LOL those were my exact thoughts....NS running through the alleghenies and hugging the mountain side.,,,,near altoona/johnstown when i saw the curves on the scenery side. it is very refreshing to see a n scale layout such as this one. breaks up the door and the 2 x 4 same ol same ol.
I'm just not to crazy about the switching side... i love the intermodal yard... BUT a diamond coming out of the engine house? some very wierd trackage as well, goining into the furniture industry... just seems like it was either rushed, or the designer tried to hard to get to much in the space. not that i'm a genius or master trackplanner myself, just my opinion!
Overall i am very pleased to see a layout like this!!
Dave...excellent work on the enola yard!!
Joe
Modeling:
Providence & Worcester Railroad
"East Providence Secondary"
HO scale
I agree--it's refreshing to see something different for the project layout. And the desert scenery is superb.
I agree with the poster who noted that Caliente doesn't have squat for modeling. I drive through the area frequently, and there ain't nothin' there. Valley NV might have been a better choice for purists. However, I understand the notion of twisting reality a bit to make a layout more operationally interesting. Heck, I do it too. Nothing wrong with that. I prefer to think of the MR project layouts (or any layout for that matter) as a "representation" of reality, or what could have been, if things had worked out a little differently. Layouts fall on different places on that continuum.
Kudos to MR on this one--well done.
Dave Vollmer Jeff, Thanks for the kind words! I need to update my site to include the new Enola Yard addition to my layout. Things are coming along. You'll note the Atlas code 55 track. I'm just blown away by how much better it looks. I'm also convinced that careful laying with a little tuning avoids most of the problems people have reported. Were I to use the Salt Lake Route plan I would still do the dual era thing, with both a Pennsy 1950s roster and an early Conrail (~1980) roster. During the 50s, there was passenger traffic on the York Haven Line but none of it survived to Amtrak. However, modeler's license could be envoked.
Jeff,
Thanks for the kind words! I need to update my site to include the new Enola Yard addition to my layout.
Things are coming along. You'll note the Atlas code 55 track. I'm just blown away by how much better it looks. I'm also convinced that careful laying with a little tuning avoids most of the problems people have reported.
Were I to use the Salt Lake Route plan I would still do the dual era thing, with both a Pennsy 1950s roster and an early Conrail (~1980) roster. During the 50s, there was passenger traffic on the York Haven Line but none of it survived to Amtrak. However, modeler's license could be envoked.
Youre very welcome Dave. I have your website under my favorites. I always check in to see if you update it to show the enola yard. It all looks so very realistic! I dont know much about the west. Farthest west ive been is Chicago. If Caliente has zippo, then they sure have this east coaster fooled! I expected a whole engine service area, intermodal yard and much more than what MRR has shown, regardless, it still looks fantastic and hey, im not a rivet counter so call it whatever city you want and ill go with it. haha
But Caliente? There is zippo at Caliente.
They should have made it Valley, NV. There actually is a pig ramp there, plus there is actually some industries there and a pretty wide variety.
Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com
Dave VollmerThings are coming along. You'll note the Atlas code 55 track. I'm just blown away by how much better it looks. I'm also convinced that careful laying with a little tuning avoids most of the problems people have reported.
What did you do to tune the trackwork? That looks amazing!!
Any argument carried far enough will end up in Semantics--Hartz's law of rhetoric Emerald. Leemer and Southern The route of the Sceptre Express Barry
I just started my blog site...more stuff to come...
http://modeltrainswithmusic.blogspot.ca/
Modeling the Rio Grande Southern First District circa 1938-1946 in HOn3.
Dave,
Your layout was the inspiration for me to drive forward with an n scale layout. I had recently bought a Conrail sd70mac and went to see if it would just be a collectors item or if i really wanted to get jump started into n scale. I came across your page and was immediately convinced that you can make something (operational layout) outta practically nothing (space). Ive been waiting for this Salt Lake Route to come out in MRR and I still cant take my eyes off it. As for your idea of turning it into a PRR style in Pa, I think thats fantastic. I had the same idea, just with NS and Conrail running around it, instead of the UP and BNSF. It also made me think to model the Amtrak Pennsylvanian as I had stated in the Jan 2010 mrr thread. Anyways, keep up the great work on your layout Dave. Its truly fantastic
Yep---there really is not a lot of visual difference but I kinda got curious about how it would work. I have found that there were SOME wheelsets that did need reprofiling but not all did for some dang reason----then again, maybe I need to recheck them again
As for code83/code55----a tiny difference-----not
I read the Jan2010 MR myself and I am really impressed with what was done on that project. It was the scenery work that got to me. And the colour----sheeesh, just amazing! I'm looking at mine and going BLAAARRRGH! Not a happy camper---grumble mumble
As for the rails I'm wanting to see a friends layout--he's using the same Unitrack so I'm kinda curious---
My own granger layout with the really light weight rail is at code55 with two spurs going code40---I'm having to rethink some of the code55/code40 stuff again---
You're right about MR---they've improved---a lot!
I've been re-reading the January issue's intro to the N scale Salt Lake route. I'm very happy to see this for several reasons.
1. N scale is a rapidly growing segment of the hobby. I feel while it's limited in terms of selection for transition era equipment (like my 1956 PRR) it's tailor-made for today's oversized modern trains. Wanna run 6-axle widecabs with long consists of 89' cars in a small bedroom? Not easy to do in HO! Much easier in N.
2. It's not Wisconsin. Sorry, MR, but you guys do put a local spin on a lot of your content! It's home, I get it... . But nice to see a relatively obscure line modeled as a project railroad.
3. It breaks past the rigid symmetry of the 4x8. 4x8s are fine, and I used to have one. But it's not the only benchwork appropriate for a novice to intermediate modeler.
4. The scenery is VERY convincing. Once upon a time I modeled Colorado and never could get the colors right. East coast is what I know best. Dick really nailed that dry Nevada scenery.
Okay, now, I don't care for Unitrack for visible trackage. Staging, tunnels, etc., yes. It's reliable as all-get-out. I have some in my tunnel. But for exposed trackage, it never quite looks right to me because it has an unrealistic rail profile and the tie spacing is off for US railroads. In fact, it's really 1:150 scale Japanese versus 1:160 scale North American track. The same issues plague the code 80 track on my Juniata Division, which is why I'm laying all new trackage with Atlas code 55 with a plan to re-lay the whole layout in code 55.
However, given the time constraints on building a project railroad (I just helped build one for charity) I can empathize with the decision. I would have liked to have seen the finer Atlas code 55 used, but that's probably my only beef with the entire thing. I would also probably have made more provision for later expansion.
Not only do I like the layout as built (modern-day Uncle Pete) but immediately my mind went racing toward using that plan to model, say, the PRR's York Haven line between Wago Jct and York, PA. THAT's what a good article does. It doesn't just implore you to buy the latest gadget... It gets your gears turning and makes you think creatively.
I look forward to next month's MR more than any in the last few years!