Finally some progress

I have finally made some progress that actually makes the layout more of a reality than drawings on a piece of paper.



The area in front of the white riser on the right will be a three track intermodal yard. The raised area is going to be the industrial center of the town with four businesses.



[ 17 September 2001: Message edited by: PF2488 ]</p>

 

Looking good! I like the combination of cookie-cutter ans WS ramps. There's lots of cheap advice out there. Mine is to cut the sides of the WS ramps a little irregularly so it doesn't look like you laid your track down the middle of an abandoned freeway.

 

I am drooling about those bridges you are planning on using Could you share with us who makes them?

 

Paul,

Here is a track plan for my whole layout. It will be two levels. I am building the lower one first.



In the upper right hand corner is the US Army Base. The lower right hand coner will have some sort of mine. The bottom center will be the lower level helper staging area. The lower left will have the coal mine. The top left-center is the industrial area with intermodal yard at the edge of the layout.



This is the upper level. It will have the yard, candy factory (wife's industry), and a lot of scenery (hopefully) and another helper staging area (to assist up and down the helix).

The bridges are Kato Double and single track bridges. I got them last year at a train show. I think they are still available. They look a lot nicer than the Walthers Bridge.

I thought about trimming the corners of the risers, but I am running double track for the mainlines, which actually take up almost the whole riser width.

I will post more photos as I make progress if you wish.

 

Thanks for the info on those bridges and BY ALL MEANS PLEASE post more pics as they become available. I always learn a thing or two by "studying" pictures from other layouts.

Good luck!

Robert

 

I just wanted to post a little more information regarding my layout. I apologize for the length. Once you get writing, you can't stop....

Fundamentals:
The layout is comprised of an upper and lower deck separated by roughly 18" and joined by a double track helix. The double mainlines (shown in red and green) are going to be East-West or North-South. I am planning on running BNSF and UP, with the occasional CSX thrown in. Passing from level to level will be an Amtrak train (Kato Genesis and cars), a Steam Train excursion (Kato Mikado) and a USFD (US Forestry Department) “Smokey the Bear Fire Prevention Train”.

Lower Level:
The lower level will be mostly industrial type buildings, with a town/small city near the US Army base. The City Industrial Area (on your left when you walk through the door) will be host to many businesses and manufacturers that ship by rail. Among them will be a lumber yard, transfer type station, heavy machine shop that does work for the mills, etc. The left side is also home the intermodal yard. It will have two or three tracks, a container crane and several containers and trailers parked nearby.

The US Army base will have a small yard to store its' boxcars, an engine building, and a large storage building. It will also have ramps for unloading tanks, LPVs and such.

Next to the base, of course, is the entertainment district of the city (naturally) featuring a few bars, nightclub and the required pawn shop.

On the right side as you enter though the door, you will find the New River Mine, the entrance to the helix with helper cut-off area and Glacier Gravel in the far right corner.

Upper Level:
This is the level I really can't wait to build. The main attraction here will be the yard. It will feature fueling racks, a turntable, roundhouse, Primo Locomotives (my side business), a car shop, engine shop, engine building, a six track stub yard, a five track through yard and the M.O.W. equipment. Behind the yard is the helix entrance / exit with the helper cut-off area. This area will house a couple of SD40-2s designated by UP and BNSF to assist trains through the "mountain pass".
On the left side of the layout will be Brach's Candy Factory (recently purchased by Hershey's). It will be home to the Hershey's "Candy Express" train. The town wasn't happy that Hershey's bought out the local candy manufacturer, so to smooth the way, Hershey's purchased and painted a locomotive that will pull an excursion train every time the VP (my wife) comes to town. The townspeople still are not thrilled that Hershey's is in town, but they really like the free trips around the layout, er, I mean district.

 

Garth,

Your layout is awsome! Those bridges are also nice. I saw them up at The Hobby Emporium in Tyngsboro. (T.J. Max Plaza). I may actually swap out mine (Atlas) for the Kato single track ones now that I've seen what they really look like. They are much more convincing and really look more New England/B&M like than the Atlas.

John

 

Here are a few more pictures.

The US Army base will be on the plywood to the left rear. The town will be on the slightly lower piece of plywood in front. I will be putting a mine in the right rear.


Here is a better view of the mine area.



Other pictures can be found on my Webshots page. Just follow the link below.

 

Things are progressing well. I have started laying track and testing as I go.

This is an overview of the Industrial Area and Intermodal Yard (lower left). Also shows where the double track main bridge crosses itself.