After designing layouts I would never be able to build with the skills I have, I finally decided to build a small 2x8 layout that would be both cheap to build and has enough switching to keep it interesting. I suggest everyone that has not built a layout to build a small shelf layout in HO or a door layout in N. They are both easy projects that should be able to be be built to the point where you can run trains in as little as a few months
Uhh, I know I should post in this thread. But I don't know. Do I want a long rambling post? Or a short coherrant one? Or one with lots of bullet points and a flow chart? Do I state that I have built and ran atleast 4 plywood pacific layouts, including the one currently buried in the basement? Or how I actually built and scenicked two bend track balloons, once upon a time? Yeah, well, someday I will build a layout that actually holds my interest...for.....longer....than......wait I just found a new trackplan that is much better than my last "perfect" trackplan! ***sigh*** Anyways, I am actually awaitng my fast tracks kit to begin building my own turnouts for a yet unfinished trackplan. I have trackage rights along the walls of my basement, which would be about 3.5 N-scale miles. For that I have a basic trackplan in mind, but that is a big commitment. So I sit and I dream, I draw plans than never seem to get finished before I move on to the next one. Maybe someday,I will post in the trackplanning area my phase one trackplan. Maybe someday,I will put my digitrax systme to good use, along with my handbuilt turnouts. Yeah someday! (I need help to get out of this chair!)
I'm still at it. Fiddling with track. contemplating structure and scenery placement by actually setting some things in place on the layout. I'm actually model railroading a little bit.
All I need is four lousy curved turnouts, 22" outer radius in C55. Atlas has been 'suggesting' their curved turnouts are on the way and still we wait. The 2 scale mile runaround (well, somewhat less but it's longer than needed!) is getting a little tiresome. Anyone got a 22"/18" Fast Tracks template and some spare time...?
This person sells N-scale Code 55 Fast Tracks turnouts in several sizes. eBay Stores - Fast Tracks, Micro Trains, Atlas items on eBay.com They are rather pricey, but he has a good reputation for quality. I have not purchased from him. *** EDIT: I should have mentioned that the eBay seller above makes and sells CURVED turnouts, which is what Gary is looking for. - Jeff
this link says it all for me....I don't know if I will ever get it running. I have yet to lay a track. Lots of ideas... construction has begun - TrainBoard.com
Hello, My real name is Don, I admit I have a problem. I'm a layout procrastinator. Started my N scale layout a couple of years ago with the help of a lot of people here. Mine started as a a room layout and shrunk to an L shaped 2x8x2x8 which actually gives me lots of room. I mainly started mine to keep my sanity and it truly helps. In the summer, I don't usually work on it unless the weather is crappy outside. I'll have to post up some pictures of the progress and the changes.
Oh boy how did I ever miss this one? This is me for sure. I designed a 4x8 portable layout and bought everything I need including all the C55 track & turnouts. I have the foam, the roadbed and even all the structures & scenery. I also bought a layout specific train to run on my new layout and there it sat for a year all because I wasn’t sure if I made a mistake with the track selection. Meanwhile I picked up a Unitrack set and put it all together and ran some trains while thinking about the one I didn’t build. Well that led to wanting more room to run another train or two. Now I have another layout under way that I bought both Code 55 and Code 80 for. It’s all ready to go complete with roadbed & structures, but I can’t make up my mind on which track to use. I did not have a choice on the other layout because of the turnout angles, but I do have a choice on this new one. Every time I decide on one or the other I read something negative. When I built my 1st layout I just bought a kit and went with it. It wasn’t until I was almost done that I started reading what’s others are doing in the forums.
MY Garden Railroad is still sitting in its box (Bachmann Durango & Silverton frieght set) in my garage with four years of dust on it.
To all who have posted here some simple rules to go by: Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.
