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Five Bad Layout Ideas

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Posted by Jumijo on Thursday, April 12, 2007 9:18 AM

Why thank you, Chuck. As a matter of fact, it will be this fall.

And I'll be honest with you. I truly believe Frank53's layout is going to be in CTT some day as well. His layout is looking great. And his modeling skills are first rate. You wait and see. His layout is going to be a gem.

Jim - a FasTrack sissy and proud of it Wink [;)]

Modeling the Baltimore waterfront in HO scale

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Posted by Blueberryhill RR on Thursday, April 12, 2007 9:11 AM
 jaabat wrote:
 Blueberryhill RR wrote:

 jaabat wrote:
Bad Layout Idea # 6: Using girly-man old-style tubular instead of FasTrack...

FasTrack is for sissys.

Sissys like me? My name is Jim and I'm a FasTrack sissy. Wink [;)]

Wink [;)]Jim....I have to say this.........For a Fastrack Sissy.....You have one of the greatest looking layouts, I have ever seen. It should be in the CTT mag.

Chuck

Chuck # 3 I found my thrill on Blueberryhill !!
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Posted by dwiemer on Thursday, April 12, 2007 7:13 AM
 jaabat wrote:
 phillyreading wrote:

Hey Jimbo how do you custom fit your Girly track called Fastrac?

Also Jimbo you might want to listen to some real man's music by Ted Nugent (Amboy Dukes)from 1968!

Lee F.

Ted Nugent?!!! Isn't he that animal killer dude? 

Ted is a member of P.E.T.A.   (People Eating Tastey Animals)Dinner [dinner] As am I and I am sure the rest of the gang below the Mason Dixon Line.

Back to trains,

Bad Idea #whatever, always assuming that the current problem is the most complicated to fix.  Not getting any power to the tracks?  Before taking down that transformer, check to make sure the thing is plugged in.  (Just an example)  But the main thing is when diagnosing a problem, look for the obvious, then start with the basics.

Dennis

TCA#09-63805

 

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Posted by Jumijo on Thursday, April 12, 2007 5:36 AM
 Blueberryhill RR wrote:

 jaabat wrote:
Bad Layout Idea # 6: Using girly-man old-style tubular instead of FasTrack...

FasTrack is for sissys.

Sissys like me? My name is Jim and I'm a FasTrack sissy. Wink [;)]

Modeling the Baltimore waterfront in HO scale

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Posted by cbq9911a on Wednesday, April 11, 2007 9:07 PM

Bad Layout Idea 7: Assuming that nothing you reasonably are going to own is going to need 072 curves.  I made this mistake in 1988, just before engines that needed 072 started to come out.

Bad Layout Idea 8: Skimping on benchwork.  1/4" plywood is not self supporting for O scale trains.

Bad Layout Idea 9: Running unmodified Marx engines with 2 position reverse - with no e-unit lockout - on inaccessable track.  A recipe for nasty train wrecks.  I've added a lockout switch to all my Marx engines.

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Posted by Frank53 on Wednesday, April 11, 2007 9:00 PM
 Blueberryhill RR wrote:

 jaabat wrote:
Bad Layout Idea # 6: Using girly-man old-style tubular instead of FasTrack...

FasTrack is for sissys.

Chuck - you have captured the spirit of the issue brilliantly. Bow [bow]

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Posted by rtraincollector on Wednesday, April 11, 2007 7:24 PM
 Blueberryhill RR wrote:

 jaabat wrote:
Bad Layout Idea # 6: Using girly-man old-style tubular instead of FasTrack...

FasTrack is for sissys.

Also I can do more with my non fastrack thats why I like gargraves track looks more real and still can cut and form to my wishes not what I have to go with expensive little pieces.

Life's hard, even harder if your stupid  John Wayne

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Posted by Blueberryhill RR on Wednesday, April 11, 2007 5:33 PM

 jaabat wrote:
Bad Layout Idea # 6: Using girly-man old-style tubular instead of FasTrack...

FasTrack is for sissys.

Chuck # 3 I found my thrill on Blueberryhill !!
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Posted by Frank53 on Wednesday, April 11, 2007 2:09 PM
good-  great. Went to the beach this morning for the beach games. Got there too late to get a partner, but was able to enter the three-legged race without one. Won pretty easily.
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Posted by Jumijo on Wednesday, April 11, 2007 1:48 PM
Speaking of pencils and hoola hoops, how are you today, Frank?!

Modeling the Baltimore waterfront in HO scale

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Posted by Frank53 on Wednesday, April 11, 2007 1:45 PM

 jaabat wrote:

Leebo. I make it fit right the first time, and every time. Ask around. You'll hear that about me. 

Just saw an interesting documentary on a worm making it's way through the Holland Tunnel.

Not sure what made me think of that.

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Posted by Jumijo on Wednesday, April 11, 2007 1:07 PM
Glad I live in New England, where it doesn't snow until spring...

Modeling the Baltimore waterfront in HO scale

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Posted by phillyreading on Wednesday, April 11, 2007 1:06 PM

Jimbo,

That was yesterday afternoon! Wait until hurricane season for the really bad stuff!!!

Lee F.

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Posted by Jumijo on Wednesday, April 11, 2007 1:04 PM
Spring break. Sounds like the apocolypse down there!

