Hi, i created this thread to share a beginners Quest: Building My First Track. Isn´t just my first track, but first everything related to Model Train. I´ve always liked models, including Trains, and wanted to build a layout a long ago, but cash, time, cash, space and cash was a problem. I like Lego too, and they helped. This last Christmas my Wife gave-me a train set from Lego, that i buildid around her modular bulildings from Lego to, and looked awesome, and from there i remember about the layout that i planned to build long ago, the time set and backstory.....and i just could resist anymore. This is something that, if you don´t really start, it will get postponed forever. I´m extremily luck to have a great and awesome wife, she likes the same things i like, including Lego and Star Wars, and since i touch the subject of getting a model railroad build, shes beem extremely supportive. So....i start to get everything together and have decided where to beggin. Here in Brasil we have Frateschi, a company that sell model train for a long time and have great quality materials and good price. Below is the track i´ll be building, isn't the layout i choosed a few years, this one is more complex, but is what i really want for a start. This weekend i start the workbench, or table, where the model will be build, cared and displayed. And, my opnion is, that this hobby is something that you go easy, one step at a time, calm and enjoying every moment you spend in front the table. My wife took the responsability to care for the city structures (Houses, stores, etc), the idea is to have a Mining Industry and the city is build very close, for the workers. The time will be the 70´s, the Rail Company RFFSA, the town is at the moment imaginary. The layout will show the Station (center below) where the workers from others towns came to work and the ones that live there can travel, the city (right) and the part that i have to change from the drwing, on the left is where the Mining Company buildings will be. I'm open to suggestions, advice and everything that can help. Thanks.
I looked at your plan and it looks a good starter layout. I would change one thing only. The two switches on the lower side ( both left hand connected to each other) that connect the inner loop to the rail yard. I would move one switch all the way to the far left and make the dead and station track longer. Aside from that your plan looks solid. I've seen Frateschi, their models look very good. In the 70's, did Brazil still have steam engines? I know britain still had steam in the 60's as did Italy and many other european countries. I expect your layout will have a lot of passenger trains. I look forward to seeing the kind of passenger trains you end up running.
This plan seems exceptionally good for a layout this size. The only change I would make would be to extend one of the dead-end spur tracks at the top left to go off the edge of the layout (with something inconspicuous to stop trains!) so the track could represent a connection to another railroad, imagined but unmodeled. That way, cars to and from distant points could come on and off your layout. A couple of other possible points but my wife is hungry and wants me to cook lunch.
thinkgeekboy, thanks, and yes, Brazil had steam engines running in the 70´s, including this company that i´m using for my layout. About the layout, is a good idea, i think i would need a switch track that had a curved design to fit, Frateschi only have straight ones (i hope i understood right your ideia). I know that Atlas #100 is compatible with Frateschi, and i didn´t search parts from Atlas yet, the switch motors might be different. Thanks Keneth, it will be added to the design, i really have ideas for expansion, but trying to keep simple in my head, the room that i´ll use has space for much more, and i did thought about close all four walls with a layout and would be beautifull............jezz...calm down, calm down......hard....to......control....... anxiety..........one step at a time..... Thanks guys.
What I am suggesting does not involve curved switches. there is a gap between the inner right side curve and the outer right side curve. You currently make up for this gap by having two switches that move the track down a notch so that the station track, third from bottom matches up with your platforms. in your design you use a straight pice between the two switches. You could use a curved piece to run parallel to the third track from the station building and create yet another track across from the station building; placing the switch farther down that line and making the third track on the station able to hold a longer train.
