A new 'N' scale member, joined tonight

hello guys and gals.........

l am new 'N' scale member and a senior just got a KATO NW-2, l could not believe how well it is made. To my eyes it is high quality compare those made in the 1980's and back. l am looking for
a flat level twice around with 2 switches using atlas code 80, 9 3/4 inch radius, 5 inch straights
track plan. lf possible on a 2 foot by 3 foot board. l am having hard time finding a simple plan
such as this. The train would be a NW-2 engine and 4 or 5 40 foot cars to make a short train. l
not sure of what degree crossing to use on this track plan. Can you help with the track plan ?

thanks guys
tiffany nw-2

 

Welcome Tiffany.
Also another Small N Scale layout sites
http://www.scarm.info/layouts/track_plans.php?scale=N
http://www.katousa.com/track-plans/n-plans.html

Njoy

 

Hello bremner................

thank you for the link but my plan is a simple low cost small layout type. nothing fancy


tiffany nw-2

 

Tiffany, try the Atlas site. I have a small layout based on track plan N-4, and the first few shown might work or be adaptable from the HO list.

 

Hi Tiffany, Welcome. You might also look at the N-Scale forum for discussions and photos of small layouts that folks have done over the years. You'll need patience searching because what you're looking for will be buried among "Empires", "How do I's", and other detailed stuff. Though it should be an interesting search...if you don't get overwhelmed.

 

Overheard plan view of layout I built a few years back. 2 x 3 feet, NOT a twice around. Continuous loop not considered a "mainline" but a circulation loop to get around to various spurs. No passing siding for runarounds- makes runarounds by running entire way around loop. Line that runs off front bottom in this view is a supposed interchange connection to a trunkline railroad. This little layout runs with one switcher, missed group of cars on and off the layout from the trunkline. Layout represents an unusual subject- a World War II era US Naval Air Station for BLIMPS. Traffic: helium tankcars to end of spur at left (spherical helium containment tank), special US Navy munitions boxcars of explosives, and other misc. supplies to low-relief Naval Stores warehouse on left spur. Vehicles on flatcars to end-loading ramp on inner spur left side. Open-top loads to open yard on top part of same spur. Aviation gasoline and diesel fuel in tankcars to fuel dump, inner spur at right. Can be used as switching layout but also allows round-and-round running just for quick and easy fun.

How layout appears from front. Although only 2x3 feet, it contains what is claimed to be "world's largest wooden frame building," the 6-blimp hanger which is painted in perspective. The naval store warehouse, vehicle maintenance shop (just above 2nd boxcar), concrete water tower (above 1st boxcar, concrete to save steel for war effort), admiral's administration/headquarters building, all based on actual structures I have seen at the abandoned base in Texas. Barracks and fuel dump from photos in a 1950s navy base "yearbook."

I devised this track plan to try to come up with the smallest practical loop layout with a fair amount of switching and operation. It is only 2 straight track sections and 2 track separation widths longer than a minimum radius circle of track, and about one track-separation width deeper. My original idea was to make it a paper mill- would take in bulkhead flats of pulpwood, various chemical tankcars, ship out boxcars of paper products and occasional tanks of lignosulfate- papermaking byproduct used in setting concrete. But lots of people have modeled paper mills and I wanted something really unusual. Since I saw this base in the distance from 10 miles away when I was a small child, and since it was near prototype city I was modeling, I built the blimp base instead.

The key to this layout is that it is a kind of switching area connected to but OFF a main line. Could be behind a fence, like all within one industrial plant. But could be used to represent tight tracks in an inner city warehouse and factory district, OR a suburban "industrial park" with multiple customers.

 

Twelve full curved pieces of that particular Atlas track make a full circle, which means they carry you through 360 degrees of curvature. Same with the code 80 in 11 inch radius. Divide that by the twelve pieces, and you find that each full curve section carries you through 30 degrees of curvature. So, each standard half section of curved track carries you through 15 degrees of curvature.

If you use the crossing instead of a pair of straight tracks on one side of your oval, and you use a standard Atlas half curve on each corner, then 15 degrees plus 15 degrees equals a 30 degree crossing.

I wouldn't, though. I'd put the crossing right where you go from straight to curve. I'd run the inside track down the straight through a 15 degree crossing, after which it would be the outside track through the curve. The outside track down the straight would need a half section curve to the crossing, and on the other side it would be the inside track through the curve.

