.....still attempting to get into it =)..

[Anonymous]

Hey guys, ive been away for a while but know im back.....HORRAY lol.=()

Anyway you guys and ladies have always been very helpfull so im going to ask for some more advise. I have my table almost finished. im about just less then half built with the table to be honest. anyway, i am so confused!!!

For the last months and months and months you guys will remember that i am having so much trouble selecting a trackplan ect.

so here it comes..the questions, please just give any advise you got!

I am debating a Ladder yard or a standard yard (only entry form one side, for storeing cars). I like a ladder yard but it naturally costs twice as much as a standard yard. I do not make much money and i am wondering about a few things, what are pros and cons of each yard type?

Also does anybody know where to find that 3x5 n scale layout from a MR issue a few months back. I bought the issue and know i cant find it lol. It was a layout of those green and orange schemed trains (im not yet familiar with the company colours). It was basically a loop with a yard in it.

My switches are going to need to divert power to ONLY one side of the switch, would i use insulfrog?

I am going to make a pond so if i use a foam base to my board can i still nail and roadbed? also what are pros and cons of foam?

My table is about 4x5 to 3x5 with a tiny L piece of one end thats about 1 foot square.

I am new at this but i dont want a boring layout. I am willing to try new things but as one member of this forum put it, i have a sort of "solderphobia" lol. im just not game to try it.

any advise or plans for a new layout would be greatly appreciated.

MANY THANKS!!

Pavariangoo[:)]

[cwclark]

if you are using foam board it is best to glue down the roadbed...if you try to nail it it is going to have to take some really long nails to reach the plywood...use liquid nails or latex caulk which are good adhesives for roadbed and track.... just remember to put a lot of canned fruit or vegetable cans on them so the roadbed and or track can hold their shape on the foam board until the stuff dries....a yard can be either a stub or double ended yard... if you choose a stub yard, you want to include a run around track off the main and you may want to also include a drill track so that you can switch cars in and out of the yard without fouling the main line if your run around track isn't very long ...if you send me your email address i have a lot of stuff in microsoft word that has some basic circuits in it and other goodies that i can send you in attachments ...it is also a good idea to learn to solder..it's really easy..an iron, some rosin core solder, and some solder flux paste is all you need...now to the track switches...there are two types of turnouts, select control and all power...the select control has to be lined up correctly for the train to go thru it or it will short the train...to overcome this, all you have to do is insulate the straight rail and the diverging rail at the ends of the turnout...(it will still short but won't short the entire siding or mainline from one end to the other) you can also use the extra contacts on a tortoise machine to power the frog or just use the all power turnouts (insulfrog type) that way there will be no short...they used to be a problem for older locomotives or very short locomotives but since the newer locomotives pick up power from both sets of trucks they are'nt a problem anymore...you can still power the frog with these types of turnouts but it's not necessary unless you have really short locomotives...chuck

[rolleiman]

To find the issue with your track plan, look here..

http://index.mrmag.com/tm.exe?L=1&tmpl=tm_magl

Insulfrog turnouts, I believe, are not power routed (could be wrong about that).. That is, both routes off of the turnout (as well as most or all other turnouts) are live at all times.. You will need to gap what you want to be dead track and use contacts on the switch machine or toggles to deaden your tracks.

Good luck,
Jeff

[Anonymous]

ok thanks for the advise guys!

about the switches,, maybe peco electrofrog are the switches i need?