It looks like I will be getting this little 4x6 layout once the rain stops here in a bit. Has a nice water feature, maybe a shorel line of a lake ect? Trying to think what railroad would suit this layouts exhisting scenery the best out of all my lines that I like. Right now I have a selection of logging engines, 2-8-8-2(to large for these curves), 2-6-6-2t, 2-8-2t and a 3 truck Climax. Also have a little SP(TN&O) 2-6-0. Only engine I will not let go is the Climax. I am open to selling the others to finance different motive power. I live in Indiana, so I know that area the best from railfanning. The Monon is of interest to me, along with NKP(both in the early diesel years) so F3's on the Monon and GP's or even a light Mikado on the NKP. Curves look to be 22" so the 4 axle diesels would be ok, as would the geared logging or the smaller mallet and tank engine. Just not sure which way to go at the moment! Mike the Aspie
Silly NT's, I have Asperger's Syndrome
Since you like to create new things, what HAVEN'T you done before? Logging line? 1920's steam? modern shortline (using 4 axle diesels)? (but maybe not too modern, 89 foot cars will look silly on that layout, so some operation that uses 50' and shorter box cars and no long auto racks or stack cars).
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
I would pretend the layout shows a small industrial railroad, so perhaps adding a track that would serve as interchange with a larger railroad would be possible, just a place where a small loco could pick up and drop off a car or two per session. The two turnouts and sidings that are already there would be where the industrial railroad shuffles its cars from, say, storage of raw materials (where the gray pavement (?) is to the actual processing or manufacturing at the other turnout. Your Climax or 2-6-0 could be the power although if it was me I'd go with a GE 44 tonner or some such.
Pulpwood, with chemicals coming from the interchange, and a paper making plant at the other siding, is a possibility. Processed pulp or perhaps finished paper could be shipped out using that same interchange. That calls for clean cars, so perhaps the car would go first to the storage track area for inspection, coopering (plugging leaks) and cleaning before being shuffled to the industry for loading.
If done right an industrial railroad can use all sorts of cars, and keep its one small locomotive busy almost constantly and still be reasonably prototypical.
Dave Nelson
Got the layout home, nicely built and with the nice embanked curve coming up to the one bridge, I am thinking more along the lines of the Monon or even the local shortline(which leased 2 faux Monon F units during the first few years). The layout is a bit longer than 6 foot, being just over 85" long, which is still fine, I can put it on the wall with the window and move my work bench. I have never done a Monon layout and short wheel base F units suit the tighter curves. Have also never done a Espee layout either. But haven't found any really good books on the T&NO part of that line where my little Mogul lived its years out. Time to go clean out the train room, take some failed benchwork and make room for the layout!
nice starter layout! you have logging equipment so go with that.too bad the big loco won't run on it,but use at club or friends layout.you can run small flats and log buggies with steam for 30-40era,44ton or small switch or road engines for 40 to today.could change cars and buildings for diff eras,or buildings could stand test of time.you'll have multi-lay outs in one! I would cut in switch on strights(front or back) for off layout(to world) with small fold away or detachable yard or track,then any type of cars can show up or just passing trains.
I have gotten a train to run around the loop. I replaced the missing bridge with an Atlas plate girder that I had on hand, fixed a couple kinks in the rail where something hit the layout while it was in storage, cleaned up the water surface(lots of dust/dirt/grime) and replaced a busted ground throw on the front siding's turnout. The rear one is partialy set up for a slow motion machine but it needs connected and wired. Thats good as its up against the wall. I just set the new layout on top of my exhisting benchwork as the original spot wouldn't work as its just over 7 foot long and not 6 foot(which just barely fit in that spot anyways). Need girders or wood pilings under the front bridge. The little T&NO mogul looks good on there I think!! Curves are flex track and a big tighter than 22" but not 18", so somewhere in the middle of that.
Nice find on the layout, Mike, but that Mogul looks to me to be a Prairie that's somehow lost its trailing truck.
