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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 Tuesday, April 30, 2013 6:15 PM

http://download.atlasrr.com/09TrackCat/NScale16-40.pdf I'

I'm looking at this N scale track, I wonder if a switch to 21.25" R track would be plausible because it would allow curved turnouts. I could always place a turnout in the area between the 18.25" R curves so that way passenger rains could easily reach the station.

Also I have 3 side access to the layout(bottom, Right side, Top). 

Modification proposition: I could have a passing siding and have it return to the main and link up to the station. 

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, April 30, 2013 5:12 PM

First off it's a sketch not in concrete, the yard was an idea I was tossing around in my head. I'm trying to be as flexible as possible.  "Please do your homework before posting plans" look is that necessary, the choice to partcipate in others thread is yours but statements like these are not needed. The NTS on the bottom of the paper stands for not to scale, I need to get some more track before I can actually get this thing down and figure out exactly what I can and can't do.  

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 Tuesday, April 30, 2013 4:52 PM

hi BN,

the plan you provided lacks lots of information. You could be specific about turnout sizes and the applied minimum radius. From a previous post I had the impression your are aiming for 18,75; you might want to use #7 turnouts for the passenger tracks, especially since you will be backing long consits.

However when I try to draw your plan with a 15 minimum radius and #5 turnouts there is no space at all left for the three track yard in the middle. Even without a ruler and a compass, using "Armstrong" squares,  you will be able to draw plans that will fit in your space. Yours doesn't even come close. Please do your homework before posting plans.

Paul

 

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Posted by Burlington Northern #24 on Tuesday, April 30, 2013 3:19 PM

Yeah, I'll check those out too. I'm going to pick up some turnouts, some more sectional track. Should I put some cork roadbed down under the track or straight to board it. I did cork roadbed on my first layout and I have track straight to board on my ti"N"y project layout. the sound isn't any different.

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 kevinrr on Tuesday, April 30, 2013 1:59 PM
I found that true, too.

Check out YouTube for some tutorials.
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Posted by Burlington Northern #24 on Tuesday, April 30, 2013 1:53 PM

even with the tutorial I'm having a bugger of a time trying to figure it out, I'll use a ruler and some track.

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 Tuesday, April 30, 2013 1:22 PM

Thanks Spacemouse, yeah I'm trying to keep it so that trains won't be sidelined for an hour while cars get switched around.

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 Tuesday, April 30, 2013 1:02 PM

Perhaps you've already laid this out and it will all work, but from your drawing, it doesn't seem likely.  There is just too much in the space.  

Before I mentioned getting a free layout program to design your layout. That software will keep you from over-designing. I like XtrkCAD.  You can get it here: http://www.xtrkcad.org/Wikka/HomePage There is a tutorial to get you started. I suggest using that as well.  

Chip

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

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Posted by Burlington Northern #24 on Tuesday, April 30, 2013 12:42 PM

While waiting for class to start I was working on it a bit more erased the Pasco side, I'll work on that once the vancouver side gets finished/tweaked. lets see the left side will be trains coming from the west and the right side will be west. passenger service from the west t will back in(locos on front of train which forward is right), locos will detach and head to loco tracks for servicing. eastern(trains headed left)will pass station  uncouple and the switcher will couple to the observation car and push the train into the station and will switch and cut cars as needed. let's see to place coaches in the coach yard the switcher will have to cross the main(which is already being held up by this operation anyways) to places coaches in the coach yard.

that will be done for trains longer than 8 cars(like my BN HS ones and pool trains), trains like my Centralian, Olympia Zephyr, a GN train and the SP&S train(which I need to get cars paint cars and Name will all be 6-7 cars, so there probably will be no removal of any cars . Feel free to tweak it, I'm open to opinions and thoughts. keep them civil though, please. 

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 Monday, April 29, 2013 11:04 PM

hmmmm, I didn't think of that. I could put the loco facility next to the roundhouse and turntable or on the opposite side of it.  let's see stub end passenger track, I could place the loco track, switcher track, and car storage track.... hmmmm Texas Zephyr I'm scratching my head on this one, these are good questions I need to figure it out. hmmmmmm...

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 Texas Zepher on Monday, April 29, 2013 9:48 PM

Hmmm, and another question.   How do the trains arriving down the SP&S from the east get into the station.  Do they head south on the bridge and back in.   Or do they just stop on the east side of the station.

Do any trains terminate here?  If so, where is the locomotive facility, and coach yard?   Do the road loco's take the train there or are they detached and a switcher take the empty train away?

Edit - looks like you were posting part of the answer while I was drafting the question.

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Posted by Burlington Northern #24 on Monday, April 29, 2013 9:33 PM

Texas Zepher

So I am trying to understand, I am guessing you are talking about Vancouver Washington, not Vancouver BC.   If so do you want to do the big bridge just out from the station?   That would be an amazing centerpiece for the layout. Shucks, might be a bit hard in 4x6.  How much River do you want on the layout?

Yeah Vancouver Washington sorry, I probably should've said that. I was thinking of having part of the river represented on one of the sides of the layout, so I could scratchbuild the bridge. I was thinking of taking a modelers creative license to it and making a decent station I was going to have 2 tracks(back ins) to be long enough to support a 6-8 car train, with loco servicing tracks and a refill track for the diner car. A switcher will take the detached cars and place them in the station. I was thinking of having a bridge over the station so that way trackage will be freed up for more industries, instead of having a thru track.

