As I sit here reading this thread I am also thinking about my current workbench. Here it is : I had 3 IM Black Widows to decoderize and this A unit is the second one. One more to go and then I can get back to this long term project : I also have another AC-9 project started that I want to get to. When I want to clean off my workbench I just place the cookie sheet into a drawer and wala, no mess. Be well, and best wishes for the new year, carl
Thats cheating Carl !!! You might have to get you one of these... https://www.sweetsugarbelle.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/IMG_0058.jpg ...with all the projects you have going...
As I started packing up some of Dad's rolling stock, I matched a TOFC to it's original box, but since Dad super glued the trailer to the flatcar, I had to bring it home for a little careful surgery (and some solvent). The surgery was successful. Sent from my moto g(7) play using Tapatalk
Thanks. Most places came apart easily under the influence of the super glue solvent, but there was one spot that needed a little gentle persuasion with an Exacto knife. Unfortunately, the solvent discolored the deck of the flatcar a bit, but you could write it off as "sun fading" or something. Sent from my moto g(7) play using Tapatalk
Well this weekend’s workbench stuff turned out to be more of a work floor. I got bored and tried to adapt a layout I found online into something I could build in Unitrack. I think it turned out pretty well... but... it’s too big for the area I have to build a layout in. So... I put this one on the shelf for later. But lemme know what you think of it...
Complex if this is your first layout only because the number of over and unders, especially with curves. Also what's up with the turnout immediately after the bridge on the bottom? That could be a headache since its elevated. With something this size I would have two running tracks with one that has industries and/or a yard. This way you can run continuously and have switching operations without fouling the main. Then again I know layouts can be a personal thing.
OK not my first layout. I have built many and even some with lift out sections and a multi piece portable layout. There is actually only one elevation change. Yes it is a complicated arrangement but it sure beats the boring single oval or the twice around oval. The turnout right after the overpass is actually access to a business. I had already removed the track from that section before I took the picture. As for the size it is 40" x 78" with about 1.5" for benchwork all around. I have an area about 36" x 72" to work with. If I were to do this with flex track I could prolly make the layout in the space I have to work with.
Massey, Folded dog-bones are among my favorites, and this one is a tri-folded dog-bone, a trifecta! It is complex, but interesting layouts in small spaces usually are. That's not to say I wouldn't change a thing... I would adjust the upper-right to upper-middle tracks, where the opposite directions are near and parallel to each other, closer together, into a double-track section. Opposite running double tracks make for good looking meets between trains. Add crossovers in that section, and you've got reversing loops at both ends of the bone, to facilitate running trains in both directions, which makes it easier to work all spurs as trailing point (some on the way out, then reverse and work the remaining spurs on the way back in.) I don't see any passing sidings, though there appears to be room for them. Placing industry spurs off of sidings also allows the spurs to be worked while a through-freight or passenger train orbits unimpeded, which is nice if you are operating alone. I would slide the turnout for the double spur up, around the curve a little, so you have more room to expand that into a 3 or 4 track yard. Keeping it on the upper level allows you more length, crossing the lower level at bottom left like it does. I'm assuming the lower level track will tunnel underneath the spurs. There is good room for a long, passing siding around the inside of the lower level trackage on the left end. Terrain will be tricky to work out, especially for the industry associated with the lower level, curved spur at upper right. I might also rearrange the lower level track from lower left to upper right into a long, diagonal run for more visual interest. Right now, all of your straight trackage (excluding turnouts) is orthogonal. This might also allow you to squeeze that left end into 36" depth (or at least the depth of the right end of the layout), but the double spur length would suffer. You could move that spur to the lower level track across the top, and let it run diagonal too, to get back some/all of the length. These are suggestions I would explore if this were my layout. But it's not; it's your layout. Build it like you want!
I like your ideas but I don't think they will work too well in Unitrak or at least with the pieces I have available to me at the moment. As unitrak goes this is already larger than I have the room for. I am thinking of investing in a Fast Tracks jig for #4 or #5 turnouts and get a hold of some flex track. I think with the flex I will have the ability to build this in the space I have available without making life difficult on the engines.
I will post the image I took the inspiration from when I get home so you can see better where the elevations are and whats on top and bottom. The larger loop on the left side of the pic is actually all under the "city" and the 2 tracks with the ends on them in that same area are up on the city as a train station. The other businesses are currently unknown in my plans.
You might (or might not) be surprised what can be done with Unitrack on a 36x80 hollow core door: https://www.trainboard.com/highball/index.php?media/foldeddogbone-8.140340/ It depends a lot on your minimum radius requirements, and your appetite/tolerance for spaghetti...
Wow! Is that like 3x5 or something? That's a lot of modelling in a little space! I see a passenger train, where the loco may make it through some of those turns, but the passenger cars are going to have a tough go at it! I'll bet there's a decent size staging yard, accessible from the right edge, under the city... But that would mean several hidden switches under there too.
I wish I had saved it now, but there was a pic of the layout with the city removed and there is no staging, it’s just a loop of track, nice and simple.
Just installed reed switches into my Tomix track for a dc autoreverser board. And the last bit of track wiring for it is soldered in also. they are already back in place on my module ready to be wired in to the autoreverser. I’m strangely tempted to put in a red and green LED wired opposite polarity and connected to main line in the island between the park side switch to serve as signals since the mainline is DC... hmm. May have to go look thru my cache of 3mm colored Leds since I do have some fiber optics?
Figured I might as well try. So I made this electrical box with a green led on each side as a trolley signal. Not perfect by any means but I think it will be fun to see it flip green on the appropriate side when the main reverses polarity. Once the green enamel paint dries I’ll clean the excess acrylic black off the led with a microbrush and some water. The bottom 3/16s - 1/4 will be buried in the foam so the apparent height won’t be as much as seen here.
When I saw this picture I noticed it immediately. I found his YouTube channel cause at the time I was gonna get the N-Scale Town & Factory he adds to his layout. Still plan on it one day, maybe Here is a video of him running some trains. I hope this is not the wrong place to post this? Nice small layout. Trying to figure out the size. I think he mentions it? You have a picture of your layout, based on this? This might not be the place to post it, but would like to see the plan, or the layout image.
