So this is my new room sized layout..... plan is not completed 100% yet. Obviously because I have two tracks that go nowhere.
So the north eastern section needs a rebuild. but I wanna keep this:
general idea of a sceniced area alive.
Lets look at the image above here for a second so you can see what I am trying to acomplish...
The Northern turnout is at 'sea level' or a height of 0". By the time the two tracks cross over each other they should be at 2.5" and -2.5" respectively. (north and south) The scence is a small industry in the valley. I'm thinking Lumber so I can take advantage of my Shay which will do most of its work in the valley. I would really like the lower track to be a branch line.
As you can tell I modified the peice so that its more compressed and easier to reach the back. I also added a cross over section at 2.5" above 'sea level' which leads to a viaduct whichwill also cross over the valley...and will be quite MASSIVE (possibly 2 viaduct kits by BLI I think is the brand). Not only does this make the area more complicated to model, it has also completley puts a hinderance on how I'm going to get these trains back to the main line....
So I got a couple of ideas on how to fix this northern section of the layout.
1) I put a turnout in the north western corner of the track section that comes off of the terminal (the one with the 11" curved sections) that essentially makes a reversing loop which would add some interesting operations control once I get more than one train on this layout at a time. The lower section would litterally become a branch line. The lower track in the north-west at sea levelwould be pushed back farther to allow for this branch line. A small turntable would be at the end of the branch line for reversing the locomotives servicing the branch. A smaller town would probably be located near the end of the branch as well.
2) Scrap the viaduct across the valley. and have the upper section reconnect. How we get to the yard/service center in the lower right... unknown. What to do with the -2.5" section? see section 1, but add another turnout that could go under the whole thing (tunnel style!) with access from under the bench work... maybe that would lead it back to the main line that goes to the south east?
my trains are:
- 10 Car Kato Daylight Special with Kato GS4 (for fun. probably not going to be on the layout all the time)
- 8 Car Kato UP smooth side with Athearn two-tone Grey Challenger
- 8 Car '54 CN Pullmans (Con-cor/Rapido) with soon to be kitbashed Bachmann Mountain (to hopefuly one day soon look like a U1F class)
- 6 Car CP Silver & Red (con-cor) pulled by a Kato Mikado
- 12 car Microtrain CN Box Car pulled by a pair of Intermountain F7's
- 14 car mixed freight pulled by Bachmann Heavy Mountain
- 4 car log disconnect cars pulled by a Atlas Shay
- 10 car mixed freight. Bachmann lt. mountain
Train 3 and train 4 will be regular sites on the layout. Trains 1 and 2 will be for show with only one of them being on the layout at any given time. Train 7 and 8 will operate in the valley branch line. Train 5, 6 will alternate with 3 and 4 for mainline supremecy.
Since it's just my wife and I operating only three trains will probably ever be active at a give time. But if I planned this properly... I should be able to have trains 3-8 on the board at all times with trains 1-2 doing guest apperances.
Joined: 2008-01-26