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The "N" Crowd Locked

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  • Member since
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  • From: Alabama
  • 343 posts
Posted by BMRR on Thursday, November 23, 2006 7:38 AM
Dave, starting this thread was a great idea. Now us "N" people have some where to hang out.

Stan.

THE SOUTHERN SERVES THE SOUTH.

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Posted by spidge on Thursday, November 23, 2006 10:00 AM

Very good, I look foreward to some Normal discussions.

Here is a question almost nobody respons to, but hopefully some here may have a link or a clue of some sort.

I would like sound for my Concor GS4 the little woman gave me for christmas last year. What combination of board and speaker would be recomended. Unless there are some special challenges I feel comfortable doing the install myself.

Has anyone done a sound install on an N scale steamer? Do you have pics? How does it sound?

John

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  • From: El Dorado Springs, MO
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Posted by n2mopac on Thursday, November 23, 2006 3:24 PM

Ok, here's my stuff so far. Bear in mind I am NOT a photographer, nor do I have great photo equipment. I recently started laying track. I began with the main body of my central yard, BNSF's North Yard in Saginaw, TX. Here is a pic looking SE across that yard toward downtown Fort Worth.

The second shot is one of BNSF's and UP's bridges across the Trinity River between North Yard and downtown FtW. The foreground bridge is built from a Plastruct kit--so for all practical purposes it is scratch built. The far bridge is a Kato Unitrack brigde bashed for my purpose here.

Ron

 

Owner and superintendant of the N scale Texas Colorado & Western Railway, a protolanced representaion of the BNSF from Fort Worth, TX through Wichita Falls TX and into Colorado. 

Check out the TC&WRy on at https://www.facebook.com/TCWRy

Check out my MRR How-To YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/RonsTrainsNThings

 

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Posted by MisterBeasley on Thursday, November 23, 2006 8:20 PM
From an old HO guy:  Yeah, N-scale rocks.  If I were starting again, even at my age (59) I'd go N.  On the other hand, I love my HO's, too, and if I still had the Lionels from my childhood I'd love them too.  Once they get the sound decoders and speakers down to N-scale, that's the gauge that will rule the world.  Excellent work, all of you.

It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse. 

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Posted by oleirish on Thursday, November 23, 2006 9:24 PM

My little "N" scale layout, just starting.Its not much yet!!

 

JIM

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  • From: El Dorado Springs, MO
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Posted by n2mopac on Friday, November 24, 2006 9:11 AM

Here is one more pic from my new layout. This was the true beginningn of the layout. It is a scratchbuilt yard tower and office from North Yard in Saginaw, TX.

Ron

Owner and superintendant of the N scale Texas Colorado & Western Railway, a protolanced representaion of the BNSF from Fort Worth, TX through Wichita Falls TX and into Colorado. 

Check out the TC&WRy on at https://www.facebook.com/TCWRy

Check out my MRR How-To YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/RonsTrainsNThings

 

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Posted by trainfreek92 on Friday, November 24, 2006 11:08 AM
Great work guys! hopefully ill get back to some trains soon after I recover from my surgery
Running New England trains on The Maple Lead & Pine Tree Central RR from the late 50's to the early 80's in N scale
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Posted by Anonymous on Friday, November 24, 2006 3:10 PM
Thanks for starting this thread.  Houses on this island are not noted for large rooms, and this one is no exception.  My layout room is only 10 feet long by 7 1/2 feet wide.  It took some real work to design a layout to fit in it.  The room also hosts my collection of 1/25 scale cars and trucks.  What I designed is an out and back switching layout that runs around three walls.  There's an 8 track yard at one end that leads to a rural area.  That then leads to a town with a respectable sized industrial district.  It's all one train operation, so it is actually simply run from one powerpack.  Thank goodness for N scale.  I don't think I could ever find room in this house for a workable HO scale layout.
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Posted by pcarrell on Friday, November 24, 2006 5:34 PM

Well, as many of you know, I had to tear down the last layout so we could move.  Now we're in the new place and the boxes are mostly unpacked.

