Trains.com

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

Okay N-siders, what's the deal? (Plan Added)

4602 views
65 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    December 2004
  • From: Rimrock, Arizona
  • 11,251 posts
Posted by SpaceMouse on Sunday, December 16, 2007 10:12 AM

Here's what the shelves would look like with the blobs in place.

Chip

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

  • Member since
    December 2004
  • From: Rimrock, Arizona
  • 11,251 posts
Posted by SpaceMouse on Sunday, December 16, 2007 9:51 AM
 nolatron wrote:

I'm using 20" minimum on my mainline on my shelf layout, though it's a point-2-point with staging.

What about creating a loop around the office?  Have a diagram of the layout of the office? 

Just working on it.

Chip

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

  • Member since
    November 2004
  • From: New Orleans, LA
  • 64 posts
Posted by nolatron on Sunday, December 16, 2007 9:07 AM

I'm using 20" minimum on my mainline on my shelf layout, though it's a point-2-point with staging.

What about creating a loop around the office?  Have a diagram of the layout of the office? 

Shaun

  • Member since
    December 2004
  • From: Rimrock, Arizona
  • 11,251 posts
Posted by SpaceMouse on Sunday, December 16, 2007 9:00 AM
 dad1218 wrote:

   How much room do you have? You will probably need to run 15" radius curves for the passenger equipment.

That's the problem. I have 53" from my desk to the wall in one direction and 60" on the other. If I go with 15" radius turns, then I am looking at coming out from the wall 32" minimum leaving 21" clearance desk to layout. I have to get my chair out from behind the desk to be more intimate with my clients when they come over.

Having a 12-18 inch shelf is one thing, 30" takes over the room. This is a professional office not a den. It would have been cool to set a train running on one shelf though.  

Chip

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

  • Member since
    January 2007
  • From: NC Piedmont
  • 154 posts
Posted by dad1218 on Sunday, December 16, 2007 8:15 AM

   How much room do you have? You will probably need to run 15" radius curves for the passenger equipment. My passenger coaches make it around 12 3/8 radius curves on my layout and it ain't pretty. But those coaches are 79' 8" and no skirting around the trucks. My diner car don't make it, it is 83' 2" long with some skirting above the trucks. The skirting keeps the trucks from turning far enough to make the turn.

                         Gary

  • Member since
    November 2003
  • From: Colorado Springs, CO
  • 2,742 posts
Posted by Dave Vollmer on Sunday, December 16, 2007 7:04 AM

Chip,

Folks may toss 9.75" or 11" at you, but if you've got passenger cars and 6-axle diesels, you praobably need to go 13".  That's not just for looks...  My old layout had 11" radius curves and my 6-axle E8 and E7 locos would come close to binding in those curves.  Forget it completely if you consider someday to run steam.  I'd say for peace of mind, not an inch under 13".

Others may disagree.  But since switching to N scale in 2002 I've hit it pretty hard, trying to fit large steam and 20-car trains on a hollow-core door; I feel confident I've tested the limits of N scale.

Good luck, Chip, and welcome to N scale! 

Modeling the Rio Grande Southern First District circa 1938-1946 in HOn3.

  • Member since
    December 2004
  • From: Rimrock, Arizona
  • 11,251 posts
Okay N-siders, what's the deal? (Plan Added)
Posted by SpaceMouse on Sunday, December 16, 2007 6:57 AM

I just moved my office into my home and I plan to work from home. As part of this move, I am building shelves in the corner. Now I have the stuff sitting around to build a N-scale layout, but I can't build one that takes attention like a switching layout.

So that means I have to be able to turn the trains. But I can come out too far into the room or in no longer looks like a shelf and it defeats the purpose--and risks veto from my higher authority. So figure I'm running a modern NS mixed freight and a modern Amtrak, what is the minimum radius turn I can negotiate--not that necessarily looks good, because I can disguise that.

Chip

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

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

Users Online

There are no community member online

Search the Community

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Model Railroader Newsletter See all
Sign up for our FREE e-newsletter and get model railroad news in your inbox!