Sawyer Berry
Clemson University c/o 2018
Building a protolanced industrial park layout
The programs are nice...but they confuzzle me too. Good ol fashioned graph paper works. Pick a scale that works (like 1 square equals 3 inches by 3 inches) and plan your layout. That way, you can get a very good idea of the space various curves and turnouts use. Atlas even makes a small template that you can use to trace the space various turnouts, curves, etc occupy on the layout. You can look through a catalog, and even place buildings on the plan when you know the building's "footprint".
And as a bonus, its a lot of fun (for me anyways!)
have fun!
Tim
Hold the phone folks! I'm getting a news flash! Wait.... I'm a N scale model railroader! Yes, I am on the darkside & brightside (dark= n scale. bright=ho scale) . I have started building a simple layout that goes back & forth with no loops. My railroad is based on a coaling railroad.
No name for it yet!
- Luke
Modeling the Southern Pacific in the 1960's-1980's
Take the same money and buy four Atlas diesels...
Like the prototype, steam in N scale is a maintenance hog....
Lee
Route of the Alpha Jets www.wmrywesternlines.net
I'm going to build a layout around the size of Dave V's, for a whole host of reasons. I found the following for under $40.
[Masonite/"brand name" 36 x 80 x 1-3/8 In. Flush Hardwood Hollow Core Bored Slab]
I just made a heavy 2x4 frame and glued/screwed a plywood top to it. However, it is very heavy without anything built on it yet. So my question is, should I bag the HEAVY table and start over with an actual door as listed above? I keep thinking of the weight factor if I should ever need to move the layout in the future. I will also be glueing a thick slab of insulation foam to it/
You thoughts and suggestions will be appreciated. Thanks! Rob
R. T. POTEET wrote:Packers#1, glad to have you aboard in the hobby and here on the forum.I hate to do a Frank Luke on you but you ain't gonna do a "lots of sidings, 5 track yard w/ turntable" in a 4X8 layout space, not unless you are planning on incorporating some incredibly sharp curves to accompany that "incredibly steep grade". You would be hard pressed to incorporate all those features into a midwestern flatland pike, let alone into a "modern-day freelanced railroad that hauls over the Appalachian mountains".How much trackage do you think you can cram into a 4X8, even in N Scale, without it looking like a 4X8 with a lot of crammed trackage? You are going to want to avoid a the-rat-disappeared-in-that-hole-where-will-it-come-out? bowl of spaghetti. Believe me when I say that your ambition is just a little bit farther than your reach is going to be. KISS!!!!! Examine posted photographs by Dave Vollmer; Dave's layout is built on a hollow core 36X80 inch interior door. That area is smaller than yours but Dave's layout is a master of craftsmanship although only a simple oval with a couple of sidings and virtually no grade at all. I, as well as most other N Scalers, are duly impressed with his modeling. Dave, I understand, acquired a lot of his modeling skills at his pappy's side but, just like the rest of us, he had to crawl before he ever walked and he walked before he ever ran.Model railroading is, in essence, a practice of illusion; I am not trying to be discouraging; more than anything else I want you to keep from choking on too big of a bite and getting discouraged. I am, unfortunately, almost sure that that is where you are headed if you set your mind to trying to do what you are advocating.
To clear things up, here's some pics for my layout:
Front of yard
Back of yard
Industries
UP Clark wrote:Got a new question for everyone, are the mechanism and gear rations on the Kato AC-4400 the same as the older C44-9's? I just picked up a new AC-4400 and it's much faster than the older C44's. I understand all about break-in etc. I thaought I had read theat the AC-4400 has a "more prototypical speed" drive"?
From the far, far reaches of the wild, wild west I am: rtpoteet
Mr. Poteet,
Yup, by all means, go there. DCC does offer the ability to speed match decoderized locomotives. I hesitate to say that it will match them to a DC locomotive though. Older DC stuff was made with high speed mechanisms and DCC will not make it go faster than DC. Other than that, if you have the money to spend on DCC and the time to spend speed matching then you will save on the time and money spent on matching traditional DC locomotives. It's a case of realtively certain costs to luck of the draw. This is just my take on things.
The choice is up to the one spending the money.
Bob
navygunner wrote: Mr. Poteet,Yup, by all means, go there. DCC does offer the ability to speed match decoderized locomotives. I hesitate to say that it will match them to a DC locomotive though. Older DC stuff was made with high speed mechanisms and DCC will not make it go faster than DC. Other than that, if you have the money to spend on DCC and the time to spend speed matching then you will save on the time and money spent on matching traditional DC locomotives. It's a case of realtively certain costs to luck of the draw. This is just my take on things.The choice is up to the one spending the money. Bob
I've just rekindled the "spirit" and will soon be moving to DCC myself. Most of my motive power has been in storage for 5 to 6 years and right out of the gate needed cleaning and lubrication. Now that I've got most everthing running decent, I'm really seeing the speed differential of Atlas vs Kato vs Brass Imports. I picked up a Kato SD-90MAC and a AC-4400 recently, man was I surprised at the difference in running speeds. I usually buy locos in 2's or 3's so I've got double and triple head power that breaks in together and maintains equal relative speeds between them in a consist.
