Hello MRR's! I've been reading threads all evening and barely scratched the surface. Some great info here!
I had a 4'x8' HO railroad (with.... um.... a slot car track on it) as a kid with my little brother that was built by my dad and us back in the early 80's. Sometime in the 90's I tried to get back into the hobby but it didn't get farther than reading magazines, books, and hanging out in hobby stores back when there were some in southern MN. Well, the kids are gone. Marrage failed. Time for me to get back into a wholesome hobby again.
I am going to attemp N scale just for the sake of space. I have a 4 bedroom, 3 bath, full basement house right now but it's on the market. I plan to downsize for awhile. The layout will (try) to be simple and small for the sake of #1- I want to see progress so I don't get frustrated and quit. #2- Fit into any space I may have in the next few years. #3- Cost.
I downloaded and played with Atlas' track planning software. And while I fudged a few of the connections/track alignment, it gives me a good idea of what I think I want.
" alt="Goosetown RR" />
I wont be modeled after any specific town or an exact prototype. Just an oval with some spurs for industries that are local and stick in my mind. A neighborhood that reminds me of the beautiful old residential area in my hometown. And ideally, the late 60's-early 70's as it's era.
I printed out the Atlas track plan (code 55) to full size for a plastic, folding banquet table. Does anyone see a problem using a plastic table as the benchwork? I will attach foam to the top and build off of that.
Thanks for having me! I will keep reading!!
I think this is the link you were trying to post:
My concern with your table is it is too low to the ground. If it is an el cheap it might be shakey. MR has been pushing the idea of using 1/2 birch ply, ripped into 3" widths and wing nuts for fasteners. That's how I am making my 2x7 HO. Of course that wouldn't fold up easily like your table.
Once I pull off the legs, it is easily carried (and I have a bad shoulder) or boxed for the move (no mountains for now.)
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
Goosetown,
.
The only "issue" I could think of, is, the folding part, if you fold the table with the layout attached, for space, unfolding to set back up could cause a slight issue. You would be best served (if you are even going to do this) by having a short connecting piece for each track, about 2" long, that you can slip in and out, bridging the gap. This would be much easier for alignment than just gapping at the fold. (But, if you are not folding/unfolding, then moot point!)
Some might point out that the tables are "vertically challenged" (politically correct term for "short" ), but if you are sitting in a chair while operating, or you make "leg extensions", it will not be a problem. (Otherwise, you will be stuck with "helicopter view mode". )
And, most import thing here, to the forums, and back to the best hobby there is!
Ricky W.
HO scale Proto-freelancer.
My Railroad rules:
1: It's my railroad, my rules.
2: It's for having fun and enjoyment.
3: Any objections, consult above rules.
Why not, get a sheet of 2in. foam.your choice of color.A couple of saw horse brackets, make them as high as you like. Glue track down but leave buildings and such removeable. Should cost less then $50 very lite and portable.
Your not building a deck or second story on the house.You don't need that much beef to hold a couple pounds of rolling stock and plastic buildings.
just thinking
For something strong, light and portable, how about a hollow core door for your base? You can often find a damaged one at a lumber yard or at a recycling store. A 36" door will give you a reasonably wide curve in N scale. You could put a very basic frame under it with legs any length you wanted, wheels if desired. When time to move, lift the door off the base and away you go.
You can either build right on the door or put a layer of extruded foam on it. 2" foam would give you plenty of below grade scenery possible, 1/2" foam would give you some places for a stream with a bridge over it. There is also 1".
If the above track plan is the one you are considering there would be little electrical requirements (turnout controls) very far from the edge. You might just go with manual controls too. To hide the wires, if you use foam, cut a slit, push the wires in it and when you do your first layer of scenery the slits will disappear. Then to get to the control panel, just cut away the bottom edge of the foam and use it as a channel to run your wires in. A facia of masonite, screwed around the edge would hold the wires in place and just remove the screws if access should be needed.
