The plan Byron posted in the small switching layout thread made me thing - it has a double track main passing through, and can easily be expanded to attach to my full layout, if I ever get building, or even to the point I can build. But after a deeper dive into the plan, I'm not so sure. many of the things I thought needed to change are things that Byron himself mentions in the accompanying article he wrote about it. So I got to thinking - what about elsewhere on the layout.
This made me review the old original (well, likely what was there in the 50's) track around Kempton, now the Southern end of the WK&S tourist railroad but then just another town along the S&L branch of the Reading. With my new concept for the lower level of the full layout:
there is a branch coming off the lower level just before the helix to the upper level. Based on location, the closest approximation (remember the layout is not really designed to be an exact replica of the trackwork at any particular location on the real Reading) would make that branch the S&L. There will be a cempot plant, and then I thought, why not Kempton, if there was anything interesting. And indeed there was, a feed mill, a team track, an extension of the team track serving another business that changed over the years, and, though long gone by the 50's, a small turntable. Hmm, will this fit the space? Well, here it is:
The track extending to the edges is the main. The spur to the bottom is the feeb mill siding, the other track is the team track and the extension. Turnouts are Peco Code 83 #5, except for the one on the right, that's a #6. I incorporated that slight S curve there for interest, so the track doesn't just go straight and parallel to the edges. The real thing actually had a curve there.
The only problem is, I don't see this as particularly fun to operate, at least as a standalone module. There's just not much going on and not really enough room to run around a full train.
My other option is the very end of this branch, which would have a Lehigh Valley interchange. Unfortunately that section absolutely cannot exceed 12" wide, and there is no real space to hide a staging track for the LV incoming train. Or is there.. I might be able to make that backdrop between the turnback curve of the main line and the branch two sections, with a space between them, enough to hold a loco and 4-5 cars.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
I'll tell you what. When I was testing the grade on a 2x4 with all the cars piled up against a stop at the bottom, it did my heart good to fire up the engine, back it down and couple it up to the test cars. Then I slowly pulled the cars up the grade.
Sometimes you just have to have something to run on.
Chip
Building the Rock Ridge Railroad with the slowest construction crew west of the Pecos.
In my "spare bedroom" layout, I never got to the point where I could really operate the layout.
.
I did have one detailed scene that was not much more than what you drew, and I sure loved to put an RS-3 on the track and just run cars around, back and forth, and out on that little section.
It is good to run a train!
-Kevin
Living the dream.
Randy,
I thought I smelled wood burning......LOL. Couldn't resist...
Go for it.......An old saying....''Do something...even if it's wrong"...
Take Care!
Frank
When I started my huge layout in New Jersey (and when I will be restarting my huge layout in NJ) I built / will build the staging loops first. This gave me a place to run trains early on, even if only in a roundy-round fashion, leaving me less rushed to do all the "main" layout construction and trackwork. Even though I didn't run trains all that often (roundy-round running isn't my thing), it really did help scratch the itch to see something running. It was a reminder of progress made, and an incentive to keep building.
So maybe that section you talk about won't be all that much fun. It will still help you keep working because you'll have that constant reminder of where you're going.
Mark P.
Website: http://www.thecbandqinwyoming.comVideos: https://www.youtube.com/user/mabrunton
I prefer small layout to larger ones, but many of the switching layouts I see published need some sort of staging extention to make them actually operate.
I think the fun would be in building it, getting a jump on the new layout, and testing out locomotives if you needed to.
If you could build the mainline longer, as the staging extension concept goes, then maybe the spurs could be switched out.
- Douglas
zstripe Randy, I thought I smelled wood burning......LOL. Couldn't resist... Go for it.......An old saying....''Do something...even if it's wrong"... Take Care! Frank
I model a later era, wood-burners are long gone. Would have to be coal.
Doughless I prefer small layout to larger ones, but many of the switching layouts I see published need some sort of staging extention to make them actually operate. I think the fun would be in building it, getting a jump on the new layout, and testing out locomotives if you needed to. If you could build the mainline longer, as the staging extension concept goes, then maybe the spurs could be switched out.
