cuyama richhotrain: In this case, you would hope that the OP cames to his senses and realized the impracticality of the situation; that is, trying to build a layout on top of a dresser. It's a shame that ended up being the the overall tenor of the thread. A number of us pointed out good HO alternatives that could actually be built in 18"X36" or 18"X48" without the complexity of folding benchwork, citing examples from Model Railroad Planning and elsewhere.
richhotrain: In this case, you would hope that the OP cames to his senses and realized the impracticality of the situation; that is, trying to build a layout on top of a dresser.
In this case, you would hope that the OP cames to his senses and realized the impracticality of the situation; that is, trying to build a layout on top of a dresser.
It's a shame that ended up being the the overall tenor of the thread.
A number of us pointed out good HO alternatives that could actually be built in 18"X36" or 18"X48" without the complexity of folding benchwork, citing examples from Model Railroad Planning and elsewhere.
cuyama,
That is true that you and others pointed out good alternatives that could actually be built, but why is it a shame that the overall tenor of the thread was to discourage the OP from going forward with an 18" x 36" dresser top layout?
Consider the OP's original post, excerpted here in part:
"What I am asking is this.... if you were a young university student who lives in a tiny house and the only space you had to create your layout was a 18"x36" space on top of your dresser, what would you do? I'd love to hear all and any ideas you may have. Currently I am working on a small, one bay engine house. Other than that I am open to any and all industry possibilities!"
All things considered, it just seemed impractical for this college student to undertake such a task in such a confined space.
That in no way denigrates the concept of small table top layouts of which there are many fine examples.
Rich
Alton Junction
Hey folks sorry for kinda bailing on the thread. With the Christmas season and exams and whatnot, I have not been able to really make much progress on this layout. I've been doing some work on and off on my engine house but thats about it.
Right now I am heavily leaning towards two options: 1) being the fantastic layout Steve drew of the engine repair facility and 2) some sort of variation to the inglenook layout that I beleive Maddog gave me links too. I like Steves Idea because it allows for more structures and creates more opportunity to add detailed scenese (which I am really into) and it gives me a great scene to add once I create a larger layout hopefully in the near future. I like the Inglenook siding idea because it has more operational possibilities. Kinda like a switching puzzle to solve.
I apologize but you have to bear with me. I am a slow mover and brand new to the hands on aspect of this hobby. I have a very limited student budget and I can't afford to make mistakes or waste money on something I may not like. It was not my intention to let this thread die off as I am incredibly thankful for all the ideas and support you have given me. I will continue to post updates as I make progress,
If any of you have other ideas or suggestions continue to let me know
richhotrain In this case, you would hope that the OP cames to his senses and realized the impracticality of the situation; that is, trying to build a layout on top of a dresser.
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lone geep It's been awhile since someone posted so I'm wondering if the OP has made any progress.
It's been awhile since someone posted so I'm wondering if the OP has made any progress.
That often happens on these kinds of threads. They just kind of end with no real conclusion or resolution.
Last we heard, a turntable was under consideration. My guess is that the OP is preparing for a final exam or two.
Lone Geep
\
Hi!
Regarding shipping costs.................
Every December for the past 7 years I have held a large number of Ebay auctions - ranging from 45-100. I prefer shipping via priority mail (and I suspect the buyers prefer this as well), and each year the cost of shipping has gone up. And of course, the cost of demurrage has gone up as well. So for those not familiar with this, many will experience "sticker shock" when checking out current shipping costs.
BTW, I too only ship within the continental US. The paperwork and shipping costs and trying to assure that the item arrives timely and safely is just more than I (and several others) want to deal with.
Good luck! I do hope you are able to resolve your problem!
ENJOY !
Mobilman44
Living in southeast Texas, formerly modeling the "postwar" Santa Fe and Illinois Central
arvanlaa HAHA! My work blocks those links as "Gay and ***" for the block reason. My works firewalls are ridiculous :S But that is terrific that you are building the exact same type of layout I am! Mines a tad wider but still very close. Would you mind if I correspond with you in a private conversation as well to pick your brain? I am going to check those links when I am off work and can get some net outside of the office.
