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.
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! That's all for now, more to come soon!
Sandro, are you planning on a trip here in the summer of '07 or '08? You'll have to give me some warning so I can at least have the mainline up and running! It will be good to see you again, hopefully we can run some trains!
no chance for 2007. school's gona eat up all my holidays this year. but hopefully i'll be able to come over next summer. if we can't run trains then we can at least go out and chase some to take pictures.
I've been busy laying track and wiring the layout. Here is what I've got done in the last week. Minimum radius 33.5" visible, 22.5" hidden Maximum grade 2.0%
This is a shot looking East at the main yard. There is a mainline on the left, and 5 staging tracks to the right of that. Then there will be 2 more yards each with 5 tracks in them, followed by a track that takes you to the diesel shops, ( if I have room!)
The yard goes into 3 tracks on the east end, 2 of which continue to the rest of the layout, (down a 2.0% grade) the other crosses them ( up a 2.0% grade) and goes to a southbound line and what will be 4-5 industries.
The eastbound line then continues through a tunnel around the tightest curve on the layout, 22.5" radius, (which will be hidden below a workbench) to the other side of the wall.
Here is a shot of where the workbench will be.
The line then continues east, (up another 2% grade) where there is a siding and eventually will be a grain elevator.
That's all for now, I have a few more feeders to solder to the track and then I'll start with the foam scenery on this section.
Ok, no scenery yet, I want to get all of my rail cars and locomotives out of boxes and on the layout, but I need someplace to go, AKA a staging yard, but I have to get there first, so...
the track will take a right curve onto 2 - 16" x 8' modules, where there may be a grain elevator.
The 2 modules...
It will then take another right curve in to the staging yard, I'll have to finf a way to hide all this mess, ( stupid electrical pannel! )
And finally, here is where the staging yard will be. It is built on 3 - 16" x 8' modules. There will be 1 track down the middle, that will be kept clear to run engines down to a diesel shop, with 5 tracks on each side. The tracks in the back will be staging for this line, the 5 in the front will be for the other end of the layout. Running a train down the middle tack will allow for continuos running.
I hope to have the roadbed laid and track down for the first 6 tracks in the staging yard this week, then I get some real trains running!
Here is how I'm supporting the modules. They are heavy duty brackets that are rated at 1000 lbs! They should do a good job of holding the modules to the wall.
I have a question for everyone about my staging yard, maybe you could offer some suggestions.
Here is where the staging yard will be.
I was going to have 2 seperate yards, each with 6 tracks, one for Eastbound trains and one for Westbound. (point to point) Then I thought about just making it 1 yard so I have the option of continues running. 2 yards each with 6 tracks, means I will have to keep 1 clear, in each yard to run power down, which gives me 10 tracks. If they are one yard, I will get 11 tracks with 1 track clear. Would you make it point to point or continues running?
i assume for continous running you need some kind of return loop which connects the two yards. not sure if you have the space there.
i'd go with two thru tracks and have the stage tracks between them. connect the thru tracks with a 180 degree curve at the end. this will give you continous or point-to-point (or both) possibilities.
It will basically be one 11 track staging yard, with 1 track in and 1 track out. That way, I only need to keep 1 track clear, and don't have to worry about a stub track on the end of each yard to get locomotives back down the clear track.
The main and siding are laid on the grain elevator module now. I decided to make a long double track with 2 crossovers in the middle. From switch to switch it is 38 feet, ( 100 car trains?! ) so it can hold 2-50 car trains, and stil have the main open, or 1-100 car train if there happens to be a train that long on the layout! It can also be used as a run-around for the crew switching the elevator. Here are some pictures...
Ah, the old layout! There are a few grades on this layout, about 2%, but they aren't very long, so I don't think I'll need helpers. 1 SD90 or AC4400 isn't enough to pull a 40 car train though. There will need to be at least 2 big units on each train.
did you ever run a 100+ car train thru the spiral tunnels of your old layout ? this must be a great sight.
i frequently run a 80 car tank train on my layout. 3 ac-4400 are able to pull that train up a 3%grade thru a 180degree horseshoe followed by an s-curve. max radius is 44cm.
I never did run that many cars through the tunnels on the old layout. ( I remember you wanted to! ) I think there will be the odd 100 car train on this new layout!
Mike Hagarty's N Scale 'Mountain Sub'
Posted - 03/20/2007 : 17:23:19
