Need some help on which way to go on this. I picked up a really nice HOn3 3 truck Shay and some Blackstone track to build a logging layout. Shay is painted for Westside Lumber #8. I also have a DRGW long caboose and a UTLX fuel oil tank car, along with a few logging skel cars that need narrow gauge trucks. My initial thought is a line that picked up the equipment second hand as these operations shut down. I have a nice 4x7 layout that I bought that does have nice basic scenery in place, with a nice short line and river. The footprint of the Blackstone track very closely matches the exhisting track. So do I try to lift the standard gauge track that is glued and ballested to a foam surface, or reboot the whole thing with a shelf set up? I have been trying to sell the 4x7 locally but no luck so far. I am concerned that a real mess might be created trying to remove the track and destroying what is a nice layout. Here is of my short train on a section of BS track that is just set on top of the exhisting track.
Silly NT's, I have Asperger's Syndrome
Some sort of around-the-room space is usually more efficient than an island. Tearing out the standard gauge track to lay narrow gauge on the existing island layout will be a lot of work in terms of repairing scenery and such. It depends on which kind of work you’d rather do.
Byron
Layout Design GalleryLayout Design Special Interest Group
I went through a similar delima when I decided I could no longer live with EZ Track. After carefully ripping up the track, I decided I really wanted something different--and it had to do with a Shay as well. It took me 12 years (long story) but I'm finally building the logging layout designed for the Shay. (Now I just have to get the Shay working.)
Chip
Building the Rock Ridge Railroad with the slowest construction crew west of the Pecos.
How strong is the glue on the track?
You could replace the scenery and placing the BS track.
Amtrak America, 1971-Present.
I did remove some ties that lacked rail on the front siding, it will leave pink foam showing, nothing some brown paint and grass wont fix there. The main look looks to have cork under it, so once the flex track is pulled up and the ballest scraped away with a narrow putty knife, the BS track should just go in place. Once the ballest is reblended from the old roadbed to the molded BS track, it should look good. Need to get a couple Peco turnouts so I can work on adapting them to the BS track and make a filler roadbed to space them up to the correct height. The 4x7 layout is just nicer than I have ever been able to achieve, espically the water feature. I have toyed with making it look more like the DRGW narrow gauge area as I really want a #268 in the bumblebee colors.
You can convert the existing track to dual gauge. Add a rail in between the existing rails with the proper gauge. Then you would need to install dual gauge switches.
See. You're doing a wonderful job. You're just over achieving on your ideas.
No dual gauge, but probably going to just retrack the exhisting layout with the Blackstone track once I have enough on hand. Kind of hard to find right now as that company seems to be having some issues at following thru on promises made several years ago, like turnouts and more track items.