If I did that, the extensions would have to be throwaway. If you look on the full plan, this piece would go below where the stairs are. The bottom of the small section would be the backdrop side, the side with the team track siding would be the one you work from. Immediately past either end is a curve. I don't want to build too big of something because it will need to be removed from the room and stored somewhere while doing the refinishing work. Wish I had more room, I'd just split a 4x8 sheet of plywood the long way, but if I make this part 2' wide, it kills the space on the other side which will intrude on the loco facilities, and if I make it longer, it just won't fit the curves and I'd have to rebuild a good chunk of it, which defeats the purpose. I would of course build this with peco Code 83 track as planned for the layout, so perhaps I can take a scrap piece and bolt it to one end with some leftover other track to get enough room to the right.
Definitely have to work more at a Michael Rose speed than my usual speed, or I'll be on to the basement demolition before I even turn a wheel on this.
I did want to keep it to only 12" wide, but I ended up extending it to 18". Perhaps I can get back to 12" if I change the feed mill siding to run parallel to the backdrop and use a building flat. On the real thing the track ran between two buildings, the one between the siding and the main was rather distinctive with front second story overhangs. There are some clear pictures, and most of it is still there, would have to be scratchbuilt I think.
So I actually got this down to 1x8. Which is good, since to the right, right around the corner, was going to be a cement plant, and I'd rather have a LITTLE space to seperate the scenes. Real world, the cement plant is about 10-15 miles as the train rolls from the town of Kempton.
That still leaves room for 3 cars on the team track, 2 cars on the extension siding, and 2 cars on the feed mill siding. A couple of short extensions would allow a loco and car to get past the turnouts at each end. It's ALMOST enough length now for a small switcher and single car.
Best of all, I already have a 2x4 panel of 3/4" plywood. I could do it either flat or cookie cutter - the tracks are fairly flat in this area, the ground does slope away on the feed mill side, in fact the siding appeared to be supported by a trestle as the ground sloped away under it, possibly to dump coal or other materials. So maybe a reverse cookit cutter type of thing - tracks all level, cut to the bottom side of the track all the way across and set that piece slightly lower. 3x left #5 and one left #6, 4 sticks of flex. A simple frame to support it (on the real thing the whoole length will be spanned with L girders so I don't need extra legs, but for temp setup - probably a simple box frame. ).
rrinker If I did that, the extensions would have to be throwaway. I don't want to build too big of something because it will need to be removed from the room and stored somewhere while doing the refinishing work. --Randy
If I did that, the extensions would have to be throwaway. I don't want to build too big of something because it will need to be removed from the room and stored somewhere while doing the refinishing work.
No need for long extensions on either side. The spurs aren't long enough to support more than just a short cut of cars to switch. I'm thinking one 48 inch extension to the right, possibly hinged and folding down, would make the module operational. A loco or a short consist dragging 4 to 5 cars from the right to left could switch the two spurs. Dismantle the extension when you're ready to install the module into the layout.
Well here is the 8 foot version. I am going to build it.
I'm going to just build a simple box frame and support it on risers. The whole thing can later be moved to whatever framework I build for the whole layout. So I need 3x Peco #5 lefts, and a #6 left. A while ago I bought a few Peco turnouts to try out. I have two #5s, Anyone wanna guess which direction they are? Hint: Not left. Oh well. Hopefully one day this weekend it won't rain so I can go get some wood. Won't fit in the car and I don't have a cover on the truck. But wow, no splicing, I can get full 8' lengths now! Have to leave the gate down, truck doesn;t have an 8' bed, but close enough.
Also need to build to my expected standards - so 3/4 ply, and I'm going to use the homasote roadbed from Cascade.
Good idea, IMO.
BTW, if you start off with the loco and 3 cars already pulled onto the runaround, you can swap out cars at the spurs. Its operational as it is.
And here is it is full 3D glory, with risers supporting the plywood. None interfere with servo locations for switch motors. Though at this stage I may not bother with switch motors - they are all peco turnouts so they don't really need them, and since the widest reach is about 8 inches to the feed mill siding, there's not much reason to make them powered. Depending on how long it takes to get to the next phase of basement cleanout, I might end up using this as a test bed for my servo circuits, at least the non-CTC ones as the branch won;t be under CTC control.
It's not exact, that cut out area will be curved around, it's where the land falls away from the track, and 3rd PlanIt does do irregular plywood, or if it does, I don't know how to do it.
Of course, just when things get going, along comes another of life's curve balls. Friday's appointment confirmed my right eye is actually getting worse, not better, and a second surgury is needed ASAP, which will put me on light duty for a few weeks, so no lifting and carting around lumber.