I don't see why not. Two or three track stations had plenty of action, what with arrivals, departures, head-end power swaps, express freight operations. Even at small depots the passenger ops rabbit hole runs deep. I think that would work just fine next to continuous running.
Stu
Streamlined steam, oh, what a dream!!
Rastafarr Welcome back to the roundhouse, brother! A thought. Have you looked into passenger station operations? You get your f-unit-pulling-varnish fix, with a bit of switching thrown in for giggles. Food for thought. Stu
Welcome back to the roundhouse, brother!
A thought. Have you looked into passenger station operations? You get your f-unit-pulling-varnish fix, with a bit of switching thrown in for giggles. Food for thought.
Yes, it is food for thought. I am planning on a small town passeger depot, but to be honest I'm not familiar enough with anything larger than that to be able to model it. Would it be something to fit in a HCD space, and still be able to have continious running?
Reality...an interesting concept with no successful applications, that should always be accompanied by a "Do not try this at home" warning.
Hundreds of years from now, it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove...But the world may be different because I did something so bafflingly crazy that my ruins become a tourist attraction.
"Oooh...ahhhh...that's how this all starts...but then there's running...and screaming..."
Good morning folks!
I spent most of last evening/night pondering and brainstorming and I think I've come up with a potential solution. In essence taking something from each of what I was seeing as my 3 separate options.
I envision the big loop of the L dog bone and both door based options all having essentialy variations of the same scene...a section of a small farm town and a hill with a tunnel, separated by a river/stream running diagonally through the scene. The key differences being the benchwork under each.
I think I've worked out a way that I can use the wired 36"x65" shortened door section, repositioned outriggers from the full 30" door version, and the perimiter boards from the dog bone loop. The result would be a mostly already wired 42"x81-1/2" deck with just a bit of drilling and counter-sinking for repositioned screws.
I still need to work out the support structure and a method of storage.
tomikawaTT Welcome back. Or should I say welcome home? Granted your smallest is a tail-chaser. It's also well on its way to operability. Once runnable, you could hide the other side of the racetrack by erecting a row of skinny windowless warehouses with full-wall adverts for breakfast food (or whatever else you consume that comes in similar boxes.) Then, if possible, arrange the donut to mate with a shelf along the wall. Later you might extend the shelf all the way around the room, with the original loop as a cross-the-door closer. Granted, the round-the-room loop will just be a bigger donut - but you'll be on the inside and unable to see it all. That opens the possibility to make detailed scenes where you can railfan your trains moving through different country/cityscapes. It also will allow experimenting with 50s-style wayfreight operation - all on a shelf shallow enough for you to reach the wall, and with no need for legs to interfere with your wheelchair. In all, an interesting opportunity to explore I'm not that seriously immobilized (yet...) but I've found myself working from chairs where once I would have been standing. Definitely puts a hitch in the giddy-up. Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
Welcome back. Or should I say welcome home?
Granted your smallest is a tail-chaser. It's also well on its way to operability. Once runnable, you could hide the other side of the racetrack by erecting a row of skinny windowless warehouses with full-wall adverts for breakfast food (or whatever else you consume that comes in similar boxes.)
Then, if possible, arrange the donut to mate with a shelf along the wall. Later you might extend the shelf all the way around the room, with the original loop as a cross-the-door closer. Granted, the round-the-room loop will just be a bigger donut - but you'll be on the inside and unable to see it all.
That opens the possibility to make detailed scenes where you can railfan your trains moving through different country/cityscapes. It also will allow experimenting with 50s-style wayfreight operation - all on a shelf shallow enough for you to reach the wall, and with no need for legs to interfere with your wheelchair.
In all, an interesting opportunity to explore
I'm not that seriously immobilized (yet...) but I've found myself working from chairs where once I would have been standing. Definitely puts a hitch in the giddy-up.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
The only way I could do anything against the walls would be in the storage room, and I'd be back to moving stuff everytime I need access to most of the layout.
The more friendly space for the door based options is the middle of the family room, with no usable access to wall space. What I am planning is for at least one interchange track running to the edge of the layout for the possibility of removable modules or staging areas.
<shrug>
Zandoz
Welcome back! I would like to take this opportunity to invite you to Jeffries trackside diner where all are welcome. There you can talk modeling, tell about your day or have a cup of joe. Pop on in anytime and the first cups on me.
Hope to see you there.
YGW
ZandozAt this point I have no idea which way to jump
Things you can't reach to work on will tend to bring things to a halt unless you have someone who can regularly assist. That tends toward discouraging you from what's needed from this activity, a timely and expected break from everything else that encourages the mind and body to heal.