Fortunately, until I get into DCC, I've been able to match up a few older locos with the performance of the newer pieces. With max. 2% grades, all trains have to be at least doubleheaded.
What I probably read was that the SD-90's have an updated gear ratio. If the Ac-4400 I picked had as many miles as the C44's, it would slow down a lot also! LOL!!!
Sorry for the rant, read faster and it won't seem so long!!!
What do you think of my two layout they are both 12x8ft if it were a rectange. Which one do you like better on the first one it has an industry as in a steel mill on the left side in the blank space. The second one is my favorite, it seems to flow more. Let me know which one you like better or what you would do to change it. The layout is in N scale and all of the curves on the main line are 30" radius curves. Thanks all the help will be great.
Challenger:
If I may be frank:
Overall concept: great!!! Looks really good. The only downside, and this is a big one, is that you've crammed far more industrial/yard trackage than will actually fit in that space.
You may want to invest in a template (Walthers offers one) or check online for one to see just how much room those turnouts need. I'm afraid you'll find that turnouts and yard trackage are far bigger space hogs that you might think at first.
I like the second plan better, but you'll need to trim down on the yard trackage.
Good luck!
Modeling the Rio Grande Southern First District circa 1938-1946 in HOn3.
Yes.
A number 6 turnout in N scale is 6" long (that's two squares). To have a parallel siding with a number 6 turnout you'll need a full foot (4 squares).
Now, you can use #4s by Peco that are much shorter, but don't expect to run an 0-8-0 through them without some fuss. I used them once, and basically had to confine myself to small 4-axle diesel switchers on that part of the line.
I now use number 8 turnouts for all but industrial trackage, where I use #6s. My trains are much happier now.
As for the rest of the plan, I haven't really done a full analysis... But overall it looks like, with fewer yard tracks, you can do it.
EDIT: On the second plan, you don't have a crossover between the double-track mains.
wm3798 wrote: Take the same money and buy four Atlas diesels...Like the prototype, steam in N scale is a maintenance hog....Lee
fluff wrote:had a kato 2-8-2 once, poor puller
You absolutely have to add the Traction Tire upgrade or it'll always be a poor puller. Adding that upgrade makes Bruce Banner turn into The Incredible Hulk. She'll climb the walls and be a real stump puller. Without it though.....yard queen!
pcarrell wrote: fluff wrote:had a kato 2-8-2 once, poor pullerYou absolutely have to add the Traction Tire upgrade or it'll always be a poor puller. Adding that upgrade makes Bruce Banner turn into The Incredible Hulk. She'll climb the walls and be a real stump puller. Without it though.....yard queen!
fluff wrote: pcarrell wrote: fluff wrote:had a kato 2-8-2 once, poor pullerYou absolutely have to add the Traction Tire upgrade or it'll always be a poor puller. Adding that upgrade makes Bruce Banner turn into The Incredible Hulk. She'll climb the walls and be a real stump puller. Without it though.....yard queen!now i want one again ? i think on mine, around 10 cars or so was about it.
That sounds about right for level track with good rolling cars and no TT (Traction Tire). With traction tires my Mike pulls 36 cars up 2% grade, no problem.
do the traction tires make it lean any? are they thin enough not to notice? or, is the driver where traction tire goes made to accomidate the traction tire? sorry for all the questions....thanks
No problem! The actual wheel is grooved so that the TT fits in the grove. The only way you'd notice it, besides the pulling power, is that the tread of the tire is black where the rubber is. Normally you're not going to notice that. You can get the TT upgrade at most well stocked hobby shops, and I think they're like $7-$8 at mine, so not too bad. You typically swap it for the last driving axle, though I've heard of some who use it as the next to last axle, and just make sure that everything lines up and then button it back up. Obviously, you lose some electrical pickup when you do this, but the Kato Mikado doesn't really have too many problems in this area anyways so it's not a real big deal. Here's the official instructions: http://www.katousa.com/N/Mikado/maint/ttire.html
***Philip, I still have one of the first runs with no traction tire and separate details (still not installed). It indeed runs very smooth, quiet and has excellent creep speed, so I have held onto it. Perhaps one day I can hire someone with better eyes to finish pimping it out for me.
Rob
Please accept my humble apology for sneaking into your N space. Looking for the rail to rail measurment for the N scale Walters overhead crane 933-3810. Im thinking of cutting it up for a light weight application, but need the hooks and trolly.
Thanks in advance...John