Finally getting everything together to start (finish) the layout that's been in the basement of my parents house. It's been under several phases.. Ironically the first phase it was in... Was probably the best running. Since then it's changed.. The house got older.. and had to be fixed.. Now its in better shape enough to get back to building. For those of you who mainly talked to me in the N scale forum. I am officially switching back to HO. I am keeping a few N scale things to have around for X-mas displays etc.. but otherwise I'm full blown going back into HO. This layout is in a 10x10 approx room. Around the walls setup. Still deciding with my father if we want two separate levels. With the top level being for a Metra train and a CB&Q Zephyr. Most of the track we will be using Kato Unitrack. Some of it will be Atlas flex mixed in with regular roadbed but for the most part it will be unitrack. Mainly just for ease of use.. After all.. this layout will be my father's once I move out.. and ease of operation is what we are aiming for. The main "theming" (if you call it that) will be your basic midwestern railroad.. A small town or two with some farmland.. a grain elevator.. It's not meant to be entirely prototypical.. well really at all.. (Hence having steam engines with a SD70ACe) The main level will basically be either a single or double main.. (I'm pushing for single main since 10x10 isn't a whole ton of room still) With a yard and engine facilities along with some business that will have some sidings. As time goes on there will probably be a very pronounced railroad that will be used a lot.. C&NW.. if you haven't figured by now.. My dad grew up with the GP-7's SD-9's on the C&NW Belvidere Sub in IL.. I grew up with SD40-2's and C44-9W's.. So there will be a pretty vast fleet of diesels.. The other aspect of this layout that we are tinkering with.. Is a small museum line of sorts.. similar to the Illinois Railroad Museum.. Which before we moved to the current house.. We lived 5 mins away from. There are some engines available in HO scale that are currently residing at IRM. So those will odds are be purchased.. Probably sooner rather then later. There probably won't be a firm trackplan.. until track has started to be laid down.. I will be posting updates as soon as they are available. With pictures and probably some videos too. If anyone has suggestions.. or stuff they think would be neat under a midwestern setting.. feel free to pass it along and we'll see if it can be added to the layout! Thanks for your interest guys!
This layout will be DCC on the main level then DC on any upper levels. We will be using a NCE PowerCab.
Congratulations! Congratulations on getting started on your layout. I hope that you will post pictures of your progress from timt to time.
Working up an order of Unitrack.. looking at about 300 inches of straight. now calculating the turns and what we need of those..
Good luck, from a fellow Illinoisian. You'll miss the N scale stuff. As always, come on out and say hi to MiNi Modutrak at Trainfest, if you're coming.
Yeah I plan on having a small N setup for Xmas when all the kids come.. cause they have some N too.. lets them play on a small layout. As of now I do plan on coming to see it! Thanks for the kind words Matt!
A very interesting morning.. I got a call from a family member about someone they knew that has a box of HO stuff that they are looking to move out. Had him come out and went through the box.. Lots of looks to be like 80s-90s life like and athearn cars with a old blue box engine and some shells.. two smaller boxes of atlas track.. which for the most part still looked to be in decent shape. a bag of kadee parts (yay) and a good sized box of some assembled buildings.. and some that can be used in other forms.. I guess everyonce and awhile when you do good things.. sometimes you get something nice in return.
Picking up some curves and a feeder for the passenger main Thursday night.Also bought a new CB&Q E8 to replace an older one that wasn't in good condition.. should be coming soon.
Picked up a track cleaning car.. totally necessary! also picked up this I did assemble.. thats the picture from the website. also this Which I will assemble this week!