Years ago, I built a layout called the Atlantic & Pacific. Since I own a hodgepodge of equipment, it was impossible to focus on just one region. Therefore I named the layout after the two oceans, and that made it possible to run whatever I like I have built several layouts, but none of them has been completed. The last one had quite a lot of scenery, but it was difficult to store it in our rather small appartment. I also have a lot of N scale, so I had to make choices..... The new layout has the size of an Ntrak module, so it measures 2x4 ft. The track arangement is a simple oval, because I like to see trains run and run. The show my other equipment (and to have the possibility to switch with cars), I have incorporated some industrial spurs and two engine tracks. I have isolated all these tracks from the oval, so it will be possible to switch cars while a freight or passanger train is running around the layout. An important feature for me is water. I always like to add something like a river to my layouts. This time, it is a kind of pond that will be crossed by the railroad tracks. There will also be a station. It will be small, with just one platform. I never use software to design a layout. I prefer to use real trackpieces and buildings and place them on the available layout space. That gives me the opportunity to see whether it looks fine and fits together nicely. After a while I came up with a track arrangement that seemed OK, and I made a drawing of it. Afterwards, I changed the track arrangement however. That's the reason why the drawing above and the picture below show different track arrangements. All the tracks are now in place. I used Märklin nails to pin down the MTL track. Most of the track consists of the standard track pieces with roadbed, but some of the spurs are flextrack. I plan to scratchbuild most of the buildings. The first one I have built was the riverbridge. I had an old scratchbuilt bridge from a previous N scale layout, but it didn't fit. So I decided to build a new one. I also have a coal mine that I scratchbuilt for one of my old Z scale layouts and I will use that mine again. I have also some buildings from kits, and I think I will reuse most of them. They look fine and it will be a waste of time and money to ignore them. Next step: soldering the wires.
Interesting, I am going to follow your thread with pleasure. I understand you already fixed all track, but one question though: you don't want a siding so you can have two trains on the layout, alternating the ride on the oval without having to switch? Matt
I had some derailments on the turnouts, which 'inspired' me to keep it as simple as possible. I also couldn't get it wright: the siding was too short to keep a long freight or passenger train out off the way, but it still took a lot of space with those two turnouts at each end, which caused problems with the industrial spurs I really, really wanted on the layout. So, the derailments combined with the space issues, led to the decision to skip the siding. Since this layout is not intended for serious operation but only for running my trains in a nice scenery, I think I can live with that compromise.
A short movie of the first test run. Please don't mind the poor quality of this movie. And no, that screaming coffee grinder sound is not the steam engine, but the result of a smartphone camera and a simple movie app.......
I saw the title and thought of the VERY old grocery store chain. The layout looks simple yet gives some challenges. Gary
And I was thinking that I had an unique name when I came up with it.... Why didn't I just google it first??
It's ok. We are always looking for more Frisco modelers. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Louis–San_Francisco_Railway
Nice to see you working on the trains again Thieu. It looks good and I am with you, I like just laying track and seeing how it all fits. You got the most important part down, getting the trains running. Scenery and everything else can always wait, but if the trains don't run good nothing else matters. Keep posting updates.
Classic. But before you plant fields of grass fibers in the infield remember you now have more urban rail options with R70 R95 and R120 mm curves; could fit a complete second layout using those radius curves between the sidings. Great for city streetcar lines and company-specific sidings to their factories. Have a car interchange feature between the switchers on the inner tracks and the main line locomotives on the outer layout.
The Frisco may have started it, but the Santa Fe ended up with it. Terrible boiler water, Apache track gangs, 4-8-0 'tarantula-types' and all.
The wires have been connected, and I have started with the first scenery. The first thing I had to do, was filling the pond with 'water'. Otherwise it's impossible to install the bridge. I have painted the pond in all the muddy colours I could find. The rocks are from my back yard. When the paint is dry, I can pour some varnish into the lake. That will give it a nice waterlike surface. I have also drawn, with some paint, the spots where I will place the hill, buildings, station, industries and roads.
I poured some varnish into the pond. Now it will have to dry. Hopefully without hairs from our cats......
Point an electric fan at it and it'll come out with ripples as though there's a breeze blowing. And it'll dry faster.
After a move back to my beloved Utrecht, it was time to test my latest purchase: the AZL GP38-2. It took me a few weeks to find the energy to clean the layout, but today I finally took the vacuum cleaner and got all the dust off the layout. And this is the result:
Hi Thieu, nice train ride! Good to read you've picked up rr modelling again after your move. Utrecht, a stonethrow away from my whereabouts Matt
