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Last Day: 10 x 12 Layout Contest: We need your vote: Close race.

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Last Day: 10 x 12 Layout Contest: We need your vote: Close race.
Posted by SpaceMouse on Tuesday, January 15, 2008 7:51 AM

Welcome Judges to the 2007 10x12 Design Contest. Click the link below to see the layout designs.

There are 3 Scales of layouts. There will be two types of voting. First choose your favorite of each scale. Then choose your 3 favorites overall. Click on the thumbnail for a larger picture and description.

Come back and post them here.

Based upon your rankings, they will receive points as follows: (You don't need to do this. We will do this at the end of the contest.)

First Place 5 points
Second Place 3 point
Third Place 1 Points

After 1 week the scores will be added and the winner announced with appropriate fanfare.

The 10 x 12 Layout Contest Entries

Contest Rules

Welcome to the second layout design contest.

This time we will do things a little differently as your design must have a theme. The theme can be anything you want, but you have to state your theme and tell how you accomplished it.

You may use any scale you wish. Narrow gauge will be judged in the with the standard of the same scale. For instance, HOn3 will be judged with HO.

We will all have the following dimensions to work with:

The door is 6" off the wall and 30" wide. It swings inward.

You can have as many levels as you want, but grades must not exceed the capacity of your engines. You must also state your grade in your description if it is applicable. Likewise, your turn radii and turnouts must be appropriate for your scale and locomotives.

Chip

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

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Posted by HO_Greg on Tuesday, January 15, 2008 8:27 AM

Personally I like the Snover & Port Fuller -- but it's a 12x12 rather than 10x12 so I don't know if it should be penalized or not.

Regardless:

#1 Snover & Port Fuller (again, it's 12x12 not 10x12)

#2 Buffalo & Susquehanna

#3 Altoona & Johnstown 

 

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Posted by steinjr on Tuesday, January 15, 2008 8:37 AM
 SpaceMouse wrote:

Welcome Judges to the 2007 10x12 Design Contest. Click the link below to see the layout designs.

There are 3 Scales of layouts. There will be two types of voting. First choose your favorite of each scale. Then choose your 3 favorites overall. Click on the thumbnail for a larger picture and description.

Come back and post them here.

 Just to make sure I understand. Am I supposed to post two lists, each of three elements, as in:

  Favorite within scale:
  N-scale: #
  H0-scale: #
  G-scale : umm ;-)

  Overall favorites:
  #1
  #2
  #3

  Or just my three overall favorites ?

 Stein

 

 

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Posted by mammay76 on Tuesday, January 15, 2008 9:02 AM

Definately some awesome plans guys!!! hats off to ya!!

my favorites of each scale:

N-scale: Altoona & Johnstown   just Awesome for railfanning!! a few altertions and could have excellent operation possibilities as well in 10 x 12!!!

HO Scale: Lower susquehanna Very unique, i really like the concept!

G-Scale: i dont know why, but im really suprised to see a g-scale layout! not a fan of traction style layouts, but very cool to show that a large scale can fit in a 10 x 12 room!!

 

My 3 favorites:

1. Altoona & johnstown

2. snover & port fuller

3.  lower susquehanna

again, great job guys!!

Can't wait for the next contest!!!!  

(shelf layouts would be cool!)

 

EDIT: i hope this was open to the public style voting, if not, i apologize!

Joe

Modeling:

Providence & Worcester Railroad

"East Providence Secondary"

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Posted by SpaceMouse on Tuesday, January 15, 2008 9:05 AM
 steinjr wrote:
 SpaceMouse wrote:

Welcome Judges to the 2007 10x12 Design Contest. Click the link below to see the layout designs.

There are 3 Scales of layouts. There will be two types of voting. First choose your favorite of each scale. Then choose your 3 favorites overall. Click on the thumbnail for a larger picture and description.

Come back and post them here.

 Just to make sure I understand. Am I supposed to post two lists, each of three elements, as in:

  Favorite within scale:
  N-scale: #
  H0-scale: #
  G-scale : umm ;-)

  Overall favorites:
  #1
  #2
  #3

  Or just my three overall favorites ?

 Stein

 

Two lists. #1 in each scale. Overall 1-2-3

Mammay--you done good. It's open to the public.