HAHA! My work blocks those links as "Gay and ***" for the block reason. My works firewalls are ridiculous :S
But that is terrific that you are building the exact same type of layout I am! Mines a tad wider but still very close. Would you mind if I correspond with you in a private conversation as well to pick your brain? I am going to check those links when I am off work and can get some net outside of the office.
I certainly would not mind! :) I do not have pics or track plan saved on the computer yet, but I can work on uploading that on Monday. It is still in the mock up stage but very feasible. I have a lot of older, but nice (ish) locomotives that I wanted to display/ use. on the layout, I have engines coming in for major rebuilds and repairs (this is a small chunk of a MUCH bigger facility), a paint shed for the finished locomotives, a scrap track for retired clunkers, and a track for refuel/ and testing before the engine in question is sent back to service.
"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose." - Jim Elliot Visit my blog! http://becomingawarriorpoet.blogspot.com
arvanlaa That sucks Rich but such is the joy of online shopping :P I can't seemed to find anything on the .ca site. There are A LOT fewer canadian companies that sell MR stuff then in the states. I'll have to play around and see what I can find :)
That sucks Rich but such is the joy of online shopping :P I can't seemed to find anything on the .ca site. There are A LOT fewer canadian companies that sell MR stuff then in the states. I'll have to play around and see what I can find :)
I cannot figure out shipping costs. That eBay seller will ship within the US for $10.00.
I have won eBay auctions from Canadian sellers, and the shipping cost is nominal.
There must be a way to get one to you in Ontario without the shipping costs approaching the purchase price. Anyone?
richhotrain Have Steven Otte order it on Amazon for you and he can drive up to Ontario and drop it off. Rich
Have Steven Otte order it on Amazon for you and he can drive up to Ontario and drop it off.
Seeing as myself and a few of the other viewers have been singing Steve's praises... I think its the least he can do for the free publicity...
On a more serious note, I missed the fact that you are in Canada. That eBay sale seller only ships to U.S.
Bummer.
arvanlaa 6 million members?! Wowwwww... I had no idea! And you are not hijacking at all, you've added tons of quality posts Madog! So Rich, I checked that turntable and the shipping is $23 to get it to me up in the cold north :P I might check on the .ca site and see if I can find a Canadian dealer that might have cheaper shipping :) If not, I may have to wait till January...
6 million members?! Wowwwww... I had no idea! And you are not hijacking at all, you've added tons of quality posts Madog!
So Rich, I checked that turntable and the shipping is $23 to get it to me up in the cold north :P I might check on the .ca site and see if I can find a Canadian dealer that might have cheaper shipping :) If not, I may have to wait till January...
arvanlaa Steve thinks like a true Brit doesn't he Madog? Honorary British modeller honor in Steve's future possibly...?
Steve thinks like a true Brit doesn't he Madog? Honorary British modeller honor in Steve's future possibly...?
I am not quite sure whether this would be an honor.
With a last name of "Otte", he is most likely of German ancestry - like so many reputed model railroaders. Come to think of it, is this because the hobby enjoys such a good standing in Germany with over 6 million members registered in in the German counterpart to the NMRA?
Enough of hijacking this wonderful thread!
Oh ok Rich. So indexed is very convienient but adds a ton of cost. My old fingers will do the trick :) And that amazon deal looks great! If shipping isn't an arm and a leg, I might just go a purchase that! Might mean a few dinnerless nights... but meh! I need my turntable!
richhotrain A manual turntable is one in which you simply turn the bridge track assembly with your fingers to position it. Rich
A manual turntable is one in which you simply turn the bridge track assembly with your fingers to position it.
In 1:1 scale, this is called an "Armstrong turntable."
