New Desktop Layout

jesso

jesso

Member
Jul 21, 2006
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Washington, Utah
www.thetechfamily.com
Well, basically I have gotten bored with my desktop layout. It was the first layout I ever really built, so some things look pretty bad, and it goes around basically a circle, so I wanted a little more of a layout. Still it is my office, so I have to keep the size limited to fitting on my desk and make it so it runs pretty much on its own. Here is the track plan:

plan-1.png


First, I had to cut the wood out as I just can't seem to want a layout that is a rectangle.

wood.jpg


Then I careful measured out where the monitors will need to be and cut foam out for the layout. I was very happy when I put the monitors on the layout and they fit into the holes and touched on the sides. Amazing that you can measure and plan and have things work out.

foam.jpg


The figure 8 will have 4% grades that will rise eventually up to three inches and then the outside loop will go back down at a 3% grade. I checked the engine that will run on the layout and it can handle a 6% grade with the amount of cars I run on this layout so I will be ok there. Hopefully I will be working on this faster than my other layouts :-)

More sometime....
 
This'ns goin'ta be neat. Make sure you update your signature with a link to this new layout! Will there be any particular theme or region you will try and capture with this layout?
 
Scott, I like you build my layout more for scenery and structures, not so much for operation. In the original post you said "it goes around basically a circle, so I wanted a little more of a layout" although you have added more track, it still is just that, a longer version of a basic circle, I just wanted to point this out in case you wanted to maybe add a siding or 2 so you could operate at least there. Either way its always exciting to see a new layout get off the ground. Will be watching, Pat
 
UP SD40-2, Thanks, the track hopefully arrives Friday so that will probably be the next step as I want to make sure I put the inclines and cork in the right places.

TrainNut, mainly going to be mountains and tunnels, but my main inspiration is going to be the look of Provo Canyon where the Heber Creeper runs, basically lots of green and rocks and pine trees.

Belg, yea, I realize that it is an extended circle, the main difference is now the train will be going different directions and will be coming in and out of things. I thought about putting some switches in, but I fear that I would play with it too much. Basically my main problem with my old layout is that I look at it and go, why did I do that, wish I could fix that, so instead of that get a new layout. Plus, without switches the entire cost for the track is under 20 dollars and if anything, I am cheap ;-)
 
James,
You know me, everything on my layout is brand new, even the monitor stands! :-)

Track arrives Thursday. It would be so neat to have a hobby shop that you could walk into and they actually have atlas track in stock! Maybe when they move.

Just for fun last night I foam nailed the 3 percent grade around the outside of the layout, looks like everything is going to work.
 
Thanks Zac, Jason, James, Tom, Deano! I am definately thinking about big foot. Going to try and figure out how to figure out how to make some footprints through the mountains. Going to have to get some animals and the campers from woodland scenics.

I glued all the inclines and elevations in place, thankfully when I removed all the pins everything stayed in the same place!

glue.jpg
 
its a reg line LL from that veiw, and those lil engines can out pull most 4 (some 6) axle locos! heck my LL geep 38 can out pull my P2K 38-2
but i can not wait to see the "finnished" product!
 
Yes it is a cheapo Life-Like GP38. At first I used to have problems with them, but a guy in our club is very good at keeping them running, so now we all have several and we are able to keep to going well. I put 2 of my kato's on the track and they couldn't pull 10 double stacks around, but I think the stacks were binding in the curves. I have now actually had over twenty cars be pulled by 2 proto n gp20's.
 
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