Track and layout

[Jermo]

Hello to all. I am very new to the hobby and have been doing a lot of research to get an idea of what I want to do. I would like to model 1950-1960 Utah, yet can't find ideas. I would like to run 4x8 DCC and have a track that is higher then the ground track be it bridges, mountain, ect.,  does any one have an idea where I could go or a different lay out idea?? Also what track would be the best to use; I have heard E-Z Track?? Any help is very appreciated.

                                                       Thanks Jermo

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Bachmann EZ-Track is OK for someone who knows it's quirks. Not all of the track sections are accurately aligned on the plastic roadbed so they can be somewhat difficult to get to go together properly. An improper alignment can cause kinks which can and will cause derailments. About half the pieces you'll have will be bowed, the ends higher than the middle. It's important to insure that each piece is laying flat. Otherwise the ends of the cars will be rising and falling and the couplers can ride up over one another and uncouple or cause derailments. Bowed pieces in a curve can cause the track in the curve to be super-elevated and can cause the cars to flip over. The Bachmann turnouts and crossovers are junk. The points don't lock in position and can be picked by the wheels causing derailments. The turnout problems can be worked out in most cases by someone who knows how to work with them. If you feel you must use EZ-Track do yourself a favor and use Atlas turnouts in place of the Bachmann junk.

When it comes to EZ-Track and it's problems I know precisely what I'm talking about. All the track on my layout is EZ-Track including the turnouts and I've run into every problem I listed and then some. I got mine to all work reliably but it took a lot of work, cussing and determination.

[Phoebe Vet]

Since I have train loving grandchildren, my small world has made room for Thomas the Tank Engine and Hogwart's Express in addition to the Erie Lackawanna stuff.  Both of those were Bachmann train sets that each came with a 36" circle of EZ Track.   The youngsters ran them on a flat table for a while before they were integrated into the layout.  The EZ Track worked reliably and was easily assembled and disassembled.  It now is stored in a box because I don't like what it looks like, and for no other reason.  The majority of my track is Atlas flex with a few pieces of Atlas snap track in special needs places.  Most of my switches are Atlas, though I do have a pair of Peco 3 way switches.

EZ Track is difficult to mix with other types of track, but used only with it's own, it is reliable.

[dstarr]

Jermo

Hello to all. I am very new to the hobby and have been doing a lot of research to get an idea of what I want to do. I would like to model 1950-1960 Utah, yet can't find ideas. I would like to run 4x8 DCC and have a track that is higher then the ground track be it bridges, mountain, ect.,  does any one have an idea where I could go or a different lay out idea?? Also what track would be the best to use; I have heard E-Z Track?? Any help is very appreciated.

                                                       Thanks Jermo

Utah.  Ideas.  If you live in Utah, you can go railfanning yourself.  Take a camera, a lunch, a notebook and a LONG steel tape.  Visit rail yards, bridge sites, tunnels, rail served industries.   You want to capture the look of the place.  What color is the ground?  green and grassy? dry and sandy?  Bring back a sample to use as a color guide.  Rock work, is it granite or sandstone?  What did they use for ballast?  What kind of trees grow?  Cactus? Weeds.

   Try the net.  There ought to be websites for the railroads that serve Utah.  With pictures.  Google is your friend.   

  A 4*8 is good.  "The haiku of model railroading" someone said once.  Think about putting a view block down the center, yielding two separate scenes.  The tracks go thru tunnels under hills to get from one scene/side to the other.  You can have an urban scene on one side an a wild west open range on the other. Or anything that strikes your fancy.

Elevation, track that rises up into the hills.  Cool stuff.  If you exceed a 3% grade (3 inch rise in 100 inch run) the trains will have great difficulty climbing it.  (Great difficulty means they won't make it up)  If you want one track to rise high enough to cross over another, and you want a 3% max grade, its gonna take about 200 inches of run to get the needed 3.75 inch rise.   96 inches is 8 feet, so 200 inches is up one side and back down the other.  You want to ease into a grade.  If you have a 3% grade meet the flat all at once, you will have derailment and accidental uncoupling troubles.  You have to ease into a grade gradually. 

  The old reliable sectional track brand is Atlas SnapTrack.  The other major makers, Bachmann, Peco, Micro Engineering, any one who advertises in MR, all make fine products.  Second hand track and every thing else, turns up at yard sales.  Nickel Silver is the most desirable rail, it looks right, stays clean and takes solder.  Brass is OK, the color is off  (yellow rather than white) and it tarnishes faster, but it was the standard for many many years.  Aluminum won't solder which is a pain.  Steel looks right, but is difficult to solder and rusts readily. 

[RideOnRoad]

Welcome Jermo!  I am only about 6 months ahead of you.  I, too, am focusing on Utah (northern), 1945-1955, for my layout.  My grandfather was a brakeman for Union Pacific during this time.  Being new, and having decided on n-scale, I went with Kato for my track and engines.  I was told that both were bullet-proof, and my experience thus far has confirmed it.  Using Kate track, you are limited in your configuration by what track is available, but the Kato n-scale inventory is quite rich.  (HO, not so much.)