No telling how long the Walthers sale will last. You could order at the sale price now and wait for them to get stock in and deliver to you. Or you could order from one of the sources Rich found for you. It's not much of a price difference.
--Steven Otte, Model Railroader senior associate editorsotte@kalmbach.com
There is a new one available right now on Amazon for $43.34.
http://www.amazon.com/Walthers-Cornerstone-Scale-Turntable-Diameter/dp/B000AQT8LG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1320860988&sr=8-1
Ohhhhhhhhh... is that one with the part number for a ready built one? That would explain it :P But thanks Rich! I wonder if I could find one on amazon when I get home (I use amazon over eBay usually. I feel better with it for some reason lol). Thanks a ton for looking that up for me! I shall check it out ASAP and nab it if at all possible.
Steve you said they will have stock in January? And in January are they for $45? If so, I could save up and have a turntable after Christmas lol. Or I can just get the one Rich linked me too. Either way I could get one :)
An indexed turntable is electronically operated with the ability to preset start/stop positions as the turntable rotates. It is very useful with multi-stall roundhouses.
richhotrain There are some old turntables in the Chicago area that are holdovers from the steam era that are used to turn diesels. I am sure that a lot of railroads still use their old turntables to turn diesels. Regarding the Walthers turntables, the newer indexed turntables are, indeed expensive and in the absence of a round house provide mo particular advantage over a manual turntable. Get your hands on one of the older 90' manual turntables that Walthers put out. You can buy a separate motorized unit but don't bother. Just turn it manually with your fingers. Rich
There are some old turntables in the Chicago area that are holdovers from the steam era that are used to turn diesels. I am sure that a lot of railroads still use their old turntables to turn diesels.
Regarding the Walthers turntables, the newer indexed turntables are, indeed expensive and in the absence of a round house provide mo particular advantage over a manual turntable. Get your hands on one of the older 90' manual turntables that Walthers put out. You can buy a separate motorized unit but don't bother. Just turn it manually with your fingers.
Thanks for that info Rich. I just wanted to say I really appreciate your input in this thread. Thank you :)
Sorry to be a newb, but what is an indexed turntable? I'm not familiar with that term. And yes, I think I might try to find a manual turntable. I just cannot justify sinking that much of my budget into a single product on my layout at this point . I understand where you are coming from Steve with the completness but I might have to show around a bit for a manual one that looks half decent and modify it a bit or just weather the hell out of it to cover any cheap plastic look.
richhotrain Steven, U Da Man, taking that extra effort to prepare, scan, and post those diagrams. Nice work !
Steven, U Da Man, taking that extra effort to prepare, scan, and post those diagrams. Nice work !
I agree 100% with that statement. Steve is an A+ class act!
And yes Steve, I was planning on using some 44 ton switchers, GP 35 and maybe some GP9s. My engine house is single stalled some maybe I can think of another use for that extra track. Put another building next to it or maybe turn it into a RIP track?
richhotrain Here is a brand new Walthers 90' manual turntable on sale right now on eBay for less than 50 bucks. http://www.ebay.com/itm/WALTHERS-CS-HO-SCALE-90-TURNTABLE-933-3171-/300614280357?pt=Model_RR_Trains&hash=item45fe01e4a5 Rich
Here is a brand new Walthers 90' manual turntable on sale right now on eBay for less than 50 bucks.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/WALTHERS-CS-HO-SCALE-90-TURNTABLE-933-3171-/300614280357?pt=Model_RR_Trains&hash=item45fe01e4a5
Ah, I see the problem. I accidentally wrote down the Walthers part number for the built-up version. Yeah, that one is a bit pricey. The one Rich links to is out of stock at the moment at Walthers, but they are expected in January, and are on sale for $45. So yeah, a cheaper turntable is possible.
http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/933-3171
I chose the Walthers turntable because of 1) its size and 2) its "completeness" as a kit. There are better looking turntables out there, but they probably look more old-fashioned than you would want, and would definitely involve more work than you think. I bought a craftsman kit turntable for my layout, which is great because it lets me build it to exactly my specs, but even I was a bit daunted when I opened the box and saw about 3 dozen white-metal castings and a bundle of scale wooden planks.
