Hi All,
After lurking about the posts for a while and reading up on the how to side of things I have decided to try my hand at this game. My scale of choice is "N", mostly due to the space I have available for the layout in my apartment. I have purchased a Thunder Valley set and like the ease of assembly of the EZ Track system as well as having figured out how to make things work with it. I purchased a few extra pieces of track and have been prowling the layouts section for ideas. I finally decided that I can work out a 48" X 40" sized with what I have on hand. It is basically a figure "8" with an outside loop that crosses back under one side of the "8".
I have a chunk of 5/8" plywood cut to size, I just finished screwing and gluing together a sturdy framework out of 1" X 3" and 1" X 4" to mount it to that actually shows to be level and doesn't rock back and forth. I don't have the money to invest in any of the new DCC equipment so this is going to be pretty much controlled with the two remote controlled switches and the power pack. For me it is a learning experience in making up the scenery, I have used some of the Woodland Scenics stuff in the past for military dioramas and scenes but never to the level that this will require. My purpose in posting here is to let you all see what I am doing and hopefully you can point out some things that I may have missed in my planning. As it sits right now, this is what I have cobbled together for a track plan.
Any comments or suggestions appreciated.
Jay
treadhead1952
Las Vegas, NV
Welcome to the forums.
You have a start. Have you run your trains over the track to make sure it can pull the grades, etc. Obviously you are not into operations, just running trains. Have you thought of a siding or two, where you could drop off or pick up cars or is this a display layout where continuous running rules?
Have you checked the MR track plan database (if you are a subscriber)? They have a lot of suggeted layouts, which can be tweeked to fit your needs.
To break up the continuous look you could put in a tunnel or hide some of the trackage in trees.
You say you have built dioramas before, so your scenery work won't be foreign to you. As always we always are learning and adding to our skills, part of the fun of this hobby.
Keep us posted on progress.
Good luck,
to the world of model railroading and to this forum.
Model railroading can be a hobby lasting a lifetime and building bridges spanning the continents, as you can see here.
There are a few questions, that a beginner should answer himself to find the right entrance into this hobby and to avoid frustrating and costly mistakes.
These questions are:
This list is by no means complete.The above question are basic issue which you should make yourself aware about. Answering them helps you to develop your list of givens and druthers, which finally build the check list for your modelling activities.
Sounds complicated, but really it is not.
I suggest also to get some basic reading material. Kalmbach, our host here, offers a variety of books, especially for beginners. Just search this web site.
to the hobby.
What I see here is a display layout suitable for running one train. The grades. figure 8, and outer loop allow alternative routes and some scenic possibilities. While this is not a bad start, it is very limited. Unless scenery building is your primary goal, I would not invest too heavily in scenery.
Once the train is running, I think you'll find that you want to rearrange the track and add a couple of turnouts so you can run 2 trains and maybe add some spurs for switching cars.
Get a copy of Track Planning for Realistic Operation by John Armstrong. The book provides information on how the prototype operates and how to replicate it in the layout
Enjoy
Paul
Thanks All,
Well, lets see, I have run my single train all around the track layout in both directions to make sure that it can pull the grades, doesn't get too close to anything, or derails itself anywhere. Only having the one train for the moment sort of limits what I can do. This is going to be more of a fantasy type thing, I have figured on two tunnels and six bridges, the tunnels offer places for the train to duck out of sight briefly and the bridges will allow me to practice a bit of modeling.(kitbashing has long been one of my favorite model building schemes). I had some fits dealing with getting something that the electrics would work on and at the same time having a means to control the train while in operation.
The tunnels will be built up using tunnel forms so I can acess the insides in cases of having to rescue or clean tracks. I have been casting up the forms for them, of course only one at a time can be made with the one mold that I have. The bridges will be made using kits and from scratch depending on where they are situated. I have plans for a waterway running north to south to give it a break from land forms, although land forms and terrain building is one of the things I am looking forward to.
As to period, well, that one is not so easy, I hope to have something that I can run steam and diesel on. I am just using the one diesel engine I have for the moment so it will be relatively tied to that. I have been working on some of the Fiddlers Green paper model buildings to use as well as a few other free download buildings I have discovered. So far it is looking like the New England series of buildings will be what I will be drawing on for the most part. I am going for one small town setting with a few farm and rural places here and there. This is what I have built up so far to help populate the layout.
A train station.
A couple of houses.
And a barn.
There will be others added that I have yet to build, but these are just the start. While the buildings are titled as being from New England, it will probably be more Southern in nature by the time all is done. At least that s what I am aiming for. The terrain building is what I am looking forward to most of all as it will be a large part of the interest of the overall layout. As this is my first I am continuing to look for suggestions and comments to help in planning. None of this is written in stone so it is open to change.
