Based on real life and photos over the past 70 years, I don't think there's a fixed specification. IIRC, they appeared to have been anywhere between 6' and 10' to the ground, with some leaning at precarious angles. My suggestion would be put them at various heights and angles to make viewing interesting. Understand that I'm referring to basic wooden crossbucks, nothing electrical.
In doing my quick research the Fed rules leaves open local municipalities rulings and boy did that open a can of worms. These measure out to 11 N scale feet tall so planting them is going to leave me about 8 foot tall. The sign boards are exactly to code in N scale measuring 4 N scale feet. A lot of those I have seen are out of scale, either to large or two small and these are the first to actual scale.
For about the last week or so I have been repairing the damage done to the layout by a feline incursion. My fault because I overlooked 3 of them when I closed the door for the night. So I started with the harbor and took the opportunity to make a few changes. I believe my harbor is one of the biggest in N scale at 30 inches wide by about 6 foot 7 inches long. Having a total of 9 tracks serving piers and various structures and is home to my little 3 and 4 axle switchers and has track as tight as 6 inch radius. A long shot from the land sides of Wicked Wanda's and Waterfront Willy's down the the end at the lighthouse which is the narrow entrance to the harbor. 100_0752-4 by John Moore posted Oct 27, 2020 at 6:27 PM Most of the changes occurred to the Numa end of the last pier. NUMA , National Underwater and Marine Agency, is a real organization founded by the late Clive Cussler. It is my substitute for the marine science facility located on San Juan Island home of my railroad. I removed a couple of warehouses and rearranged others and repaired the communications towers plus gave everything a good cleaning. Visible is the research vessel and the boathouse and fish pens a recent addition. 100_0751-3 by John Moore posted Oct 27, 2020 at 6:23 PM Most of my crossing gates by GreenMax were damaged some beyond repair so they are being replaced by simple crossbucks by Tichy Train. More compact and fit far better. 100_0750-2 by John Moore posted Oct 27, 2020 at 6:23 PM I have finished installing the third rail on the front of the layout, the only location it is going in, now just have to trim off the excess from the insulators and touch up some paint. A batch of catenary wire prebuilt is due probably next month. I am going to install it in the mine yard only to see how it goes. My order has been bogged down by shipping problems in Europe and then a dock strike in Canada. Next up is repair in the village. The brewery complex and all the recent work at the sawmill was undamaged. The sawmill is ready for water pour the the high humidity levels have pushed it back to next month. The humidity here is 99% right now with the man cave being at 52%. One of the few problems here is this maritime location I live in.
Did your version of Numa raise the Titanic? There is a model of Titanic that is about N scale that could be used if it did!!
Most of my vessels were designed to fit in this harbor and most of the fishing fleet and tugboats are either 1/150 or 1/160. The two largest vessels, the USCG buoy tender and the research vessel Cussler are 1/144 scale. So as large as the harbor is the Titanic would not fit. I built a container feeder ship but it turned out too large and was scrapped in favor of the container carrying barge/ tug combo. There are three versions of the Oregon and since I am a big fan of the late Clive Cussler I built the first version of the Oregon as lumber carrier. There are currently 59 vessels in the harbor of all sizes ranging from 15 scale feet to 220 scale feet. My harbor is modeled as full because of rough seas. Both the Coast Guard station and NUMA are flying hurricane and gale warning flags.
My reference to the Titanic was because of Cussler. So far it was the only book of his I have read, and the movie wasn't too bad, if you didn't live in the cold war you may not get some of the things in the story but it was still pretty good.
I have every book he wrote. My favorite series is the Oregon Files. I also have the complete works of Jack DuBrul who co authored some of the Oregon Files with him. 100_0753-1 by John Moore posted Oct 28, 2020 at 3:30 PM His Issac Bell series centers around a lot of railroad stuff set in the late 1890s early 1900s.
Well still repairing damage from the last feline incursion and have installed about 12 crossbucks at the grade crossings. I am now in the village repairing damage to the church graveyard scene and have installed more street lights. I have cleaned the dust off of the flat roofed buildings in the business area of the village and then applied a new coat of black wash, along with touching up the paint on the sidewalks and the streets. I have a few catenary poles that are too low so will be raising them up some more.