This morning the train room looked like this:

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j319/pcarrell/Autumns%20Ridge/Picture005.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j319/pcarrell/Autumns%20Ridge/Picture031.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j319/pcarrell/Autumns%20Ridge/Picture033.jpg

Lots of fun if you're into guitars, but not much for trains.

I took two hours this morning and changed all that though.

I built the first of a whole lot of benchwork.  I've got a long way to go, but I had to get more wood for some cross braces and such.  Here it is now:

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j319/pcarrell/Autumns%20Ridge/Picture006.jpg

My road will be a freelanced road based on the Belfast & Moosehead Lake RR called the Autumns Ridge Railway & Navigation Company. I've done a lot of studying of this road and my grandfather was even a conductor on it.

I've posted my plan a couple times, but here it is.

I'll have a port scene and an interchange in the rolling countryside, with a few towns between. The B&ML  had 33 miles of track, so using that as a base model works for my 10.5 x 15 room. I can wrap three walls and have a peninsula so I end up with a walk in plan. I'm planning on two sceniced decks with staging under the bottom one.

I've got the staging deck pretty well designed, though I'm not married to it.  Here it is: 

Here's the bottom sceniced deck that shows the interchange area:

And here's the upper deck with the port. The helix rises higher then it really needs to so thet the run into Autumns Ridge (the port) is downhill.  In the port area is a car float and scales.

And check this!  I didn't even realize how good I was!  At some point in the past I, knowing I would be building another RR, tucked away a large stash of 1x2's, 1x4's, 2x4's, and 2x6's in the top of my old garage.  I went back there today and found them.  I now have enough wood to finish the lower deck and get a good start on the upper!  And it cost me exactly NOTHING!

Man, I treat myself pretty well, ha, ha!

Well, time to go build something!

Later!

Philip
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  • From: Colorado Springs, CO
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Posted by Dave Vollmer on Friday, November 24, 2006 6:08 PM

 trainfreek92 wrote:
Great work guys! hopefully ill get back to some trains soon after I recover from my surgery

Surgery?  Everything OK?  Get well soon!

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

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Posted by trainfan1221 on Friday, November 24, 2006 6:26 PM
Just saw this post.  Seems good to me, being an n scaler.  I don't have any way to post pix, but it's good to see a thread for us.
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Posted by bill e on Friday, November 24, 2006 7:37 PM

Please count me N.  I've been back in the hobby a little over a year now.  I had HO as a young teen, then other interests must have taken over.  I'm 42 now.  The N scale Mohawk division article in an issue from '93 that I ran across at a library sale resparked my interest in model railroading.  It looked like something I might could do with my limited space.  Right now I have a 4x8 double loop with several sidings.  It sits on 3 keyboard stands.  There is a hollow core interior door screwed underneath the sacred sheet.  I started playing around with trackplans on the door and then decided I had room for a 4x8.  Now I'm starting to figure out what furniture can be moved or discarded to make room for more railroad!

 There are some great photos on here.  Dave V., I've long admired your work.   

Bill Eaker
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  • From: Coon Rapids, MN
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Posted by bnsfncoal on Friday, November 24, 2006 8:07 PM
pcarrell,
Brand new house, brand new train room!!! Congratulations, But after looking at that second picture why did you put the bathroom across the street???!!!! LOL
Looks great
Guy
Unlike my wife...I like my diamonds black!!!!
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Posted by pcarrell on Friday, November 24, 2006 9:54 PM

 bnsfncoal wrote:
pcarrell, Brand new house, brand new train room!!! Congratulations, But after looking at that second picture why did you put the bathroom across the street???!!!! LOL Looks great Guy

Yeah, thats kind of the big joke around here. Big Smile [:D]  They're still building around here, so it'll be a while before those move.  At least it's not a nice warm August day though.  Those things can get kind of ripe!

 

Well, I added some more bracing and now it's pretty solid.