Dear Jay,
welcome, it's hard to know where to begin, i asume you are really new in the hobby so may be i can give you some hints.
are you building a RR or just a nice scene with an accidental rr in it?
Ulrich and Stein are often on the web and they can and will be of great help to you. But all the questions you have to answer to, can be quite overwhelming for you right now; the urge to go to the hobby shop and start building usually wins. I made the same mistake 50 yrs ago for the first time and repeated it more then once; paying the prize later.
Buying "Model railroading for realistic operation" by the late Jon Amstrong is well worth the money. The book may seem outdated at first glance, but gives you lots of information about operations of real railroads and the process of trackplanning as well. (no CAD, ..........just on a sheet of paper) You could also compare most of John Armstrong plans (dating from the 50-th "loaded" with tracks) with the almost empty Miami Down Town or Monon RR by Lance Mindheim(designed recently).
Buying "modelrailroad planning" and "greatmodelrailroads" will help too. Usually completely different RR are presented, small ones too, so you can get an idea about all the different approaches and possibility's. Compare them with the list of questions Ulrich gave you. Do not pay to much attention to size, but to the idea's behind the plan.
On the internet and on this forum you'll find Stein and Cuyama. Cuyama(Byron Henderson) is a professional layout designer with a weblog you should visit. And there is the Layout Design Special Interest Group (LDSIG) on the web, a bit quiet at the moment, but with loads of information about a primer. I mentioned Steinjr because beside being helpfull, he is building a layout completely different then yours and he is a wealth of information. (thx Stein for presenting a rainy Brooklyn at 3AM)
When looking at a design i check out two things first: how is staging done (staging represents the rest of the world, your trains have to go somewhere; staging can be done in so many way's, find out) and where are those cars delivered on your piece of the world. It's takes at least a runaround and some spurs or just one teamtrack. Both are missing on your layout. Do please listen to a stranger this time and do not start building before at least thinking about those two. With the spur railroad related buildings are needed on your layout; a depot, a freighthouse, an elevator or some industrial plant; your choice. Again you should have answered this question first: are you building a RR or just a nice scene with an accidental rr in it?
Finding all the information never build a layout, it costs precious time, but can help you to get a better layout; one that gives you lasting fun and friendships.
From Holland with love, good luck
Hi Paul,
Thanks for giving me some food for thought as it were. Being new to this it is sort of intimidating to jump in and try to build up something that will work out right from the start. I have joined in the Yahoo Layout group and have been going through the posts there, some interesting stuff all right. I am looking about for some more information before commiting to a solid plan of action. The benchwork I have constructed already is a good foundation from which to start and will support the planned 40' X 48" sized layout quite nicely. I have the final two cross pieces purchased for it and will be installing them today, my way of proceeding with my eventual plan without having to start laying the foam.
I will be looking into getting some of the books listed by the previous answers to my thread as well as doing some more research. I am a subscriber and have access to all the great material the site has to offer, the only bone there being taking the time to go through it all. While I am working my way through all this material I will continue making up the needed scenic materials for tunnels, rocks and buildings as a way of carrying on with the project. Taking more time to research and design will also allow me to have the time needed to purchase more things to use in the eventual construction project. I have a few rock molds that I am using to make up the required scenery, a tree kit that I am using to learn how to make them up as well as two different single tunnel portals that I am building up latex molds for so I can cast as many as I may need.
If anyone has any more suggestions or comments, please feel free to jump in and give me some more ideas. As I work my way through this first project, I do realize I am a complete newby and can use all the help I can get. In the mean time I will just continue to lurk about the site, build up structures, scenery items and in general have a great time learning the ins and outs of how to build my first layout. Thanks again to all for taking the time to respond and give me some ideas about where to start.
Welcome to the hobby. I am not a regular here so many will ask who is this guy. I have a few things to add.
1 Take your time.
2 Slow down
3 Don't get in a hurry.
4 Take time to think before you act.
5 Do ballast last.
6 Oh yeah I almost forgot, ENJOY
hi Jay
to make it even more difficult for you, nobody ever did it right from the start; when looking back of course. How can you know what you'll fancy tomorrow? Ok, but five years from now? Tearing up and starting allover is part of the fun.
You will hear the word operation a lot. It means that you ''play" doing a railroad job, being an engineer, running the yard, switching an papermill or what ever. Some of us like chatting on this forum, and some of us like building a wonderfull layout, lean back with content and just watch there trains passing through a beautifull landscape. So you have builders, operators, electronic wizards,..............watchers and even armchair modellers.
