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4 x 8 Design Contest***LAST DAY***

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  • Member since
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  • From: Austin, TX
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Posted by Don Z on Friday, November 16, 2007 2:07 PM

 TrainManTy wrote:
Don Z: I really like that plan! Can I vote for it, or is that Space Mouse's job?

Tyler,

If you want to vote for it, that would be great. I don't know if Spacemouse ever disclosed voting procedures.....

Don Z.

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Posted by vsmith on Friday, November 16, 2007 1:45 PM

 PASMITH wrote:
Yes, the second level is HOn30. I had two Joe Works brass locos ( Climax and Shay) and two scratch built Climax's built around N gauge diesel mechanism's

Peter Smith, Memphis

Joe Works? ...Lucky! I wanted those Joe Works/Flying Zoo Miniland series trains, but I could never afford them, even now they are still pricey. So I just converted Bachmann N mechanisms. Anyway looked like a nice layout, too bad it went bye-bye. My HOn30 layout went away when an earthquake sent it all to the floor in '94, oh well. Big Smile [:D]

   Have fun with your trains

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Posted by Anonymous on Friday, November 16, 2007 12:32 PM
Don Z: I really like that plan! Can I vote for it, or is that Space Mouse's job?
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Posted by PASMITH on Friday, November 16, 2007 10:40 AM
Yes, the second level is HOn30. I had two Joe Works brass locos ( Climax and Shay) and two scratch built Climax's built around N gauge diesel mechanism's

Peter Smith, Memphis
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Posted by vsmith on Friday, November 16, 2007 10:24 AM

PASmith, Is the second level HOn30?

I did HOn30 before moving up to large scale and some of that stuff looks familiar...

   Have fun with your trains

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Posted by nucat78 on Friday, November 16, 2007 9:52 AM

 PASMITH wrote:
Up until the time I actually moved, I was OK. But, when I got to Memphis, it was not until I got another layout up and running that I actually got over it. My new RR is made up of portable modules that can go with me in the future. It is much larger and about 50% complete. The theme is still the same

Peter Smith, Memphis

I much prefer linear modular layouts to other styles, but that 4X8 of yours was pretty impressive .  I really like the high desert scenery you did.

 

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Posted by PASMITH on Wednesday, November 14, 2007 10:29 PM
Up until the time I actually moved, I was OK. But, when I got to Memphis, it was not until I got another layout up and running that I actually got over it. My new RR is made up of portable modules that can go with me in the future. It is much larger and about 50% complete. The theme is still the same

Peter Smith, Memphis
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Posted by secondhandmodeler on Wednesday, November 14, 2007 9:57 PM
PASMITH, you must have felt sick when you destroyed that layout.  It looks like it was quite nice.
Corey
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Posted by PASMITH on Wednesday, November 14, 2007 6:37 PM
When Space Mouse introduced this contest, I thought about the first layout I ever designed and built. I looked through my old files, found my original 1982 sketch and sure enough, it was exactly 4 X 8. I also found some old photos which are very poor and the color is washed out. I was very happy with my first layout results including theme, operation and scenery. I used all of the classic Westcott techniques including L-Girder, Dual Cab, and Hard Shell on this first attempt. The railroad was destroyed when I moved to Memphis in 1986.

Please excuse the unprofessional presentation. This is the first time I was able to post pictures and the first time I used a scanner and I am aware that I need further study in this regard but, there is illness in the family that I must attend to before the Thanksgiving deadline for this post.

I believe that my first layout meets all the "Mouse Criteria". It uses flex track, handlayed track, Atlas turnouts, and Bemo turnouts and track. It is very vertical and uses mountain scenery as natural view blocks. There are no hints of loops from any viewing point. The theme is early 1900 steam logging. The first level is standard gauge ( Photo 1). The second level is narrow gauge ( Photo 2). On the third level are three logging spurs and landings (Photo 5 hoist house & 6 clear cut). I used a lot of illusions in this layout including selective compression. To maintain these illusions, I used clear cut logging scenes instead of destroying the illusion in a 4 X 8 ft space by using 200 scale foot sugar pine trees.