I'd go with what you're sure you can work on everyday -- or at least whenever you're feeling the call. If you're certain it'll soon be done and you'll feel the need for more real estate, then consider the smaller venue as a practice run for the bigger to come later. Judicious use of scenery products can make most stuff reusable. Track recycling should be easy with Unitrack, so when it comes time it will be easy -- except for saying goodbye to the old as you ready for something new.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
IRONROOSTER back. Sorry to hear about your health. If nothing else you can build a switching line. Paul
back.
Sorry to hear about your health.
If nothing else you can build a switching line.
Paul
PennCentral99 Sir, Like others......Welcome Back! Sorry that life has you on a diverging route, hopefully you'll get back on the mainline. Seems that you have the right attitute and perserverance, don't give up. Dave (hon30critter) and Paul (IRONROOSTER) have some good questions and suggestions, which I was going to offer also......Instead of trying to tackle a layout, how about a 2 foot x 4 foot module to get things started? Terry
Sir,
Like others......Welcome Back! Sorry that life has you on a diverging route, hopefully you'll get back on the mainline. Seems that you have the right attitute and perserverance, don't give up.
Dave (hon30critter) and Paul (IRONROOSTER) have some good questions and suggestions, which I was going to offer also......Instead of trying to tackle a layout, how about a 2 foot x 4 foot module to get things started?
Terry
Unfortunately I've never been able to wrap my mind around the idea of switching-only layout. Seeing those F units pulling passenger cars is what does it for me. My first N scale purchase was the Super Chief set and an F unit....even though I had no track to run them.
hon30critter Zandoz: Welcome Back!!! What can we do to help? If you are looking for advice maybe let us know what space do you have and what scale do you want to work in? Also, did you keep any of your train stuff or are you starting from scratch? I hope you can find ways to get back into the hobby. All the best! Dave
Zandoz:
Welcome Back!!!
What can we do to help? If you are looking for advice maybe let us know what space do you have and what scale do you want to work in? Also, did you keep any of your train stuff or are you starting from scratch?
I hope you can find ways to get back into the hobby.
All the best!
Dave
I'm definately in need of some advice.
I have kept everything from my previous layout attempts. I'll be working with Kato N scale track. I have enough to build a 10'x7' L shaped layout. I have a still in box Digitrax Zephyr set, a Kato Super Chief set with F7s converted to DCC, a DCC converted Kayto RDC, an unconverted F3, a DCC converted Atlas VO-1000, a small assortment of freight rolling stock, and several structures.
What I want is mainly double track continious running, with a bit of switching servicing a small midwest farm town. The intended era is the early 1950s but I'd like to keep the scenery generic enough that to pass for the 1930s through the early 60s.
The big issues are the size, structure and location of the layout. Basically I have 3 options...all 3 resurections of previous layout attempts.
The farthest along and most likely to be completed is the smallest. It is a door layout based on a 36" wide door, cut down to 65" length. It was meant to be mounted on a cart that allowed the layout to rotate to vertical for storage and moving. The bottom side wiring is done, and it is ready to start topside work. Also, since moveable wheelchair accessability is not an issue. The obvious drawback is that it would be a tail-chaser.
The next option is a full length 30" door with outriggers to expand it to 42"x 81-1/2". The layout I'd build on it would likely be a stretched less of a tail chaser version of the cut down door layout. It may work out that the wiring on the cutdown door could be transferred to this door. This layout would also have to be built on a cart allowing vertical storage, but because of it's size when deployed I would only have easy access to 3 sides.
My 3rd option would be to pick up where I left off on the 10'x7' L layout...basically a dog bone with one end exagerated to form the L. This layout is the least far along...basically just the un-wired large end benchwork. The drawback is that I would only have easy access to one side of the large end loop. The layout would share space in a storage room with my medical equipment. Things would have to be moved...probably requiring assistance...to get access to most of the layout.
At this point I have no idea which way to jump <shrug>
Trains are good for your health. We'll try to ensure you get a daily dose of what's good for you.
Inspired by Addiction
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The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
Some years back, during my last layout attempt, I was a semi regular here and really enjoyed it. Around 4 years ago, once again a layout attempt was aborted due to loss of space. Around the same time I decided to take a shot at a "bucket list" project. Worsening health issues have now made continuing that project nearly impossible.
Where I'm at today is wheelchair bound, bored out of my skull, wanting to take another shot at building some form of layout, and wanting to be a part of this community once again.