My new layout

3

3phase

Member
Nov 12, 2004
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Jacksonville, Florida
www.suprhost.com
Well, I got the fever about a week ago, it started with some wood.

wood.jpg


Made my table...

table.jpg


Came up with a layout and traced it to the table...

layout.jpg


And started to lay some track...

nail.jpg


I have been using the program at www.atlasrr.com to help me with my layout. I'll show you all what it will look like. I will need some suggestions on where to place my round table and other objects.
 
Nice! Looks like a nice sturdy bench!!

That track is REALLY close to the edge... Any way you can extend the front lip a little to keep that nice train from falling down and go boom?

SeanM
 
well, i'v been thinking about going with multy levles and scratch my origonal plan but keep the existing track. I have 10 turnouts, 5 left and 5 right. I can make quite a few runs of track and keep it all connecting with multy levles. What is everyones opinion on a round house built into the side of a mountian? I know it probably has never happned in real life but that is one of the advantages of the modle world!! So far i think i'm going to go with 5 to 6 levles, two mountians with a vally in the center.
 
N Gauger said:
Nice Work!! Really Good. :) As long as you're content with the track that close - I guess it's ok. :D :D
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I had something like this in mind for that spot in the picture.

This is one of the things i had mentioned that i grew up with, that was a 15 minute ATV "4 wheeler" ride away from my house. I saw that from the ground every weekend on the summer of 2002.
cr_allentownaerialview.jpg
 
seanm said:
Nice! Looks like a nice sturdy bench!!

That track is REALLY close to the edge... Any way you can extend the front lip a little to keep that nice train from falling down and go boom?

SeanM
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I'm going to put a plexiglass wall on the fromt and sids to keep the curious cats from jumping on the layout after i get more done to it.
 
Matthyro said:
Good to see your progress 3phase
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Thank you, i'll get more done tommorow. Cutting plywood with a jigsaw in my appartment, i predict will eventully draw the police at this hour. I think the multy levle layout will be more fun than my origonal layout. It will also let me practice the new ideas i have got from this forum.

I'm going to attempt to scratch build a bridge, some of you make it look so easy, I'll give it a try. If i fail, i'll just get more corn flakes.
thumbsup.gif


I'm excited about everything i have been reading about. I have many skills to aquire before i can make anything look as good as the stuff some of the members have on display.
 
3phase said:
It will be 2" between every levle so the grade between levles wont be that bad over a 3' span for the loco's to climb.
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Is that 2" from roadbed to roadbed? It looks more than that from the pictures (it looks like 2" clearance) -- are you including the height of the next sheet of ply? Remember that 2" over three feet is 5.5% grade (which is at the extreme high end, and if you have any curves at this grade it's going to be even harder). Check your calculations, you really want to be aiming at 2-3% max, unless you want more locos than rolling stock! :-)

But it doesn't look like there'll be any structural strength issues with your layout!

Charles
 
tillsbury said:
Is that 2" from roadbed to roadbed? It looks more than that from the pictures (it looks like 2" clearance) -- are you including the height of the next sheet of ply? Remember that 2" over three feet is 5.5% grade (which is at the extreme high end, and if you have any curves at this grade it's going to be even harder). Check your calculations, you really want to be aiming at 2-3% max, unless you want more locos than rolling stock! :-)

But it doesn't look like there'll be any structural strength issues with your layout!

Charles
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I have been thinking about that alot today, over all it will be 2 1/2" from roadbed to roadbed. I will need to streach my climb or lower the levles, i have about 1/2 inch to play with but i will have to watch the height of the cars i use.. I have alot of planning to do til i come up with a way to make it all work.

But if it all works out it will be one cool little layout to watch! :eek:
 
Well, i got a chance to cut out the last piece to my 2nd levle.

track.jpg


I took that picture to paintshop and drew up what the next strech of track will look like

KEY:

BLUE, botton levle

BLACK, top levle

RED, Going up hill in mountian

GREEN, Going down hill in mountian

LIGHT DLUE, Mountian openings

PURPLE, mountian base

YELLOW, about whare the track for the 3rd levle is going to connect. " haven't thought that far ahead yet"

track%20edit.jpg


I figured out that by going in the other mountian i can get 70" to go up 2 1/2" and will be around a 3% grade, I will run two locos and about 18 cars. It should work out fine.
 
Quick work 3phase. Now is about the time you should be thinking about access to the bottom level (for derailments at the very least). You need to be able to get a hand around a loco at *any* point on the track ideally. And since it doesn't look like you can get round the back, which is a shame, you'll probably want some hatches in the ply on this level. Then you can make your mountaintop 'removable' to get to stuff.

Keep going!

Charles
 
Actully today i ran the jigsaw while he played the stereo.

I got more pictures!!

One my wife got when i was working on the layout.

ontable.jpg


And i finally got the track to the top,

to%20the%20top.jpg

to%20the%20top%20back.jpg


And i got some new toys at a good price, 3 for $5 on the rolling stock and engine set was $25

new%20toys.jpg
 
Well i finally got all the track to the 2nd levle today. My batteries went dead in my digicam and i cant find the charger. I managed to get a few pictures before they died.

I took a piece of pannel board and cut out curve part of the ramp,

ramp.jpg


Than i finnished it off with more yard sticks.

upramp.jpg


I traced my template to the 2nd levle board and used the jigsaw to cut it out.

lev2.jpg


I layed more track on the second levle but couldn't take pictures of it yet.

I think everything will work out as planed, the powered lifelike engine is able to pull 9 cars up my 3.2% grade, so my origonal calculations of 2 engines and 18 cars should work flawlessly.

I'm working with dc for now but i'm seriously thinking about getting dcc sometime in 2005. The main reason is i can use the slower speed to make it safely around my layout and keep full power to my engine. I need this to make it up my hills. I need to keep about half speed "going faster than i want it to" to keep up the momentium to go up the hill. If i could have that power with less speed i'll be in good shape.

My con-cor has no problems pulling all my coach cars "6" and all 18 of the rolling stock with the caboose up the hill at a crawl unlike the lifelike, but the con-cor is just bad ass.
 
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