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j319/pcarrell/Autumns%20Ridge/Picture003.jpg

Tomorrow is another day!

Philip
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Posted by SOU Fan on Friday, November 24, 2006 10:20 PM
I'll pipe in. I have a N scale layout that is 18" X 42". I still like HO scale though.

-dekruif
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Posted by pcarrell on Friday, November 24, 2006 10:30 PM

 dekruif wrote:
I'll pipe in. I have a N scale layout that is 18" X 42". I still like HO scale though. -dekruif

Oh man!  I don't know if we can allow bi-scalers in here!  Especially ones that lean the other way! Tongue [:P]

Philip
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Posted by SOU Fan on Friday, November 24, 2006 11:01 PM
pcarrell
I model N scale, but paint engines in HO scale.
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Posted by TrainFreak409 on Friday, November 24, 2006 11:03 PM
 pcarrell wrote:

 bnsfncoal wrote:
pcarrell, Brand new house, brand new train room!!! Congratulations, But after looking at that second picture why did you put the bathroom across the street???!!!! LOL Looks great Guy

Yeah, thats kind of the big joke around here. Big Smile [:D]  They're still building around here, so it'll be a while before those move.  At least it's not a nice warm August day though.  Those things can get kind of ripe!

I have an old issue of Model Railroader where someone put a loop of N scale track around their half-bath. The toilet was the "Engineer's Seat."

PC, maybe you can set up something for the construction workers. Laugh [(-D]

Scott - Dispatcher, Norfolk Southern

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  • From: CN Flint Sub(Eastern Michigan)
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Posted by NS2591 on Friday, November 24, 2006 11:09 PM
 pcarrell wrote:

 dekruif wrote:
I'll pipe in. I have a N scale layout that is 18" X 42". I still like HO scale though. -dekruif

Oh man!  I don't know if we can allow bi-scalers in here!  Especially ones that lean the other way! Tongue [:P]


Does that mean I can't post in here? I model in N scale and I havn't bought anything in HO lately, My HO layout was torn down and an N scale went up in Its place. That aside Good idea Dave, I keep trying to think of something like this but nothing happens....Smile,Wink, & Grin [swg]Sign - With Stupid [#wstupid]
Jay Norfolk Southern Forever!!
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Posted by pcarrell on Friday, November 24, 2006 11:14 PM

 dekruif wrote:
pcarrell I model N scale, but paint engines in HO scale.

OK, you're in! Clown [:o)]

Philip
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  • From: In the State of insanity!
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Posted by pcarrell on Friday, November 24, 2006 11:17 PM
 TrainFreak409 wrote:
I have an old issue of Model Railroader where someone put a loop of N scale track around their half-bath. The toilet was the "Engineer's Seat."

PC, maybe you can set up something for the construction workers. Laugh [(-D]

I remember that story!  It was a good RR if I remember right.

And the construction workers are on their own!

Philip
  • Member since
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  • From: In the State of insanity!
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Posted by pcarrell on Friday, November 24, 2006 11:21 PM
 NS2591 wrote:
 pcarrell wrote:

 dekruif wrote:
I'll pipe in. I have a N scale layout that is 18" X 42". I still like HO scale though. -dekruif

Oh man!  I don't know if we can allow bi-scalers in here!  Especially ones that lean the other way! Tongue [:P]


Does that mean I can't post in here? I model in N scale and I havn't bought anything in HO lately, My HO layout was torn down and an N scale went up in Its place. That aside Good idea Dave, I keep trying to think of something like this but nothing happens....Smile,Wink, & Grin [swg]Sign - With Stupid [#wstupid]

Jay, you're in.  Heck, you don't even have an HO layout anymore, just N.  You're definately in!

I just couldn't let that comment of dekruif's go.  That's like walking into a hard core Harley bar and announcing that you think Honda's are great!