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
    October 2004
  • From: Colorful Colorado
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Posted by Texas Zepher on Monday, April 29, 2013 8:35 PM

So I am trying to understand, I am guessing you are talking about Vancouver Washington, not Vancouver BC.   If so do you want to do the big bridge just out from the station?   That would be an amazing centerpiece for the layout. Shucks, might be a bit hard in 4x6.  How much River do you want on the layout?

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Posted by Burlington Northern #24 on Monday, April 29, 2013 2:48 PM

Texas Zepher

Are you thinking once around with just two passing sidings, twice around with 3 or 4 sidings, point-to-point, or something more creative?

 Always a good idea, as a small layout doesn't necessarily need a large yard.  Another option could be just 1 or 2 tracks wide that are longer.

 So with curves this big one could basically take any of the HO scale 4 x 6 track plans out there to use as a starting point.   Any particular reason you are using such large curves?

I'm not sure, the SP&S main is full of passing sidings because it's a one track main(even today). I want to represent it fairly without burying it under the rest of the stuff.

yeah 1-2 tracks, I'd like 3 but would settle for less. just so a local/thru could originate in pasco and then reach vancouver and be seperated/switched.

18.25 curves why so big Big Smile, I like passenger service and there were lots of pool trains from the GN,NP, SP&S, MILW, & UP though the UP & MILW may get a little underrepresented on this layout. plus it gives freight locos(usually a lone RS3, or RS1) an edge and makes the weight of the train not such a burden around curves.

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
    October 2004
  • From: Colorful Colorado
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Posted by Texas Zepher on Monday, April 29, 2013 1:52 PM

Burlington Northern #24
The general idea of the plan is a single track with passing siding(s) as well as operational capabilities.

Are you thinking once around with just two passing sidings, twice around with 3 or 4 sidings, point-to-point, or something more creative?

to save space so I can represent industries I was thinking of keeping the yard tracks to 3 or 4 wide  and running just short of the length. I need to draw a track plan and take some above layout photos.

Always a good idea, as a small layout doesn't necessarily need a large yard.  Another option could be just 1 or 2 tracks wide that are longer.

I have 18.25 R C55 curves I need to buy some more track.

So with curves this big one could basically take any of the HO scale 4 x 6 track plans out there to use as a starting point.   Any particular reason you are using such large curves?

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Posted by Burlington Northern #24 on Monday, April 29, 2013 1:00 PM

Yeah, I was going to build it slowly. I don't mind having extra track, when I built my first layout I made lots of mistakes so this one I will be working piece by piece. 

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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    December 2004
  • From: Rimrock, Arizona
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Posted by SpaceMouse on Monday, April 29, 2013 9:22 AM

A while back I read that a layout will run between $50-$100 a square foot ( I guess depending on the urban to rural ratio of the layout--and figuring N tends to be more rural than HO) AT any rate, I shopped bargains on eBay etc. and I was able to keep my HO layout at around $50 per square foot.

But I traded time for money. I spent a lot of time fixing up and reworking my eBay purchases to make them work for me.

You can cut the costs by a lot if you plan out your layout carefully. A good investment would be to pick up a free layout design program and work out your kinks with pixels instead of money.  

Chip

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

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Posted by Burlington Northern #24 on Sunday, April 28, 2013 9:21 PM

yeah, I wasn't going to count rolling stock because it's moveable. 

Edit- I might also add that the cost of locos and rolling stock will be immense because the SP&S is pretty much non existent in N scale, locomotive wise anyways(and passenger car wise) 

limits for freight trains is 10-14 pieces of rolling stock(including locos and caboose), or atleast whatever will fit into sidings.  

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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    July 2006
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Posted by cowman on Sunday, April 28, 2013 9:16 PM

A layout can stretch your pocket book in a hurry.  However, some things need to be charged in different categories.  Rolling stock power packs and electrical switches are easily movable to another layout.  Scenic material such as ground foam is used up, not recyclable.  Then there is track, turnouts and trees.  With careful application and removal much of these can be salvaged.  Wiring and lumber, some will be useful some scrapped, feeder wires and shorter pieces of lumber.  A little like fixed and variable costs, some are layout specific and some are "hobby" expenses.

When laying your track, do not "glue" your turnouts down, makes them much easier to repair or replace and much easier to salvage.  I put a wire peg in the trunks of my trees poke a hole in the foam, put a drop of white glue on the hole and insert the wire peg, they stay in place, easily removable, if necessary with no damage to the tree. 

Have fun,

Richard

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The North Bank road in N scale 4' x 6' layout
Posted by Burlington Northern #24 on Sunday, April 28, 2013 8:26 PM

Okeedokie folks, we have 4' x 6' of plywood to work with. the scale is N, track that I will be using is code 55 atlas track because I've found a source of track. The general idea of the plan is a single track with passing siding(s) as well as operational capabilities. I have a three stall roundhouse and turntable that will be going onto the layout. they will be on the Vancouver side of the layout as will a passenger station, and an industry or two to switch. there will be a divider in the center, and the other side will be either Wishram or Pasco, Wa. Both Pasco and Wishram are yards(as is Vancouver but I haven't seen that yard.) to save space so I can represent industries I was thinking of keeping the yard tracks to 3 or 4 wide  and running just short of the length. I need to draw a track plan and take some above layout photos. 

I have 18.25 R C55 curves I need to buy some more track, I plan on using mostly sectional track except in a few spots, the layout will be DC with block controls I just need to place the blocks. 

Also this will be an experiment on how much a layout can cost: $34.19(includes shipping $15.20) for track so far, $56.29 for lumber, $23.00 for a building . $114.09 total this far. 

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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