As space is at a premium in London and I am on a student budget, my newest layout in going to be tiny. I will be using a boxfile as the starting point for this project. For those who don't know, boxfiles are boxes designed to store A4 sized papers or magazines. So, with the boxfile on it's side there is a 14" x 9.5" x 2.75" space. The challenge is to fit the entire model inside. I wanted to do an inner-city switching layout with lots of street trackage. I came up with the plan of using two Atlas code 55 3.5 wye turnouts and two industries. This plan as drawn isn't exactly what I will build but it's close. The track will exit each side of the box at right angles to go onto cassettes. I will also try to widen the curve in the bottom of the drawing, it's a bit tight. The road is not shown but it will run along the through route. Part of the curve will be in the street and part in dirt as it's a badly maintained spur. The main rolling stock will be 44-tonners and a Kato NW-2 with 40' and the occasional 50' boxcar. I have the two turnouts and two lengths of flex. Before I begin laying anything down I want to figure out the turnout control. This is an area where I could use some advice. So far my two thoughts have been either Caboose Hobbies ground throws or Atlas switch machines. I would have to extend the ground throws somehow so that they aren't in the street. Even so, they are very overscale. The Atlas switch machines are expensive, noise, sudden and I would loose some of the height of the layout. Any thoughts? Gareth
I was wondering along lines similar to alcors. Peco N turnouts are sprung so, with no switch machine, you can move them by finger and they stay the direction you turn them. Wonder if the Atlas turnouts could be sprung to operate similarly.
Gareth - take a look at http://www.carendt.com/microplans/pages/a3/index.html 5th down , and also the latest Scrapbook #111- they may give you sone more ideas for your layout. I built the original to fit Gnomy trams, but yours should work very well in the N Gauge - best of luck PS Your other alternative would be to build an extended version, on several flat plates that will join together (neodymium magnets or case clips?), but can all be fitted in the boxfile for storage Jack
Boston and Maine in a Box? I'm subscribed! Like you, space is a premium, so grand walk around N scale layouts are something of a fantasy. I'm always intrigued by micro layouts such as what you have here. The little Bachmann 44 Tonner would work well here. I realize you are just talking planning right now but have you thought of when and where this will be? There were and are some great locations where large town and city switching took place. I'm always amazed at the network of track I still find in Concord NH. Looking forward to your progress.
Jim, I'm thinking of partly basing it on the Union Freight Railroad in Boston. But I want B&M power, so it could also be any city on the Merrimack; Lowell. Lawrence, Nashua, Manchester, Concord. I grew up near Keene and I'll be back for Christmas, so I think I'll go do some exploring while I'm home. I'm going to see if I can work out some sort of springing for the points. Since I made the first post I've remembered about the Hump Yard lever arms. I've always kind of wanted to try them, they could probably go in a building or something.
Gareth, Bachmann makes a GE 44-tonner in B&M black with red stripes. http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/products.php?act=viewProd&productId=3453 Bachmann's MSRP is a little high, but I'm sure you can find it at a lower price with one of the TB advertisers.
Ah Keene, knew it well. Not as familiar with the towns in MA, but Concord and Manchester I have many hours of research thanks to the B&M historical society. Amazing how much track those two cities had, so depending on the era, you would easily be able to find something like this. I was hoping to be back home for Christmas but not this year. I hope to be back next early Summer for vacation and more research of the Northern line.
Ok it's way past time for an update. I have figured out how to switch the points. I bought two SPDT slide switches. These can power the frog easily. To connect them to the tie bars I drilled a small hole in the side of the switch itself. I used 0.020" brass wire from this hole, through plastic tube, to the tie bar. I included a little loop in the wire to act as a spring because the switch moves further than the point. I haven't done much beyond that. I have some mockups of the fronts of buildings. I'm not sure if I want the instudry with the curved spur to have the track inside the building or alongside. I'm kind of thinking that alongside might be better.
Great idea! Check out this thread as well. Should inspire you. It was done by fellow trainboarder M.C. Fujiwara. A lot of bang in a small package. http://www.trainboard.com/grapevine/showthread.php?134868-Summer-Shunting-Shelf-Project
If you could do so, I believe you'd like outside. Which would also make the whole layout seem slightly larger.
Long time, no update. That's about to change: I've got the beginnings of some actual buildings With street track it's important to keep the flangeways clear, I'm using nickel silver strip superglued against the spikes. Brick between the rails and cobblestones for the street.
I like what you've accomplished. Where did you find, or how did you fabricate the nickel-silver strips?
