Hi all! I'm returning to the board (and the hobby) after a looooooong absence. We built an HO 8x4 layout in our old place. Once both my wife and a realized we love model RRs. We moved in early 2002, and while kept getting stock here and there... We'd gone dormant. I was suffering from 'design paralysis!' Once we moved, I went from having a tiny bedroom to having roughly half of the basement! A good size space that just needed one wall to close it off. 18'x13'. Good amount of space for an HO layout. Kept trying to come up with plans that address our needs vs wants... And got really discouraged. Well, long story longer... The boilers are lit once again! I found a plan in a 2012 copy of MR that filed most of our needs. Sketched it out on graph paper, made a few changes here and there... And love it. Have a framer coming by this weekend to put up my one wall (with door) and drywall. Then... Getting started on bench work! (And starting to collect turnouts!) Can't WAIT to get going, and see some of the stuff we've been collecting for a decade come out of their boxes for some FUN! Cheers! CK
Hi CK, Welcome, glad that your "boilers" have been fired up once again. I can relate to fits and starts, but it's so satisfying to finally accomplish something that you can show non-RR modelers and they say "wow, that's neat". Have fun, and please keeps abreast of your progress with photos.
Howdy neighbor. Glad to have you aboard. Half a basement is a big improvement over a 4x8. Waiting to see your plans and work on the new layout.
A great backstory! I think almost all of us can relate to interest waxing and waning. It will be nice to see your progress as things move forward. Welcome aboard!
CK, glad to see you back on Trainboard. Your enthusiasm is inspiring, and we look forward to you progress on your new venture. Oh, I forgot, GO FLAMES.
Hi TrainboySD40! The plan we're basing on is actually from Dec 2013 MR (I believe) ... the Milwaukee Road 14th Subdivision. I've made a few alterations to the plan to adjust it to our space and needs. (Scenery/location is completely different.) The biggest alteration is that we changed the peninsula into a mushroom, so that the mainline has a nice long run. Also extended the left wall to 24" deep, rather than 18... just for more scenic options. We're freelancing a CP transition-era layout... it'll be about ⅔ based in Alberta and ⅓ in British Columbia. Our layout requirements are: Continual running (for my wife & visitors) Some switching (for me!) Small yard (as in original plan) 22" minimum (Most curves are 24 or more) #6 minimum turnouts 30" minimum aisles (primary aisle is almost 4') Code 83 track Primarily CP motive power - NAR making appearances as a special guest-star. I was never able to come up with a plan that satisfied me, but the Milwaukee plan does pretty much everything we needed... including the placement of the door/entrance.
Yup. The plan bears minimal appearance to their real line, but would work well as an adaptation for many people.
