W&N Branch Layout

MrBill

New Member
Hi All, Submitted for your approval is this 5'x10' HO scale modular project based on 2 stations along the Wilmington & Northern branch of the Reading Railroad in Delaware. Here are the track plans and a current construction pic.
WN1crop.jpg

layout1.jpg

Later it might get fitted into this plan if I'm still into it.
ri4.jpg
 

Bill Nelson

Well-Known Member
Mr Bill ,


What I like about this plan.

#1 wide enough curves.

#2 No straight edges on the fascia

#3 simple track plan

#4 plan for incorporating it into a larger project

#5 the intelligent use of masonite as a stiffener under the track (paint it on both sides before fastening it down to minimize dimensional instability due to moisture variations.


disadvantages I see so far. using the foam as a base can make scenery below the track problematic, unless you cut some of it away and splice underneath it. I like open grid bench work or L girder, with the roadbed well elevated above the benchwork to allow scenery below the grade. I am well aware that this makes for a heavy layout section, which will be less than ideal in a lot of situations.

I like the larger plan, looks good, congratulations on thinking small, with a plan to go big. It is good, also, to see someone else with an interest in the iron business, which is a sideline of my outfit which is over in the logging mining and industrial section.

Thanks for sharing.

Bill Nelson
 

Ronson2k3

Member
You will need a bit more space to get by the peninsula. Looks like you have about 4-6" space. I know it's just starting out. However you may need to reduce it to a point to point to keep the layout the same shape. Stopping the layout at both ends so you can get around what you have already done. Believe me isle space is a must have. I know it may hurt to see that space go to what seems like nothingness but when you're trying to repair wiring or add a switch machine you will appreciate the added space to get around to say nothing of the train movements.

The plan looks pretty cool otherwise. Building modularly has been done successfully on a number of famous layouts and it's a design philosophy that is a very cool one. No matter how great the steak looks you still want to eat it one bite at a time.

Best of luck and keep us updated.
 

Bill Nelson

Well-Known Member
The aisle space recommendation is a good one. I'm not sure how old you are, but we tend to get wider as we get older. there is a conflict at times between minimum radius, and minimum aisle space, both should be larger than we often have room for. I have nooks on my railroad where it is impossible to get one operator past another. with my block system, and the complexity of my railroad I could easily use 4 or five operators. but due to cramped aisle space (I started with 3 feet minimum, but it has shrunk in places) when there are more than two operators it is a real challenge not to trip over each other.


Bill Nelson
 

MrBill

New Member
Hey guys. I liked that this site had a modular forum, and glad to see that it's active. I appreciate your comments. I like your railroad's era & theme, Bill. That's a lot of layout.
The base I'm building will be 2 layers deep for the scenery on the Winturther side. I use thin plywood for the sub-roadbed and on the bottom of a module to create a custom "foamcore" layout section. I built a 1'x7' switching layout to test the concept and it worked well. Here's a shot of it. There's a layer of 1" foam scraps glued under this one, leaving spaces for wiring and any mechanicals. Simple mat board fascia finishes the front edge.
BR1.jpg


That pinch point in the big plan will be way wider than that. The drawing's not quite to scale yet. The Reading Iron scene kind of took over as I figured the track allignments. There will have to be some sort of lift-out/duckunder up by the staging area though. That'll be fun.
 

Bill Nelson

Well-Known Member
Progress is good, thanks for sharing. i have had a lot of stuff going on, and not much train time, It is good to see something happening somewhere.

I like the thin plywood over foam. Since I hand lay track, foam by itself is not practicable.


again thanks for sharing


Bill Nelson
 
Top