Out of the blue, my wife told me I could use the part of the garage that she used as part of her art studio. What this means is I get to build a layout after not having anything for the last 5 years. Luckily I still have all my stuff. So here are some preliminary plans.
Some of you might remember that I model 1890's steam in the Northern California Redwoods. This layout will allow me to have a train running east and west, with geared steam climbing to a silver mine and a logging camp. In other words, I'm modeling the Old West the way it should have been.
The lower level is just your basic staging and yard, with the upper right of the image being a lumber mill. (the actual mill will be a scratched facia of the building) The turn radius's are just under 20"). The staging is in a tunnel. I should have 8" clearance if I need to fiddle.
The upper section is comes off of staging and climbs the hill. The grade is 4% and the smallest radius is about 16.9. I'll test my engines before I build, but only the geared engines will make the climb. The right area is the mine. The left area is a logging camp. There will be a lot of rocky ridges and big trees.
Nothing is set in stone. I'm still in the process of rearrangin the stuff in the garage.
Chip
Building the Rock Ridge Railroad with the slowest construction crew west of the Pecos.
SpaceMouse,
Long time, no see. Welcome back and good luck.
Have fun
Richard
Hey Space Mouse,
Back
I'm sure Jeff is smiling down upon you.
Bob
Don't Ever Give Up
Welcome back Chip.
As far as the layout plan, a few thoughts:
Operationally, I understand taking the logs from the camp down to the mill, but what about the ore cars from the mine, do they have a destination? Maybe the mill area could have an interchange where you can swap out loaded ore cars for empties to take back up to the mine.
Also, the turntable and roundhouse area could be swapped with the mainline, putting the TT inside the curve rather than outside. This would give you a broader curve and longer lead into the mill, and could make the mill tracks and interchange longer, not to mention making it easier to access the locos since you wont have to reach over the main.
Good luck
- Douglas
'm sure Jeff is smiling down upon you.
Jeff, Really? Ah, man!
Doughlesswhat about the ore cars from the mine, do they have a destination?
Actually, that track in front of the Lumber ladder is supposed to go to the refinery. I haven't finalized how it will work, because I haven't figured out what the refinery will look like, but it will probably go somewhere in front of mill on the right side.
DoughlessAlso, the turntable and roundhouse area could be swapped with the mainline, putting the TT inside the curve rather than outside. This would give you a broader curve and longer lead into the mill, and could make the mill tracks and interchange longer, not to mention making it easier to access the locos since you wont have to reach over the main.
Good points. I'll have to play with it. I finally dug my models and kits out of their storage area so I can play with structures. I have enough to create a small city--as well as, things like yard tower, sand house, Icing platform, etc. Somewhere I want a livestock pen, just because I want one and want to model the cowboys.
Thanks
Okay, I spent most of the night on this and this is what I came up with. Most of it I like better. What I don't like is how a lot of it is parallel with the walls. Anyway, I've placed the mill, the refinery, the cattle pens, the icing platform (far left), the service facilities, and the passenger station. I decided to put the station on the main line, and I eliminated a siding. This will give me more space for creative scenery. The problem for me--maybe others won't notice--is no way for me to build a road to get the arriving passengers into town. They have to wade across the yard.
By the way, out the mainline to the left is Eureka, and to the right is San Francisco.
Easy, you contact the Roebling Bridge Company back East and contract for a suspension bridge to act as a walkway across the yard.
It will end up looking something like this:
http://berksnostalgia.com/swinging-bridge-reading-outer-station/
Plus some staircases on each end that were removed by the time of these photos, taken not long before some worthless delinquents burned that wonderful station.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
rrinker Easy, you contact the Roebling Bridge Company back East and contract for a suspension bridge to act as a walkway across the yard.
LOL! Howard Ridge is sending a post to England as we speak. He figures if he gets HG Well's time machine, the Roebling Brothers might come back in time do the job for $150 (de-adjusting for inflation.)
I'm just going to have to put a wood between the rails across the two turnouts, and hope the residents don't get their feetsies caught in the points. Luckily it will be a few years before the Law Offices of Bendover and Schwheel really refine the tort business.
No need to time travel, you are modeling the 1890's and the Swinging Bridge in Reading was built in 1874, even before the Brooklyn Bridge was finished. So John A Roebling & Sons was definitely a going concern in 1890.
You just want me to spend 5 years scratch-building away from this forum.
Very easy to make this out of parts from Micro Enginering and central valley.
SpaceMouseThe problem for me--maybe others won't notice--is no way for me to build a road to get the arriving passengers into town. They have to wade across the yard.
If I'm looking at your plan right, there is a tunnel to the left and right of the station, with hidden track. Couldn't a road meander from either the left or right, out of the scenery, to either side of the station, or the back of the station?
You might even be able to work in a small frieght house.
We are talking horses, buggies and wagons right? Just a thought, as I have no idea what the scenery area is going to look like behind the station.
Mike.
My You Tube
Welcome back. I'm recently back into it as well.
Rock Ridge... Picking something out of Blazing Saddles, you're ok by me!
Genesee Terminal, freelanced HO in Upstate NY ...hosting Loon Bay Transit Authority, run through Amtrak and CSX Intermodal
CP/D&H, N scale, somewhere on the Canadian Shield
mbinsewiI have no idea what the scenery area is going to look like behind the station.
It will be steep rocky cliffs with tall trees.
mbinsewiIf I'm looking at your plan right, there is a tunnel to the left and right of the station, with hidden track. Couldn't a road meander from either the left or right, out of the scenery, to either side of the station, or the back of the station? You might even be able to work in a small frieght house.
