My layout as I plan it - input please

Reptilian Feline Jul 28, 2020

  1. Reptilian Feline

    Reptilian Feline TrainBoard Member

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    The place is Yorkshire 1942. The small town of Cairnston has become something of a hub for the goods being transported all over Britain during the war. Close by the station, the pub, The Listening Cairn, serves up local ale and rationed meals. The ale comes from the small village of Knacker Sedge Moor, known for its fine ale and friendly people. The village holds the brewery as it's only employer, apart from all the farmers that grows the barley, and what else is needed. The brewery is still making ale, but most of the now female workforce is making ammunition, bullets, for the guns mounted in the planes. Close by a small airfield is home for a few Wellingtons and a small squadron of Spitfires. The Spitfires are there just in case, so the pilots are either new and need additional training in a safe place, or have just come back from missions, and need a bit of a breather. The likelihood of the Germans attacking is small.

    It's all make-believe of course, but it gives me the chance to run some interesting trains, have a factory on the set, and some Spitfires. I think I need one of those steam driven tractors to get the barley to the brewery. I think I might be able to get most of the people and vehicles from wargame makers.

    When I first planned this, is was for N gauge, and the trackplan was based on what was available from Peco (I think). This time I think I don't have much of a choice, but to go with Märklin... unless they still have that third rail setup. Märklin is easy to find even used in Sweden, and budget is limited. I guess that I can resell the locos and rolling stock if I get it as part of a deal with used tracks and points, unless the locos and rolling stock can be converted to fit my layout. I can run any loco to find out if the wiring is OK while I build it.

    This will have to start out as a diorama with tacks until I find the right trains to run. I think the locos will be the most expensive and most difficult to get right or right-ish. It doesn't have to be perfect to scale, but close enough so it doesn't look silly.

    So, input, what to get, what can I convert, 3D-print, etc?

    A picture of the original trackplan I made for the N gauge layout. To the left, the factory (not a brewery back then), the middle is the village of Knacker Sedge Moor, and to the right Cairnton (had another name back then). At the back, there is a tunnel so the distance can be created by pausing the train inside. Layout.gif
     
  2. markm

    markm TrainBoard Supporter

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    An interesting design. Have you looked into the Rokuhan track? It’s a roadbed track that duplicates all the Marklin sections but they have gone beyond them. The turnouts have a reputation for high operating reliability, which could make a difference in your yard.

    No one makes a wye section in Z so you’ll need to rethink you wye in terms of turnouts.

    You don’t seem to have much space to let trains just run. You’re basically shuttling back and forth between the turntable and the wye. And while you provide for turning the locomotive, what about the rest of the train? Could probably use more length to the legs of the wye and maybe simplify the yard a bit to provide the space to build and reverse a train.

    Hope this helps,
    Mark
     
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  3. Reptilian Feline

    Reptilian Feline TrainBoard Member

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    Thanks Mark!
    I've downloaded AnyRail to rebuild the layout and tweak it. The old baseboard was measured for the space it was supposed to be in, so the area is still a big question-mark. Rokuhan seem to be a good alternative, but it also depends on the cost. I think I read that Peco does flex track that fits Z as well, so maybe that can work as well... cost is the factor, but quality matters too. Roadbed track would be quicker to get lay, I'm sure. No need for cork railbeds and all that.

    I know there is a lot of shuttling, and that has been the main interest for me... kind of like making a puzzle by fetching the right wagons or cars in the right order. I might have to reconsider that... just watching the trains run are fun too. I've always been fascinated by large train-stations filled with different goods trains. I don't really know why.

    I'll install the software and see where the pieces takes me. You've given me good advice. Thank you!
     
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  4. Reptilian Feline

    Reptilian Feline TrainBoard Member

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    I tried AnyRail... won't run properly on my computer. Looked for alternatives and found my old friend XTrackCad and that also had the library for the Rokuhan Z tracks. I'm working on putting the trackplan back on track, modifying as I go along. This is so much fun!
     
  5. markm

    markm TrainBoard Supporter

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    If you don't mind U.S. Tie size and spacing, Atlas makes a good flex track plus #6 turnouts and a 19 degree crossing.

    One of the big advantages of Z is the ability to run long trains that would be had to turn down on your layout. There are people at shows who run 100 car trains.
     
  6. BNSF FAN

    BNSF FAN TrainBoard Supporter

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    That is a nice looking track plan. Looking at it as a N scaler, I see a lot of potential. Leaving it the same physical dimension for N but using Z scale would significantly increase the operational area. Very nice indeed. (y)
     
  7. DB_Z

    DB_Z TrainBoard Member

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    Peco do make Z-scale flexible track and it can be connected to Märklin track.
     
  8. Thieu

    Thieu TrainBoard Member

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    Like all Peco products, is their Z flex track very nice. I just wish they would make switches.
     
  9. kevsmith

    kevsmith TrainBoard Member

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    There is a quick way to do your RAF base if you can find one of these


    it was a gift from my niece who works in a charity shop and thought I'd like it. it was made by Danbury mint and is slightly over Z scale but not that you'd notice

    Kev
     
  10. Reptilian Feline

    Reptilian Feline TrainBoard Member

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    That looks very nice, Kev! I've been looking at wargame buildings and so on, but some have strange scales. I'll see what I can find of Danbury mint.
     