Where do you stand? You'll have to find out. Try a middle of the road approach. If your lauout has no staging and no station with at least one spur; you'll never know what operating is. (Not long ago a thread on Wingate was on this forum, can be of interest to you). May be you detest it, but you tried. And again what you like today.....
I am a bit worried about all stuff you'r building allready. Most important however is: you must have fun. As it pleases you, it's great.
Have fun and good luck
Thanks guys,
Hehee, I am never worried about all the stuff I build, while it may not be used on this layout, eventually it will find a home someplace. Even if it doesn't, the practice in making it is invaluable to the overall effort. My first efforts at tree building were questionable to say the least, but as I work my way through doing it, things improve. Not being a stranger to working with plaster of paris has helped in making up the things that may or may not find a way into the layout. Liteweight Hydrocal is definitely a step up from the regular stuff. Following the directions on the packaging and pouring my first efforts has given me material to use to learn how to color and detail the stuff using Woodland Scenics materials which are different from the enamels, acrylics and other coloring products I have used in the past.
I have been touring about the site and learning more as the day goes on, my single day off this week. As to figuring out where I stand in the overall look of things, I suppose reading and learning, building and creating, and planning for what I want to build for a layout are all going to be lumped into a "middle of the road" approach. Like I said before, the suggestions and comments from more the more experienced are all appreciated as a part of the learning experience. Everyone as to start some place and approaching things slowly and methodically while working on learning the ins and outs of the various types of media and methods seems to me to be the best way to go.
With my day off coming to an end aside from the normal household chores I have managed to complete a couple of things in the direction of my railroading. I have been using some Woodland Scenics rock molds to cast up some practice rock formations and while I have been fortunate in being able to more or less balance the mold when pouring the Lightweight Hydrocal or prop it up with something, clearly a "sandbox" of the type described in the Scenery Manual would make things a lot easier. Measuring the molds that I have show that a 6" X 8" box would work out nicely to hold the sand to be able to level the mold or unlevel it as the choice may be. Since I have completed the framework for my benchwork I had a few scraps leftover that would work quite nicely. I cut the required pieces to size, did some drilling and then screwed and glued it all together. I surprised myself when it came out straight and even all around.
The next thing is my benchwork frame. I have it completed, everything is screwed and glued using #10 1 and 1/4" zinc plated screws and Elmers' Woodworking Glue. The framework sits level front to rear and side to side, no rolling stock moved in any direction when I placed them on the top as a test so I am pretty pleased with this part of the build so far. I built lips into the inside framework so that I can drill up from the underside and screw the layout board to the framework when the time comes. It will also make it easy to remove the screws and benchtop when ever moving time rolls around. That is always a consideration in apartment dwelling.
So as I continue my education in model railroading and practice working on the scenery I have made a little progress today. ;)
Welcome!
Have fun, first and foremost (it appears that you already are).
This is a hobby that can be as complex as you want it to be given enough time and patience, and there are as many ways to enjoy it as there are modelers.
There are a lot of facets to learn and develop, some you'll find appealing, some you'll find merely necessary to get through until you can start having more fun again, but all give a feeling of accomplishment in their own fashion.
There's plenty of good advice given out here and we can all learn a little something from a fresh approach to a problem, so feel free to give your own opinions.
Enjoy!
Sand works, so do packing peanuts. Pick your type of mess.
Have fun.
treadhead1952 If anyone has any more suggestions or comments, please feel free to jump in
If anyone has any more suggestions or comments, please feel free to jump in
Okay.
I gotta tell you, the track design you have here would bore me as soon as it was laid down.
In my world, the layout needs to be interesting to operate once all the work is done.
A model railroad should simulate actual railroading, not be a series of interconnected loops.
Those are my comments.
Midnight Railroader treadhead1952 If anyone has any more suggestions or comments, please feel free to jump in Okay. I gotta tell you, the track design you have here would bore me as soon as it was laid down.
Well, I suppose you could be right, from what I am finding out as I work through all the reading of these threads, go over the various track layouts on the main site and other sites, I am rapidly gaining an appreciation for something better. The layout that I have above was what I came to the site with, it worked as far as the train running over everything without derailing and I could control it with the two remote switches and power pack I have on hand. As I read more and learn more I am discovering that there are a lot more considerations that I can chose from. As I stated before, ain't nothing written in stone as it were so we shall see what I can come up with as time goes on.
Yes indeed, I am having fun and that is what it is all about. I have lots of stuff to figure out before I start laying down foam and working up a track plan, but at the same time, there are lots of things to keep my hands and mind busy.