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The North Bank road in N scale 4' x 6' layout

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Posted by Burlington Northern #24 on Friday, May 10, 2013 10:10 AM

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?

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 

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Posted by SpaceMouse on Friday, May 10, 2013 8:35 AM

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.

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. 

Chip

Building the Rock Ridge Railroad with the slowest construction crew west of the Pecos.

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Posted by galaxy on Friday, May 10, 2013 4:45 AM

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.

 
Once you go DCC you won't go back! I promise you that..it is worth the investment!
 
Once we saw how easy DCC was and the ease of it in My HO, we decided we would only go forward in DCC in N scale for under the Christmas tree layout {MOH is into N scale too}.We, to have too much in N to go backwards...but oh well...
 
With DCC you COULD, essentially, wire your whole N scale 4x6 with just 2 wires IF you have no reversing loops or the typical polarity issues reversing electrical problems the reverse loop entails. Of course you would want feeder wires to help along the way, but you could, conceivably wire with just 2 wires! But with just 2 wires, you could run up to 3 N scale locos, MAYBE 4 with even the simple basic Bachmann EZ Command DCC system- in any direction, speed and as many as you want on any of your track work with just those two wires...But youd' want feeders to be sufre of continuity of signal to the locos.
 
just food for thought...
Geeked

-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.

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Posted by Burlington Northern #24 on Friday, May 10, 2013 1:27 AM

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

yes sir Atlas roundhouse. so the insulating of the track do it on the main line and the passing/ Pasco yard entry track. 

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.

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 

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Posted by SpaceMouse on Thursday, May 9, 2013 7:59 PM

Schuylkill and Susquehanna
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.

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.

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Posted by Schuylkill and Susquehanna on Thursday, May 9, 2013 7:30 PM

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!

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Posted by Burlington Northern #24 on Thursday, May 9, 2013 1:10 PM

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 

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Posted by Burlington Northern #24 on Thursday, May 9, 2013 12:47 PM

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.

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 

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Posted by Burlington Northern #24 on Wednesday, May 8, 2013 1:42 PM

I modified the plan again. the turnout will lead somewhere on the other side. 

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 

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Posted by Burlington Northern #24 on Wednesday, May 8, 2013 9:37 AM

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

is the S-curve at the top picture?  I will look for #7's thank you Paul!

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 

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Posted by Paulus Jas on Wednesday, May 8, 2013 1:52 AM

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

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Posted by Burlington Northern #24 on Tuesday, May 7, 2013 9:13 PM

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. 

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 

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Posted by Burlington Northern #24 on Tuesday, May 7, 2013 4:17 PM

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.

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 

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Posted by Burlington Northern #24 on Sunday, May 5, 2013 1:55 PM

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. 

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 

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Posted by Burlington Northern #24 on Friday, May 3, 2013 3:50 PM

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

ohhhhhh Brett Favre I know who he is, I'm a Dolphins fan myself. yeah, it's a very big flaw that I have. like last night I was thinking of repainting my MRL GP9 into a fictional unit for my DRST it would've been an SFI unit because it would switch industries that my grandpa(in my modeling world owns a bigger truck business than his real owner operator one.)

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 

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Posted by zstripe on Friday, May 3, 2013 3:27 PM

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

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Posted by Burlington Northern #24 on Friday, May 3, 2013 3:03 PM

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.

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 

  • Member since
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Posted by Burlington Northern #24 on Friday, May 3, 2013 12:25 PM

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'm not, I posted on a forum where insults were instantaneous and very common. Who's Brett Fayre? Hmm

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 

  • Member since
    June 2012
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Posted by Burlington Northern #24 on Friday, May 3, 2013 12:23 PM

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. Big Smile

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 

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Posted by Paulus Jas on Friday, May 3, 2013 11:05 AM

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?

Smile
Paul 

 

 

 

Tags: tart.
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Posted by Anonymous on Friday, May 3, 2013 7:26 AM

Gary - don´t be afraid of using someone else´s track plan for your own layout. It´ll be your layout anyway, as there is much more to a well built layout than just the track plan. You care in building the scenery, placing the structures and detailing the whole thing will add your personal flavor, making it your layout!

