First Layout.

[randybc2003]

No "Company" called Poweder River Coal - but BN-Santa Fe runs a regular shuttle (+/-) 3 to 4 times a week, carrying coal from the Powder River Basin to Portland Gas & Electric's Coal Fired Power Plant. PG&E Beth-Gons carry the marks PGEX, and a graphic image of a Rose - for Portland-The Rose City. I think Inter-mountain or one of the craftsman series kits has them - I have one, but it is not built yet.

[Anonymous]

Wow, I forgot about the grain...
And uhm, was there a company named Powder River Coal?!
I live in Portland and use the Amtrack system to go visit my parents evryother week.
Nice comfortable ride, unfortuneatly for other passengers Amtrak is cutting its stops because federal backing is being lowered...

[randybc2003]

I live in Spokane, Washington, terminus of the old SP&S. I'd try a track plan K' published a few years back - and it is still in their tack plan books - about a RR that was no more than a siding with a GRAIN ELEVATOR, and a spur for interchange. SP&S ran from Spokane, accross the Columbia basin platau, (lots of grain fields), to the Columbia River. Then down river, through the Columbia Gorge, and into Portland. More grain elevators on the river. J. Hill cussed his luck over the cost and problems. It still carries grain and logs and the Powder River - Portland (Coal) Shuttle, and the Portland Section of Amtrack's Empire Builder. And merchandise. But the Columbia Basin produces GRAIN. [:)]

And I'd stick w/ Code 100. It'll forgive any wheels, and some nice cars need it.

[Anonymous]

Nice and thank you.

But, Ive already bought a lot of code 100 and 83 flew track...
thanks for the other tips too.

And the mueseum is nice Ive been there before

^_^

[METRO]

Ok I think I can help you with a few suggestions:

Question 1: I'd go code 83 all around if I were you. Code 100 is based upon the heaviest of the heavy mainline track, the kind you'd see on the main line of a class-1 railroad. Code 83 is pretty standard mainline track and also works well for yards too. I wouldn't really change track codes unless I was really worried about it looking prototypical, and if I were that worried I'd probably just make the jump to Proto-87 standards.

Question 2: The kind of track plan you're talking about seems kind of like the original Turtle Creek layout that MR built a couple years ago. They put a few smaller industries (like a machine shop and coal seller) in the middle and it looked quite nice. While I model Southern Ontario, and don't know too much about railroading in the Pacific Northwest, I figure you can't go wrong with a transfer warehouse.

Question 3: A good rule for yard spacing that I've used is that the rails are just close enough that you can still pick up a boxcar from between two other boxcars. This would vary from person to person but trust me, it makes operations a lot easier.

Question 4: If you're talking about a passing siding then yes, usually it just consists of a turnout, a section of parallel track of length long enough to fit a train, and then another switch to put it back on the main line.

Question 5: Yes individual ties are avalible, but if you're going to use them with the flextrack excess, make sure to use a NMRA standard gauge when spiking them down as you would handlaid track. Personally i just cut short my flextrack and buy a few extra peices to avoid the hastle.

Hope this all helps, oh and by the way here's a link to the SP&S page on Fallen Flags, it'll give you some good prototype photos, a copy of their rulebook and a link to the historical society:

http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/sps/sps.html

~METRO

[gvdobler]

HeHeh

Sorry, you just acted like a newcomer.

Jon - Las Vegas

[Anonymous]

Heheh, this isnt the first layout Ive built.
Just MY first layout, i've helped many friends and am in no way a newcomer.
But If i was Id be gratfull to the nice replys.
...
So, this being said, would someone please anser the questions.
*still chuckling asmusedly*
Thanks again

[CNJ831]

JC - As gvdobler suggests, if this is your first serious layout try to fine an existing track plan that you can use/adapt rather than making up something entirely on your own. One source I'd enthusiastically recommend is Ian Rice's book Small, Smart & Practical Track Plans, offered by Kalmbach. Another would be 48 Top Notch Track Plans from Model Railroader. Each book should include at least a couple of layouts that will fit your needs and space limitations and, by carefully following the tried and true detailed instructions, you should end up with something you'll surely be happy with...not regret.

Regarding your question as to track size, go with all code 100. You'll find it generally more forgiving when runing trains than the small sizes. Save the code 83 or smaller for your eventual 2nd or 3rd layout.

As to sidings, they can either be stub-end (one turnout only), or have a turnout at each end joining to the main. You'll commonly find both types in the real world. The latter, if reasonably long, could also serve as a passing siding in a pinch.

CNJ831

[gvdobler]

I think it easier to find a track plan from a book or magazine for your first attempt. That way you are sure of materials required and that it is a workable plan.

In RC model airplanes each new comer wants a scale 747 as their first try. Admirable, but not likely. You get frustrated, confused and generally disinterested before its done.

Try a known track plan to learn some of the basics. You'll run trains quicker, which all new comers want to do. It will keep you interested and you'll learn alot along the way. Rest assured it will not be the last or only plan you ever do if you start that way.

My first one was out of the Atlas track plan book. It was a simple twice around, one over the other with one industry. It was great.

Jon - Las Vegas

[Anonymous]

I like to space my tracks on 2 inch centers. Basically 2 inches from the center of one track to the center of another. That gives you plenty of clearence. I just use code 100 for everything. For your industry, why not make it a flat along the back wall to save some space? good luck.

[Favrefan04]

I wish I could help, but I haven't started my first layout yet. I actually have a lot of the same questions.

I just wanted to post to this to let you know to be patient with the replies, they will come, sometimes it might take a day or two to get the reply, but somebody will reply and they do a very good job of answering them.

Good luck, and I think that I can speak for everybody when I say that if you can take pictures we would like to see some of your progress.

[Anonymous]

Oops, forgot to mention its HO scale.

Question number 5

Since Ive started working with Flextrack, I noticed that there really arent enough ties left over from when I cut and join the pieces together. Can you buy sperate plastic ties?

[Anonymous]

Hello Forum.
I'm building my first real layout now and I have a lot of questions.
Previously I had just been running my American Flyer collection on a bare tabletop.

Now Im building an SP&S inspired layout, keep in mind that the only space I have is in my room on a 6' by 4' table.

1) Mainline, the mainline is going to be a simple loop. Im using Code 100 Atlas Flextrack. The question here are the sidings and a small yard I have planned, would a turnout in Code 100 with trasitioners to Code 83 work best?

2) Industry. Here is my big question, I obviously cant have large industrys but I want something that would be on the prototype (SP&S).

3) Yard. How close together should the tracks be? Close enough that the cork roadbed pieces are touching?

4) Siding. For the siding would it be just two turnouts from the mainline and a piece of track in between?

Thank you for the help!

P.S I would have posted this in the layout forum, but the General Disscusion recives much more traffic.