Hello all, fairly new to getting back into modeling. Had a HO layout as a kid and now that I have my own house with a train room I would like to get rolling on a N scale layout. I have been doing a 4x2 practice layout and still finishing the touches on that but I want to start planning my full layout. I am going to be doing a backwards upside down L-shaped layout that is 8x2 (or 3, depending on size) by 5x2 (again or 3, depending on size), I am modeling White River Junction and the Claremont Concord Railroad. I am not the best at track software but below is a sketch of the Claremont portion of the railroad. Then I found this HO layout below that I think I will try to use to blend everything in. I will have to add the Cement transload facilities in the old Westboro Yard on the longer portion of the layout with White River Junction. I like this layout cause I can mix in a favorite shortline of mine in with a yard that sees engines from Guilford/Pan Am, NECR, and even a engine from Vermont or Canada, It also gives me a option to run a Amtrak train around should I want. I still need to figure out what industry is serviced in White River Junction as I believe the layout I found is outdated. I am struggling trying to translate the layout found to software so this is all for now but any advice or ideas are welcome.
Welcome to TrainBoard, and back into the hobby! That plan for White River Junction looks interesting.
Welcome aboard! I love White River Junction, it is the terminus for the Northern line on my layout which represents the final days of the B&M from Concord NH to WRJ VT. I'm not famliar with that track plan, looks like a MR published plan. The last time I was "home" in New England and in that area was 2012 and I believe besides Amtrak service, thre was a scrap yard that was serviced by rail. Lots of neat roads that go in and out of there. While it doesn't exactly fit my era, I have had a hankering to model a full detail Vermont Rail GP38 with DCC and sound for a change of pace.
Would love to see your layout portion of WRJ, although not modern still holds helpful ideas as I'm a bit lost on that portion of the layout. Thanks for the scrap yard tip too, from Google maps I see a lumber yard and a YouTube video showed a Irving gas facility with a few tankers in front.
Just a rough plan of what I am thinking about White River Junction, expanding to 3 feet wide allows me to work with a staging yard that will allow me to run a Amtrak train back and forth or freight to come and go. I am still trying to figure out the industries but this is a start. Again advice is welcomed
No portions of WRJ yet, my layout is a simple point to point made up of two, soon to bee three, 18-inch wide by 4-feet long modules. The first module I have been working on is Potter Place NH which was once a town but now a part of Andover NH. A "Concord" module is also being modeled but is only loosely prototype. I'm building in modules so I can someday expand when I move back to NH and add Pennacook, Garish, Franklin, Danburry, Lebennon and of course, White River. The research is almost as much fun as the building.
