Input your wise advice here!

This must be the place! I'm new to this board, but after reading the recent posts I think ya'll are the ones that could give me good advice on the direction I'm heading.

I'm early in the construction phase of my layout and would like input on the concept as well as freelance vs. prototype.

It will be called the Union Pacific: Neches Division. The main location will be a mostly unmodelled town called Neches (not a real town, but the name of a river here in S.E. Texas.

The layout will be a shelf style (7 feet down one wall, 11.5 feet down the other). The two ends are 2 feet wide to allow 11" radius turn backs, while the lenght of the shelves vary from 12 inches to 18 inches.

Its a continous run format running through the hidden staging.

Heres the concept for your input: Neches, with a small yard, will be located in the middle of the layout. The main will proceed in one direction leading into a tunnel (I know, there are no tunnels in S.E. Texas) and disappear into staging. That will be trains going to Houston. The main will depart in the other direction from Neches and disappear behind a hill and go into the same staging but from the other end. That will be New Orleans.

The era is modern. I plan to have a sw9 operating in the yard, one or two GP-20s operating the coal trains. SD40-2 or SD60M or dash nines serving the refinery and the small intermodal site.

The railroad has only those three industries.

What do you think? Please feel free to ask more questions. I just didn't want to make this too long (like I didn't already).

 

Man don't try to take those 11" radius turn backs too fast, or you will go rabbit hunting in a hurry!HA! I have never tried anything less than an 18" radius with a diesel, have you tried it? I know an 0-4-0 steamer will go, maybe you might have to consider a turntable? If you find the train will not stay on the track around that tight a curve, you may have to consider making a hinged shelf that will swing down out of the way when not used, but could swing up in place and allow for a larger return loop. Its done all the time where space is limited. Tell us more about it.

 

Watash,

No problems with the corners. I have had the track down for a week. I've run my SD40-2 pulling 5-8 husky stack cars regularly with out problems. One thing I learned from past failed layouts is to eliminate "s" curves.

There is a branch line that comes off the main 4 feet before the main disappears around the hill into staging. It reconnects as it gets just behind the hill. My idea here is to put the coal mint on that branch. This way a empty hopper train can go to the mine (which is back in the trees), move to staging without being seen. Then a train of full hoppers can be brought out of staging through the mine. Basically the empties in/loads out idea.

 

Well, well, well! Welcome to The Boards!

So, you want to Proto-Free Lance? Good, it's the best way to have your Cake and Eat it Too! Ok, you're right, not tunnels in S.E. Texas...in the real world. BUT!You're not modeling the REAL real world so you can have your tunnel. My track plans for the now De-Funked Aransas Odessa & Western, a Division of BNSF, had two tunnels. Guess where the AOW is/was located. RIGHT! S.E. Texas! I have since back dated to the Mid-70's to Mid 80's and moved my now Santa Fe Railway to Illinois. It will be located along the ATSF Main Line but it will still be a Proto-Free Lance because many of the features that were either not ever present, or gone by the 70's, will be used. The message here is follow your heart and have fun. It is just a hobby so keep it that way. Again, I'm honored to be the first to Welcome you to TrainBoard!

 

OK, so "Quick Fingered" Watash beat me to the punch, as usual! Welcome anyway and just remember, listen to your fellow modelers but do it your way because that will be the best way!

 

I have a feeling we're dealing with an N scaler here (who makes a plastic HO SD60M??), so that 11" radius would be ok, but still not overly fast with Dash 9s. If those loops are in the staging, all the better.

The concept sounds pretty good, and should provide enough operation for you to handle by yourself or even have a friend or two join you.

Quick thought about the name. Divisions are HUGE sections of railroad. Maybe the "Neches Subdivision" would fit better. Then you can just call it the "Neches Sub". But it's your RR, do as you see fit!!

Welcome to TB, and look forward to hearing more!

[ 22 March 2001: Message edited by: Harron ]

 

If you are in N, could you bulge the ends out to give yourself more turning room. Could you have the ends, three feet out instead of two, and this could be curved, not rectangular. I think this is a layout that would benefit from not having a yard, could you make your layout two levels with an unsceniced or semi-sceniced area underneath for some staging. This staging area would be your "yard." Instead have an urban switching area with lots of industries to switch. If you read MR alot, kind of a Linda Sand thing.

