH A MDIUM SIZE ROUNDHOUSE AND ASSOCIATED TRACKAGE UTILIZES AN UP AND OVER TYPE TRACK PLAN TO LENGTHEN THE RUN. IT ALSO HAS A UNIQUE SMALL POINT TO POINT SECTION SITUATED ATOP THE MOUNTAIN WITH A HOLDING TRACK. THERE ARE FOUR PASSING TRACKS ON THIS SINGLE-TRACK LINE AND WOULD ALLOW FOR ABOUT A TEN CAR TRAIN IF BUILT AS SHOWN IN N-SCALE, JUST ABOUT RIGHT FOR A MID-ERA STEAM RAILROAD. IF BUILT IN HO-SCALE THEN YOU WOULD BE LIMITED TO VERY SHORT TRAINS SUCH AS A LOGGING ROUTE, OR, ALTERNATELY, YOU COULD EXPAND THE TRACK PLAN BOTH BY WIDTH AND LENGTH.

Build either of these two plans using two of our 36″x72″ table kits, or two 36″x72″ benchwork kits if anchored to the walls.

Plan #6 72″x104″

THIS BEDROOM SIZED TRACK PLAN UTILIZES A DOUBLE UP AND OVER CONCEPT TO MAKE THE MOST OF THE SINGLE TRACK MAINLINE IN THIS COMPACT AREA. THE ROUNDHOUSE AREA CAN BE OPERATED AS A HELPER POINT TO ASSIST TRAINS OVER THE STEEP GRADES. — THIS VARIATION OF THE TRACK PLAN ABOVE UTILIZES A DOUBLE UP AND OVER CONCEPT TO MAKE THE MOST OF THE SINGLE TRACK MAINLINE IN THIS COMPACT AREA. THE SAME RESTRAINTS APPLY AS IN THE PLAN ABOVE, BUT THE GRADES WILL ALSO BE SIGNIFICANTLY GREATER DUE TO THE ADDED UP AND OVER LOOP. THE ROUNDHOUSE AREA CAN BE OPERATED AS A HELPER POINT TO ASSIST TRAINS OVER THE STEEP GRADES, OR IN ETHER PLAN THEY COULD BE REPLACED WITH A SMALL DIESEL FUELING AND SANDING STATION FOR THE SAME PURPOSE. SHORT FOUR AXLE GP7’S/9’S OR ALCOS WOULD BE GOOD MOTIVE POWER CHOICES FOR A TRANSITION ERA OR EARLY DIESEL ERA MODEL RAILROAD, AS WELL AS THE CLASSIC F7 LOCOMOTIVES.

GP7 LOCOMOTIVE F7 LOCOMOTIVE

Plan #7

IF YOUR PRIMARY INTEREST IS IN RUNNIG A TRAIN OR TWO WITH YOUR STEAM FLEET THEN THIS SINGLE-TRACK BEDROOM SIZE LAYOUT WILL SUIT YOU. FEATURING A MODEST ROUNDHOUSE AND BACKSHOP FACILITIES. — IF YOUR PRIMARY INTEREST IS IN RUNNIG A TRAIN OR TWO WITH YOUR STEAM FLEET THEN THIS SINGLE-TRACK BEDROOM SIZE LAYOUT WILL SUIT YOU. FEATURING A MODEST ROUNDHOUSE AND BACKSHOP FACILITIES AS THE MAIN THEME OF THIS L-SHAPED TRACK PLAN, THE ONLY ADDITIONAL ADVICE WOULD BE TO DEEPEN THE LEGS A LITTLE AND ADD AT LEAST ONE MORE TRACK BEHIND THE VIEW BLOCK, WHICH COULD UTILIZE EITHER A BACKDROP OR A SERIES OF SHALLOW LARGE INDUSTRIAL FLATS.

Plan #8

THIS BEDROOM SIZED DOUBLE-TRACK PLAN FEATURES A DECENT SIZE YARD IN THE CENTER WITH INDUSTRIAL SPURS LOCATED ON THE END LOOPS. EACH LOOP ALSO HAS A PASSING SIDING FOR STORAGE OR PASSES. — THIS BEDROOM SIZED DOUBLE-TRACK PLAN FEATURES A DECENT SIZE YARD IN THE CENTER WITH INDUSTRIAL SPURS LOCATED ON THE END LOOPS. EACH LOOP ALSO HAS A PASSING SIDING FOR STORAGE OR ARRANGING MEETS AND PASSES. THE SHALLOW ONE FOOT LEGS ALSO LEAVE MAXIMUM ROOM IN THE CENTER, THOUGH IF BUILT IN HO SCALE THE LEGS AND LOOPS WOULD NEED TO BE WIDENED ACCARDINGLY. THE TRACK PLAN WOULD ALSO BENEFIT FROM CROSSOVER TRACKS LOACATED NEAR EACH END OF THE YARD, AND A SWITCHING LEAD OR ‘DRILL TRACK’ SHOULD BE ADDED SO THE MAINLINES ARE NOT TIED UP WHEN PULLING OR PUSHING CUTS OF CARS INTO AND OUT OF THE YARD.

We have a near infinite selection of benchwork kits to build these layouts at our Model Railroad Benchwork Store.

Individual Benchwork Frame Kits

Our Custom Model Railroad Benchwork products are made to your exact specifications and measurements and are less expensive than our others' prefab module pricing, and you are not limited to standard sizes. With average savings of 20%-38% over any other manufacturer, and our fast easy assembly methods, you won’t find a better value anywhere at these prices. Combine these individual benchwork frame kits with our Leg Assemblies to build a Model Railroad in any size and configuration.

Features:

*3/4" cabinet grade plywood side rails

*Fully customizable sizes; simply fill in your desired length and width

*Pre-drilled pilot holes for fasteners, countersunk where applicable

*Cross members drilled for wiring

*No measuring/marking needed for assembly

*Leg assemblies available in desired lengths

*Includes all hardware needed for assembly and detailed illustrated instructions

See our Model Railroad Benchwork Kits page for all of our benefits and other offerings or email us at benchworksupport@modelrailwaytechniques.com for more information.