Trying to design my layout after finding the space for it. The room is not available yet so time is on my side. Was posting this in another section of this forum, n-scale layout design and discussion ( designing my layout ) but now following the advice of Mystere to post it here with the hope to get a little more publicity and feedback. The room is 14.3 by 8.9 ft.( the grid is 25x25 centimeters ) It is a logging-railroad with an urban switching area. Era is between 1940 and 50. Picture of the room. The section with the river ( bottom left ) is a liftout section. ( That is where the door is ) The letters are the connections between the tracks. A is going to a little stagging yard under camp 4. ( Top right ) To have a better view you find bigger photos of 3 parts of the layout here; Hope there will be lots of comments and suggestions that are helping to improve this design further. Looking forward to see them. Thanks and regards. Ron.
It's hard for me to really see what you're doing Ron because a lot of the track is hidden. Have you figured out the radius of each curve and ensured that it won't be less than 9.75" (24.8 cm)? My main concern is from D to D in the lower left corner. Also, I can't see where the D in the upper right corner is going. Maybe I'm just having a hard morning. Will all this hidden track be permanently covered by scenery so that you won't be able to access it for cleaning or grabbing derailed stock? It seems like a very complex track plan--which of course could work quite nicely if you have a big elevation change from logging to urban. I'm thinking it might be helpful if you would draw dashed lines into your drawing so we could see exactly what is happening with the hidden curves, and even a few notations next to the track giving its elevation. Just to help us visualize, eh?
Thanks for your reply Chaya. Think I made it a hard morning, thought it would help to keep the hidden track out. My mistake. Here it is: And the second one: Radius min. is 31,7 cm. Lay-out height will be more than 3,5 ft. ( 110-115 cm ) All hidden track will be reachable from under the layout. Track is Tomix fine scale. So I am feeling very safe in connection with derailments. That track is bulletproof, think it is even better than Kato. Elevation will be between 2 and 3.5 %, so there will be enough room to clean the track. Also designed a logo for the Hudson & Catskill. Will gladly answer any other questions. Regards. Ron.
Your grades are pretty accurate. The Ulster and Delaware had an almost 4% grade going up from the river front to the city of Kingston. Going into the mountains required grades of up to 3%. If you want more traffic, consider farm supplies and equipment. In your era, cattle feed moved in boxcars, tractors and other implements on flatcars. Coal, both anthracite for home use, and bituminous for industry, were still very much in use. You are just on the end of the milk train era. Perhaps a passenger train with a couple of milk cars, bound for a connection to New York. Also consider barge traffic on the river, which was considerable. Cement and oil in your era, particularly. Frank
That looks great, Ron! Thanks for making the modifications so I can see a little better. I can hardly wait to see it take shape. Especially looking forward to your logging camp... :thumbs_up::thumbs_up:
Thank you guys. That milk train is a good idea, like those milk cars. I was considering barge traffic but put in a piece of the Erie Canal idea on the liftout section. Now looking and designing a color scheme for the H & C Ry. As soon as I have something to show I will post it. Regards. Ron.
My only concern would be all the hidden track, and the trackage that's a 36" reach or more. That can be a hassle when you have to start reaching over scenery to get to a derailment. It's got potential, but I'd maybe scale down the width of the layout to 24-28" for reach.
Very intriguing design with a lot of interesting scenes! One thing: the turntable looks a bit odd, like a box that has been attached to the layout. Can you make it look more logical?
I was a little bit worried about the reach too, so I checked it several times. When I bent a little over my reach is more than 90 cm ( 36 " ) The track is always at less than that. So there will be no problem but just in case I will make buildings in front removable. Mystere mentioned also a very good idea to make a reinforced part on the layout so you can lean on that with one hand. All the hidden track will be reachable from below so I am not worried about that. With the Tomix track there will be almost no derailments and every piece of rolling stock will be checked before it gets on the track. Also planning to test the track during building so there will be no surprises. But thanks mcjaco for mentioning it. Thanks Thieu for liking it. The box with the turntable is removable, lol, so it is attached to the layout but you are right about the shape. Have to do something about that. Regards. Ron.
Hey Ron! Boy that "town" along the top sure grew! I like it though. You mentioned over in the group that you were worried about construction with all the stacked tracks along the top, but I think you've worked it out to be rather straight forward with this latest plan. Very cool idea about making a removable roundhouse. If anyone is interested, previous versions of the plan are posted in the N Scale Layout Design TrainBoard Group. You can get some idea of where the plan started and how it got to what it is now which might aid feedback. Great stuff Run. :thumbs_up:
Ron, I was thinking about track-cleaning. On my own layout, all the track is exposed, so though I will be doing the "Gleam method" I won't do it until everything is scenicked. I was thinking you might want to use the "Gleam method" on your hidden track before you hide it--and then--if you can keep from running dirty wheels over it before you're done--you won't even have to worry much at all about cleaning it.
Hi Mark, glad to see you back. I admit that I got carried away with that "little town" :tb-wacky: but I like it also. Looking forward to build it. Think the plan is much better now. Chaya you make me very curious about that " Gleam method ". I have no idea what you are talking about. lol. Now you are giving me a hard evening.:tb-biggrin: Hope you will be so kind to explain it. Regards. Ron.
Yep, that's a good one. In addition, though, someone suggested using 1400-grit sandpaper on the second go-round instead of 800-grit. Finally, after you're finished Gleaming your tracks, use De-Oxit or No-Ox-ID or whatever. I got mine here: NO-OX-ID A Special
Thanks Mark and Chaya. Read the post and found it very interesting, so I will try it. Like to weather my tracks so I will test it first to see what happens. If it does not work with the weathering I can always use it on the hidden track. Can't find Bleu Magic on the internet overhere so think I have to use another brand. That NO-OX-ID, Chaya, have you tried that? My first reaction was, you have cleaned the track and than you are putting some film on it which will hold the dust and dirt again. Regards. Ron.
Also playing with photoshop to make a colorscheme for the H&C. Came up with this. What do you think? Regards. Ron.
The paintscheme is OK: it could be an existing scheme. It convinces me. The way you print the name of the RR on the side of the engine does not convince me.
Nice design, 1. pitfalls? A) never ever put turnouts against the wall B) Never ever place turnouts under scenery unless its removable scenery, and then only if you can access them easily. 2. Corners are notoriously difficult to work in also, turnouts close to the wall in corners are harder to work on than turnouts just close to the wall. Track cleaning in N scale is always an issue, turnout maintenance (well down the line even the best turnouts, break, need adjustment, or just plain cleaning. On the paint scheme, its great! I would respace the lettering though, try putting the Hudson left of the Center door, the & in the middle door and the catskills right of the door. You might try spelling out Railway and showing both versions. Rob
