Gary,
the plan provided by me was to check out what could be done on a 6x4 when passenger train running was a priority.
Design crireria were #7 turnouts on the main, a 15" minimum radius and a trainlength of about 3 ft. (one engine + 5 coaches) These were my criteria, not necessarily yours. Other wishes like a small engine terminal, some industrial switching and river-scenes were mine as well.
Playing with some-one elses trackplan is always a great start. What are the consequences when you must have a larger (18,75) radius? Using a compass and a ruler and knowing some basic dimensions of turnouts will allow you to make rather accurate drawings; though it will take time.
How are your trains looking on a 15" radius? Do you really need 8 car or even longer passengers trains pulled by two engines? The resulting 5 or 6 ft long train might dwarf your layout.
No-one will design your plan. You will surely have a lot of drawing ahead of you.
BTW how is your 2x2 going?
SmilePaul
hmmmmmm, I see what you're saying, yeah I like passenger trains running them. My last layout was limited to 4 axle service and freight cars because my passenger equipment was going to fight me the whole way on that one.
yeah once my atlas turnout gets here I'm putting my nose to the grinder to figure out what I can and can't do.
A 15" Radii curve, I'm not sure I run them on 19" R EZ track.
an 8 car train no I don't need it but boy does it look cool when it's rolling by.
I put the ballast down yesterday as well as a sign for the road that crosses the tracks.
SP&S modeler, 1960's give or take a decade or two for some equipment.
http://www.youtube.com/user/SGTDUPREY?feature=guide
Gary DuPrey
N scale model railroader
zstripe Gary, I am saying this to be ''Funny'' so please,don't take it to heart... You by any chance related to,,Brett Fayre??? LOL,,,, Cheers, Frank
I am saying this to be ''Funny'' so please,don't take it to heart... You by any chance related to,,Brett Fayre???
LOL,,,,
Cheers,
Frank
Ok so I've had a thought, I could move the station to the other side of the layout which will free up atleast 6 inches. Instead of representing Pasco Washington on the other side that will become Rosemary Washington(Named after my grandmother, my moms mother) I could have a small coach yard on that side and the Vancouver side can represent the engine service facilities plus a couple tracks for freight cars to represent the outer area of the yard. SP&S #50's(the RS1) original home.
I guess,you are not a football fan,,,Brett Fayre,was a famous quarter back for the Green Bay Packers,went to the Min.Vikings,for a season,or two,,said he was going to retire,didn't,,He had a hard time,making,up his mind.. He was even in commercials,that showed him as being hard to make up his mind...But he was a darn good quarter back...
zstripe Gary, I guess,you are not a football fan,,,Brett Fayre,was a famous quarter back for the Green Bay Packers,went to the Min.Vikings,for a season,or two,,said he was going to retire,didn't,,He had a hard time,making,up his mind.. He was even in commercials,that showed him as being hard to make up his mind...But he was a darn good quarter back... Cheers, Frank
so I've been doing some thinking and to free up space on the vancouver side I think I'll pull the station and build it on the rosemary side, same idea just a different corner this should free up 6 inches worth of space on the lower left hand corner as well as the overall area on the vancouver side. I'm thinking of moving the divider up a couple inches, my track that I ordered still isn't here yet.
Ok so the box of track just got here the turnout is a left hand turnout I measured the length it is 8 inches, due to that length it will serve as the re entry to the main from the passing siding. I was also looking at SP&S non pool service passenger trains and found that they ran two I just cant remember their names at the moment.
a left hand turnout will go here also the vancouver side station has been reduced to one track so that a passing track can exist.
There will be a passing track connected to the turnout that joins the bend behind the roundhouse which has been moved.
The round house has been moved to the right side.
Hi Gary
besides the S-curve you have got a #10 turnout. A #7 would do as well and is only 6" long.
Wish you luck with planning.
Paul
Paulus Jas Hi Gary besides the S-curve you have got a #10 turnout. A #7 would do as well and is only 6" long. Wish you luck with planning. Paul
I modified the plan again. the turnout will lead somewhere on the other side.
just got power terminal wires and insulated joiners in the mail today, the MRC Tech II will power the mainline, I'll get a couple more power packs one for the yard in Pasco, and one for the facilities on the vancouver side.
The track work is looking nice. To allow more flexibility in operations, you might want to consider insulating both passing tracks to allow trains to "take the siding" or "hold the main" instead of the train having to pull into the siding because the turnouts are part of the main line block.
Looking good - I like the roundhouse. Atlas?
S&S
Modeling the Pennsy and loving it!
Schuylkill and SusquehannaTo allow more flexibility in operations, you might want to consider insulating both passing tracks to allow trains to "take the siding" or "hold the main" instead of the train having to pull into the siding because the turnouts are part of the main line block.
