Well, why not?
A lot of us have certain must-have elements or features. And a reason for them.
Currently, it's:
48" minimum mainline radius
a decent representation of the trackage at Lyle, WA
When I was younger, I absolutely wanted a turntable. I even built a 2x8 engine terminal layout. I'd do it again, except there's no place for one in my current design.
I'd also like to have a nice steel truss bridge (like the Central Valley) and a ready-mix facility. Again, no place for either, currently. I DO have the "parts" for both tucked away for that great day, however.
Ed
Cool unique diecast cars to use in a diorama scene on your layout?
Warbonnet F7's and Y6b's
Cuda Ken
I hate Rust
Lifetime wants for a layout.
I have.
Grain elevator.
Turntable/roundhouse.
Curves large enough for brass ( currently 32" and up) close I know.
An early 20th century Canadian Pacific feel to the layout. (getting there)
Everything must be to scale. (so far so good)
I need staging (waiting to move for that)
I'll think of more and add them on later.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
Great replies, so far.
I surely wouldn't mind if people added in the "whys". IF the come to mind. NOT compulsory. These are things you don't have to justify. On the other hand, I have an interest in the RF&P because I spent my 9th grade English and French classes looking out the window at the end of Potomac Yard. Longingly.
For me, the 48" is kind of self-explaining. Lyle is because it's on the old SP&S mainline. A branch left from Lyle to go to Goldendale. It actually preceded the mainline. And it's kind of small (Lyle). Only 1 bar. Or is it two? I expect just to have the station, outbuildings, water tanks and the bridge. And the trackage, of course.
I try to avoid selective compression if I can. I'm also working on a Free-mo module which is an accurate model of most of downtown Sunol, CA. Yes, it's kinda small.
Walthers 2002 NMRA Tracks in the Sand 6 car Set?
An Athearn Amtrak P40 in the "Phase 3 Fading Stripes" Scheme?
An Athearn Amtrak P42 in the "Phase 4 Purple Stripe" Scheme?
A Rapido Amtrak F40PH in the "Phase 3" Scheme?
A Big Santa Fe Steamer? Say a BLI 2-10-2
Gotta haves on my ISLs.
18 wheelers
Trailer drop lot
Scrap bins
weeds/srub trees.
Stacks of used skids
A street that is blocked by switch moves.
Office for Summerset Ry,Huron River or Slate Creek Rail.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
What every New York Central modeler wants (but doesn't have the room) TRACK PANS !!!
JOHN C TARANTO What every New York Central modeler wants (but doesn't have the room) TRACK PANS !!!
Things I want.
Amtrak P40 in Phase III, Phase IV Superliner II's and 85' ex coach baggage car.
A long train with two to three locomotives with 20 freight cars long.
Broader curves 18" instead of 15".
Room for a decent size freight yard and switch some cars.
One to two cities for the Amtrak.
Interchangeable scenery for desert and forest type
Realism between railroad and town/ industry spacing.
Their is more but I'm drawing some blanks.
Amtrak America, 1971-Present.
1. Passenger trains. Lots of 'em. All kinds. Long distance limiteds. Locals. Commuters. Even a mixed train.
2. Covered wagons. Es and Fs. The more the merrier. My earliest memories of diesels were F units. The MoPac line through Omaha wasn't far from where I lived and we often got stopped on California St. on our way to Peony Park or some other location on the west side of Omaha. Typically I would see various lashups of 4 or more units, both As and Bs. We would signal for the engineer to blow his horn and more often than not he would oblige. Sadly that line is now gone but my memories are not.
3. Steam locos. Lots of variety. Big and small.
That's my top 3. And I've been able to achieve that on my current layout.
For the final STRATTON & GILLETTE it will be:
.
24" minimum hidden radius, 36" minimum visible mainline radius, 24" minimum visible branchline radius.
A decent representation of trackage.
Two turntables for point-to-point operation.
One engine terminal.
Absolutely there will be the Central Valley truss bridge.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
The New Haven Railroad will be on any layout I create.
Operations will be the focus, and switching industries is part of that, no matter the size.
Wireless DCC will be the control system.
An engine terminal (even a small one) is a must.
Passenger ops will be present, even if it's only a railbus or doodlebug.
Other than that, I'm pretty flexible when it comes to particular structures, scenery, etc. As long as it looks like pre-1969 southern New England, I'm good.
I want (and will have eventually):
A 9 stall roundhouse and a turntable (that's a bit like saying a 'two wheeled bicycle'. Obviously if you have a large roundhouse you have to have a turntable!),
Steam and diesel service facilities,
An HOn30 mine scene,
Trestles and bridges,
White quartz mountains (there is a long story behind that),
A reasonably sized yard with all the necessary accompanying trackage to make it workable,
An urban scene with tall buildings,
Several sidings, both industrial and passenger related,
A main passenger station with enough track to hold a decent length passenger train, i.e. the Canadian Pacific 'Canadian'.
All of these elements are included in my layout plan. I just need to get off my butt and do it! Unfortunately my back pain is making it hard to move forward. I'm looking into medical marijuana but I seem to be rather resistant to using it.
