My first experimental layout

[treadhead1952]

Hi Doug and Mark,

I understand what you are relating, I had a friend who fell into the "basement filling" layout category back home, his was actually in the attic and it never got much beyond the purchase of a lot of spendy engines, rolling stock, tons of track and other accessories as well as a heavy duty batch of benchwork that seemed to collect boxes of train stuff and not much else for a few years.  It all went to pot when his wife decided to divorce him and he lost it all in the settlement.

I figure a couple of smaller stabs at things to get my feet wet is better.  I have accumulated Andy Sperandeos' "Easy Model Railroad Wiring", the Atlas book on the same as well as "Nine N Scale Layouts" as a start on what will no doubt be a healthy library on the subject.  I even found a copy of Gene Greens' "Chicago-Great Western Color Guide to Freight and Passenger Equipment" in a used bookstore $1 bin to use for some references to weathering stuff up a bit as well as the weathering forum site and Railroad Pictures on the web to aim me in the right direction there.  While it is great fun to read all about it, doing is even more fun.  I hope to be "doing" for a long time to come. ;)

[markpierce]

treadhead1952

I have been making a few choices about where I want to go with my new found hobby. ...

 

Getting your feet wet, eh?  Be sure to pack up lots of supplies, the "voyage" can be fun and long.  (An allegory about your entrance to model railroading, not about an actual trip down the San Juan River.)

What's great about this hobby (beyond just the idea of trains) are its many facets and opportunities for creativity.  It also makes a good fit for those interested in history.

Those who have been in this hobby for a while have evolved and grown.  We aren't the same people from a model railroad perspective as when we began.  There is so much to learn about railroads, model making, and about ourselves. While I recommend you read a lot of "how to" books such as those offered by Kalmbach, I also suggest you join the National Model Railroad Association (as well as some of its special interests groups such as operations and layout design) for it offers opportunities to meet other modelers and to visit/operate members' layouts. 

Mark

[challenger3980]

Jay,

  I give you , for trying a smaller "Learning Layout" before attempting a much larger layout. Many have tried to start with a basement filling empire, for their first layout, and get overwhelmed and discouraged, often leaving the hobby altogether.

  Looks to me like you have a good plan, and a good start on an enjoyable hobby, Just remember,

ALWAYS HAVE FUN.

Doug

[treadhead1952]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for taking the time to look and offer up some suggestions.  The main reasons for this first "Experimental" layout is primarily a learning tool, from there it goes to just using up some track that I purchased not really knowing whether I wanted to use it for a more permanent layout or not, but since I have it I might as well use it.  I did try to include a couple of features that the M&O RR has such as reverse loops so I can cut my teeth on those things and learn how to wire and deal with the electrics.

 The choice of the Monopoly and Octopus RR layout is because of its size and the number of track features, blocks, and switching choices that are included in that space.  I don't really have room for anything much larger to be set up at this point.  I already have the benchwork needed to support the 48" X 48" layout, for now it will be used for the Experimental Project while I acquire all the needed items for the M&O RR.  As I learn more, I am sure that my ideas will no doubt develop along other lines, but for now it is what catches my eye more than anything else. 

Believe it or not, I did comb through the entire track database on the main site, three layouts caught my eye while I was there, the Cactus Valley RR, Maggies' Cove and the Turtle Creek Southern.  You can probably recognize some of the features of them in my above layout even though they are in HO mostly.  I also looked over more than a few other sites and places, but this is what I have decided to try out for my first efforts.  Once I have a little experience and a whole lot of learning accomplished, I will probably go for something a little different who knows, maybe a lot different. ;)

[analog kid]

I just guessing, but you wish to use N scale, right? Anyway, a quick search through MR trackplan data base would give you some good ideas. Personally, I like this one for its simplicity, yet interesting operation.

http://www.trains.com/mrr/objects/pdf/mrr-d1007_nscalegreatnorthern(1).pdf

As a side note, it could easily be expanded by installing a switch in the tunnel, which could lead to a cassette, staging yard, etc.

[cuyama]

Choosing the right track plan is a challenge when one is new to the hobby. The Atlas track plans were designed primarily to sell a lot of Atlas track -- and they do this job well. But they may not be the basis for long-term satisfaction in the hobby, depending on how your interests evolve.

The one you mention, the N scale "Monopoly and Octopus Railroad" is not one I would recommend for most folks.

 

The primary activity on this layout will be having a train orbiting the loop and occasionally reversing direction. If you think that's where your long-term interests are headed, it could be OK, but many people find that their interests develop along the lines of trying for more realism, in scenery and appearance and/or operating more like the real thing. And for those interests, there would be better choices in roughly the same amount of square footage.

Some of the things other folks find interesting in plans of roughly the same square footage are:
- adding a scenic divider so that not all of the layout is visible at once
- realistic locations and configurations of industry tracks
- staging tracks to give the illusion of traffic moving on and off the visible layout
- a small yard to add the interest of switching cars
etc., etc.

There are lots of different ways to enjoy the hobby, but some of them require a very different approach to a track plan. You might want to wait a little while until you've had a chance to be exposed to more of the variety of layout styles before choosing a track plan for your next effort. Best of luck.

Byron
Model RR Blog 

[treadhead1952]

Hi All,

I have been making a few choices about where I want to go with my new found hobby.  I have decided to go with Atlas RR Monopoly and Octopus Railroad using Code 80 track.  I have ordered plans and books to get me started on that end.  While I am waiting and accumulating the necessary materials to go that way, I decided to do a little experimentation with the Bachman's EZ Track stuff that I have on hand.  This is just to give me an experimental layout to try a few things out and get some experience that will help me when I go for the M&O RR build.

 I used a somewhat unorthodox way to lift my track off the board.  Where I work they buy computers and related gear on nearly a weekly basis.  The packaging that these all come in are custom form fitted styrofoam cases, being a cheap old goat, I used the hot wire cutter and chopped them up into useable chunks to build up the risers for a track plan I dreamed up using the available EZ Track sections that I have on hand.  Once I got started, I was amazed at how quickly it went from laying the track out on the 48" X 40" 5/8" plywood board I had to use and tracing its' outline to hot gluing the styrofoam down.  Another part of the business uses stuff that comes with 1/2" thick sheets of styrofoam that vary in size from 12" X 18" to as large as 18" X 24".  They go through so much of the contents of this material that they toss out about 200 pounds of it a week.  I used it to go over and smooth out the top of the layout of styrofoam risers.

With the styrofoam in place I laid out the track once again to see how things fit. It has some 280 inches of track to run around on. I have one cross over that I will span with a scratchbuilt bridge, probably girder style, it has a span of 10 inches at this point, some of that will be soaked up with abutments though.  There are two sidings for some industrial loading areas, the one in the foreground will also have a small villiage scene across the tracks from it.  I have plans for three tunnels, a twin set up at the top where the two tracks run parallel to one another and a third off to the right side.  I am also wanting to work in a water feature in there someplace.  There is ample room to do some experimenting with scenery, rock faces, mountains and other types of terrain as well as try out a few tricks here and there.  As I said, this is just an experiment prior to the M&O RR layout to help me learn how all this stuff is supposed to go together as well as figure out the vagaries of Model Railroad wiring.  I have purchased Andy Sperandeos' "Easy Model Railroad Wiring" book to help me with that aspect as well as the Atlas Book on the subject.

 So this is where I am at the moment.

  

Any comments or suggestions are welcome.