It's doable, but

It can be done but I would recommend you measure your pool table first because you want to make it larger than the playing surface which is 4' x 8' and that doesn't include the sides which are raised above playing surface which may make the table 5 X 9 but check it before you buy anything. It's been along time since I had access to a pool table.

Irv

4x8 is an awkward size

4x8 is an awkward size - especially if you want to move it yourself.  I suggest 3x9 which gives you pretty good layout design options in n scale and, with the use of foam, could be possible for one person to move.  For more options you could design the layout in two sections -   1x9 for a yard and a 3x9 for a running loop and industry switching with a single point track connection for removal simplicity. .  Leave the yard, take a few laps, switch the industries, take a few more laps, and come back home. 

Art

Standards

Data for the modules you refer to can be found on a search for NTrak, oNeTrak, BendTrak and T-Trak. It sounds like a combination of these may give you the desired set up. T-Trak is specific to Table Top operations.

How big is your storage space?

A large 4x8 or 5x9 sheet of plywood would be heavy.  I would recommend that you get 1/9 inch luan plywood (door skin material for hollow core doors) and extruded foam (not the bead type).  Cut your luan in sections to fit your storage area with room to spare for any door ways that you need to move it through.  Cut the foam to match the section sizes and glue it to the luan.  To fasten the sections together, I would use small 90 degree metal brackets screwed to the luan with wood screws and bolted together with nuts and bolts.

When you lay the track, if you go right to the edge of the sections, the track will probably be damaged when moving it to or from storage.  The modular clubs use joiner tracks.  I'm not sure what the standards for N-Trak are because I model in HO, but I would adopt their standard joiner track or go with the shortest ready made section of track that you can buy commercially.  Just 1/2 inch of set back from the edge will serve to protect the rails from snagging when you move the layout to storage.  The thing to keep in mind with the joiner tracks is that you should have positive soldered connections to all of the permanent track, but usually the joiner tracks will get power from just the rail joiners.  If the joiner track is shorter than your shortest locomotive, even if there is a loss of power through the joiner, the loco will pick up power from the other end as it straddles the joiner.  If the joiner is longer than the locomotive and you lose power through the rail joiners, the loco will stall when it gets over the joiner track.

Thanks to all

Great help - Will join NTRAK - very good source of info.

Probably will go to 2 X 4 modules following NTRAK standards.

I had my roof replaced with industrial foam about 1 inch thick - very light and really strong and easy to work..

Wiring will be a a little tricky (foam thickness) even though I will use DCC - each section will have a booster or common external cable connector wiring so joiners will not be a problem.

Thanks again,

Bill

Tons of N

I was just trying to picture how much N scale there is in a ton.

Tons of fun

That depends.  Are we talking long, short, or metric tons?  Scale tons?  Let me see.. an N scale short ton would be 2000 lbs divided by 160³, right?  Area changes by the square of scale, mass and volume by the cube.. so that's... (getting my calculator out)..

4.883x10^-4 lbs, or 7.813x10^-3 oz or 2.215x10^-1 g

So, I'd say there's not much N scale in a ton.

Going further, that means that a typical modern (there's that pesky word again!) diesel locomotive should weigh about 1.563 oz, being the N scale equivalent of 200 short tons.

This is fun!  What about HO?  The same loco in HO should weigh... 9.686 oz, and a 100 ton freight car (total loaded weight - 130 tons) should be 6.296 oz.  By comparison, the NMRA says that a 60' car in HO should weigh 5.133 oz.  Going back and doing the same math for N scale says a loaded car should weigh 1.016 oz, NMRA says 1.175.  It's interesting how close the numbers work out, actually.

Table top

There is also a group that build modules that sit on a table top (shallow depth, no legs) that might be what you are looking for.  I know I've seen posts about their designs, but I can't seem to find it on the web.

In addition to NTrak there is also Fremo in N scale.  NTrak has pretty rigid design specs.  Fremo is a lot more freeform.  You might see if there is an NTrak or Fremo group in your area.  They offer the possibility  of including your work in a larger display.

You are referring to T Trak...

What you are talking about is T-Trak and it is designed for use on table tops whereas you N-Trak modules are designed with legs to be self supporting. You can read about it on line at the N-Trak web site.

Irv

What a TON of N Gauge looks like

Well - I didn't actually weigh it but it took up about 12 sq ft of boxes in my suv.

Here are the pics of his layout - L shaped.  I will add there were several boxes of brand new:, packaged cars, DCC decoders, etc., track & accessories, lots of scenery.  About 40 issues of Model Railroader & N-Scale mags as well as some how-to magazines.

If you insist I can weigh all the boxes 

Tons of fun

Of course I was trying to be funny.

Anyway, you have a nice layout.

I like the way you did your highway.

Thanks but not mine

I know - I was just busting your chops 

This is the layout of the guy I bought all the stuff from - he tore it down, of course.

My layout will be smaller - probably 4x8 in 2x4 modules on top of my pool table - I may add some outrigger stuff toward one wall parallel to the long side of the table.  It will have to be removable as well.  Might be fun to shoot pool with just 3 sides of access .

Just went and took the tour of your layout - quite spectacular (I will resist the temptation to ask how much it weighs  ).

I grew up in the Williamsport area and am familiar with most of the areas in your layout.

My stepdad was a chauffeur on the PRR (actually a truck driver that took parts back and forth between Williamsport and the shops at Altoona & Renovo and a few other places in N. central PA.  Got to ride along with him on many trips and it was quite an experience in the mid to late forties.

This is almost identical to the  truck he drove.

  Probably will try to model one of those shops/yards or the curve at Altoona except the height will be a problem.

The Renovo yard layout would work fine for my dimensions but I need a pic of the yard layout - I have one but is not very clear.

There is "ton" of historical photos on the net - simply amazing - I'm still looking.

Bill

Renovo, PA

I live in south-central PA and we love to occasionally take day trips up past Lock Haven to Renovo.

A stop at Hyner View State Park in mandatory. The view rivals the PA Grand Canyon IMO.

A suggestion, if I may

Bill, I see you've been registered here for a while, but I don't know if you've done enough browsing in the blogs to see some of what others have been doing in N scale (I have not contributed much, but I am making a little progress). Here is what I consider one of the better examples of what can be done in N scale with a limited amount of space:

https://forum.mrhmag.com/post/mt-coffin-columbia-river-23x41-nscale-layout-12188342

The same person has another project of interest:

https://forum.mrhmag.com/post/summer-shunting-shelf-project-12188422

I hope, if you have not already seen them, you benefit from the suggestion.

Good tip

Hi B.,

See a lot of layouts here & on youtube.

This one you recommended is spectacular.

Thanks,

B.