Hi everyone: I have been referred to TrainBoard a few times as a site with interesting comments so I thought I would take the plunge. Still trying to figure out how all the posting and filtering rules work...soooo much content here, wow! By way of an introduction I have been an N scale modeler for nearly 35 years. My current layout has been under construction for coming on 5 years. It is a triple deck layout in a two car garage modeling. I am modeling the CP’s Southern mainline in BC on the Boundary, Slocan and Kaslo subs crica 1970 as accurately as I can achieve. Lots of FM power with GMD and MLW power thrown in for good measure. I recently posted videos of the design, operation and construction of the layout on Youtube at http://www.youtube.com/markdance63 . If you do visit the Youtube site I hope you find the videos interesting. I am a fan of operations and we have held about a dozen op sessions in the last 19 months the last one hosting 9 operators. Thanks! md
What a truly beautiful layout, Mark. I love everything about it. Can you tell us about the evergreens? Where purchased or how made?
Wow! Welcome to Trainboard! Can you post a track plan? My layout is a three decker in a single stall of a three car garage. How are you getting from level to level? I just climbed along the back walls at a steady 2.5%.
Awesome video. Love the deep scenes and mountain scenery. Nice commentary too! Glad you decided to join us here.
Thank you for the compliments! The evergreens are a mixture of a bunch of sources but primarily Heki and Woodland Scenics. The Southern BC region East of the Monashees is very heavily wooded. On the West end of the layout it becomes more arid so that will see Ponderosa Pines and more grassland. The Summit (Farron pass) will be a snow scene so snow-coated pines a la Mike Danneman's work I hope. I figure I will need between 10 and 12 thousand trees when I am all done (approx 1 per sq inch) so I need a method which is reasonably cost+time effective. I researched a bunch of solutions but ended up purchasing bulk Heki and Woodland Scenics conifers, trimming them a bit, then flocking them with a combination of WS ground foams so the colours merge a bit. The process is about 30 secnds per tree and about 40-50 cents each. I also highlight these trees with some speciality trees from a variety of sources to mix things up a bit...both deciduous and conier. Then buffalo grass and WS foliage for bushes and focus areas. Hope that helps. md
The mainline climb between levels 1 and 2 includes a continuous grade and a two turn helix part way along. The prototype climbed at 2.4% to a summit (Farron where there was a helper station!) then back down again at 2.4%, so these climbs allow for most of the deck-to-deck seperation. The two turn helix is just bearable in terms of waiting time for a train at scale 20 mph speeds. The transition between the 1st and 3rd decks is by way of a rail barge. The prototype moved whole trains up the BC interior lakes on barges to isolated branches where the train off loaded and reassembled before continuing. I use the rail barge to move the trains between 42" and 70" (an owner-only operation to move the barge ). One of the videos is dedicated to the barge operation. This braqnchline job is one of the most popular jobs during operations. There is also an 8 track storage table on "Level 0" at 30" from the floor. This storage table feeds 3 staging areas (East, West and South) through 2 helixes. Neither the storage nor most of the helixes are used in operations...they are just for restaging and storage between sessions though they also provide a couple of continuous run routes. I will see what I can do to post the track plan...being a newbie to the site this may not be instantaneuos. Where do I post? md
I would sure like to see photos of how you operate that barge setup! It soudsn great! Could be a good way for me to resolve some of my planned future layout questions. Boxcab E50
Welcome aboard Mark; and excellent video and layout . You'll find some very nice/talented folks here into N Scale Hope you enjoy your ride here Glen