Hi, welcome to the greatest hobby on earth ...I want to say something which you might not be aware of; sort of thinking 'outside the box'...And I say this with all kindness..: With the relatively small circle you'll have as a main line, you can become bored seeing the train go round and round and begin to wish you could gain more realism some way..Not a thing wrong with what you're doing..In fact I'd quess most of us had first layouts of a similar size and arrangment...You may want to consider within the same space you have, creating trackage at lowest level and work its way up and over itself to enjoy the challenge of climbing and decending grades..It doesn't need to loop back either. You certainly could have a single track with a small yard at each end, a few industrial spurs off it here and there to spot (deliver) or retreive cars using coupling/uncoupling moves..And if you can't or don't want to deal with turntables at one or both ends of the line, there is nothing unrealistic about backing up the train or single engine down to or up to the 'home' base of the RR...into its engine house..you could run a 'mixed train' having a few freight cars, a passenger car and a caboose, having a station stop at each end and/or midway...a small tunnel and bridge(s), too..and the hills and rocks in between..plus your buildings,roads and even a little brook running through it all ...Again, just a suggestion..There a many terrific 'how to build model railroads ' books on all this, too...But , have fun....Go slow. Get each job done right so it doesn't haunt you later....and it can and will...If you are going to nail the track down, let the nail head just kiss the tie top, don't over hit it and bend the tie/ruining the rail gauge ...Mark
Hi, I think that thinkgeekboy and Ken are suggesting something like this I may have moved the switch to far to the left and added to much to the track at the right, but you get the idea. Gary
Yeah, i see now....was looking the wrong way...looks better, thanks Max for the clarification and traingeek for the idea. Hi MarkInLA, i thought about 2 level layout, but put aside for the moment. Your sugestions are good, and i won´t take in any other way but with kindness, i´m starting, and trying to hold all that eagerness to have the whole room filled with tracks. I saw great ideas on magazines ( Railroader Magazine, I bought some issues) and websites, even for small spaces, shelves layouts and more that were similar of what you suggest, and stopped to breath, and what i had close to home is Frateschi, all layouts in the Company book have a circle, didn't thought out the box, just started the project, so it wouldn't left aside again....for sure, very very sure i'll go further than this layout, and more changes will occur. What i´m trying to say, is that all sugestions will be considered, the idea to join this forum, and expose my layout here, is to have some light from experienced builders and make this experience more and more enjoyable. I´ll start with the benchwork, i don´t even have all tracks yet, and can make changes along the way. Thanks for your suggestion, and you right, i´ll get bored to see the train doing circles, and you gave me an idea. I it´s possible to build this layout and let some trackes prepared for removal? on the upper side i could change the layout for a second level that will start right after the curve on the left side (the inner track). I´ll make a drawing and post later in the day..... Thanks you guys.
Poletto, What I think may help you is to perhaps not build the benchwork in order to fit the RR on it, but design a RR ( the main line and some spurs and sidings/small yards ) within the given 'footprint' of space you have..This way you might wind up an 'L' shape or 'U' shaped , bench, or any shape at all due to how you've created your RR. Let the track dictate the bench work shape, not the other way around..If you do employ grades you must consider that the steeper the grade the shorter your train lengths become..The real ones stay between 1-2 % (with some exceptions). This means that if the track rises 1 mile in a hundred miles it is a 1 % grade..Up 2 miles in a 100 Mi is a 2 % grade..In our models we try to stay below 3%; meaning if HO/N/O/scale track is 50 ft. long and rises 1/2 foot, it is a 1 percent grade..If you are OK with short trains as I am, You can get trains up 3, even 4 % grades..Also, widest radius curves produce the least problems..Too tight curves cause derailments or dragging..Do not have S curves in track. An S curve is OK but you must have a straight track(tangent) of your longest car/engine length separating them or derails will happen.. Though tiny, our models are subject to the very same physics as the real ones...Whatever MRR you do come up with, try and have a track which represents and 'interchange' with another RR..This gives your line reason to exist within the vast network of RRs across the state or country...There are thousands that connect with one another in order to get freight cars to where they're destined..If you RR is named 'such and such' then how did the other RR's car get on your tracks ? ..The interchange...You sound like a lifer in the hobby..Do read up on MRRing and 'Realroading' ( my term for the big guys)..This way you'll be happy with most of your ideas and decisions...A simple straight line twisting its way end to end, up and down is more realistic than a circle..But there is nothing wrong with it if that is your desire...Finally, look into 'open grid, 'L girder' and 'cookie cutter' benchwork technique before you employ a flat table...There are books/mags and this forum which go deeply into this...But, keep it fun... Mark