Chip

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

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Posted by Driline on Tuesday, January 15, 2008 9:24 AM
List number 1 Overall Favorites

#1 Philiadelphia & Erie

#2 Lower Susquehanna Works

#3 Progressive Rail


List number 2 Winner of each scale

HO- Philadelphia & Erie

N - Southern Railways

G - Borracho Traction Co. (The other G layouts really suck in my opinion)
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Posted by steinjr on Tuesday, January 15, 2008 9:35 AM

Top layout in each scale
N-scale: "Snover and Port Fuller Railroad Company"
H0-scale: "Kinesube Utsube Line"
G-scale:  "Borracho Traction Company" :-)

Top three favorites any scale:
#1 Kinesube Utsube Line (H0)
#2 "Buffalo and Susquehanna" (H0)
#3 "Snover and Port Fuller Railroad Company" (N)

 I am particularily impressed by the Kinesube Utsube Line.  Very elegant with the narrow curved shelves and narrow curved peninsula - a true case of "less is more". And an elegant operating scheme for local trains - something which is also unusual.

 Bravo!

 Stein

 

 

 

 

 

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Posted by Johnnny_reb on Tuesday, January 15, 2008 10:06 AM

Overall Favorites

#1 Borracho Traction Co.

#2 Snover and Port Fuller Rairoad Co.

#3 Branch Line Coal

Winner of each scale

HO- Branch Line Coal

N - Snover and Port Fuller Rairoad Co.

G - Borracho Traction Co.

I find this contest very helpful in the fact that I myself am building a HO scale layout in a 9.5ft x 13ft bedroom. And while not all of the entry's used all of the available space they are fine examples in their own right. If I had not invested in HO rolling stock and Loco's and were looking into model trains for the first time I would be investing in G scale as I find the Borracho Traction Co. very impressive.

Johnnny_reb

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Posted by Hoople on Tuesday, January 15, 2008 11:23 AM

Finally it's up!

G Scale Favorite: (Duh!) Borracho Traction Co.

HO Scale Favorite: Philidelphia and Erie

N Scale Favorite: River Valley

OVERALL TOP 3

1: Philadelphia and Erie

2: Buffalo and Susquehanna

3: Big Fork and Diehl

 

I was suprised the N scalers didn't go nuts with all that space!

Mark.
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Posted by C&O Fan on Tuesday, January 15, 2008 11:30 AM

I have acouple of questions before I vote

Was the room size supposed to be 10x12 ?

Were we allowed to remove the door ?

Isn't the orentation of the door supposed to be in the lower left corner

on the 12 foot wall ?

 

TerryinTexas

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Posted by OzarkBelt on Tuesday, January 15, 2008 11:44 AM

N scale- Shover & Port Fuller RR Co.

HOscale- Kinesube Utsube Line

G Scale- Borracho Traction

 Overall favorites:

1-Kinesube Utsube Line 

2-Shover & Port Fuller RR Co.

3-Buffalo & Susquehanna

 Here's my voteThumbs Up [tup]

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Posted by DigitalGriffin on Tuesday, January 15, 2008 11:48 AM
 C_O Fan wrote:

I have acouple of questions before I vote

Was the room size supposed to be 10x12 ?

Were we allowed to remove the door ?

Isn't the orentation of the door supposed to be in the lower left corner

on the 12 foot wall ?

 

They can be smaller than 10x12.  It's up to you how you use the space.

I may be mistaken, but Chip implied that the door would be useable.  Hence forth why he stated a 30" dimension on the door.

I looked at the layouts, and I can only see branchline coal as the only potential to block the door.

Don - Specializing in layout DC->DCC conversions

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Posted by last mountain & eastern hogger on Tuesday, January 15, 2008 12:22 PM

Whistling [:-^]

Hi Chip,

These are my picks,

OVERALL.......................

1st.    Appalachian Central

2nd.    Philadelphia & Erie

3rd.    Stover & Port Fuller

BY GAUGE.....................

N.         Appalachian Central

HO.       Philadelphia & Erie

G.         Borracho Traction

Good job by all entrants, no losers here.

Thanks for all your time and effort Chip, We all appreciate what you do.

Johnboy out......... 

from Saskatchewan, in the Great White North.. 

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Posted by Driline on Tuesday, January 15, 2008 12:42 PM

Hmmmmm I just noticed something here..... "and not because I have an I.Q. of 160" Cool [8D]

The layout "Big Fork & Dielh" is awfully close to "Big Freakin Deal".

