Hello everybody, I made mention in my introduction post, under new members forum, I was working on a layout. I have been looking at the Atlas N-17: Gulf Summit Lines...Susquehanna Valley Ry. In the N-Scale book, the author stated that the design was basically a common rail road with the ability to run up to four cabs, 2 on the lower road and one one the upper road. There is a reversing loop in the layout and it is possoble to get a train reversed and never get it back in its original direction. The reversing loop is on the upper road. I also have some issue with the original radius used in the original design; made back in the 1960's more than likely. I purchased my plan book in 1989 and just picked up the latest edition of this same plan book just the other day. The older book showed steam engines and the new book showed modern diesels. 9-3/4" radius in the minimum that some 6-axle diesels might be able to handle. The tight radius will make 85' scale cars look somewhat out of place and less prototypical. The upper road figure 8 does not allow for lengthy consist. 48" x 74-1/2" is alot of track in a small space that doesn't allow for people who might dream bigger. The real estate is much larger, the planned bench work and cookie cutter is now 60" x 120" (5'X10'). Grades on the transittion track (from lower road to upper road) has been reworked to keep it to a maximum of 2%. The lower road yard is longer off the side of double track main. One of the mains now sports a really long passing siding that can rejoin the main in 3 different places and reverse back onto itself or the main it is tied to. One of my trains is the Kato N ATSF El Capitan full consist from the late 1960's, with plans to throw in the full consist of the Kato N ATSF Super Chief that is due out in October 2011. This layout is prototypical of nothing, I'm just a fan of ATSF and have always wanted a passenger train on a layout. Other trains planned, coal unit trains, they do cross the Texas High Plains coming down from Powder River, Wy. Intermodal crosses the Texas High Plains as well from L.A. to Ft. Worth (Aliance, TX.) Mixed freight and grain unit trains are also regularly seen here as well. With the types and lengths of trains in mind, the Atlas N-17 has been modified using XTrkCAD using Kato UniTrack as the choice of rail. Attached are three bitmaps exported from the cad program. The full layout, the lower road and the upper road. The transittion track from lower to upper is shown with the upper road. Of course, this layout exist in my head and on my computer. Now its time to start collecting track and accessories.
That looks like it works really well actually! Some nice additionaly touches with the modern coal loader and the return loop. Do you plan on using the Atlas viaduct sets or have something else in mind? Smooth rails!
Thinking of using the cast concrete pier sets for the trusses and plate girder bridges. I'm using a plate girder bridge on BNSF route south of Post, TX at Justiceburg as that proto type.
Gulf Summit I was wondering what the bench work was going to consist of. I to am in the middle of putting this railroad together. I do like the way you have design this out using the Uni Track. I however posted to find out if the 90 degree crossings could be e[FONT="]liminated[/FONT] in order to run 4 trains continues. I started out with the 4x6 went and bought another sheet of plywood and was working on a 4x8 code 80 type of track and ran into all kinds of problems. Your layout just blew me away you have done a fantastic job on recreating the Gulf Summit very nice job!!
One of the Atlas layouts (N-17, N-18 ??) has an elevation error. I remember this from someone building it a few years ago. They made a post here on TB about the problem.
You mentioned 4 cabs for operating the 4 different loops (2 ovals on the lower level and 2 figure 8s on the upper). I can't tell from the pictures...are the Figure 8s crossing each other at grade or are they separated by a couple inches? If the figure 8s are indeed independent of each other (passing 2 inches above instead of crossing at grade), you will be able to run separate trains on them without problems. If they are not independent loops, even though you have 2 operators and 2 cabs for running trains on the upper level while 2 other operators run 2 trains on the lower level, it will be crazy-making trying to coordinate timing 2 trains looping continuously only on the figure 8s, so both always meet going opposite directions on the same diagonal of the crossing instead of one train t-boning the other as they cross on different diagonals of the crossing.
According to the Atlas book, that is part of the challenge of the design. The upper road is a modified double figure 8, the double cross and the figure eight is all on the same plane. The trains can run opposite of each other or chase each other. Same on the lower road. However, for Cab A to go from lower road to upper road, Cab C or D would have to come down from the upper road. I haven't figured out all the in's and out's of XTrkCAD yet, so I have not been able to show the elevation difference between the roads and the elevations on the transition zone. Also, the lower road is not all on the same plane. Like I said, much of this is still in my head and not posted on the board yet.
Hi I love your modified version of the SV & GS and would like to build something very similar to it with Kato track. Is it possible to print the track pieces on the layout picture. I any have trouble figuring out which curves to use
I am sorry, but that track plan is going to have a few issues, such as reaching a derailed car. a hollow core door is as wide as I would make an N Scale layout
A 5 x 10 footprint will definitely have reach-in issues. It's not the length that's the problem, it's the five foot width. I would attempt a 4 x 12 sooner than a 5 x 10 if the extra two feet can be comfortably accomodated.
