Help with new set up. First time build up.

[Anonymous]

Hello, First post here, and boy am i glad i found this web site!!!

Ok here is what i have. We have no real room so i built a 4 x 4 platform that mounts to a wall mount and folds down. essentially it is a box that is hung on the wall (has built in shelves to hold my engines and such) and the front of the box has a flap that folds down and has a piano hinge accross the bottom and has a leg system to support it when its down. Given i have no space it is really kinda nice, but here is my delima. Im left with only a circle track that is tacked down so that i can fold it away and not have to worry about taking it apart often. what i am looking for is ideas of things people have done with small set ups. im thinking somthing along the lines of a cattle lot and farm area then maybe build a town area for the stock to go too. but im looking for how to create seperation within the set up. vertical height is not an issue, any ideas??? Thanks!!!

[Jetrock]

Is it possible to make the platform any wider? 4x6 feet would give you enough room for a little more switching. But with your current arrangement, using 15" radius curves, you would have enough room for a loop of track with a switch or two on either straightaway, either inside or outside of the loop (probably one of each) and a passing track on one of the curves.

if you want to simulate a cattle ranch and slaughterhouse, it wouldn't be too hard using the above setup. One end would be the farm/ranch, with a feedlot and trackside cattle pen, plus maybe a barn and farmhouse to add a little atmosphere--a backdrop of wide-open prairie (maybe with a few cows on it) would help make for a more realistic setting.

The slaughterhouse would be on the "near" side of the layout, also with a spur, leading to the slaughterhouse itself, a medium-sized brick building with a platform to load cattle on the side nearest the track. The area around the slaughterhouse could be a small town scene, with a few local stores and residences or other businesses--a hamburger stand next to the slaughterhouse would be appropriate and humorous ("Freshest meat in town!")

If you wanted to add a little more action, you could run a spur off to one side as an interchange track (a place where railroads trade cars with other railroads.) Then, you could simulate the whole operation from start to finish:

1. Engine brings empty cattle cars go to the ranch, and drops them off to be loaded.
3. Engine brings loaded cattle cars go to the slaughterhouse
4. While the cows are being turned into steaks, the engine runs over to the interchange and picks up empty refrigerator cars.
5. Returning to the slaughterhouse, the engine exchanges the reefers for the now-empty cattle cars.

Next time around, you'll have to move the reefers, now loaded with meat, to the interchange for delivery. These become the new "empty" cars for the next run.

This is called "operation", a way of turning model railroading into a challenging game, and you can do it even on a small layout.

The only hassle with your setup is that you'll need to make sure that everything is securely nailed or glued down--and make sure you take the trains off the table after every session!

[Anonymous]

Great!! Thank you very much. some fantastic ideas i will have to try there. Thanks again!