New Possibilities!

Connor

Member
Hey guys! Good news! My wife has agreed to let me use part of our sunroom for a layout! I spent the new years weekend cleaning it up and getting it ready. So.. Here is my question. I'm switching from HO to N (Me and my wife done a little 2x4 layout for the coffee table, she like N better than HO, she say's they're cute, I tell her they're trains, they're not suppose to be cute, but she doesn't believe me!) anyway.. I drew up plans for the bench work in Visio. Attached is a jpg snapshot of it. I decided to go with the modular approach because we're a young couple, and moving is inevitable.. So, I wanted to get some people's opinion as to the trackwork.. I want to incorporate the following features if possible.

Town/City
Trestle Bridge (over a gorge or water)
Mountain with tunnel
Yard with Turntable
Passenger station with enough track line to allow the Kato Super Chief (A-B-B-A) with all 12 cars to be stationed waiting for passengers
Run-around capability
industries
and a liftout/bridge

I know this is allot to ask in a layout, but it's a pretty big area I think. The modules are to be 3 - 2'x4', 3 - 3'x3' corners, 1 - 2'x'3 and 2 - 2'x2' -- Oh, don't confuse my workbench sitting between the sink and drill press as a module! :)

Let me know what you all think!
 

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mcbane666

Member
(Me and my wife done a little 2x4 layout for the coffee table, she like N better than HO, she say's they're cute, I tell her they're trains, they're not suppose to be cute, but she doesn't believe me!)

Where did you find one of those? I can't find a wife like that at my hobby shop, maby that model was in limited production. :D

oh ya thats going to make a nice layout too:thumb:

I saw someone do something simular, it was kind of neat though, he placed a shelf under his model's all the way around so when he was done the train entered a mountain at one end (then went under the models, traveled around the room then came back up at the other end) and came out of the mountain at the other end this aloud for the effect that the train left and came back and he was able to have a loop that didn't fit into the scheam normaly, thought sence you haven't started yet this might be neat to try, and takes in the moutain:rolleyes:
 
Hi - I've got a very similar space, and am also looking at a basic l-shape. Like McBane66's friend, I'd also like to have a lower level (maybe only as staging, or maybe fully scenicked). McBane - how did your friend get his trains down to and back up from the lower level? Was it a helix? I'm just unsure whether a workable helix in N would fit at the end of a 2 foot wide module. The Noch small helix requires 22'' diameter, but I reckon it would be very tight for passenger cars or long locos!
 

mcbane666

Member
he used an incline, he cut a strip out of the foam he used as a base and then by allowing the train to go in one end the rest of the moutain was placed over the incline. as soon as the train fit the tonnel portal it started it's desent. it didn't take much mountain be for he was able to just use plaster cloth and create a nole with trees. after you mention it i do believe he had one staging track under there, but he didn't do anythig visualy, it was just to make the train disapper and reapper at the other end. he didn't use a helix but the licline did curve around to the buttom, the track ran about three inchs below the foam base.

Great thing about this idea is that you can change the cargo, or even have two rail companys, when ones above working the other is in a fair off land :D
 

Connor

Member
I was kinda hoping someone could help me come up with some sort of track plan that would fit all my requests and work on this bench work..
 

KevinC

New Member
Possibilities

Check out a post I did on the n gauge forum titled Update. I played around with this software for a couple of weeks and it has helped me come up with a layout that is going to save me a ton of work, mistakes and frustration when I do get ready to start my new layout. Good luck with and enjoy whatever you come up with.
 

MasonJar

It's not rocket surgery
Connor,

If you like, one of the moderators can move your thread over here instead. Let us know...

Andrew
 

Connor

Member
MasonJar said:
Connor,

If you like, one of the moderators can move your thread over here instead. Let us know...

Andrew

If it'll solicit more response, sure.. I just need some place to start with this thing.
 

Russ Bellinis

Active Member
I think it would help if it was moved here. You should also give us some diensions for the room, and the benchwork. Finally we need to know what era and size equipment you want to run. The size of the benchwork will determine the minimum radius you will have to run to make a loop and the era and equipment listing will tell what minimum radius you will need to run.
 

Connor

Member
UPDATE: The door in front of the lift out has been taken out of the picture.. My wife is now going to let me put a full sized module there.. which means I don't have to have a easy path to the door now, which means I can do some other things. Attached is two more variations with the liftout replaced with a full sized module. Bench work is still up in the air.. as well is the track work.. So far, I have 2 2x4 modules built, and enough lumber for 2 more. BTW, Looking at stuff.. I think all my rolling stock will work just fine on 11 1/4" Radius track. Not exactly pretty on longer stuff.. But.. It works.. I would prefer larger radius, but, not locking myself into anything.. Anything 11 1/4" or larger is fine.

The area of the layout is in is 11' x 11 1/2' The new module in place of the lift out is 2' x 5 1/2'

Thanks Connor
 

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cidchase

Active Member
I liked the original better. You don't have to be 2' wide all along the wall with the door, if you need to make room for that peninsula. May be a concave front? The peninsula in the middle of the two new layouts I think is too skinny, although you could fit a wye onto it.
 

Connor

Member
Remeber now, This is a N-Scale layout, not HO. You can have a use a 11 1/4" radius and look good with most rolling stock.
 

Connor

Member
Okay guys, here is my attempt. This is the start of the track work.. Let me know what you think.

Thanks, Connor
 

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