I solved the problem by switching the ice platform with the station house complex. The frieght house/crane is on the stub below the station. It seems to be coming together. Now, I need to stop planning and start ripping the boards for the benchwork. Tomorrow I start building.
CanalligatorsPicking something out of Blazing Saddles
A nod that way anyway. I had a Mongo, but he got lost in the move. Something about where choo-choo goes.
Drum roll, please...
My jig is set up. I'm about to start ripping my benchwork out of 3/4" plywood.
The Phoenix is rising.
SpaceMouse Now, I need to stop planning and start ripping the boards for the benchwork. Tomorrow I start building.
Now, I need to stop planning and start ripping the boards for the benchwork. Tomorrow I start building.
I think the turnouts around the center yard area could be rearranged to be more elegant.
There are nasty S curves on both ends as you enter the yard. You can replace the stright turnouts with RH turnouts a bit further back and use the diverging leg as part of the curves. A Walthers #6RH curved turnout could replace the TT lead straight turnout and it would give you a few more inches. You dont need a long lead into the TT.
As you build, you might find that you can add a few more inches to the spurs at the mine and camp. Even in the 1890s, longer industrial tracks work better than short ones, and they look better.
If you want to put it back, you could always have a pedestrian tunnel under the yard. Maybe charge people to walk through - the William J. LePetomaine Memorial Subway.
DoughlessThere are nasty S curves on both ends as you enter the yard.
Yeah, they've been bothering me. I've just been working on sorting out the other issues. I haven't even thought about the camps yet. I have to pull out the structures and see what I need.
Doughless You can replace the stright turnouts with RH turnouts a bit further back and use the diverging leg as part of the curves
I like this idea. I'll play with it tonight.
Doughless A Walthers #6RH curved turnout could replace the TT lead straight turnout and it would give you a few more inches. You dont need a long lead into the TT.
The long lead to the TT is more about sand, water, and firewood. I have no budget for curved turnouts, so if I go thaat route it will have to be handlayed.
A bit more benchwork thickness might allow the TT lead to come off at a different point.
DoughlessA bit more benchwork thickness might allow the TT lead to come off at a different point.
Where? I have some pretty tight restrictions about where I can put benchwork. Are you thinking I expand the lower table. I could add some space by putting thee staging closer to the edge. How much do you think I need?
SpaceMouse Doughless A bit more benchwork thickness might allow the TT lead to come off at a different point. Where? I have some pretty tight restrictions about where I can put benchwork. Are you thinking I expand the lower table. I could add some space by putting thee staging closer to the edge. How much do you think I need?
Doughless A bit more benchwork thickness might allow the TT lead to come off at a different point.
I meant maybe a little angled fill near the left side yard throat, but that might impede your reach.
The track to the mill provides a great opportunity to have a yard lead that makes the yard switchable without fouling the main. Currently, the trains waiting to depart to the main could foul the yard ladder. Just a little bit of the town could be sacrificed to allow the yard ladder to shove left .
Specifically: Take the siding with the reddish/brown chunk (platform?). Shove it to the right and replace the far right turnout with a RH where the diverging track is the curve. That shove allows the left side turnout to slide right and gives you space to start the yard ladder farther to the left if you added the chunk of benchwork to fill the corner.
Just thoughts to play with before you decide on your final arrangement.
DoughlessThe track to the mill provides a great opportunity to have a yard lead that makes the yard switchable without fouling the main.
Yeah, that track is a log dump track.
I hear you. Having the main go directly to the yard track is just below the mill is the way I started. The problem is conceptual. I designed the lumber yard after pics of lumber yards I have seen. My vision was to load the freight cars with different size lumber from the stacks along the tracks. Instead of building trains I was picturing building carloads.
The carloads would be set out for the main yard switcher to pick up each day and build those handfull of cars into outgoing trains. I'm not sure I can get my head around building whole trains out of lumber orders.
Still good design is still good design.
Thanks for making my head hurt Douglas. I appreciate your feedback.
Yeah. I dont know my 1890s logging railroad stuff so dont take much that I say to heart.
Forgot to mention - you should build your layout in my basement, then I wouldn;t have to remodel it. The previous owners finished the basement into 3 rooms plus a laundry room. One of them has this paneling with a stone texture, and the dividing wall has saloon doors leading to the bar.
Well, I like the whole concept of the western theme. I'm hoping that maybe it may even include some "Desperados waiting for a train" , on the station platform.
DoughlessThere are nasty S curves on both ends as you enter the yard. You can replace the stright turnouts with RH turnouts a bit further back and use the diverging leg as part of the curves.
I didn't solve the problem completely but it is better. The largest frieght cars are 34' and should make the turns as they are with no problem. The only awkward cars will be my passenger cars which are 50 feet (I think). The downside is that the arrival/departure track is a lot shorter. I'll have to do some jockying to get my longest through trains broken down.
I didn't make any changes to the lumber yard. I can still use the main to switch as there are straights long enough for my small cars not to have an issue with "S" turns.
Thanks again.
DoughlessAs you build, you might find that you can add a few more inches to the spurs at the mine and camp. Even in the 1890s, longer industrial tracks work better than short ones, and they look better.
I haven't even begun to think about these. I still have to dig out the structures that need to be in place.
Tomorrow I build the benchwork.
rrinker you should build your layout in my basement, then I wouldn;t have to remodel it.
You can drop by here anytime. I can use all the help I can get. I'll be laying the wiring soon.
mbinsewi I'm hoping that maybe it may even include some "Desperados waiting for a train" , on the station platform.
There will definately be a few cliche Western scenes.