Mike Hagarty's N scale 'Mountain Sub'

It's time to start a thread to show the progress of the new layout. It will be called the Mountain Subdivision, set in the Canadian Rockies, well at least most of it will be. I would like to have a grain elevator module, so I might go a bit to the east with half the layout!
Here the first construction pictures. I'm goin gto try to build most of the layout on modules this time.
This will be the main yard, it will be 2' wide and 47' long, 31' on one wall and 16' on the other.

I put up a wall for a divider this time, the modules will be 22" wide on each side of it, with a 4 foot walkway between the yard and the other side.

This will be the only 180 degree curve on the layout, and it will be hidden under a work bench at the end of this wall. It is 48" across, so the curve will be at 22" radius.

That's all for now, more to come soon!

 

The layout is in a basement 31'x30' with a 7'x8' bump out. It is going to be a single deck point to point with a 6 track staging yard at each end, and a large yard in the middle. The staging yards will be double ended and the tracks should be 16-18' long each. Most of the layout will be built on modules. There will also be 3-4 sidings all 16-18' long. I should be able to get a mainline run of about 250 feet. There will be a few grades of about 2% also, grades are fun!

 

Great start Mike , as a contractor and knowing what kind of "dry kiln" wood we now have , try to install something on each side of your 2" x 4" wood stud to prevent them from warping ( this is not like the high speed in Star Trek ) .
If your module will be attached like in a few days then it's fine , but if you will leave them exposed for a while try to fix and horizontal stud on each side at mid height with screws . When you will be ready for the module you will just have to remove it . ( at least until they dry )

Great to "see" you back Mike !!!!

 

I'm going to install drywall on each side of that wall in the next couple of days,will that be enought to keep the studs straight?

 

Sure no problem ! Put screws every foot or so along the stud .

 

Sheetrock should pull mildly curved studs back into straight. When I did my big project in 2002 (trainroom, new walk-in closet, shed), I must have sent back 20 percent of the studs. And they were stored in my garage, not out in the weather. As soon as I snapped the bands, they started warping.

Nice to see the progress, Mike!

 

Wow, that's pretty inspiring.

 

Depends. I had an incident where the wall bowed out quite a lot. Turns out a particular stud started to warp. This took a few months to occur.

 

I be following your progress for sure!!!

 

WOW Mike,
Your going to have your hands full for awhilemg: . It's a shame you live so far away,I think it would be a blast working on that.:thumbs_up:

 

Wow its looking to be a grand new layout, can't wait to see its progress. Maybe it will get me motivated to finish my CP layout...

 

Mike and all tuned in,

Envious as hell. I can only imagine what I would do with all that room. Wish I had that kind of room for my layout.

Talking about studs or 2x4's warping. I had a house built, years ago, and as the framers put up the studs they bowed enough to make a bow and arrow set. No kidding. I told the framers to pull them out and replace them. They gave me the typical static about how they would straighten up. I told them I would remove them hinting they weren't going to like the results. The next morning the studs were replaced. The problem is most the 2x4's are cut, strapped and never given a chance to dry or are dry kilned (I think is the way to express that). Anyway, your 2 by's look better then my bathroom wall, after the 2x4's was replaced.

Echoing a previous sentiment. Wish you were closer it would be loads of fun to help you build your layout.

 

It motivates me to buy a house first

 

Hey Mike!!
Jan (jsoflo) bugging you again! you goin to be ready for 2008 great model railroads, they are apparently looking for N scale layouts, Laggan sub should've been in! Hows progress? Us CP nuts are dieing to see your new mountain sub,
all my best,
Jan

 

Best to make it somewhat removable so you can at least save parts of it in case you move.

 

Looking nice, Mike! Thanks for sharing!

 

Hey Mike, It's Scott Teague. I hope everything is been good for you. Nice to see you starting again.

Keep in touch,
Scott

 

For those unfamiliar with Mike's prior work (an amazing, enormous, modern CP rail layout called the Laggan sub) here is a link:

http://forum.zealot.com/t98511/

If the link does not work, an enormous thread filled with photos can be found at: www.zealot.com, n/z scale forum, thread was called: "my work in progress," you'll quickly see why Mike has so many fans!