I've been busy laying track and wiring the layout. Here is what I've got done so far. Minimum radius 33.5" visible, 22.5" hidden Maximum grade 2.0% The layout will be point to point single level, with a working 6-8 track staging yard at each end, 2 sidings and a large yard in the middle. I'll be able to get about 200' of mainline and have lots of industrial switching along the way. This is a shot looking East at the main yard. There is a mainline on the left, and 5 staging tracks to the right of that. Then there will be 2 more yards each with 5 tracks in them, followed by a track that takes you to the diesel shops, ( if I have room!) The yard goes into 3 tracks on the east end, 2 of which continue to the rest of the layout, (down a 2.0% grade) the other crosses them ( up a 2.0% grade) and goes to a southbound line and what will be 4-5 industries. The eastbound line then continues through a tunnel around the tightest curve on the layout, 22.5" radius, (which will be hidden below a workbench) to the other side of the wall.
Here is a shot of where the workbench will be. The line then continues east, (up another 2% grade) where there is a siding and eventually will be a grain elevator. That's all for now, I have a few more feeders to solder to the track and then I'll start with the foam scenery on this section.
Hot diggity dog, Mike! Good to see your layout progress again! Wow, those 33" minimum curves must be beautiful...
I'm curious why they didn't eliminate the bridge and just make the left side yard track head off to the branch line? ...dave
My story is that the town up there didn't get serviced until after the mainline was there, then the south line was built. It would be a 6% grade to have a south line come off the main, plus it would make a problem getting switchers across the mainline.
mike is your mainline single or double track ? i'd go for double track and make one of it a loop. you could then have one (or even two) trains running around one main track and do some switching on the second main. on the other side, double mains can be a pita. i had some visitors on saturday. running a 40car coal train clockwise on main #1 and a 80car tank car train ccw on main #2. unfortunately part of the coal train derailed inside my 15ft long tunnel. according to the noises some coal cars tipped over right in front of the tank car train causing it to stop immediately. of course followed by tipping over around 40 tank cars INSIDE the tunnel. some of them had a rather heavy landing on the floor. some broken trucks but they are already fixed.
Hi Mike, Great to see you doing a new layout! Will try and catch up with you via email soon, I've been a bit remiss in keeping in touch.
Thanks everyone! Sandro, I was thinking of making a double track mainline, the only spot so far the goes to single track is where the workbench will be. But with 200' of mainline, I'll have to have a way to slow down trains going over the layout! If it's double track, there will be no meets! I'm also going to have the staging yards working yards, so when you bring a train into staging, you cut the engins off and run them to a diesel shop. Then the next time a train is taken from staging, the crew will have to get thier power from the shop track, and take it to the train before leaving staging, another way to slow down the trip across the sub.
Ok, no scenery yet, I want to get all of my rail cars and locomotives out of boxes and on the layout, but I need someplace to go, AKA a staging yard, but I have to get there first, so... the track will take a right curve onto 2 - 16" x 8' modules, where there may be a grain elevator. The 2 modules... It will then take another right curve in to the staging yard, I'll have to finf a way to hide all this mess, ( stupid electrical pannel! ) And finally, here is where the staging yard will be. It is built on 3 - 16" x 8' modules. There will be 1 track down the middle, that will be kept clear to run engines down to a diesel shop, with 5 tracks on each side. The tracks in the back will be staging for this line, the 5 in the front will be for the other end of the layout. Running a train down the middle tack will allow for continuos running.
Here is how I'm supporting the modules. They are heavy duty brackets that are rated at 1000 lbs! They should do a good job of holding the modules to the wall. I'm building key parts of the layout this time on modules, so if I move again, I'll be able to take them with me. The main yard, grain elevator, and staging yard will all be somewhat portable this time!