Sounds like DCC is on it's way to becoming a lot simpler and a lot less expensive really quickly.
Chip
Building the Rock Ridge Railroad with the slowest construction crew west of the Pecos.
Schuylkill and Susquehanna The track work is looking nice. To allow more flexibility in operations, you might want to consider insulating both passing tracks to allow trains to "take the siding" or "hold the main" instead of the train having to pull into the siding because the turnouts are part of the main line block. Looking good - I like the roundhouse. Atlas? S&S
Spacemouse I'd upgrade to DCC but my electrical knowledge is very limited, and 90% of my fleet is not DCC ready. when I bu HO scale stuff I'll do dcc but I don't want to fight with it in N.
Burlington Northern #24 Spacemouse I'd upgrade to DCC but my electrical knowledge is very limited, and 90% of my fleet is not DCC ready. when I bu HO scale stuff I'll do dcc but I don't want to fight with it in N.
-G .
Just my thoughts, ideas, opinions and experiences. Others may vary.
HO and N Scale.
After long and careful thought, they have convinced me. I have come to the conclusion that they are right. The aliens did it.
Burlington Northern #24Spacemouse I'd upgrade to DCC but my electrical knowledge is very limited, and 90% of my fleet is not DCC ready. when I bu HO scale stuff I'll do dcc but I don't want to fight with it in N.
With DCC you hook two track wires and go. With DC you will be wiring blocks, switches, and some pretty sophisticated wiring the way you describe your layout. With DC you ARE going to learn wiring.
yeah, the problem is that I still have a lot of non DCC ready models. DCC is also a bit out of my price range( I think, I haven't bothered to check).
I know I will have to learn it but wiring a layout and wiring a loco are two different things, I think?
You can get a decent starter set for around $150. Wiring a loco is 8 wires, always the same color. Most locos sold now have plugs for rapid attachment. Only the older models need to be wired. Wiring your layout will be a lot more complicated. Now you said you were planning to buy some more power supplies. How many power supplies will add up to $150. Use the one you have to power your lights and accessories. Look, you are starting a new layout. Why spend a lot of money on a VCR age technology when it is becoming more and more obsolete every day. Old does not mean simple.
Wow! That's VERY nice of you, Brian!
That is one of the things I like about this forum. I've done the same for some forum members. Sent stuff I won't/can't use.
Terry in NW Wisconsin
Queenbogey715 is my Youtube channel
Thank you Brian, but I'll have to pass on this one.
Spacemouse I understand that but, DCC is not something I'm ready for. I understand that if your in this hobby you should be able to afford nearly everything out there, I'd rather spend that money on locos, rolling stock, buildings, and scenic details. I just picked up atlas' book on wiring a layout, if I do switch it'll be easy to take lessons I learned here and use them later. Honestly though the only reason I'd switch is if I switched to HO or O.
BrianinBuffalo Burlington Northern #24 Thank you Brian, but I'll have to pass on this one. Spacemouse I understand that but, DCC is not something I'm ready for. I understand that if your in this hobby you should be able to afford nearly everything out there, I'd rather spend that money on locos, rolling stock, buildings, and scenic details. I just picked up atlas' book on wiring a layout, if I do switch it'll be easy to take lessons I learned here and use them later. Honestly though the only reason I'd switch is if I switched to HO or O. No Problem Just ask if you change your mind. I have a friend that collected many hundreds of Locos (N scale) and never got into DCC. He has as much fun with his Trains as I do with mine. Cheers, Brian
Burlington Northern #24 Thank you Brian, but I'll have to pass on this one. Spacemouse I understand that but, DCC is not something I'm ready for. I understand that if your in this hobby you should be able to afford nearly everything out there, I'd rather spend that money on locos, rolling stock, buildings, and scenic details. I just picked up atlas' book on wiring a layout, if I do switch it'll be easy to take lessons I learned here and use them later. Honestly though the only reason I'd switch is if I switched to HO or O.
No Problem Just ask if you change your mind.
I have a friend that collected many hundreds of Locos (N scale) and never got into DCC. He has as much fun with his Trains as I do with mine.
Brian
This is just an FYI:
not to sway you {though that may happen anyway,} but to give you food for thought that I used and converted my HO to DCC.: { I started anew in HO with nothing and went the DC route but the more I read about DCC I decided I wanted that, so I put away the DC locos and started buying DCC locos}:
~ A free offer of a DCC set...even the simple one..would allow you to test out DCC and decide with at-hand information. AS I said your whole layout could be wired with just two wires. {I have the B EZC so I am prejudiced, but it is simple to use and can run 3 HO locos, so N locos could possible run 4 or 5 on just those two wires!.