Whether a railroad would still use a turntable has to do only with how useful it is to them. Diesels don't strictly need to be turned and can be operated backwards, and on a main line, they'd probably use a wye to turn a diesel if they needed to. But at an engine terminal on a lightly used branch line, they might still use one if it's already there. Especially if it's used to access different engine stalls, as I drew.
Your choice of prototype sounds plausible. An engine terminal like I drew would fit in on a lightly used branch of such a short line. Setting your layout on a lightly used branch would also justify a choice of short older diesels, such as GP35s, MP15ACs, and GE 70-tonners, which would better fit on that turntable and turnouts.
A modern setting wouldn't be good for the interchange module, though, unless you boarded up the station or turned it into a restored museum or excursion-railway headquarters.
hi Steve
it was rather obvious, the passing siding in the second drawing can probably hold not even one car.
The solution is clearly visible in the third drawing. Apply a cross-over on the extension.
Paul
arvanlaa One question that I posed earlier though was modern railroads (I have settled on 1980-modern era) don't use turntables anymore do they? Someone mentioned that some railraods might still use them if they were already in there engine facility yards. Would this be accurate? Also, other than walthers, I there another option for a decent looking turntable? Theirs is far too expensive for my poor college self to afford but I was looking on their site for other manufactures but they seemed very... cheap looking (I guess that reflects the cheaper price eh?). The only one I found that I found that looked half deecnt was this one http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/322-804 but I wasn't sure if it was a late turntable (one that could survive until the late 20th century).
One question that I posed earlier though was modern railroads (I have settled on 1980-modern era) don't use turntables anymore do they? Someone mentioned that some railraods might still use them if they were already in there engine facility yards. Would this be accurate?
Also, other than walthers, I there another option for a decent looking turntable? Theirs is far too expensive for my poor college self to afford but I was looking on their site for other manufactures but they seemed very... cheap looking (I guess that reflects the cheaper price eh?). The only one I found that I found that looked half deecnt was this one http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/322-804 but I wasn't sure if it was a late turntable (one that could survive until the late 20th century).
Steven,
for those track plans.
We should make a project party out of building such a small layout ...
Steve! The time and effort you put into thosw drawings is fantastic! Thank you so much for them They will Definitly be giving me ideas to use... Heck I might even steal the design (!).
One question that I posed earlier though was modern railroads (I have settled on 1980-modern era) don't use turntables anymore do they? Someone mentioned that some railroads might still use them if they were already in there engine facility yards. Would this be accurate?
So another thing I wanted to add as feed for thought is that I am fascinated by short line modern railroads. There are a couple near where I live that have inspired me to want to model a freelance railroad loosely based on them. Basically second hand locos from say CN or CP where I can allow the old paint job or lettering to show through a bit, older equipment that i can heavily weather and if they are on the cheap, maybe a turntable that they still use. Is this all possible of the era I am modelling?
OK, I've finally got the scanner to work, so I can upload some of the track plans I sketched for your space.
The first is the engine terminal. Of the three, this plan provides the most operating potential. Since the most you'll be operating on this would be a handful of diesels, you could shorten the staging cassette to 2 feet.
This one's a typical large industry. I selected a coal mine for no particular reason except that they're popular modeling subjects. No through tracks on this one. You'll get more operation out of this once it's connected to a bigger layout.
(Edit: I'm not happy with the runaround track on this one. It's too short to be useful, but lengthening it would put the points under the tipple. Might as well eliminate it and save yourself two turnouts.)
Finally, a small town station scene, with a foreign-road grade crossing and a dummy interchange. Again, you'll get more fun out of this one once it's connected to a bigger layout, but you can switch the interchange and the team track.
I don't expect you to use any of these as-is, but hopefully they'll help you see that there are possibilities even in your very compact space. Happy railroading!