Nice play on words there Wink [;)]

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Posted by SpaceMouse on Tuesday, January 15, 2008 12:48 PM
 CO Fan wrote:

I have acouple of questions before I vote

Was the room size supposed to be 10x12 ?

Yes.

Were we allowed to remove the door ?

No.

Isn't the orentation of the door supposed to be in the lower left corner

on the 12 foot wall ?

Yes.

 

I'm aware that several people did not follow the rules of the contest. But I was allowing each person to assess how badly, the person stepped out of bounds on their own. I certainly did not want to disqualify anyone who had put the work in.

However, I neglected to post the rules for the judges, so how would they know?

Chip

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

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Posted by SpaceMouse on Tuesday, January 15, 2008 12:55 PM
I have now posted the rules in the first post of this topic. If anyone wants to change their vote based upon whether or not the rules were followed you may edit your selection.

Chip

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

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Posted by secondhandmodeler on Tuesday, January 15, 2008 12:59 PM

A big thank you to all who entered.  I have found many ideas from the entries.  You will see my bias towards simpler, easy to follow track plans.  I'm a big fan of scenery.

N Scale: Altoona and Johnstown

HO Scale: Philadelphia and Erie

G Scale:  This one is obvious.  It shouldn't take away the credit for a nice layout though.

Top three:

1. Altoona and Johnstown

2. River Valley

3. Philadelphia and Erie

Corey
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Posted by innocent_gentleman on Tuesday, January 15, 2008 1:19 PM

List number

1 Overall Favorites

#1 Philiadelphia & Erie

#2 Southern Railways

#3 Altoona & Johnstown

List number 2 Winner of each scale

HO- Philadelphia & Erie

N - Southern Railways

G - Borracho Traction Co.

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Posted by C&O Fan on Tuesday, January 15, 2008 1:20 PM
 DigitalGriffin wrote:

 

 

 

They can be smaller than 10x12.  It's up to you how you use the space.

I may be mistaken, but Chip implied that the door would be useable.  Hence forth why he stated a 30" dimension on the door.

I looked at the layouts, and I can only see branchline coal as the only potential to block the door.

Well when i looked the Snover & Port Fuller  measured 12x12

The Philadelphia and Erie blocks the door unless it's a duck and crawl way under

The Branch Line Coal  blocks the door unless it's a duck under but he removed the door because it opened inward

 

TerryinTexas

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Posted by vsmith on Tuesday, January 15, 2008 1:37 PM

While I still like my own the best Wink [;)] I wont vote for myself in the overall competition

After carefull review...

N-Altoona & Johnstown, very nicely doneBig Smile [:D]

HO- Kinesube Utsube, this is very elegantly layout out.Tongue [:P]

G- yeah, that oneEvil [}:)]

Overall

1. Kinesube Utsube, This one just looks like it would be a whole lot of fun to build. Plus I still have a soft spot for HOn30. Thumbs Up [tup]

2. Altoona & Johnstown, nice blend of scenery and trackwork Shy [8)]

3. Buffalo and Susquehanna, nice trackwork plan Smile [:)]

Overall I have to say the Kinesube impressed me the most in terms of trackwork and scenery, namely the urban area it travereses, it would be very unique once built.

Though if I built it I would have a cutout of the Big Guy somewhere on the backdrop.Shock [:O]

 

Chip I have a thought, after the voting is done, after the awards ceremony is attended, after the awards passed out, and after the drunken acceptance speeches given out (or will it just be a "news conference" due to the writers strike)...can we have a deconstruction session regarding these submittals? I see some things in them that I would like to discuss but I dont want to risk tainting the voting pool one way or another. Just a thought...and if everyone elses egos are up to the possible bruising along with the praises.Bow [bow]

   Have fun with your trains

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Posted by Autobus Prime on Tuesday, January 15, 2008 1:51 PM

C&OF:

The P & E could be mirror-flopped without otherwise altering the plan. 

I have it on good authority that the designer's head was accidentally working backwards that day, and left a nice big door space in the wrong bottom corner.  Call it the Southern Hemisphere version, because everybody knows that trains run the other way down there.

My votes:

By scale:

#1 N: River Valley.  I just like it, and room for expansion is a nice bonus.

#1 HO: Kinesube Utsube Line.  Good design, and a nice drawing too.

