After nearly 3 years, I am contemplating tearing down the existing Augsburg & Concord Railroad (N-scale layout) and starting over. There are several choics I made that I regret: 4% grade, 11 inch radius in two places, one including an rather nasty S-Curve. Now, I have a 14'x8' space. I prefer to stay with an around the room layout, with continuous running. Most of my equipment fits the mid-late 80's era. I enjoy urban scenery and am just starting the planning process. Any ideas and suggestions are welcome. To see my old layout, check the web page in my signature. Jeff Augsburg & Concord R.R. (a fictional shortline in Central Illinois) http://www.pegnsean.net/~revnjeff
Well I can't say I blame you Jeff because I went through this last fall. Like you, too tight radius and a grade that made two GP40s sweat to get a twenty car train from one level to another. My new layout (N gauge) has a 20 inch radius minimum on the mainline and no grades over 1%. As you are thinking of around the wall, you should be able to have large radius curves. The larger the radius the better. Trains look so much better going around them. One of the benefits of N gauge eh!
Jeff, One suggestion: build it as a modular or semi-permanent modular. I found that it was easier to handle and when it came time for it to be taken out, it was a snap (believe me, THERE WILL come a time when all or part of the new layout will need to be removed). Good luck with the new layout and keep us posted as to progress!! John
John, One thing about building modular, or semi-modular...I was hoping to use the exisiting benchwork as the basis of the new layout. Since it was box construction with foam on top, I figured I could just remove the foam and keep the exisiting benchwork. See, if I get rid of ALL that lumber, it will take that much longer to build the layout on the extrememly limited budget. Robin's cereal box building sound really great to me...nice and cheap! Jeff Augsburg & Concord R.R. (a fictional shortline in Central Illinois) http://www.pegnsean.net/~revnjeff
Jeff, its funny that you mention permanent benchwork...my club has just asked me to come up with a plan to make the permanent benchwork modular (in case we have to move someday). What a nightmare Good luck with the upgrades and we expect progress reports . John
RevnJef, you may be able to salvage your old benchwork, by leaving the original foam there, and just bond a 1/2" or 1" foam on top. You can shorten the leggs to bring each module down to spec. height if necessary. It saves wood, and a lot of time, and doesn't add any weight to speak of. I have some printouts of standard module shapes if they would be of help in track planning. Let me know, and I'll send them, (there are 3 photos). When printed out, you make Xerox coppies, cut them out, and arrange them on poster board, untill you find what you want, then glue them in place as reference during assembly. They work well for clubs to use at a show too. Depending on who shows up, each guy's module can be placed where needed to decide upon what arrangement can be made for the show.
I didn't mean "permanent" benchwork, although the current benchwork is made from 2x4 oak (which I got for free). The concern about saving the current foam is that there is a great deal of cork roadbed glued to it. When that gets removed, I am afraid the base would be rather gouged, possibly uneven. SInce I would have to cover this with more foam, why not remove the old foam completley? Not only that, I have now given serious consideration to shortening the width of the sides from 3 feet to two. I prefer to have ground throws, and can't reach back that far, with a 52 inch track height. SO far, I have decided this: 2 foot table width, around the room, double track main line (which might be a simple oval), a branch line leading in and though the main town with some street trackage. Once my track template comes in the mail (ordered Wednesday) from Terminal Hobbies, I will start drawing. Jeff
Jeff, I suggest going to a hardware store and get a long flexible bread slicing knife (with the scolloped edge), and a flexible wide blade "putty" knife used for tapeing and bedding. Remove all nails and screws from all the cork. To prevent gouging chunks out of the foam board, try this method: It can be an easy job to salvage the cork by slipping the bread knife flat between the cork and original foam, and slide the blade very close to the glue on the cork, but just slicing a paper thin sliver in the foam. Gently lift the cork as you go. It can help to keep a wet towel laying in a square cake pan with a little water to wipe the knife blade over this towel to help keep the blade from getting sticky if you happen to cut up into the glue. Keep the blade wet, by wipeing the towel often. It doesn't take a lot of sawing either. Once you get the hang of how to bend the blade flat along the top of the foam, and the correct angle to turn the blade, you will be surprised how easy it is to lift all the cork. The putty knife helps in corners and tight places, just keep the blade wet, and sharp.
Depending on what kind of glue you used on the roadbed, you can also put water-soaked towels or whatever over it for awhile to help loosen things up.
For those who don't the Layout Planning Boards, this is a repeat. First the parameters: 14'x 8' space, N-Scale, continuous mainline running, some switching, single level for all trackage, 2 foot wide benchwork. Here's a paper and pencil plan that I have started to develop: Jeff Augsburg & Concord R.R. (a fictional shortline in Central Illinois) http://www.pegnsean.net/~revnjeff
I just started constructing my benchwork today for my new layout. Maybe about 1/8 pecent done. It takes a long time just using a skill saw, drill, and miterbox and saw. I am using all screws, no nails. L girder framework.
Jeff, have you come to a dission yet? Your plan looks good, nice mixture of running and switching. Should get some nice long trains on that layout. Greg Elems
Missing pews???? Where? I don't see any missing pews, there were always those empty spaces in the back of the church..... No seriously, I got the oak boards from the paper mill. Machinery comes with these boards used as crate material. The mill gives it to workers to dispose of...some of it just happened to get disposed of in my basement. Jeff Augsburg & Concord R.R. (a fictional shortline in Central Illinois) http://www.pegnsean.net/~revnjeff