Modeling the Baltimore waterfront in HO scale

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Posted by phillyreading on Wednesday, April 11, 2007 1:04 PM

Ted Nugent is 100 % sober from what I hear. Animal killer-don't know!

Lee F.

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Posted by phillyreading on Wednesday, April 11, 2007 1:02 PM

The weathah down here is balmy and rainy with an occasional water spout being spotted over land, with occasional nickel to golf ball sized hail.  Temp around 81.

P.S. Snowbird season just ended!

Lee F.

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Posted by Jumijo on Wednesday, April 11, 2007 12:59 PM
 phillyreading wrote:

Hey Jimbo how do you custom fit your Girly track called Fastrac?

Also Jimbo you might want to listen to some real man's music by Ted Nugent (Amboy Dukes)from 1968!

Lee F.

Ted Nugent?!!! Isn't he that animal killer dude? 

Modeling the Baltimore waterfront in HO scale

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Posted by Jumijo on Wednesday, April 11, 2007 12:56 PM
 phillyreading wrote:

 jaabat wrote:
Bad Layout Idea # 6: Using girly-man old-style tubular instead of FasTrack...

Hey Jimbo how do you custom fit your Girly track called Fastrac?

Lee F.

I don't have to custom fit pieces, Leebo. I make it fit right the first time, and every time. Ask around. You'll hear that about me. 

How's the weathah down theyah? I have friends flying down on Friday. 

Modeling the Baltimore waterfront in HO scale

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Posted by phillyreading on Wednesday, April 11, 2007 12:52 PM

 jaabat wrote:
Bad Layout Idea # 6: Using girly-man old-style tubular instead of FasTrack...

Hey Jimbo how do you custom fit your Girly track called Fastrac?

Also Jimbo you might want to listen to some real man's music by Ted Nugent (Amboy Dukes)from 1968!

Lee F.

Interested in southest Pennsylvania railroads; Reading & Northern, Reading Company, Reading Lines, Philadelphia & Reading.
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Posted by Frank53 on Tuesday, April 10, 2007 5:08 PM

 FJ and G wrote:
frank, great tutorial!!!!! you need a feng shui advisor

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Posted by kpolak on Tuesday, April 10, 2007 4:56 PM

Hey Frank...I got to thinking...

Can you post an minimum overhang dimension on that Berk of yours through a 31" curve?  That may be a good standard.

Thanks,

Kurt

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Posted by phillyreading on Tuesday, April 10, 2007 8:08 AM

Bad idea # 3, update; NEVER use Lionel's 031 switch # 6-23011 series!!!

Bad idea # 4, additional information; like jimhaley mentioned use a locomotive with a great amount of overhang, a Williams SD45 will work for curves. Also read instruction manuals about track spacing, Lionel published a book a few years ago and track spacing was mentioned in there along with other subjects.

Along with everything else it is sometimes trial & error method that works best.

Lee F.

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Posted by jimhaleyscomet on Tuesday, April 10, 2007 7:43 AM

Bad idea number 4 plus! 

I used to use only my K-line scale switcher (very wide and tall) to check corner clearances.  Then I noticed that my Beeps actually stick out farther lower down.  Now I use both to check clearances.

This is an informative thread that I will add to the Newbie FAQ post. 

 Jim H

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Posted by Jumijo on Tuesday, April 10, 2007 6:30 AM
Bad Layout Idea # 6: Using girly-man old-style tubular instead of FasTrack...

Modeling the Baltimore waterfront in HO scale

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Posted by kpolak on Tuesday, April 10, 2007 6:25 AM

Thanks for the post Frank!  A lot of really good information.  I was looking into the O72's for Christmas for the same reason.

Kurt

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Posted by FJ and G on Tuesday, April 10, 2007 6:17 AM
frank, great tutorial!!!!! you need a feng shui advisor
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Posted by GPJ68 on Monday, April 9, 2007 9:46 PM

Unfortunately for me, learning the hard way is SOP.  Fortunately for me, the hardest lesson I've learned (so far) has been relatively mild - coaling towers and nearby curves/switches don't mix.  Everything was hunky-dory until I fired up the Allegheny, which promply went THUNK and stopped under the tower - naturally it took several THUNKS until I finally realized it wasn't the switch at the head that was THUNKing, it was the cab overhang into the tower post.  Luckily I'm just an operator with no permanent scenery to deal with, so a simple shift of the tower solved the issue. 

As for BA #2, if you're REALLY worried about Gramma's safety, how about moving her to a safer side of the track and building a pillow factory there instead?  At least the trains will have something soft to crash into......

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Posted by Wes Whitmore on Monday, April 9, 2007 9:38 PM

Great post Frank...

Wes

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Posted by twaldie on Monday, April 9, 2007 8:38 PM

Hi Frank,

Food for thought here for sure.  I'm in the design stage of my layout right now, but I can see I have some things to look at again.  Mistake #3 almost got me, too.  I had planned on using a few Atlas 072/054 switches on my layout, but thought I better try one out first.  I found that everything except the longest engines were stopped in their tracks (on their tracks?) by that switch.  Since my engines tend to be on the smaller side, it would have been a real show stopper.

Does anyone know if BEEPS can navigate Atlas  O-36 switches OK?

Tim

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Posted by overall on Monday, April 9, 2007 8:05 PM
Bad idea # 3 might be cured if you replace that switch with a RCS or Atlas 072 switch. You will need adapter pins, of course.

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