I would like to point out to people a very very important feature on MK's layout. No - Not the grade Nope - Not the well placed big yard Not the great long running main line design Any guesses?
OK Grey One, this is MK here and even MK doesn't know!!!! My guess is the all around edge of the frame to prevent loco suicides?
Well, if it's not the raised edge, then it has to be the fact that it's cleaner/neater than any model railroad in progress than I've ever seen. I'm suitably impressed, nice work. Regards Ed
And the prize goes to: Extra points would have gone to mentioning the nails at the end of the yard tracks. Congratulations! Your choice of: 1) 4 broken Accumate couplers or 2) 2 sets of MT low profile wheels 3) The truth about what really happened in my childhood 2nd Prize goes to Ed but trust me, you don't want to even know what it was. Terms and conditions: B] No prizes become the permanent possession of the recipient. Really though All funning aside I think the raised sides and nails at the end of yard tracks are really great features worthy of being noted by all.or substituted. [ March 11, 2006, 11:07 AM: Message edited by: Grey One ]
Steve: One can esily built bumpers out of strip wood as well. MK: Your layout is very neat as a layout in the process of being built. Stay cool and run steam....
Alright, I hear you all on the 2% grade deal but I'm confused as I got different info from my LHS. I figured that the smaller the setup, the steeper it would need to be in order to get to the height needed for an overpass. But of course, what do I know? Anyways, I was playing around with my new layout a little with the incline that I have but please correct me if I'm making a mistake. Just so you know, we don't have all the track yet so sometimes we had to replace some straightaway with curves and we didn't have enough track to explore what the middle would look like and we only have one turnout so far anyways... Also, as you can see, I didn't make it perfect so there are gaps between the risers and inclines but I did this just to get the idea of what it would look like with the risers and inclines done up all perdy and how steep it would be. I have another picture which shows the length of the back and the multi-level thing I got going on back there but it had some problems resizing so I'll skip that one for now.
Mobern: The steep 3% grade will cause alot of trouble for most of your loco's to pull cars up the grades. A 3% grade rises three inches in a distance of 8 feet 4 inches. A 2% grade rises two inches in a distance of 8 feet 4 inches. The 2 % grade will make it easier for your loco's to pull cars up that grade. Since your layout is 3x5' , you have enough room for a 2% grade, it will take eight feet to go up the grade and travel eight feet to get back down. The perimeter of your layout is 16 feet. When you lay out the 2% risers on your layout, you'll see how that works out. Stay cool and run steam.....
I like the 3x5 size you picked. I also like the disconnected mainline concept. Very nice track plan idea. I look forward to the progress photos. My only concern is that the plywood may warp over time. I would suggest putting some braces on it for a framework.
Place some 1x3" bracing for support on the edges and and in the middle of the plywood to act as a base. Then you'll have room for your wiring. There is no room for the wiring as your plywood top rests directly on that table. Stay cool and run steam.....
Mobern, As Bob said, you don't need to start off with 4" risers unless your layout is in the mountains with a town in the valley. It will also limit you in putting any tracks (i.e., a yard) in the middle as your main tracks are so high up. Study my photo and you can see I start with inclines from level ground and then build on top of risers. Also, you need a frame underneath unless you are running the wires above ground. My 3' x 5.5' layout is on 1.5" pink foam on a frame. Here in this picture you can see what it looks like on the otherside. I have a 1" gap to run wires. And a close up of the feeders to the buss wires.
MK: That's a very nice neat job on the wiring and the entire layout. The individual soldering is excellent. Thanks for the photo's. Stay cool and run steam....
Ed, Bob, Grey One, Thank you for the kind words. My wife thinks I'm anal retentive sometimes....nahh....! BTW Grey One, those are not pins at the end of the yard tracks. They are feeders soldered on to track joiners sticking up. I haven't connected them up yet. They'll be Atlas bumpers at the end of each track. I'm waiting to paint them yellow and I plan on sticking a red LED on each one. They will glow. I don't know how prototypical that is but I like the look. Call it weird, but my son and I like to run our trains in very dim lights sometimes to simulate the night. Great affect with locos with bright headlights (e.g., F series, RS-2, etc.). And those glowing red bumpers!
Thanks again Bob. Buss is 14 gauge solids and feeders are 24 gauge stranded. Don't want to hijack this thread from Mobern but I figure a picture is worth a thousand words and they can help him out.
Mk: I don't think you're highjacking the thread. Your photo's should help to enlighten Mobern regarding simple construction of a plywood frame that serves to support the layout. The wiring is an added bonus. Thanks again for posting the photo's. BTW; is there any reason for using gray and red feeders on the same bus line line? Stay cool and run steam.....
I do plan on putting a frame under the plywood but I figured for now, since it'll be a while till I really get started as I'm waiting for some orders from the internet to arrive. I do plan on doing mountains. That way the low back (2") can be in a tunnel while the track thats 4" up can run on or along the mountain. Then the mountain is going to slope down rather steeply and there's going to be a town in the foreground. I might even do a waterfall off the edge of the mountain into a lake. The other thing I was thinking of was taking the left side of the track up on inclines and the right side up on piers so the mountain would go up with the left side whereas the right side would be flat under the piers for roads (and possible even rivers) to pass underneath. Also, as far as the 3% vs. 2% goes, does it matter that I plan on only having 2 or 3 cars per locomotive? Or is it still too much... I think you've gotten so far that I'm hoping I can use the 3% since I already bought it and planned it out using it and all the measurements but if its really better in the long run to convert to 2% then I guess I'll have to... And MK, don't worry about highjacking this thread. If you do, you do but please feel free to advise, discuss or ask anything you want here. Dinners ready so I'm out thanks Mobern
Grades: My own experience is that _every_ 8 axial diesel I have can move 5 cars up a 4% grade without slipping wheels. In addition I have an MDC and an Atlas 2-6-0. Both can pull 3 35' Overton passenger cars up the same grade without wheel slippage. That said it is reported that some larger steam locomotives are unable to pull themselves up a 3% grade. If you are going to stay with diesels and short trains you should be fine.
I would replace the crossing with a Kato double crossover switch. In straight position, you have a two track main line. in turn position it routes like you have now. You could also widen your oval and add an over and under kit with switches into your main line. Unitrack is an excellent system. It allows you to change and expand your layout easily until you get it where you want it. Then you can replace it all with permanent flextrack and switches.
j long, I actually just ordered the Kato double crossover. Great minds... grey one, I've got small locomotives. And so far when I test run them, they do fine on the 3% even with up to 6 cars behind them but I'm splitting the cars so each loco will have 2 or 3 only, as I said.