Philip
  • Member since
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  • From: Chateau-Richer, QC (CANADA)
  • 833 posts
Posted by chateauricher on Saturday, November 25, 2006 2:10 AM

Dave Vollmer:  Sorry for not getting back to you sooner; but I don't get onto the forums every day.  As for the Atlas code 55, since I've only laid about 4 pieces of flextrack and 2 turnouts so far, I can only comment on the flextrack's ease of installation, not on its reliability.  So far, I've had no problems laying it with latex caulk onto cork roadbed.  While power feeders have been soldered to the track, I have not yet wired them to a bus and power source yet.  I haven't actually run any trains yet.

 

Timothy The gods must love stupid people; they sure made a lot. The only insanity I suffer from is yours. Some people are so stupid, only surgery can get an idea in their heads.
IslandView Railroads On our trains, the service is surpassed only by the view !
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Posted by Dave Vollmer on Sunday, November 26, 2006 6:55 PM
The next project, when time permits, is to replace one of my Peco #8 turnouts.  After I was finished ballasting, I found it didn't close properly for the diverging route.  In fiddling with it I ended up removing the centering spring (oops!) and found that it doesn't go back in very easily when the turnout is still in place.  So, one of these days I'm going to have to unsolder it and replace it.  Not fun.  Fortunately it ended up "stuck" while perfectly aligned for the main!

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

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Posted by tgindy on Sunday, November 26, 2006 10:48 PM
I thought it might be nice to add a gem of an N Scale weblink most N Scale folks don't know about.

Mississippi Valley N Scalers...
http://mvns.railfan.net/home.html

Start with over fifty links in the Photo Gallery, then go download at the DCC Manuals, then go to...

Conemaugh Road & Traction circa 1956

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Posted by trainfreek92 on Monday, November 27, 2006 12:33 PM
Thank you Dave! Im doing pretty good, I had my appendix out on wensday. cant weight to get some trains for christmas.Wink [;)]
Running New England trains on The Maple Lead & Pine Tree Central RR from the late 50's to the early 80's in N scale
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Posted by Boiler-man on Monday, November 27, 2006 12:41 PM

I model in "N", have done so since about 1972 and currently have packed up all of my equipment and am in the process of taking the bench work apart for a move while waiting for the new house to close.

I think that a N-Scale section would be very good to add to this forum.

I do follow other forums as well as the N of this one.

Let's go with it?

Boilerman
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Posted by Bill54 on Monday, November 27, 2006 2:28 PM

I’m just starting to change from HO to N scale.  I want to run longer trains and have a rolling landscape without taking up all my available space.  I saw Dave Vollmer’s layout a few months ago and it was my inspiration to make the change. 

I’m glad to see an N scale thread started.  It couldn’t have come at a better time. 

Bill

As my Mom always says...Where there's a will there's a way!
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Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, November 28, 2006 10:21 AM

I love being sick!!! I havent had a chance to get any work done all weekend!! Fever broke on Late thursday night and I have been congested all weekend. It is finnaly breaking up and I am starting to be able to talk again! I have found some 36' wood box cars, A couple of 36' stock cars, And some Atlas ore cars That I am going to be using. The time period is the early 1900's through 1930's. Though there are going to be days where I will have some 50's delevery trucks. Anyway this is a Colorado mountian mining camp/ town. Will get pics up later when I get work started.

Curt

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Posted by pcarrell on Tuesday, November 28, 2006 10:29 AM

Glad you're feeling better Curt.

Well, you guys have been wondering how far I got on the benchwork. At this point it's only roughed in, but the footprint is there and thats what I wanted to establish up front.

Here's a view you've already seen. The door is to the left and you can see the new section starting on the right.

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j319/pcarrell/Autumns%20Ridge/Picture005-1.jpg

And this is all new in front of the windows which will eventually be covered. I'm standing in the doorway for this pic and the next.

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j319/pcarrell/Autumns%20Ridge/Picture004.jpg

And after this get shured up the 22 inch (pretty good for N scale) helix will go.

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j319/pcarrell/Autumns%20Ridge/Picture001.jpg

Got a long way to go, that's for sure! But the basics are there.

Philip

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