Good luck,
Richard
I would agree with all of the above, either foam or a 6x3 door. My only concern is that you would want to start with something that you can grow into rather than the whole thing at once while keeping it simple... I have a few links that may be of interest to you if you care to message me or write to my email xdford47@yahoo.com.au
Welcome back to the worlds best hobby...
Cheers from Australia
Trevor
I like your initiative.I like the previous input. I think it would be a good idea to do it thinking in a dioramma type so when you decide to build bigger ( we all do) you simply remove dio scenes from the layout and move on. Your plan actually is noce and simply and straight forward.
Lynn
Present Layout progress
http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/11/p/290127/3372174.aspx#3372174
How about a completely different approach to building a "movable" small layout, which can be expanded easily once you have moved and know how much room you can dedicate to your "trains"?
Take a look at the following link, where I describe the making of my mini-modular N scale layout:
Confessions Of A Mediocre Model Railroader
Ulrich.
You are too modest.
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
BigDaddy
won't it be awkward to get a train out of those long interior tracks? why don't you put them on the outside of the oval, possibly attaching them on the straight section of the bottom left side of the oval.
It might also be better put several short spurs for industries in the interior.
greg - Philadelphia & Reading / Reading
Thanks for the welcome.
Henry, Thank you for figuring the link out for me. I'll work on how to attach from Photobucket.
After reading for the last couple days (i've been sick], and the idea of modules got my wheels turning. Pros: learn at a small scale instead of a large mistake. Cons: I really want to get to the "operating" part before scenery.
I went to google earth and mapped out the area that I was pulling ideas from. After making a video and 20 some snapshots that I will print out and tape together someday, I measured it and it's < than a 2 mile stretch. And full of switches and features!!! But my math was fuzzy and looked up the conversion, and I hope I am wrong but that is around 64' long in N Scale!
So obviously I need to eliminate alot of items.
The reason for the odd internal spurs was that I picked a few of the industries I wanted to model and just kinda threw them in. That is the beauty of software and bouncing ideas off people like you from all over the world. I can get ideas and learn from others sucesses and failures.
I'll be around, but I have alot to ponder and read up on.
Thanks for the advice so far!
btw: I was planning on using foam anyway. I just had 4 tables laying around. Who knows, maybe next week someone will invent a better mouse trap and i'll change my mind again :-)
Thanks for all the info and help. I've got alot to consider. One of those things is the module idea. I would like to see a running train, so the traditional module isn't what I want to do. Maybe I can figure out the best of both worlds.
I was going to use foam on the table as my base anyway, so it's no big deal to build some light framework. I just have 4 or 5 of those things laying around. And a part of me was limiting myself. If I have 29"x71", I am stuck there. If I start without limitations, I may end up with a room layout! lol
I played on google earth yesterday and did a "fly over" of the area I am pulling most of my ideas from. I then saved images along the 2 mile stretch so I can print and tape them together. Probem I found after doing the math is to do 2 miles would require 66' of layout! So obviously some things are going to have to be compromized.
That's one of the problems with hanging out reading all the thousands of posts. It gives you too many ideas rolling around in my head.
Now, to figure out the whole picture posting thing.
Testing 123...
http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o277/crathman/Goosetown%20Railroad_zpswjgsqmmh.png
Sorry for the multiple replys. I thought the one didn't post. I guess I am still on probation.
I've spent most of the weekend working on Atlas' track planner. Boy, it's easy to get carried away with virtual track! But I love what I came up with!!!!!
Have you looked at the red oak central layout in MR. It is very very very very similar to your layout you have drawn up but with more tracks you can remove.
http://mrr.trains.com/how-to/track-plan-database/2014/11/n-scale-red-oak
I like the idea of building on a hollow core door as a base.
Also look at the appalacian central. Slightly larger.
http://mrr.trains.com/how-to/track-plan-database/2007/08/appalachian-central
Steve
John Armstrongs book,Track Planning for Realistic Operation, was recommended to me and I am recommending it to you. He addresses the issue of the real estate issues we face in modeling a prototype. More importantly he addresses the mistakes you ARE going to make in track planning, so there is no need for you to learn by trial and error.