That would eliminate S-curves. But with the type of trains you're going to run, it might not matter much. And if you put a thirty degree crossing on one straight side of your oval, you can use 11 inch radius track on the outside curve at both ends, leaving just enough room for 9 3/4 on the inside track. So maybe you wouldn't prefer to do it the way I'd do it. Maybe you'd take the easy way out. I won't beat you up if you do!

But when I put those half curves on each corner of that crossing, I'd use half sections of the 11 inch radius instead of the 9 3/4--if they'll fit. I think they will fit. If I'm guesstimating right, you'll use four 5" straights on one side of the oval, and on the other side, two half straights (2 1/2 inch), four half section 11" curves, and one thirty degree crossing. This and twelve each of 11 and 9 3/4 inch full curve sections should net you a simple twice around. If I'm guesstimating right.

A twice around isn't that interesting to me. You might consider running a single oval with 11 inch radius curves, which makes it possible to run more interesting equipment eventually. It also eliminates the crossing, so you can put in switches on each side to industrial sidings/stations inside the oval. Or maybe you know what you want and I should stow that.

The layout above is pretty interesting, too--and you get a cool double slip switch instead of a crossing!

 

If I wanted to eliminate the S curves and make it look better, I'd start with this, and see if my guesstimation is any good (no guarantees):

five or six 5" straight tracks
fourteen 9 3/4 inch full curve sections
nine 11 inch full curve sections
Two 9 3/4 inch radius half length curve sections
One half length straight track
Two one quarter length shorty straight sections
One 15 degree crossing

On one side of the oval, make the inside straight out of a straight track, a shorty one quarter length straight, and the crossing. Attach three 9 3/4 inch full curve tracks to the other end of the crossing, and finish that curve out with three of the eleven inch radius curve tracks. The rest of the 11" radius makes the outside curve at the other end. The two half section curve tracks attach to the other track in the crossing, with one at each end. The outside track going into the crossing would be one of the half curves, one half length straight track and the other shorty straight section.

 

Welcome to Trainboard, tiffany nw-2. It looks like you have already found some advice. We are good at that here.

 

Hello guys............

Thank you for welcoming me to the N scale forums as i surely feel very welcome !!!! Thanks guys !!!!!!!!!

Ok, so twice around is not good so any simple oval track plan using 11 inch radius and a switch or 2 on
the 2 foot by 4 foot space. My goal was to make a simple level layout with rual area like in northern Ca.
such as a small town gridley,ca.

Many thanks, tiffany nw-2

 

hello acptulsa..

How did you figure out this, l am impress !!!!!!!!! SMILE........... l wondered if the kato nw-2 would run better on 11 inch radius
than the 9 3/4 inch radius instead ?

many thanks guys......
tiffany nw-2

 

I don't think the little switcher will care much which radius it runs. But sticking to 11 inch (and not doing a twice-around, which won't fit in 2x3 with only 11 inch) would give you the luxury of falling in love with something a little bigger later on.

You shouldn't let us talk you out of a twice-around if all you want is to run trains, and you intend to stay perfectly satisfied with your sweet-running switcher. If you put the crossing at the back, it is kind of magical. And fun to watch and see how long it takes people to notice that it comes around on the other track each time.

 

hello acptulsa

ok, small space is important to me because we will soon be living in a trailer and travaling all over the country. The NW-2 is my favorite small diesel so i would very much like a twice around and 2 switches (one for small yard to park the switcher in small engine shed and park 5 cars on the siding). Should I stick to 9 3/4 inch radius as thats what i am using for now to break in the NW-2. Will a level 9 3/4 inch radius twice around fit on 2 foot by 4 foot space ?

many thanks guys
tiffany nw-2

 

The recipe I gave you was for a twice-around in a 2x3 space. An engine which breaks in on 9 3/4 inch radius curves won't mind doing wider curves at all, any more than it minds running a straight track. An oval makes it easier to do sidings because you can do 11 inch radius on the track and use the tighter curves inside the loop to make the sidings. But you can get a couple of modest sidings like that inside easily enough if you extend to 2x4 feet. Hard to do in three feet, because you need enough straight track to uncouple on. You can also put your engine shed outside the loop in a corner of the board. It would be short enough to fit there.

Don't be afraid to have both 9 3/4 and 11 inch radius on the same layout.