Hi. Back on Dec 22 I'd entered "Could Use some help...............". No one has responded and I think it's because it was too wordy and filled so much with my own ideas it left little room for your's ! So this time I'll just state the foot print of the bench and hope some of you may have better ideas/suggestions than what's upside my head: 2 wings of the L are 8' long, each 2' wide, tapering to 6" (due to space limits). Thus, the center will form a 2'x 2' hole filled in with 1/2" ply as are the wings. At each small-end of wings I will add a 6"x 2' extension = 10' total, along back walls. I am HO, DCC, 1950s, 3 small steam, 1 RS3. Will have interchange track(s) to outside world.. Any and all interest will be greatly appreciated. Thanks again, Mark...
There was a track plan years ago that features a Wye in the center of the angle. Have you thought about that?
Dale, thanks for your response. Yes, I've pictured a wye in the dead center with a tail directly into the corner since the get go. I had very same thing on my prior layout. It's probably a done deal. And with 18" Rad. legs, two #4 switches and a wye-switch for rear center would likely only fit a loco and 1-3 cars at the best. But that's fine as it is just a small switching ops. Or, I could forgo this tempting idea and merely have 90 Deg. curved yard tracks running right through were this wye would have been. It is these very two questions which keep going through my mind the most. Another idea is to, at the 6"x 24" (staging) at our right have a 6"x 24" matching piece about 5" above it as staging, too. A short train or lone loco emanates from here on a down gradient along the rear wall curving to along other wall on our left, connecting to the ground-level 6"x 24" extension on our left, it becoming a 2' switchback tail. This upper track would serve as a connector coming from the fictitious, out of view main line where road engine (RS3 ?) has left its many cars to spot/retrieve cars at the trackage in the main scene in front (small yard, Indust., engine house, small town)..Hope you can picture this....M
Bremmer. Thanks for the schematic. Not sure of the dimensions as I am HO not N. And, are you walking on the outside of the L, as you look to be in the drawing ? On mine I'd have to be on the inside of the L.
Bremmer. Thanks for the schematic. Not sure of the dimensions as I am HO not N. And, are you walking on the outside of the L, as you look to be in the drawing ? On mine I'd have to be on the inside of the L. And yes, you just may be the only N scale P.E. traction road in the world; traction being possibly the least modeled rail mode today, due to basically being defunct from main line 1:1 scale RRing (other than rapid transit/light rail systems )..I live in L.A. and wish the P.E. was still in place.. But I'm sure we both know what happened....
Mark, that is an HO layout made on a pair of 8 foot shelves....it is based on the ATSF Rathole in Los Angeles.
Back in 1996, David Barrow had a project layout in Model Railroader that was around 10x10, I thought about an N Scale version, just the same physical size
Bremmer I'd assumed you were N because of your quote "Am I the only N scale PE freight.....?" And the drawing doesn't say it is HO. Or, maybe you mean that the drawing is N, that I could merely copy it in HO. But no further explanation is needed. It really doesn't matter. It is a nice switching scene either way. Half of me wants a flat layout like that. The other half sees the gradient I've explained above on Wed., 5:50 PM. I would like opinions about this. I.E. Is the gradient idea realistic or not ? And if I do do that it may prevent installing the wye in center running under it as grade may wind up being to low at midway curve to allow wye to be under this gradient..Then again, wye may be unnecessary as main scene at ground level will have a 'runaround' track or tracks to allow locos to pull or push cars up/down this proposed hill. Finally, Bremmer, where is the 'rat hole' ? I live in LA and have driven to many many RR areas here. I wonder if I've been to it but just never knew I was at the RH !! Thanks for all the replies, M
I typed it out wrong, that was the "patch", the rathole was SP tracks that are now under Little Tokyo
Hi Mark, I have a 3” change in elevation change on my new version of the POCR, the drop to m main elevation runs about 6 feet. Way out of what it should be but necessary to make things work. I have to use “stick-pin” brakes for any cars I park there as it is the BNSF interchange for cars going into the port. It’s a hassle to use and I don’t care for how it looks. You may want to consider your 5” change in your space. You might not be too happy about it after you do it.
Dale, I had to do the same thing on my prior road. I used a toothpick between the wheels on the first truck (BTW toothpicks are great uncoupling tools.). On this one I won't be storing cars on it. It is only a connector from unseen main down into the main scene.
Dale, I had very same problem on my prior RR. On this one the climb will only be the up/down connection to the main switching ops. Might lake it a street running track with buildings along it (unless I decide to have a completely flat RR). On your's try a toothpick between two wheels in a truck (or similar). I find Toothpicks are great uncoupling tools; the point goes right between the knuckles easily. You can stain them and just leave them around where you usually uncouple..M
Ok Mark, you got the first item licked. But never say never! LOL! Think about how you would keep a car from rolling down.... Next question, you have 3 steamers and an RS unit on your little road which is quite a lot of motive power on a small industrial pike, how will you service them with water, coal/oil and diesel for the RS? Off the modeled portion? BTW, the POCR uses a single SW1500 and the odd lease GTMX GP-15. The SKOL and BNSF will occasionally deliver a block of cars if it makes sense to do so. Thanks, Dale
I'd be curious to know what the steam engines are. It seems like you can be really prototype and use very tight tolerances for things such as curve radii which would make everything take up more space, or you can go a little looser and use 15 inch radius curves that should work fine with the kind of cars one would see with steam. I assume all your rolling stock is mostly 40 footers.
Geeky, do you mean 15' Radii for HO ? I do have 3 small steam and 1 diesel which I'm kinda' sure could negotiate that radius. And yes, all my freight are 40-50'; 2 heavyweight passengers
Dale, I agree a RR Ops this size only needs 1-2 engines. But I'll figure out an excuse as I really like seeing them roll. And, down in the main areas I think I'll have an engine shed and some small, related items, track W/couple cabooses, water tank. Thanks, M
Yeah. If you are running small then use smaller radius and switches. I once saw a guy in O scale build an amazingly small industrial area by using lots of whye switches. I've seen several layouts in magazines over the years that were built sort of like narrow gauge but standard gauge that were very nicely done. I wish I had more code 80 old trix N scale track. I am tempted to build a tiny little runner as a distraction between now and when I can work on the HO scale build. The curves for those old sets were 7" radius and I have an oval of it. I tested my diesels and cars and they were fine. I know I can be a bit extreme. he he.
Sounds like you have your first industry, a small service area for your locomotives. Throw in a fuel storage tank and a coal bunker, also would need a RIP track for the odd repairs. You would need cars bringing in items for the facility. Sounds like you are off to a flying start. That Patch layout looks like a pretty neat plan.
Actually, if you put a little bumpout section at each end you could do those 15" radius curves and run a L shaped dog bone layout. I only say that because I always like to have the option to sit back and run things roundy roundy -- but that is just me, I like to see em run.
