Thanks. I found them on eBay. What a huge improvement. They blended in very well. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Well... I tried to improve the yard layout, which led to a couple other adjustments. I tried to improve switching/operations without making it too complicated as it is likely that most of the "operating sessions" will just be by myself. All the switches are current Atlas #5's, but I had considering looking at FastTrack to make them myself (15 turnouts in 1st phase, only 2 more in the 2nd) but I'm interested in other thoughts on the matter. I have a combination of both of the above (bought off eBay, didn't make myself) from previous layouts and I've run them without too much issue. Let me know your thoughts.
KP, I like this layout. Personally I hope you don't make it a continual. The very fact that you have to either run around cars at the terminal or back entire train the whole distance through the loop forces you to do real RR Ops. I think a continual may turn it into a more toyish MRR..But I'm biased that way. I'm a big point to point preacher this way... Your road is similar in size and scope to my HO layout I had to dismantle due to relocating about a year ago; present Apt dwelling leaving little to no room for a new layout.. Mine was a pure point to point branch-bridge route which lifted cars from one altitude to another via a switch-back mid-way. All trains had to employ the SB tail track here to continue in either direction. It had an interchange wye and engine house area like yours at upper end of line on a peninsula at near eye level, and a large yard/interchange at sea level at lower end of line..Boy did I have my work cut out for me at running sessions.. I really miss the old gal.. short freights 2-6 cars up 3% grade and a single passenger car train (4-4-0, 2-6-0, or RS 3) which served mostly the families of the folks who ran and lived near the fictitious Road.. Nice too, how you kept away from trackage being parallel to the bench edge. Do not wind up with a duck under. If you wind up crossing a door or stairs with new addition try to come up with a safe lift bridge that when open/raised will automatically stop trains well before it, on either side......M
Purchased 8 Realistic Track Plans for a Spare Room by Lance Mindheim (it's almost exactly the layout on page 42) over the holiday and it got me inspired. I got down in the basement, completely cleared out the area and mocked up the space with the different layouts I've planned to get a better idea of what I'll like/not like from a height, reach, aisle width, build option perspective. Looks like I'll be going with around 52"-54" for layout height, no more than 18" deep with 36" minimum aisles. I do believe that I finally have something that I want to build and it gets all the things I want in a midwest layout (...based in south eastern Wisconsin) and it didn't get too complex. I think I'll also be moving to around 1950s era (for the sake of better book/online resources, structures, vehicles, etc) that will still allow steam but also some more fun diesels. I still have a lift out (because I want continuous running, hope you understand MarkinLA) and the yard is... much simpler/greatly reduced from what I had before but should be good for small operations without getting too complex (I hope). I don't expect to run extremely long train (15-20 max, if that) so I think I'm good. I'm still working on the final touches for structures and scenery, but the basics are in. I be putting together a scenes book (including some of kingpeda's great photos) to work off of as I build. As always, please let me know what you think and the I find the feedback helpful in thinking things through. Happy New Year! -Gregory
Hello, Most industries look to be facing counter clockwise (as in, a local train heading counter clockwise can back in to pick-up or set-out cars); and desk-yard and island-town both have run-around loops, so the local can switch the facing industries there. So nothing is awkward for a train to reach Although, the only way in to island town is clockwise. Will you run the loco around to change directions? I also need continuous running in my life, but I do like point-to-point for the operations potential; and I think you could have a perfectly fine ops session with the lift-out-gate missing, as drawn. Look forward to seeing the construction progress
I like it. One thing I did on my layout was write out a list of industries I wanted based on the type of cars I like. That helps plan out how much room you need on each spur. Figure out what empties would go to each industry and what might be loads. For instance, the spur on the lower right doesn't seem to have an industry associated with it. What would you like there? The other thing I might do is make the interchange more straight so you can get more cars on it. It looks to be about 18" long. Maybe think about hidden staging. On the island in the center left, try to make that track second from the top as long as possible. You're going to want it for running around. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