Peter Smith, Memphis
































































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Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, November 14, 2007 2:56 AM
And strong ones, at that..............
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Posted by nucat78 on Tuesday, November 13, 2007 1:05 PM
 chutton01 wrote:

Maybe the Spaghetti Bowl one I was thinking of was this one 10023 - Folded Dog-Bone

 

Didn't realize model railroad designers liked amphetamines...

 

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Posted by SpaceMouse on Tuesday, November 13, 2007 12:30 PM
I just posted my first draft in the Layout Forum. If you want to help me win (or talk trash) come check it out.

Chip

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

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Posted by New Haven I-5 on Sunday, November 11, 2007 11:43 PM
 
 This is for fun!Sign - With Stupid [#wstupid]Sign - Off Topic!! [#offtopic]SoapBox [soapbox]
 

- Luke

Modeling the Southern Pacific in the 1960's-1980's

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Posted by PASMITH on Sunday, November 11, 2007 10:57 PM
 SpaceMouse wrote:
 vsmith wrote:

HO only?? SoapBox [soapbox]

Eeh! H-ow O-rdinary, I was gonna give it a whirl in G Tongue [:P], but since this is a private party, I'll just say 'Bah humbug' and go back to my workbench! Wink [;)]

Think of it as a Haiku.





See the AC -12

It doesn't go very far

Number 4 turnouts



Peter Smith, Memphis
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Posted by New Haven I-5 on Sunday, November 11, 2007 9:54 AM
 I'm in !!

- Luke

Modeling the Southern Pacific in the 1960's-1980's

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Posted by SpaceMouse on Saturday, November 10, 2007 8:06 PM
We have 3 or 4. Sure enter away. We have until Thanksgiving weekend.

Chip

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

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Posted by Don Z on Saturday, November 10, 2007 7:25 PM

So what's the status of the contest? How many entries do you have? Are we allowed to enter more than one layout design?

Don Z.

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Posted by SpaceMouse on Friday, November 9, 2007 9:44 AM

 Texas Zepher wrote:
 SpaceMouse wrote:
Post them here. The top 5 voted by us submitters will go to general populous for vote. Unless there are only like 7 then they all should go.
Due date?  I'm booked solid the next two weekends.

I'm open for discussion. How about we post Thanksgiving weekend? 

Chip

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

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Posted by CPRail modeler on Friday, November 9, 2007 9:09 AM
Perhaps I could be up to the challege...
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Posted by Texas Zepher on Thursday, November 8, 2007 7:29 PM
 SpaceMouse wrote:
Post them here. The top 5 voted by us submitters will go to general populous for vote. Unless there are only like 7 then they all should go.
Due date?  I'm booked solid the next two weekends.
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Posted by Don Z on Thursday, November 8, 2007 3:16 PM

Chip,

Here's a slightly modified version of my 4x8 I posted earlier in your other thread. I modified the plan to meet your 18" radius specs. The layout is designed for future expansion on opposite corners for either staging or mainline expansion.

Don Z.

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Posted by SpaceMouse on Thursday, November 8, 2007 1:00 PM

Post them here. The top 5 voted by us submitters will go to general populous for vote. Unless there are only like 7 then they all should go.

 

Chip

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

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Posted by Texas Zepher on Thursday, November 8, 2007 12:55 PM

 SpaceMouse wrote:
Any more takers. I'm going to attempt a version of an old Paul Mallory design, mostly just to be sure it can really be done.
I suppose I'll enter the two I already put into the other thread.   This time of year (train shows, end of fiscal years for non-profits, holidays, etc.) makes taking on another MR task daunting.

Are we supposed to post them to this thread, or are we supposed to get them into their "final" format all nicely written up and then post them to a new thread?

