Work is proceeding steadily on finishing the basement. The main areas are drywalled and drop ceiling framing in. Currently bathroom is being worked on and hope to have floor in by Sept sometime.
What does this have to do with N-scale? The back room which is not part of the main train room has plans by my wife, and she has suggested an N-scale coffee table layout in there.
I have a bunch of Atlas N-scale track and turnouts and a few cars left over from the 1980's when I was running a bit of N scale trains.
My question about rolling stock: is any made with body mounted couplers these days? If so, which?
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
Rio Grande,
Yes! A lot of manufactures are starting to body mount couplers on their N scale rolling stock. Newer releases from Athearn, Atlas, Fox Valley, and others are now doing this as well as stepping up their detail. In fact my last Micro-Trains 50' plug door box car had body mounts. But there is still a lot of freight cars with truck mounted couplers on the market and even new Atlas Trainman releases still use truck mounts.
All ScaleTrains N scale freight cars have body mounts, but use their own couplers which eariler releases have a stiff coupling action and none have the pin for magnetic uncoupling but all their cars are fantastic.
I still have a lot of the truck mounted cars and still use them for "running freights", but for switching I prefer body mounts. I purchased small stick-on color dots and put green dots on the storage boxes for my body mounts and yellow dots on truck mounts so I can remember which is which. It's amazing what is happening in N scale now days.
Hope this helps and please tell your wife that she has good taste!
Ralph
Ralph, appreciate the reply. I've done a bit of casual looking and while I have noticed N-scale has gotten better since the 80's, I was disappointed that truck mounted couplers seem to still be very wide-spread.
Good point about body mount for switching, and past discussion has offered readers a choice - if you run, don't worry about it and if you switch, you may want to convert. I wish N scale would have gotten on the body mount boat much sooner but it is what it is.
I really like ScaleTrains stuff so far, but despite their high quality with detail and fidelity, I've read too many comments that people are still converting their couplers to KD/Microtrains, depending on scale. They should just give into the schwartz and acknowledge that Kadee/Microtrains are still king.
It's true there has been some amazing stuff in N come out. Trainworx especially but I missed out on the really cool stuff (Trailers especially) and as usual, it's a treasure hunt to find them.
Thanks for the feedback and agree, pretty cool wife wants an N scale layout for her basement room! Cheers, Jim
Be aware that coffee table layouts generally have very sharp curves. Cars with body mounted couplers and even some longer cars with truck mounts may not be able to operate on them.
I tried to sell my two cents worth, but no one would give me a plug nickel for it.
I don't have a leg to stand on.
DSchmitt Be aware that coffee table layouts generally have very sharp curves. Cars with body mounted couplers and even some longer cars with truck mounts may not be able to operate on them.
Yep, aware of that. Thanks. I will be involved in the selection of something to avoid very sharp curves.
If I were going to do a "train thing" that was not part of my layout, I'd do the large scale train on a shelf close to the ceiling.
I have the right to remain silent. By posting here I have given up that right and accept that anything I say can and will be used as evidence to critique me.
Rio: I have a pretty good size operations oriented N Scale layout using all truck mounted Micro-Trains couplers. Plenty of switching. My experience on my layout and other operations oriented N scale layouts is that truck mounted couplers work fine for switching, provided that: 1) all the cars are properly weighted, 2) all the couplers are the same make or compatible makes, 3) the couplers are at the correct height and 4) you are not trying to back up a train of 20 or 30 cars. With a coffee table layout, you're looking at fewer than 10 cars on a train, I suspect. No need to worry about truck vs body mounts. In my opinion and experience. Enjoy! Joel
carl425 If I were going to do a "train thing" that was not part of my layout, I'd do the large scale train on a shelf close to the ceiling.
Well, wife wants a coffee table type layout since we saw them a train shows.
Happy wife, happy life!
owen w in california Rio: I have a pretty good size operations oriented N Scale layout using all truck mounted Micro-Trains couplers. Plenty of switching. My experience on my layout and other operations oriented N scale layouts is that truck mounted couplers work fine for switching, provided that: 1) all the cars are properly weighted, 2) all the couplers are the same make or compatible makes, 3) the couplers are at the correct height and 4) you are not trying to back up a train of 20 or 30 cars. With a coffee table layout, you're looking at fewer than 10 cars on a train, I suspect. No need to worry about truck vs body mounts. In my opinion and experience. Enjoy! Joel
Joel,
Thanks for the info and feedback. Would be nice to include some switching as well as a loop. I still have a big layout to build Lord Willing after the basment is finished.
That's cool of your wife Rio. For her to suggest something for the other room with your interests, very cool.
Now here's what I would do If you play this one out right, you may be able to grab this thing by the horns.
Get more involved in that back room with her. Tell her how you think it would be a great idea to get a nice L sectional in the corner to keep the room more open.
Then after that sactional is paid for and in the room. Tell her how much you like her idea of the N scale coffee table. Then point out to her how a larger rectangle or L shaped coffee table with dog bone ends would fit much nicer with the sectional.
You could point out the larger coffee table or dog bone ends would provide a larger surface area for food platters when you are entertaining guests or friends
TF
Hah hah, TF. Here plans for the room is a sofa, TV and sunbed. It's a 12x12 room that is next to the train room and open to the train room on one side.
Here is a photo while doing the drywall. The 12x12 room in in the far back in the photo. The main area in the for-ground will be the HO train layout area.
When we first moved in the entire basement 45' long was designated for trains, but there wasn't really any good way to work the last part (12x12) into the layout plan, not without a long lift bridge and I was able to design a decent track plan into the main area. I let her claim the "wife den" as she calls it. Probably a good thing.
Good morning.
I thought you'd like that one Rio.
Looks like quite the impressive room, more than adequate for a nice HO layout.
I'm happy for you. I would definitely be modeling HO if I had that kind of space Nice.
The coffee table project sounds fun. I would think about doing a little logging theme with shorter cars and Shay's
That sunbed conveniently located next door is going to come in handy after countless hours leaning over your layout. A nice little Retreat to straighten your back out once in awhile
Since our last trip to Maine and New England, I'v been day-dreaming of a small N scale switching spur (or even HO if I had the space) along the upper Maine coast with a dock side track, older wood structures, a few small boats and maybe even a lighthouse. I would use an Atlas Alco S2 switcher and 40' boxcars and ice reefers, small tank cars for marine bunker and home heating oils, flat cars for lumber loads and a twin bay coal hopper or two.
Most likely it will never happen but it gives me something to think about while waiting to fall asleep at night and at work when I should be focused on my job
Jim,Stick with Atlas Master,Fox Valley,Exact Rail and other top brands of cars that comes with body mounted couplers..
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
Thanks for the tips Larry!