Been busy with the feline damage repairs and at the same tome making changes and improvements. The conversion of part of the track to third rail is done and the front is clear of catenary poles that I can break. 100_0762-1 by John Moore posted Nov 8, 2020 at 4:08 PM Here you can see where the third rail ends and the catenary starts. Same set up on the harbor end of the layout. 100_0763-2 by John Moore posted Nov 8, 2020 at 4:08 PM With third rail I was faced with the issue of getting passengers to the far platform so I went looking for under passes not liking the choices for over passes and finding few underpasses so I built my own. The two green roofed structures at the ends of the platforms contain the stairs to the tunnel under the tracks. 100_0767-7 by John Moore posted Nov 8, 2020 at 4:21 PM I removed about 15 inches off the end of a spur track next to Sabat Stone Works, cleared the area, and have built it up using Arizona stone products, creating an area where some small houses will go in and tied a dirt road leading to the back highway. Since I have started using the Arizona product I prefer it over Woodland's product. Much finer grain and a larger selection of colors. Here I used the Cumbres and Toltec as the base with High Desert Soil sprinkled in. 100_0764-3 by John Moore posted Nov 8, 2020 at 4:08 PM I have been installing the Tichy Trains crossbucks and have more to go. 100_0765-5 by John Moore posted Nov 8, 2020 at 4:08 PM I saw a post here about a diner and thought that was what was missing a 1950's era diner. Now everything on my layout has reduced footprint and I found nothing in a search that fit the bill so with ample parts boxes I set out to build my own starting with 34 foot Bandai B train parts and a couple of sheds. One shed was halved becoming the front entrance and the restrooms on the left backside. The 2nd larger shed became the add on kitchen and storage on the right rear. The whole thing was painted silver and I created a sign on my printer for Mel's Silver Diner. Now in the process of being weathered and dull coated to reduce the shine and give some age to the structure. Still have to install exhaust vents over the kitchen annex and sewer stack pipes over the restrooms. 100_0766-6 by John Moore posted Nov 8, 2020 at 4:08 PM
Been busy with placing vehicles back on the layout. Redid the stripping on the station parking lot and I left a few spaces open instead of packing vehicles in. The white area will go away with some black paint and that area will be used to park some Hogs, Harley Hogs that is. 100_0787-1 by John Moore posted Nov 15, 2020 at 7:13 PM Finally got around to painting my 1950's school buses and placed them on the back highway. 100_0788-2 by John Moore posted Nov 15, 2020 at 7:13 PM Finally I got the spur track shortened and placed five small houses in the now vacant space and then planted the area heavily in pine trees of varying sizes. 100_0789-3 by John Moore posted Nov 15, 2020 at 7:13 PM Now back to getting vehicles placed at the USCG and NUMA dock. Later this week I will order my motorcycles.
Well all my orders for catenary wire have arrived from various places in Europe to the Canadian firm I am dealing with and will ship tomorrow. Should arrive by mid next week and then the great experiment begins. Should be enough preformed wire to do the mine track and yard if my old hands and eyes are up to the task. And an order for motorcycles has been placed with Fifer.
John, with your love Cussler's imagination, including the Oregon series. I thought you might interested in the real Oregon II homeported about 50 miles sou'east of me. BTW, I'm sure you know, but most do not. Mr. Cussler's first name was pronounced Clive' (Cleevay). He and I sat next to each other at a NOAA Data Buoy conference in the early 1980's. Turned out he was the keynote speaker. There was no room at the head table due to all the NOAA hierarchy in attendance. So he sat with us plebeians. He was a delightful articulate dinner companion, as you might imagine. Hank
Yes I will miss my favorite adventure writer. I just received one of the posthumous books and the first that features the new Oregon. Thinking of building another Oregon as soon as I locate a suitable hull to bash. I am limited to a 14 inch long hull based on dock space. Installed the last of the crossbucks on the layout a few days ago and finished reinstalling vehicles on the layout. Nine motorcycles are on their way here from Fifer to be painted and installed on the layout with at least four of them to go in the station parking lot. A request was made to Santa via the Missus for some more 1950's era pickups. Have a few 1920's and 1940's versions but need a few more modern 1950's versions.
Was cleaning off the workbench and discovered that I forgot to add my Buddhist Monks to the temple up on the cliff overlooking the port so I will be busy with that while awaiting my motorcycles and Sommerfeldt catenary, the brand name not the supplier. The monks were created by taking several sets of Franciscan Monks and a fine point paint brush. The ones in gray are novice monks. 100_0793-2 by John Moore posted Nov 22, 2020 at 3:53 PM And I located a suitable hull and parts to build my newer version of the Oregon and that will arrive in early December. The hull length fits in nicely to the back docks. I will have to work my magic to increase superstructure slightly in scale which I have done before. The basis for the new Oregon. Tsm05301-15-1-1 by John Moore posted Nov 22, 2020 at 3:35 PM Nice thing about this hull is it can be modeled as a full hull or a waterline.
The monks are now in residence at the temple and monastery. 100_0795-2 by John Moore posted Nov 23, 2020 at 5:52 PM 100_0796-3 by John Moore posted Nov 23, 2020 at 5:52 PM And the motorcycles have arrived from Fifer and now for some delicate painting. 100_0797-4 by John Moore posted Nov 23, 2020 at 5:52 PM
I thought about getting some trikes or sidecar ones but decided to check my parts boxes for wheels and do my own sidecars.
I don’t have any 1:160th bikes but if you have seen some of my other posts in the workbench thread, you already know I like the 1:1 scale ones!