  11. ddechamp71

    ddechamp71 TrainBoard Member

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    Mmmhhh... 2 Supermarine Spitfires... Now you must add a Hawker Hurricane, a De Havilland Mosquito, and a Hawker Tempest. ;) And why not an Avro Lancaster ?:LOL:

    Dom
     
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  12. ubiminor

    ubiminor TrainBoard Member

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    Giorgio Montagner on Shapeways has quite a selection of 1:220 airplanes. Including several WWII ones.

    If you want the big British bombers (Lancaster, Halifax and Stirling) they are only available on Shapeways in 1:200, but I am sure you can convince the modeller to make them in Z scale.
     
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  13. Reptilian Feline

    Reptilian Feline TrainBoard Member

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    Just a little note... I'm working on a layout that will fit into the place I've found for it, using the track and turnouts available to me. I'm not ready to post it yet. The basic idea is still there, but the tracks and so on will be different.

    I feel I need to invest in a 3D printer when I get closer to making things for the layout. People, planes, cars, locos etc. The houses will be printed card structures... I'm already working on a three bay roundhouse.
     
  14. logging loco

    logging loco TrainBoard Supporter

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    I just started following this thread. I love the concept. I also love the Lanc. Best bomber of WWII (and I'm a Yank!)
    Here are my thoughts . . .
    If cost is your number one concern, have you thought about handling track? A bit of a learning curve, but after you can do it succesfully track becomes very affordable and track planing more flexible.
    You don't need all kinds of fancy tools, a low wattage soldering iron, some jewlers files and track gauges, tweezers rail nippers and dressmaker pins.

    I hand laid a very small Nn3 holiday display. Admittedly I didn't get the turnouts quite up to my standards so I pulled them up, but then again I only work on the layout sporadically every couple years.
    You could also use comercial track for the main track age get something running and haindlay other trackage.
     
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  15. Reptilian Feline

    Reptilian Feline TrainBoard Member

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    I've been looking into making my own track, and the flexibility of the turnouts, but I'm not sure it would be better than using Peco flextrack. For the turnouts, it would mean I can use more variations than Märklin provides, but I need to know exactly what to use for the track and the sleepers, so I can have a look at availability. I know there are templates to use, and that a steady hand and a keen eye is needed. I've done some silver jewellery, and even if soldering silver is different from electronic soldering, the care is the same. In silver you use a hot flame, not a soldering iron.
     
  16. logging loco

    logging loco TrainBoard Supporter

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    If you've silver soldered jewelry you should have no problem soft soldering track. Shape it, clean it, tin it, pin it down, heat it, make sure it's cool enough before disturbing.
    There are places you can download and print free templates.
    The Nn3 handbook and the 2mm Association both have great info about track building. I haven't visited their website for a while but I'm sure there is info on proto track construction, and if i remember correctly there may be some WWII themed layouts. Granted it's N scale, but all principles apply.
    Are you definitely set on Z scale? Although you can fit less into a given area there is a lot more available in N scale. The 2mm association has a lot available. I'm not a member, I'm just fascinated by their work.
    I'm not trying to convince you to change scales just throwing out ideas.
    So as not to be a hypocrite I need to self confess. I started to change over from N to On3. I gathered a collection of brass car and loco kits. This was prior to mass produced On30 models. Then "life" happened, I wound up staying with N and kept the On3 for a future logging themed switching layout. Think Ben King's Timber City & North Western
    That's enough rambling on my part!
    Keep us posted!
     
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  17. Reptilian Feline

    Reptilian Feline TrainBoard Member

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    I'm set on Z because it will make it possible for me to run a pretty nice and interesting setup in a small space. I'm keeping the N items I've got though, until such a day I can use it, maybe for a smaller shunting puzzle style layout. Nn3 uses the same track as Z so I'm sure I can find info for that from them, thanks for reminding me. I find that information is rarely scale specific when it comes to methods and ideas.

    And there is another reason for me to stick with Z. I'm stubborn. There is so little for me to use of ready made items, that I just have to prove that it can be done... then others might follow.

    Also - doing most things from scratch or by converting downloaded kits and so on... it's a hobby all in itself, isn't it.
     
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  18. logging loco

    logging loco TrainBoard Supporter

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    I had been away from the hobby for about two years and not paid any attention to Z scale or other scales for probably ten years. Not that I have anything against Z scale. After my ill fated attempt to change scales I'm just forcing myself to focus on N.
    In just the past two months I've started noticing how far Z scale has come along. It's amazing.
     
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  19. Reptilian Feline

    Reptilian Feline TrainBoard Member

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    Please don't shoot me for being ambitious. The Cairnton station is based on a prototypical station. The brewery at the bottom, isn't really to my liking, but I need the return loop somehow and some sidings for goods in and out. The tiny station of Knacker Sedgemoor has the spur to the brewery, and the possibility to have cattle or sheep and local passenger traffic and so on. Then the tracks form in total a continuous loop and will somehow be turned into the rabbit warren concept. As it is now, the gradients are within tolerance. I haven't really added much of the buildings yet, or roads, but there will be a viaduct at the back, and a scenic divide between Cairnton station and the rest of the layout, buildings on one side, hills on the other.

    I wanted to present this in a separate thread, but since this one has taken on a life of its own, I post it here. The space I have is still slightly approximated. I have to see how I fit and how I can reach, before finalising the baseboard sizes.
    Z-scale layout.gif
     
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  20. Reptilian Feline

    Reptilian Feline TrainBoard Member

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    I forgot to mention, the rulers on the picture are in meter not inches.
     

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