Interesting. When you get it installed, I'd be interested in a photo or two, to see how you've "Americanized" it some, etc.
This is a concept that I hope I can use again on a future layout; when I did this pre-2005, the hidden yard occupied a space about 7" wide and 12' long. I can envision it being blocked from view with a back drop.
I like the project and background. I wish I could constrain myself to a tighter area. So, I'm guessing you decided not to make them 'modular enough' to fit together?
Early on as I was getting started with trains, I met a guy and his son who had a unique approach. They moved an era a month. In January they stated by resetting the layout and the trains to start operations in the 1900's. Every 4 weeks they would take 2 weeks to reset the layout to the next decade. They would do this rotation every year. I kind of liked this idea and followed a similar approach, I just cover only 6 decades. I am currently changing to a different model where I have separate layouts. For example my big layout is for ATSF from 1930's through 1960. I have a another smaller layout to run modern East coast modern NS/CSX stuff, and I have NTrak modules to cover SP Transition era. Eventually the NTrak stuff will go, and a new NS/CSX layout will be built in the basement of my retirement ranch house.
Ken, I also have a Peco table. It's not really "Americanized", just painted, placed, and made functional. Though looking at this photo, I think I'll age the decking with some streaks of a brown/grey mix, and give it a railing. Try for the look of the ex-B&M table up in North Conway, NH, to go with the ex-B&M roundhouse, both of which are now owned by the Conway Scenic.
I finally got back to working on the roundy round. So far, I have laid about 8 feet of track including a switch and truss bridge. I have the more difficult trackwork ahead, but I decided to share a little. I also finished up my oil bunker conversion of my 2-8-0, body mounted Z Scale couplers, and added an old pair of LaBelle engine crewmen. To make them fit, I had to cut off their legs, and in true N Scale tradition, I also had to then search for them on the floor… Here is my loco crossing the Alamo Pintado Creek into Santa Ynez, pulling a string of Micro-Trains weathered Southern Pacific boxcars.
Repeat after me, "I love N-scale and I love my floor!" With a knee to the left, then a knee to the right! And a head bob every which way! Just follow the flash light! Do it again! Dunno what we can call this dance, but every N-nut ought to feel it! The layout looks good!
been there, done that same old song and dance. Thanks for the compliment, it is just the starting point. I have some laser cut kits on order, http://micro-trainsline.com/nscale/nkits/49990973 this is going to be repurposed as some sort of supply company (figure that it will most likely be Gallifrey Supply) These are going in the yard http://micro-trainsline.com/nscale/nkits/49990975 They are going to be with the Peco turntable, the MTL engine house, a Dimi water tank and an Atlas Suburban Station
My home layout had been dismantled for a few months when I commented in 2014; it is now nearly a year and the pending move is still pending. I have spent that time having dcc decoders installed in most of the steam locomotives that came without such. I have used SCARM to create numerous track plans to that would use the existing inventory of Kato Unitrack. I have come to the point where I think the non-steam era locomotives and rolling stock will be stored off line and simply brought out when the urge to run strikes me, that is if we ever move so a home layout can be built. Time warp has taken a back seat to just having a new layout. PS: I know with the Unitrack, I can be running trains very quickly after the basic extruded polystyrene modules are set on folding table bench work.
Yes, I could envision this a few months ago. Now, the SCARM plans focus on an 8 track ladder in the yard and connections to a Kato Unitrack roundhouse which was added to the inventory and which has been tested in a table top test loop.
Since the Southern Pacific took over the Pacific Coast Railway, they started to improve the facilities of Santa Ynez. Here we see the newest addition to the yard, an 80 foot turntable taking PCRY 136 for a spin.
Tonight I laid a garden track and the lead to the turntable. I also mocked up the last three sidings. There is a pocket track for the team track on the front of the layout. As of right now, it is long enough to hold three random Micro Trains forty foot cars (I tested it with both my 1972 series cars and my weathered Southern Pacific wooden cars). I plan to put a freight depot near the engine house, and I plan to either stick the depot down the siding that runs off of the current layout.
I hate my Arizona garage in June....I have started to carve out the creek 2 weeks ago and I haven't been in the garage since....
I'm no fan of summer. Trying to work at the bench, and my hands keep sweating, so I am frequently getting up to wash them. Can't wait until the leaves start turning colors! Hooray for autumn!
THE RV is the same. I go out really early in the AM (5:00). The AC wont hardly cool the inside down if I go out and start about noon