Wayne
She is just one of Espee's larger ones, its an old MB Austin import from the late 1950's, class M21 2-6-0. I have been trying to find my sheet brass as I have a Canon can motor that would tranform this old girl into something much smoother running than she is now. But it has to be mounted at an angle to align with the gear box. I did mount my semaphore signal, a grade crossing flasher and a couple of cross bucks that I had on hand from past layouts. I should have my logging engines the first of this week, waiting for me when I get home from work. Will probably go thru the two mallets, then offer them up for sale elsewhere. I think with some heavy tree work, the layout could take on the logging look of one of the more larger operations. Add some light grass ground cover over the ballest to help it look more run down and less of a mainline. Won't be a decision made right away. If I could find the other MB Austin Espee imports, espically the 2-8-0 and 4-6-2, that would help with the decision. Mike the Aspie
What actually comes to mind as I sit here and watch football for a bit, is a line I considered but never got past the armchair phase. The East Jordan and Southern. Only need one engine, thier Mogul #6, which is very close to the old Wabash mogul imported by AHM and International. It needs a few detail changes, mostly from aligator crossheads to Laird single guide type and to lower the headlight off the raised stand the Wabash used. They ran as a mixed train with an old combine on the rear. The Mogul is smaller than the SP one I have now, so even better on the tight curves. A Labelle kit would most likely work for the combine unless I find a brass one. Mike the Aspie
I remotored the Mogul with one of the low RPM Canon can motors I had here. Much smoother with stable speed going around the layout for as long as I want it to. Where as the old open frame, even with new magnets, took constant throttle adjustments. Only draw back is that she is slow, 20smph tops. But on a small layout, this is nice. Need to figure out the overall theme still and buildings. I ordered an Atlas Warren truss bridge with code 83 rail to fix a rail issue going from the layouts code 83 rail to the code 100 on that old bridge I used for the moment. Now if I could just find the MB Austin SP 2-8-0 that was imported around the same time as this Mogul! They seem hard to come by it seems.
Mike the Aspie
As sceniced it does not look like a logging line. Of course the scenery could be modified. What is there is a good start.
I see it as amodern short line with an intermodal terminal in the large paved area on the right side.
I tried to sell my two cents worth, but no one would give me a plug nickel for it.
I don't have a leg to stand on.
Best way to figure a theme for buildings and industry is look at a similar line in a similar era. Then go from there.
Wolfie
A pessimist sees a dark tunnel
An optimist sees the light at the end of the tunnel
A realist sees a frieght train
An engineer sees three idiots standing on the tracks stairing blankly in space
I picture a weed covered track with a GE 44 or 70 Tonner toting two to three freight cars on a has needed bases.
The engine a faded black or blue and lettered for Midvale Railroad.
How many recall the town of Midvale in the TV show "Casey Jones" from the late 50s?
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
The track running along the coastline and on the jetty remind me of southern California, and the tracks in the paved lot would be the perfect place for a produce packing operation. I'd add a citrus grove in that empty lot along the inlet and model a branch of the SP. The other spur could be an oil dealer or agricultural equipment manufacturer.
--Steven Otte, Model Railroader senior associate editorsotte@kalmbach.com
BRAKIE How many recall the town of Midvale in the TV show "Casey Jones" from the late 50s?
Amtrak America, 1971-Present.
A Shay Steamer pulling five log cars and a logging cabose would also work.
I like Steve Otte's idea of a produce packing company in the paved area and something else at the other siding and a orange grove orchard. Have to see how my Climax looks running around the layout. The curved track up the jetty to the bridge over inlet does have the look of So Cal area and the SP. Good ideas guys! Mike the Aspie
For the fastest way to get it up and running would be Steve Otte's SP suggestion but if you want a logging layout that's going to take much more time, work, money to get going. Good luck!
Steve
If everything seems under control, you're not going fast enough!
Got my package from overseas that contained my 4 logging engines. Only the monster 2-8-8-2 cannot run on the layout. The 2-6-6-2T runs well on the layout with only needing a can motor and painted to finish her out. The Climax will run good being a geared engine, but it has a nearly dead motor, so its in the shop now getting a Canon EN22 3200rpm motor installed. The 2-8-2T needs some work but runs. As I am a fan of, and my engines will be painted for, Weyerhaeuser Timber Co, the water would be natural since they were in the Washington/Oregon area. With a bunch of trees added, that will help set the scene. Thinking a small camp/log loading area on the front siding. The paved area can be some industry that would have been severed by the line other than the main saw mill, like a box or pallet factory ect. The plan is to put a "high line" across one side toward the rear as the layout does not go all the way to one side of my room, were I can stage the huge mallet and a short train. Weyerhaeuser used the small mallets to bring the logs to the main line from the woods on various spurs, then the big mallets took them to the mill in Longview, WA. Both of my Mallets are models of engines that ran on thier "100" line. Mike the Aspie
Further research has revealed this is Rayonier's #8 2-6-6-2t, and they also had a 3 truck Climax that is a close match for the old PFM one I have. So, since I will never be able to use the monster 2-8-8-2, it will go up for sale. I have also sold the SP 2-6-0 to a new home to help pay for more logging stuff. I can watch that little mallet run for hours, so mezmorizing to watch run! Just need some logging cars now. Pics show that Rayonier used a pretty common skeleton log car. Mike the Aspie