#1 G: Some kinda traction line...I forget the name now.  You know, the one with the B. Those big trains would really be a hit with nonfanatic visitors, too.

Overall:

#1 - Kinesube Utsube Line

#2 - River Valley

#3 - Progressive Rail.  I like this switching plan, and it's a good place to take a nap, too.

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Posted by saronaterry on Tuesday, January 15, 2008 2:07 PM

Hi chip!

Here's my picks:

Each scale

N   Snover & Port Fuller

HO  Buffalo & Susq

G  Borracho(the oteher G scale plans were waaaay too hard to follow.)

Overall

1. Snover &Port Fuller

1. Bullalo & Susq.

3. Progessive Rail( nice prototype/job!!)

The other Terry, in Wisconsin(Hopple, sorry 'bout yer Cowboys and GO PACKERS!)

Terry in NW Wisconsin

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Posted by BurbankAV on Tuesday, January 15, 2008 2:17 PM

Favorites, per Scale:

N: Snover & Port Fuller

HO: Buffalo & Susquehanna

G: (well...)

  

Overall Favorites:

1: Snover & Port Fuller

2: Buffalo & Susquehanna

3: Altoona & Johnstown

 

There are some really nice ideas here.  Great job (and a big hats off) to everyone represented here!

Peter

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Posted by C&O Fan on Tuesday, January 15, 2008 2:21 PM
 Autobus Prime wrote:

C&OF:

The P & E could be mirror-flopped without otherwise altering the plan. 

I have it on good authority that the designer's head was accidentally working backwards that day, and left a nice big door space in the wrong bottom corner.  Call it the Southern Hemisphere version, because everybody knows that trains run the other way down there.

 

I saw that and wondered if he got out of bed on the wrong side that day

Whistling [:-^]

TerryinTexas

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Posted by chadw on Tuesday, January 15, 2008 2:50 PM

N-scale: Altoona and Johnstown

HO-scale: Lower Susquehanna Works

G-scale: Of course the Borracho Traction Company, what else?Wink [;)]

Overall

#1: Lower Susquehanna Works

#2: Philadelphia and Erie

#3: Progressive Rail

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Posted by Conrail5 on Tuesday, January 15, 2008 3:53 PM

My picks :

Best overall in Scale

N = Altoona and Johnstown

HO = Philadelphia and Erie

G = I'm on the fence with this one

 

Top 3 overall

1 - Philadelphia and Erie

2 - Johnstown and Altoona

3 - Christmas Special

Empire under construction !

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Posted by TwinZephyr on Tuesday, January 15, 2008 3:54 PM

The Kinesube Utsube and Snover & Port Fuller standout.  Both layouts look like they would be easy to maintain in that everything is within reach.  Another nice characteristic is the lower quantity of track in each scene.  I especially like how the Kinesube Utsube does not crowd the room.

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Posted by rs2mike on Tuesday, January 15, 2008 4:08 PM

Great job everyone here is my pics

 

altoona and johnstown

Buffal

Twin peaks(This one has potential in the mountains to run logging trains I think up the grade to a clear cut on top , At the least it would look neat climbing a train through the woods.

alco's forever!!!!! Majoring in HO scale Minorig in O scale:)

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Posted by NevinW on Tuesday, January 15, 2008 4:45 PM
I vote for the Kinesube Utsube Line.  -  Nevin
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Posted by wm3798 on Tuesday, January 15, 2008 4:45 PM

There's some great project layouts here.  The Johnstown and Altoona walks away as my favorite, but I'm biased as an N scaler.  The River Valley is also a great twist on the "big square table in the middle of the room" concept.

Here's the rankings:

N scale - Johnstown and Altoona, with River Valley a close second.

HO scale - The Coal Branch.  I look at that and I think of how magnificent it would be to take the exact same plan and lay N scale track instead.  Great flow, lots of scenic opportunities there, even in Humongously Oversized...

G- scale, if one must run G scale indoors, a traction layout is a grand idea.  I liked Koester's modular G scale rig... Short line running lends itself to Ginormous Scale.

 

Best overall

Johnstown and Allentown.  You HO guys can NEVER do that in a spare bedroom.

Coal Branch - A great track plan that would be even greater as an N scale project. 

River Valley - Again, a great twist on a table top layout.  Great use of the space.

Thanks for hosting this, Spacey.  I hope the MR editors aren't shy about contacting the creators of these designs.  They are all worthy of note.

Lee 

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