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Posted by vsmith on Thursday, November 8, 2007 12:43 PM
 ereimer wrote:
 vsmith wrote:

HO only?? SoapBox [soapbox]

Eeh! H-ow O-rdinary, I was gonna give it a whirl in G Tongue [:P], but since this is a private party, I'll just say 'Bah humbug' and go back to my workbench! Wink [;)]

can you do a timesaver in G on a 4x8 ? that might be interesting to see 

Yes easily, you actually only need as little as a 2 x 8 to do a classic Timesaver, I did an Inglenook switching puzzle plan on a 2' x 6' area with the idea of it being a portable something for shows, but given the loss of the GATS here I could only see taking it to 1 or 2 shows a year, not worth building for such a limited venue.

2 x 6 Inglenook, using HLW Mack engine and HLW shorty cars

http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/vsmith/Microlayout%20Study%202x6%20Inglenook.pdf

2 x 8 Timesaver, using same rolling stock as above

http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/vsmith/Microlayout%20Study%202x8%20Timesaver.pdf

 

   Have fun with your trains

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Posted by C&O Fan on Thursday, November 8, 2007 11:10 AM

Ok here's mine

Kinda weird but certainly different

 

Think Vertical,3 Levels High. Kinda like the mountain the guy was trying to model in "Close Encounters"

The center loops are a helix with access via the inside turnout

There would be tunnel portals on either side of the inside turnout and only the front track

and sidings would be visible on each level

The center would be hidden by vertical rock walls

The tracks could vary on each level to suite your needs

and more runaround space could be had by using curved turnouts 

The upper levels would be supported by 1X2s cantilevered from a center box frame

so that there are no posts on the outside edges

Each level would be 12 inches apart

Three levels high

Starting at 3ft 

With the top level at 5 ft

Questions ?

  TerryinTexas

TerryinTexas

See my Web Site Here

http://conewriversubdivision.yolasite.com/

 

 

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Posted by SpaceMouse on Thursday, November 8, 2007 8:03 AM
Any more takers. I'm going to attempt a version of an old Paul Mallory design, mostly just to be sure it can really be done.

Chip

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

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Posted by ereimer on Wednesday, November 7, 2007 10:07 PM
 vsmith wrote:

HO only?? SoapBox [soapbox]

Eeh! H-ow O-rdinary, I was gonna give it a whirl in G Tongue [:P], but since this is a private party, I'll just say 'Bah humbug' and go back to my workbench! Wink [;)]

can you do a timesaver in G on a 4x8 ? that might be interesting to see 

  • Member since
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Posted by SpaceMouse on Wednesday, November 7, 2007 8:00 PM
 Chuck Geiger wrote:

Space - what do you win?

Bragging rights and seeing your name in lights.  

Chip

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

  • Member since
    December 2004
  • From: Rimrock, Arizona
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Posted by SpaceMouse on Wednesday, November 7, 2007 7:58 PM
 vsmith wrote:

HO only?? SoapBox [soapbox]

Eeh! H-ow O-rdinary, I was gonna give it a whirl in G Tongue [:P], but since this is a private party, I'll just say 'Bah humbug' and go back to my workbench! Wink [;)]

Think of it as a Haiku.

Chip

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

  • Member since
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Posted by on30francisco on Wednesday, November 7, 2007 7:33 PM
 vsmith wrote:

HO only?? SoapBox [soapbox]

Eeh! H-ow O-rdinary, I was gonna give it a whirl in G Tongue [:P], but since this is a private party, I'll just say 'Bah humbug' and go back to my workbench! Wink [;)]

I've been tempted to build a small Gn15 layout on a 4x8; not for the contest but to complement the 45mm gauge equipment. I've seen some excellent ones featured in NGSL. Gn15 can realisticaly be built with curves that would be considered very sharp in HO - and you have all the advantages of Large Scale. 

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