Critique? What can I improve on?

wisconsinjimmy Nov 15, 2014

  1. wisconsinjimmy

    wisconsinjimmy TrainBoard Member

    158
    0
    6
    Here is my 5th attempt at starting a railroad, on the first picture I plan on putting a turntable in the open area, so do I have to many switches or should they be spaced out more? After I get this functional I am going to expand it but for right now seems like I bit off quite a bit. One other question is I have #6 switches should I replace some of the #4's.? I am leaning towards the DM&IR and the cities of Duluth/Superior and Two Harbors.
    DSCF2639.jpg DSCF2640.jpg
     
  2. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

    67,560
    22,735
    653
    Other than the turntable, what do you envision for the spurs I see laid out in those photos?
     
  3. wisconsinjimmy

    wisconsinjimmy TrainBoard Member

    158
    0
    6
    Well I have several models of industry from Walthers and being they are not in easy grasp but I have a couple tank farms, a bunch of animated structures coal or ore unloading cars, a car that unloads logs etc. I want to stay right at the diesel/steam era and lean more towards the diesel's. Originally I was going to go after the classification yard in NE Minneapolis but I am afraid it would take more room then I have.
     
  4. cajon

    cajon TrainBoard Member

    889
    20
    23
    In the image on right put the tracks on left side on the mainline on a siding. As laid out it doesn't like like anything you'd see on a real RRs. See if you can find track charts of the RRs you mentioned to see how their tracks are laid out.
     
  5. wisconsinjimmy

    wisconsinjimmy TrainBoard Member

    158
    0
    6
    Andy,
    you have confused me [put the tracks on left side on the mainline on a siding.] Help me it is getting late.
    Jim
     
  6. cajon

    cajon TrainBoard Member

    889
    20
    23
    Jim
    Those tracks just don't make any sense RR wise. It looks like you just stuck some track together to make something but there's no clue what you're trying to do w/ them. Why don't you put your plan on paper then run any train moves on those tracks in your head. Big question for me is what are those 3 parallel spurs for? Check w/ the historical societies for your RRs to see if the have any track charts. Also look for USGS topo maps for any cities/towns on them. you can also look at those places on Bing & Google aerials.
     
  7. MarkInLA

    MarkInLA Permanently dispatched

    1,970
    80
    29
    Is this the only space you have ? If so, you may want to consider a 6th attempt and (1) check out 'cookie cutter' layouts (unless this is a door your're building on). Probably in "How To" in this forum and MRRing books. It's an easy way of cutting ply to raise or lower jig sawed sections. A totally flat MRR lacks drama; a train dealing with a grade. (2) I forget what 2 is ! (3) You need a credible connection to the outside world; a track somewhere leading off in the distance to another RR. (Should go right to the very edge. On a angle is nice). Forming a small interchange yard will cure this too. You can then add/remove/drop off/pick up cars to/from your line. This adds lots of activity and strategy.(4) If this is all the space you can afford, consider no turntable. They require a lot of space and are not a cakewalk to install and activate polarity-wise and indexing. A 2 or 3 stall engine house can satisfy engine maintenance. You don't have to turn engines to be realistic.. (5) There's one more biggie but I don't want to say it..
    I do Hope this helps. You did ask for criticism..... It's ( pun intended ) constructive criticism...... Mark
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Nov 15, 2014
  8. wisconsinjimmy

    wisconsinjimmy TrainBoard Member

    158
    0
    6
    Mark, Yup I asked and I do appreciate your advice. The layout is HO and is on a 4x8 ply base, room at the present time is limited although I could move to the basement but climbing stairs is out. I thought I was going to get to claim the second bdrm and that got jerked out from under me when the kid came back home. You mention (2)?? and one other biggie throw it my way, so for now I am stuck with a sheet of ply wood. Maybe I should just go with an industry seting and no main line.
    Jim
     
  9. MarkInLA

    MarkInLA Permanently dispatched

    1,970
    80
    29
    Jim, (2) was a joke !..I believe you're saying to throw the 'other biggie' your way. So, here I go: Remember, this is only my opinion, not an order from the god of MRRing. ....Hoping to not insult your intelligence, that you've always known this, real railroads, except for trolley systems and belt line RRs, don't go in a circle, coming back to from where the started. They are point to point, basically squiggly lines with interchange yards, and branches or spurs. MRRs do form up and over loops due to the small space most have, but mainly just to gain running time/distance. There are 3 ways to turn trains or locos at the ends of lines; a turntable, a wye, or a balloon track (a giant loop usually only in huge terminals such as Grand Central Sta. in NYC.). What you have is a roundy round layout, not point to point. Many folks do this and nothing is wrong with it as long as you realize you're going to see the same train going round and around. To me, you're missing out on the enjoyment of having to operate realistically, coping with strategy the real one must. Otherwise you stand the chance of becoming bored of a 4x8 oval main line. Why not, instead, let go of the DM&IR main line idea and build a back woods, bucolic branch line using a bit smaller curve radii, No. 4 switches and develope a way to take advantage of 'air space' above via a grade up and over itself (gaining running time) and have at one end a wye and an engine house, some small yard tracks and a rural station. One leg of wye becomes the 'other' RR or parent RR you connect with (interchange). You can even run in reverse to/from other end. This is not unrealistic. Of course have facing and trailing point switches along the way to do business with clients (coal, farm, lumber,) In building it like this you wind up with proto activity, yes, harder than the oval, but more rewarding running-sessions and more realistic track configuration...You'll have a tunnel or two and reasons (excuses) for a bridge or two..Again, a 9" turntable plus at least 9" radial tracks into a roundhouse will take up about a 20" radii ( 90-180 (+-) deg. space), nearly half the width of the 4x8 (2'). Well, that's the biggie I meant. It's not carved in stone (maybe plaster) ....Mark