You mentioned 4x8--just make sure it is free-standing, i.e. you can get to all four sides.  I made the mistake of putting a 4x8 against the wall for my trial layout.  Luckily, it is only 32" high, so I can almost reach all the way across.  My real layout will be higher (42") and narrower (max 30").

[Colorado_Mac]

Jermo

?..I would like to model 1950-1960 Utah, yet can't find ideas...

http://www.utahrails.net

i tried really hard to use my old EZ track on my new layout and decided it just wasn't worth the effort. Bought new flex track and peco turnouts and life is good.

[BRS]

Jermo,

 

If possible, put your 4x8 table on casters (wheels) so you can roll the table away from the wall when in use. This allows easy access to all four sides of the table. Also, the casters will give you significant space savings by being able to store the table against the wall when not in use.

As far as sectional track, I suggest looking into Kato HO UNITRACK which is very reliable and is also compatible with conventional code 83 model train track.

Best regards,

Brian

[cowman]

Welcome!

A 4'x8' makes a great starter layout, however. you may want to do a little planning.  An around the room shelf gives you much more flexibility.  In your planning you can have your 4'x8' become part of a larger layout later, if you have space to do it. 

Are you thinking HO or N?  Certainly more can be put on a 4'x8' in N scale, but with a little planning a respectable HO layout can be done.

As mentioned a 4' reach is too much, however, if you can put the 4' end against a wall, you should have no trouble.  Of course if you can do the roll around, you should be able to reach it all.

Layout height is another consideration.  Chest level is often referred to as ideal viewing angle.  If there are children, that's another consideration.  The type of scenery also makes a difference.  It is fairly easy to reach over a desert scene, with little tall vegetation.  However, if you have lots of trees or tall buildings to reach over, you may want your layout a little lower.

I have a scenic divider on my small layout.  It is just high enough so that I cannot see over it, makes the trains go somewhere.  A building, trees, tunnel or rock cut can be used to disguise the ends.  If possible do not put it centered or parallel to the sides.  Mine is slightly angled and off set making one side a little bigger than the other.

Have fun,

Richard

 

[peahrens]

You might check out the MR Virginian project layout (early 2012 articles but also a nice series of videos on this site.  It shows benchwork method, uses several types of track, all the way to scenery.  You might want to adapt some of the approaches to your design.

[Soo Line fan]

Hello and welcome.

As mentioned, putting your 4x8 on casters is a great idea. You can push it against a wall and still have access to all sides when needed.

I would use Atlas snap or Atlas Tru Track. Jeff and others have mentioned issues with the EZ track many times on this forum.

[mlehman]

Colorado_Mac

Jermo

?..I would like to model 1950-1960 Utah, yet can't find ideas...

http://www.utahrails.net

x2 on that link. Also, the Rio Grande Modeling and Historical Society:

http://www.drgw.org/

And the Rio Grande list:

http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/DRGW/?yguid=86006

Like many Rio Grande modelers, my focus is on Colorado, but there has been a lot more Utah stuff coning out in recent years. I'd suggest looking at the Sunnyside (coal), Marysvale (ag and mixed freight), Potash (potash, near Moab) branches. There is also the old steel plant at Geneva and copper mining around Bingham. All could be compressed to 4x8 in their essentials and yield interesting ops.

[Texas Zepher]

There is the Crossroads of the West book

The Rio Grande has some fantastic places to model in Utah. There is Castle Gate, the twin Nolan tunnels, the Gilluly loops, Helper, etc.

Plus there are some of the industrial/mining railroads such as the Utah Railway.  Photo below from the "trainboard.com" rail images.

[CTValleyRR]

Hello and welcome! We're glad you've joined us! Lots of good ideas so far. I'll add some of my standard advice to newcomers to the hobby. First and foremost, put your wallet in your pocket and don't start buying stuff willy-nilly until you have a better idea of what you want. If you just want to throw something together and experiment, then a 4x8 with EZ-track or one of its competitors is a good way to start. You can even try some scenery on this layout to get a feel for what materials and techniques you find best for you (and it's a very individualistic thing -- one person's favorite technique is someone else's nightmare). If you decide to do scenery, this first layout may keep you interested of several years. Eventually, though, you will likely outgrow it, and desire something more realistic and with more to do. Or, you can start out with something a little more sophisticated (although you still need to keep it fairly simple until your skills and knowledge improve). In this case, I would recommend thinking outside the 4x8 +EZ-track box. This option will probably extend the life of that first layout significantly, but eventually you will still probably want to move to a "dream" layout. Another advantage of the second option here is that you can often expand your starter layout into your dream layout without scrapping the whole thing. The 4x8 is generally, though not always, a dead end. Your choice. Lots of people will be happy to help, either way.