 

Well do you feel like part of the family UP? Its like a family reunion around here now! You got everyone re-designing your layout for you! HA! I am in HO so 11" radius is tight to me, but if you have tried it, hey man I'm on your side! "N" scale can do lots that I can't. Tell them all to go...hee hee, its your Railroad after all! It sounds to me like you have it well in hand, Have Fun!

 

Welcome UP,
I like your idea of the running capabilities you've planed out. good thinking.

 

Well...as I have been ill EVERYONE beat me to the punch!! Welcome to Trainboard !! Your layout sounds very similar to mine. I have an 11" turnback that I will use to turn cars in the yard while engines get turned on the turntable. The great thing about proto-freelance is you can add as much detail as you wish, and change things to suit your needs (like the tunnel in SE Texas!!). Whatever you do, keep us up to date on construction, and any questions you may have we will do our best to answer. If the rest of us don't know, just ask Watash...he knows !! Happy Modeling!!
John

 

Thank you ALL so much. I feel as though I'm on the right (dare I say it?)track.

To clarify, yes, this is N scale. The eleven inch readius curves, as well as the whole layout, will be run at low speeds. That makes the trains seem longer and makes the 35 foot mainline seem longer to travel.

Friscobob: I like the idea of the trees. I plan to have the area where the main disappears behin the hill heavily wooded. Other areas will be heavily wooded as well.

Harron: Good point on the name. My first thought was Union Pacific: Neches Branch. Partly because the coal mine is supposedly on a branch line (the shorest branch line ever - 2 feet). But Hey, its my railroad! hows that?
Union Pacific: Neches Branch it is.

rsn: good idea but I have a confession to make, ya'll please don't ban me, I really dislike mulit-layer railroads.

Colonel: I've been to your website 2-3 times. I like your pictures and REALLY like your operating scheme for the grain trains.

Watash: Your in Forth Worth? I'm gonna be in Fort Worth April 1 - 4 for a conference. How far are you from the Renaissance Worthington Hotel? I'd love to visit your railroad while I'm in town if possible.

Thanks again ya'll! I'm ready to start building - full speed ahead

 

We need to get to the 14th post to understand that we are talking N scale here.

Is it a problem to state at the beginning what scale your are working with. That would avoid any misunderstanding. Of course, 11 inches in N scale is quite different from 11 inches in HO, or any other scale...

Jean-Louis Simonet
visit traiN'ternet: http://www.trainternet.org/

 

But if we did not state our scales, we would have so much fun trying to turn an HO UP DD-40 in 11"!!!!HEH HEH HEH lol

I can reallhy see that staging where you have it. Course, right now I am invsioning two high mountions with a cozy little siding like staging yard.

Afterthought on the staging: You could put it at one end leave one under the scenery, leaving one end open, and the light it with miniture lights to get the whole night time staging effect.

I thing I need to find me a house...

 

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by JLS:
We need to get to the 14th post to understand that we are talking N scale here.

Is it a problem to state at the beginning what scale your are working with. That would avoid any misunderstanding. Of course, 11 inches in N scale is quite different from 11 inches in HO, or any other scale...

Jean-Louis Simonet
visit traiN'ternet: http://www.trainternet.org/<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

JLS,
UP is a new member here and probably made an over site, let's go easy on him, OK?

 

I am in N-Scale and free lance myself. As everyone else said, Welcome to the Board.

I have to agree that in N, 11 inch curves aren't too bad...as long as you have good track. I have a couple of 11 inch sections on my layout, with 15 inches overall. (love those 15s)

As far as trees, I recently discovered Woodland Scenics tree kits. These are by far the best looking trees I have seen, with not a great deal of work. The conifers came 42 in the package, the decidious trees had 36. They look VERY good.

Good luck with your layout.

Jeff
Augsburg & Concord R.R.
(a fictional shortline in Central Illinois) http://www.acrr.rrdepot.com

 

Jeff,

Thanks for the idea on the trees. I'll look for them. The few I have so far I made from dried "craft type" plants. I plan to have LOTS of trees, so I'll have many different kinds.

I visited your website. Nice railroad! I like the way you wove things important to you into it.

Scot