~ Dcc is required if you decide you want sound. Some locos have a no-dcc sound system, but not so good. You will want a higher lever DCC system to control all the sounds though, thee B EZC only does a few.
~DCC Seems more expensive but the convenience is remarkable. Its like having had a model T and now a 2013 car with A/c cruise, etc. You Can buy a cheap basic standard car that will "Get the job done" but for a few dollars more you can get the conveniences.
~ I am on a tight budget {non-existent the last 2 years} but when I did have a budget, I made ti work to get my DCC OnBoard locos. The Bachmanns are great quiet runners that have lasted me well the last 7 or 8 years. I expect more good use in the future.
~ COnverting IS something I won't/Can't do as I can fry a toaster getting it out of the box. SO I only get DCC onboards and wasted money on DC stuff before I saw the value in the DCC.
~ ONE controller Can control all those locos the system will handle {boosters are available for them to run more locos}, whereas you may need more than one power source for your DC control. In DCC Simply select the loco you want to control and away you go with that one running, while you select another and run it too.
~ wiring is so simple its not funny!
~ once you transfer the DCC stuff won't "seem so expensive" for the value you get.
~ Remember My HO scale layout is smaller than your N scale {3.5 x 5.1 feet} with 2 interconnected ovals, a 4 spur yard and a 2 spur engine facility inside the inner oval. I Can run 3 locos anywhere on that and not have a problem with controlling blocks etc. SO a small layout can benefit from DCC.
~ you Can always sell or convert your fleet,,, I gave away my DC stuff or traded for something I wanted they were brand new DC locos and I bought DCC ones instead of converting because I can't do it. SO oh, well, i wasted a few bucks on my tight budget {I am disabled and on a fixed income "pension"}
~ you CAN get DCC controllers for everything from turnout switches to signals to TTs to auto uncoupling/coupling devices on board!
you are free to decide, but don't rule out DCC as DC may not disappear altogether, but DCC is the wave of the future..so, come on, ride in on that wave!
Just food for thought and
hmmmmm, I think I'll just have to pass on it. I really like my DC locos, some of them are runs that may never happen again like my BN F7, E units, the Execs., the SP&S Alco RS1, and a couple other locos. I'm not ruling it out for the future, but at the current moment I'd like to get an SP&S fleet and layout up and running before I do anything else. then I'll switch, get milled frames, etc.
Hi Gary,
A 6x4 is a rather small layout, you have just found out how much space even one turnout takes. Why invest on a fleet of engines when already 3 or 4 are all you need.
Did you do any research on the cost of wiring? Also toggle switches don't come free.
Anyway, is it time to invest in the future? Or will you be adding more and more NON-DCC stuff? Knowing that changing later will become even more costly.
The above is not telling you what to do, but is meant as an invitation to think hard about the best way to spend your money and resources.
I know, but is DCC really different from DC? to be Honest I feel all I'd be doing is pouring money into a system that performs essentially the same task. I understand what you guys are trying to say, I'd love to switch it's just not a very economically viable option at the moment.
Burlington Northern #24I know, but is DCC really different from DC?
YES!
In DC you control power to the track, In DCC you control the train--the individual locomotive. Imagine pulling into a siding and a switcher pulling in behind you and pulling off 4 cars putting on 3 and replacing your caboose. In DC you would have to move the train engine into a different block for the operation.
That is just one example. You can match power of dissimilar locos in consists. You can run independent helper engines.
Track wiring in DCC is two wires. Very simple, very cheap. No blocks. In DC, the more you grow your layout the more complicated it gets. DCC is still two wires. (although when it gets really big it pays to put in circuit breakers in each section.) I understand reluctance to wire small locos. Only you can decide if you want to try it. The first one is the hardest.
What Space Mouse said and more...
With a 5 amp booster {on the DCC system's 1 to 3 amps existing}, you can run up to about 10-12 LOCOS, {maybe 15 N scale locos} on your layout AT THE SAME TIME, in ANY DIRECTION, DOING ANYTHING YOU WANT, RUNNING ALL AT THE SAME TIME with just those TWO WIRES connected to your layout! ZERO BLOCKS! {well The whole layout as ONE BIG BLOCK}
{disclaimer: your 4x6 will be fine with the above, but if it gets bigger you will want to put in feeder wires so more than 2 wires will be needed..{BUT the buss wire to feed the feeders can be run off those two wires}...and you may want blocks fused off as Space Mouse said...With 10 or 12 running you may still need feeder wires but as I said the buss can run off the initial two wires and feed all the feeders. The feeders are there just to ensure continuity of the signal to your locos.}
DCC is simple, easy, and effective.
More like realistic operations! Because you control the LOCO not the track!
Up to you.