Cheers guys!
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
A bigger yard for the Tropicana facility New Yorkers drink a lot of OJ.
Joe Staten Island West
Steam Locomotives
River scene, preferably with a waterfall (no minimum height)
Continuous run ability - sometimes just want to let 'em roll
Small town "downtown" scene
Mike
Well, my railroad room & layout under construction is much smaller than I wanted (naturally!) but I managed to get a few things I had to have.
1: Western Maryland Ry steam
2: 2 90' turntables-point to point
3: two decent size coal mines
4: nice Fall mountain scenery
5: a longish track on a narrow 12" shelf that looks like the area along Cromwell Bridge Road on the Ma&Pa for scenic viewing
6: a workbench & paint booth
Sacrificed because of the size of the room (14x16) unfortunately:
1: my 15 stall roundhouse
2: hidden staging/interchange
3: long minline runs
4: 40-50 car coal trains
All in all being smaller I should be able to have trains running by Christmas which would have never happened with the 18x32 building originally planned.
Roger Huber
Deer Creek Locomotive Works
I have to have an intermodal yard. I always loved trucks and trains so trucks on trains is a high priority. I have to have roads and parking lots for my car and truck collection. I have to have buildings with interiors. (HO scale doll houses)I have to have lots of people and animals.I have to have a railroad or it wouldn’t be a model railroad. It would just be a diorama. I have to have a passenger train. I have to have some bad ass diesel locomotives. (You know what I mean)I have to have lumber on freight cars.
I have to have orange groves.I have to have a mountain pass to climb over, plus some local switching.
I have to have walk around throttles.
I have to have the layout near eye level. Waist high doesn't work for me. I need to have it in my face like I'm standing in the middle of the street, not looking down from a helicopter.
Small classification yard, 3-5 tracks.
Steam engine terminal (roundhouse, TT, coaling trestle (not a tower)).
4 or more towns for switching activity.
Mt's in/loads out for coal breaker and rail-to-water coal dock.
Staging that is "self staging".
Minimum 24" radius (HO), max grades 2.25%.
Minimum asile width 24".
Jim
A five-tiered pagoda and numerous Shinto shrines of assorted sizes. Meant to make the Japanese location immediately obvious to the most mundane visitor.
A Sumo ring, with competitors and officials present.
A realistic approximation of the facilities and operation of the JNR in the place I have chosen to model in the month that I have specified, plus the support structure (Netherworld) needed to make that possible.
A believable empties-in/loads out arrangement connecting the end-of-the-railroad colliery to the spot in the netherworld where the coal is delivered.
Aside to Angelob6660. On that coal hauler, a mixed with four goods wagons and a coach needs ten powered axles (two x-6-xTs and an 0-8-0T) to crawl up the 4%. The Master Mechanic keeps talking about replacing them with a freelance kitbashed Golwe, but it hasn't happened yet.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
What are your favorite roads to model?
ATSFGuy What are your favorite roads to model?
Should we start a new thread?
tomikawaTTShinto shrines of assorted sizes
You must have been reading my mind
Seriously, STEAM, yes I am shouting, MOW train, and some bridges. Of course passenger service and the appropriate buildings for freight and steam.
Also a coal mine. Didn't have one before, but I owe it to my grandfather who was a miner.
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
Things I gotta have.
In deference to a certain MR article...
A pickle factory...two of them to be exact (one is built)
brining stations. I think three but will settle for two
a couple of victorian mansions.
A pivot bridge or rolling drawing bridge
a canal
granite quarry
at least 5 steeple cab electrics (got 2 right now)
steam locos
rolling sand and glacial outwash hills
multipule interchanges with other railroads
enough room to build it all.
tomikawaTTA Sumo ring, with competitors and officials present. Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
An scratchbuilt Erie Caboose
At least one Business Car from Coachyard. (lettered for SSW) (If I can find one!!!)
Some BLI Morning Daylight cars, (1 Combine, 3 Coaches, and a Bachmann Spectrum Heavyweight Daylight Coach). (To go with my Atlas SSW RS-3).
A second 1880's steam train to go with my Roundhouse 2-6-0 and 50' Overlands
Athearn Maxi Well III cars in the gold yellow TTX Scheme (at least 4 articulated sets)
A few Athearn 57 Spine Cars in the gold yellow TTX Scheme
More people and vehicles with people in them.
Marlon
See pictures of the Clinton-Golden Valley RR
Here is my list:
Large curves, they may not all be 48", but nothing less than 36"
Signals and CTC
Victorian houses - since the area I model is full of them - even near railroad tracks....
Close coupled passenger cars with touching diaphragms
Each of the following only modeled once:
Lots of staging tracks - about 30 trains worth
Provisions and trackage for long trains - typical freight train 30-50 cars
Double track mainline
Cutoffs and extra trackage to create display loop ruinning
Passenger trains
Steam and diesel - it is 1954 here........
There is more, but I think you get the idea,
Sheldon