Tons of questions........

Senegal1

New Member
I have just started a HO railroad. Mianne benchwork 4 x12; NCE DCC and I have started track laying in a Semi Dogbone. Trying to do the Utica, NY yard. Using this as I live 25 miles from there, and this give me CR/CSX; Amtrak; NYS&W and Adirondack Senic and Mohawk, Adirondack & Northern for options.

I have just been driving myself crazy on a track plan (my wife doesn't like to drive). Using the Mianne and what others have done for elevations, wiring, and the 3 million other things that go with model railroading. I am retired and time on my hands. Of couse there is the working with my real estate agent (my wife, again) for space in the basement.

Anyways I hope this is posted where it belongs and not too long. I hope I can follow others on all this stuff before really old age gets me and then alzheimer's sets in and then I may have to start all over!
Thanks
AJ Upstate NY
 
what sort of questions do you have? i am sure there is a load of information here to be shared. just ask and see what answers you get
 

Amrap1

Member
AJ.....it is AJ from Upstate NY right?

This is the best place to be. Keep reading and looking at other people's work. There are alot of people doing alot of different things with alot of ideas.

From one newbie to another...........

Ed
 

Russ Bellinis

Active Member
I think the easiest way to help you is if you start with a "foot print" of your available space showing all doors, windows, and anything that needs to be kept clear like electrical panels, furnace, plumbing, etc.

Then go to the track planning section and read over the "givens and druthers" sticky to help you decide what you will need. If you are going to run Amtrak with scale 85 foot passenger cars, and some of the long modern freight locomotives, you will need broad radius curves. They should be 30 inches minimum, but you might be able to get by with some 28 inch radius. Anyway, you can then post it here or in the Track Planning Forum and you should get a lot of help in a short time.

It is difficult to help when we can't see the size or shape of your room or know what sort of equipment you plan to run. There are a great bunch of people here to help.
 

Senegal1

New Member
Tons of question

I do have a Mianne 4x12 bench all set up, covered with 3/4 plywood and homasote on that.
If I see something done, then I can get some ideas, but I have no artistic talents. I am more a oh, I see what you did and go from there.

I also wonder about DCC, making elevations on a Mianne bench. I don't mean to cause
issues by my post. Maybe I will just lurk and pickup what info I can.

AJ upstate NY
 

Russ Bellinis

Active Member
To make elevation changes, you can use Woodland Scenics foam risers, or you can "cookie cut" some plywood and after securing one end, bend the other end up with riser blocks under it every few inches. The homosote should be able to be attached to the plywood after it is bent and secured and conform easily to the shape of the plywood.

On a 4 x 12 bench, your turn back curves at each end will be 22 inch radius. That will limit to some extent the size of locomotives and equipment you can run. Since most Amtrak Engines are 4 axle, they will handle the 22 inch radius easily. Full length Amtrak 85 foot passenger cars won't handle 22 inch radius, but if you don't mind a little selective compression, Athearn offers their streamlined shorty 72 foot cars in Amtrak, as does Con Cor.

For freight power, I would reccomend 4 axle Gp type diesels which shouldn't be a problem. I think your prototypes ran a lot of Gp40-2s, Gp 38-2's, and Gp50s as well as Dash8-40B GE power.
 
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