Next Step on 4x8 HO layout

[kdgrant6]

For my two young grandsons, I bought a Bachmann Echo Valley DCC set and put it on a 4x8 sheet in the basement.  I researched various layouts 
and bought extra track and turnouts to do the double track one I have settled on.  I have a better locomotive coming for the switching yard I'm planning.

What accessories would you guys recommend for young grandsons who have an intense love of working with trains, trucks, front loaders, etc.?  They love to load freight cars with beans, send the train around the track, unload it, and move it to a connected adjacent play table.

This old grandpa would appreciate any help.

Thanks.

[trainmainbrian]

Welcome to our hobby you will find it to be Very Enjoyable.....

#1 Decide what industries you want to go onto the layout  Coal / Lumber mill / warehouse / ECT
#2 Then obtain the proper rolling stock for your industries IE gondola cars / coal cars... or whatever style you choose works well too
#3 If you Plan on doing a lot of Switching I would suggest making your grandsons layout a little bigger IF YOU HAVE THE ROOM TO DO SO I would be safe to say add another sheet of plywood the EXTRA ROOM WILL NEVER HURT....

#4 Plan everything out Lay the track out first & decide where everything is going to go & your Rolling stock & locos will have room to pass through all the buildings & stuff

#5 Consider getting a YARD Switcher Loco & using Road Locos for pickups & Mainline running you can use the Switcher loco to deliver trains to mainline pickup...

These are only my thoughts off the bat... But half the fun in hobby is how you want it & what you want to do with your layout... Everyone in this Hobbie has there own idea's & visions... But this should be a good starting point for you

One last thing might want to consider SCENERY too if you plan showing a lot of people as well & or introduce you Grandsons to that aspect too of the hobby THERE are a lot of LAYOUTS that look Awesome with scenery... I am in the process of building my HO LAYOUT complete with scenery Buildings trees passenger station 9 track storage yard my layout is 17ft long x 6ft wide I have a 2 track mainline 3 track interchange & 84% complete over a 3 year build process....

[kdgrant6]

Thanks for your recommendations!  I'll take them to heart.  What brand of rolling stock do you prefer?  What brand of engines?  Just wondering? 

Your layout sounds wonderful.  Do you have a YouTube video?

I bought an Echo Valley DCC train set and built the table based on World's Greatest Hobby video about the Madison Central.  It was initially mostly to entertain my two grandsons.  But I've really become interested in the possibilities. 

Now, I want to finish the 4x8 with its mountains and mini-yard.  I've ordered Woodland Scenic products and have the tunnels and incline under construction.  I'm using the Bachmann 2135 as a switcher now.  I read that historically this engine did double duty, but I will probably buy a dedicated switcher later.

Long range, I'm considering attaching a long narrow table a foot and a half or two feet wide, bolted and braced to my basement's concrete wall.  This ledge would run about 15 ft., ending in a wall.  There's room there for a 3 1/2 ft turn around.  I could place an "industry" at the end and maybe another in the middle.  Trains could leave the 4x8 and head out on a long run. 

[Morgun 30]

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