     
  10. wisconsinjimmy

    wisconsinjimmy TrainBoard Member

    158
    0
    6
    Hello Mark and believe me if one has no intelligence then one cannot be insulted this is proven as to where I live up here in brain frozen country. Well I hear you and have been looking at other track plans to see what I can do on this 4x8. I expect my son to move and I will get the room for my play room ( 12x20) back and I can expand from the big board. OK point taken thank you.
    Jim Cushing, WI 10°
     
  11. MarkInLA

    MarkInLA Permanently dispatched

    1,970
    80
    29
    Yeah, I too know brain freeze life. I lived in Bangor and Waterville Maine through many winters; 40 below at times !!
     
  12. Steve S

    Steve S TrainBoard Member

    95
    22
    8
    A 4x8 roundy-round doesn't have to be boring. Put a scenic backdrop down the middle to break up the fact that it's an oval. You basically turn it into a 2x16 shelf layout that is folded back on itself. Add a couple of staging tracks off to the side and you improve operations by giving the trains someplace to disappear to.

    Something like this, maybe...
    4x8.PNG

    Perhaps something like the layout below, but with a scenic backdrop down the middle instead of the street. Those two tracks going off the layout at lower right could lead to staging tracks.
    http://www.gatewaynmra.org/2002/missouri-historical-society-model-railroad-layout/

    Steve S
     
  13. wisconsinjimmy

    wisconsinjimmy TrainBoard Member

    158
    0
    6
    I have found the perfect spot for the layout it is the old chicken coop that I had built onto the shop some years back and it is heated is 8'x12'. East wall is 12 feet, North wall is 8', West wall is 7' + 3.0 door + 2' and the South wall is 8' has 2 windows but they are high enough to not interfere. I could work a 2' shelf around the walls and that would leave me 4' walk around. Now I just have to gather my ol body up and go to work which is haul the junk that has snuck into it out. Another good reason is that I have found that the 4x8 seems to be a flat for everyone.:rolleyes:
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Nov 16, 2014
  14. cajon

    cajon TrainBoard Member

    889
    20
    23
    You'll like the around the wall layout so much better. You don't even have to keep it on the same level. Now you can go point to point between two yards on different levels. There's already a gazillion layout on this and other MR forums + all the ones on the Internet! Find a few you like & post those for our inputs.
     
  15. MarkInLA

    MarkInLA Permanently dispatched

    1,970
    80
    29
    Andy is right. Just a few final hints: Happy to see you're moving location. See if you can find an article or articles by Bill Darnaby; his Maumee Route. Reason is, he has his pulse on the shelf type system and his scenes are actually simple but exquisite at only 10" deep. Realism to the max. Great explanations of each town, junction, and interchange as well as scenery. My favorite MRRer for years now. Other thing to beware of: If your road is going to be more back woods or rural, don't make the common mistake of using full size cork under track.Use that to depict a heavy main as other RR going through a scene. Otherwise it's too serious/high looking for a class 2 or 3 RR wherer track, though on ballast looks as if it's nearly on the ground Same thing for yards and industry spurs. If you wish, I will reply with how to use N scale cork under HO track. Or else I'll assume you're in the groove (or grove) now....
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Nov 17, 2014
  16. wisconsinjimmy

    wisconsinjimmy TrainBoard Member

    158
    0
    6
    First I have to remove the junk, Paint the walls and ceiling a bright white, I am going to use 1x10x3/4 boards for the bed with a homasote on top to deaden the sound of wood. I should be able to start this sometime next week depending on how cold it gets. I will keep you informed.
    Jim
    Cushing, WI 6°F
     
  17. wisconsinjimmy

    wisconsinjimmy TrainBoard Member

    158
    0
    6
    Here is one of the areas I would like to include in the layout, I got this photo from Google Earth at Virginia, Mn

    fg.jpg
     
  18. cajon

    cajon TrainBoard Member

    889
    20
    23
    Jimmy looks like an iron ore load out facility. The locos are running backwards to shove the cars out. Do you have a layout big enough to build all that? LOL
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Nov 19, 2014
  19. JimInMichigan

    JimInMichigan TrainBoard Member

    67
    0
    5
    This hit a funny bone with me. I'm building my layout in my extra bedroom so the kids CAN"T move back in! They have done so already, once each with each boy ( 2 ). Sorry, cant help with your question, I'm struggling with my new layout as well.
     
  20. wisconsinjimmy

    wisconsinjimmy TrainBoard Member

    158
    0
    6
    I like the iron ore route and I can go from Virginia, MN down to Duluth-Superior, for the most part this is fairly flat until you get close to the lake when it gets to be a pretty good down hill run. There are plenty of smaller mines in the area also.
    Kid's well adults move in and out the youngest moved in with his whole family for about 6 months and they no more than moved out and my eldest son had a dispute with his lady friend and now he is back in
     

Share This Page