I post this as "food for thought" only, as I feel it fits here for sure!! I had a friend, who was a model railroading master........he had built modules for show layouts, and LOVED to tinker with electronics. He spent years planning the "perfect" layout , (and it would have been beautiful, believe me!!). He also spent thousands of dollars on all the things he needed for this layout... (Locos, rolling stock, buildings, electronics, etc.) Unfortunately, he died last year, never able to enjoy ANY of it!! MORAL OF THE STORY......quit putting off what you want to do because you "don't have space, don't have time, can't do it, can't do it good enough, etc." Having ANY layout is better than dying & having none.
Thanks for that post. I've heard this story so many times. I guess it hits home for me as a young woman decided to shoot herself 40' from my front door last sunday, every time I step out I see where it happened. I don't want to go into any details about that as it happens way too often. I take it as a lesson to start living. I had so many real life commitments that I had to ignore the layout a bit. Then I got distracted by what if scenarios: European prototype, running along the ceiling of my back room so as to get a 2 scale mile mainline, mixed prototypes sharing a common mainline, etc. Oh yeah, the internet sucked my soul for a bit. Today I'm laying track on the little layout. It is so damn nice looking. I even learned some tricks for track laying that I hadn't thought of before. The kind of things you can't figure out until you're laying track instead of thinking about it. I hope I can get my little oval running, maybe even later today. It's going to be an awesome layout.
Enjoy it for all it's worth!! I've decided for myself that the huge "magazine" layouts are beyond my reach, & probably more trouble than they are worth. Another friend puts it like this..........."just how much layout can you clean & maintain, before that's ALL you do??"
From my own experience, "great leaps forward" in layout building can lead to frustration and a decrease in productivity over time. Since I really like to run trains, one approach I have tried with some success in the past has been to do something (like laying track) "good enough" and then come back to it and make it "better" later on. Example: laying track. If I'm planning to eventually hand lay my track, I'm not "above" using Unitrack or flextrack or sectional track or whatever (a) to get some train running sooner rather than later, and (b) to see if my track plan will actually work. Incrementalism rocks!
I am with COverton, I can't stand the thought of not being able to run trains. I got my layout up and running as fast as possible (maybe too fast?) filling every possible inch of a bedroom that was donated to me by my wife in a moment of complete insanity on her part. When I say every ich I mean almost literally every inch. Now...we are going to be moving in 2 years, so as I progress on my layout, more so in terms of adding scenery, the thought arises that I may not want to progress too far because it will all have to be dismantled to some degree and moved. I cringe at the thought. So along with the nervous jitters of trying out scenery techniques on my layout that I've never tried before, I'm nearly frozen at the thought that it might actually turn out to be very cool and then faced with the prospect of taking it down. My wife keep safter me to work on scenery instead of buying more trains (poor thing doesn't understand that we never stop collcting cars/locos. She thought 100 pieces of rolling stock was the lifetime limit. Yes I am serious).
I got my oval done. Life stuff is interfering with further progress, but all I need to do is lay a couple spurs and I'm all good. Anyone else got something going after a long pause?
Anti perfectinator layout success! I did it. I ran a couple locos around my new anti-perfectinator layout. My locos hit all the switches and ran through them fine. They didn't even mind having to be on 9" radius curves. Time to go lay the last little spur. Oh yeah, One of my Atlas switches seems to have a dead electrical off of the spur lead. I have run into this before. It makes me sort of dislike the new Atlas switches as that's a major flaw for something that costs almost 10 dollars. I think replacing it would take too much time at this point. If anything it's a reason to use an idler car to switch that spur. Is anyone else overcoming perfection/lack of motivation and doing something on the layout?
Why, that would be me!! laugh: I followed my own advice........ I've been looking @ newly completed benchwork for about a month now because I was hesitant to start laying track out on it...... (using C55 "Peco" for the first time, and I had "heeby-jeebies" because it was a little different to work with than the old "Atlas") Got started 2 days ago, laying out the yard, which is the worst part, & so far, so good.
