4x8 Tomix triple continous loop N Scale

Hello everyone

This is my first post. Ive been in N scale for over twenty years due to military and other reasons.This will be based on the Texarkana yard Missouri Pacific railroad. Yes I am big collector of the Missouri Pacific. I mainly run N scale though being here in France. I've been running Z scale. I never got around designing and building my layout. This is yet to be done after moving back to the USA.

I designed this layout using Kato uni track. For the most part it was working great. But a few track pieces and design ideas wasn't looking right or too many smaller connecting pieces. I came across Tomix and I was able to achieve my goal. What you see in the attached photo is a triple continuous loop with only twelve switches total. Two double crossover switches at interchange(note only single switch is a available for trax editor, I compisated for single switch per location) and one crossing switch coming out of the yard. Seven triple switches. Six in the yard and one for the engine track off the roundhouse. One 15 deg for siding and one 30 deg for the roundhouse connection. Added an extended track to the engine facility shop and an caboose track off the roundhouse.
So please ask any questions.

 

Maybe not at the local hobby shops. You can find it online. Plus it is better quality track than Kato uni track.

 

Hi Mo-Pac, welcome. I like your innovated design. It should be fun to operate, also to watch multiple trains on the loops under DCC. Glad to have you on board.

 

Welcome to TrainBoard! Looks like it will be a cool layout!

 

I hadn't thought much about Tomix, so just found Mike Fifer's video review. One very interesting item in the video is that Kato's Atlas/Kato Conversion Track is actually a Tomix/Kato Conversion Track. It's not identified as such in North America, but its actual design purpose is clear. I like too that Tomix turnouts offer a spot to install a (inoperative) switchstand. An enterprising aftermarket manufacturer should offer a part that provides the same for Kato's pieces.

 

Thanks for the welcome aboard! Yes I forgot to mention this would be Ideal to run DCC. This is my intention to do so since the majority of my locomotives are DCC. This could be set up also as DC with the two tracks that lead to the yard can be the buffer. Though it would be more fun to run multiple locomotives through the yard/round house area. While having one on the loop in either direction and another switching the interchange.

 

Thanks for the welcome! Yes I too seen this video. I might consider using the Kato roundhouse/turntable with the conversion tracks as mention depending on which one would look better. This is the other option I liked about Tomix. Plus they have the three way switch with this it will cut down on wiring for multiple switches. Plus I couldn't find a Kato crossover switch. For my yard entrance/exit. Yes at first I was going to use a regular switch to the yard but I would have to add another switch and it would have looked restrictive and I would have to make a designated entrance and exit.

 

About running multiple trains on the loop, unfortunately with multiple trains on the loop they would have to run in the same direction. Unless going directly to the interchange. This is due to the lack of switches. The object is that the train once it exited the yard. Depending on the direction out of the yard. Going east will deliver directly to the interchange. To the west direction the train would have to spiral out of the loop. The main reason for the spiral loop was to not to cover the same track each pass. This would allow time for another train on the loop to either follow or go in the opposite direction directly to the interchange.

 

Thanks for the welcome! This layout could be loads of fun if running DCC. Yes it can defently be set up as DC also by splitting the yard and round house and the loop.

 

The credit of my avatar photo goes out to Mitch from Custom trains. This Dash 8-40/32BW I won it on Ebay recently. The detailing on this "what if" locomotive is astonishing. Though this train survived a long (Illinois to Denmark to France to India and back to Paris and then to Corsica where I am at) long journey to get to me.