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Posted by SpaceMouse on Friday, May 3, 2013 7:14 AM

Burlington Northern #24
The reason I'm so wary of that though is that I want something to call my own, I know I can take his track plan and add my creative license but is it really mine?  

No one is going to care if you use this plan. This is not school and you will not be arrested for plagiarism or copyright infringement.  Hell, I'm sure Paul will be flattered.

There are so many aspects to this hobby that by the time you get the track laid, this layout will be your own.  

Chip

Building the Rock Ridge Railroad with the slowest construction crew west of the Pecos.

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Posted by galaxy on Friday, May 3, 2013 7:10 AM

Gary, you may be beyond this stage, maybe not, but you can always acquire some of the track you think you need in various size R cuves, straight pieces  and switches, and COPY them on a copier/scanner/printer to get a template of what they look like and with accurate dimensions.

Then tape them down in place on your board to see what fits where.

Its  a bit crude, but works to give you a  life-sized layout plan with buying/wasting too much track.

That is how I determined what all I could fit in my HO scale 3.5 x 5.1 foot layout.

Geeked

-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.

  • Member since
    January 2010
  • From: Chi-Town
  • 7,712 posts
Posted by zstripe on Friday, May 3, 2013 3:46 AM

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

  • Member since
    June 2012
  • 2,297 posts
Posted by Burlington Northern #24 on Friday, May 3, 2013 12:56 AM

yeah, I'll do a 1:1 scale version of my trackplan. my not to scale one seems to be getting me into more trouble than it's worth. it'll take me a bit though a family issue has arisen. I'm going to do some rearranging, my track should be here tomorrow or saturday, I've contacted atlas.

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 

  • Member since
    April 2003
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Posted by Anonymous on Friday, May 3, 2013 12:02 AM

Burlington Northern #24

oh, maybe. I'm gonna need some time to think this over, I feel like this layouts going backwards farther than it is forward...

If I were French, I´d say "aux contraire, Monsieur!" OK, we dump a lot of good advice over you, which is sometimes hard to digest, but that´s called learning curve.

Take your time to develop a layout design which you´ll like. It is time well spent - after all, a layout will cost you some $$$ and time, which you want to see invested into something finding your own appreciation.

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Posted by mbinsewi on Thursday, May 2, 2013 9:12 PM

Burlington Northern #24

The reason I'm so wary of that though is that I want something to call my own, I know I can take his track plan and add my creative license but is it really mine?  

I'm gonna keep thinking this over and making some adjustments. 

I can certainly understand that.  Can you use the track you already have for size and shape dimensions to aid in the designing of this layout? I would think what you use now would be close enough for design puposes.  I guess I would use a scaled drawing, (you know, good old scale ruler, drawing board, compass for radiues, etc ), maybe track mock-ups, whatever works, and do your design.  Maybe get the track plan down, just the way you want it, and operationally possible, and figure out from there how to add in the divider.  Maybe it would work best on an angle, or maybe curved, or a "dog-leg" type with a couple of angles.   I think you have a good random sampling of input from all those that are interested, and you are the one that knows what you want, and make it work.  I'm anxious to see what you come up with!

Have fun designing!

Mike.

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Posted by Burlington Northern #24 on Thursday, May 2, 2013 4:46 PM

The reason I'm so wary of that though is that I want something to call my own, I know I can take his track plan and add my creative license but is it really mine?  

I'm gonna keep thinking this over and making some adjustments. 

Galaxy in the cork or any roadbed in general thread you mentioned WS risers, I was thinking of getting the lowest ones and and making a small bridgeand getting a level piece so the main is elevated along the river. 

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 

  • Member since
    May 2010
  • From: SE. WI.
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Posted by mbinsewi on Thursday, May 2, 2013 4:39 PM

I think that's a neat little plan, too.  Maybe have the river run with the divider on one, or both sides, to give the "riverside running" feel, and use some "forced perspective" ideas with the scenery between the river and the divider backdrop painting to add to the depth.

Mike.

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Posted by Burlington Northern #24 on Thursday, May 2, 2013 4:33 PM

oh, maybe. I'm gonna need some time to think this over, I feel like this layouts going backwards farther than it is forward...

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 

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