Greetings to all.


S

speent

Member
I have been lingering around these forums for a little while and thought I would introduce myself. My name is Brent.

I am working on an approx 12' x 25' layout in a hobby room I built in my shop. It is a freelance/fictional subdivision of the Burlington Northern in Western Washington loosely based on the 1970's to early 1990's.

Although this could be technically thought of as my 4th layout, I have never been much farther than the "plywood jungle" stage. As I have learned more about this fine hobby and the different dimensions to it, I have started over. This will be the layout that I plan to take "all the way" over the next several years.

I am looking forward to your comments, suggestions, questions, etc.
Thank you

1- Overall view of most of layout room
2- Allen Yard
3- Cascade staging (West)
4- Field staging (East)

Have more pics to share, but I am no photographer.
 
Hi Brent and welcome to ModelRailroadForums. Glad you decided to post and show us some of your work. That's quite a large layout, are you going to have a crew to run it, or are you all on your own like me? Looks like it's coming along fine.
I hope you've had a look at the topics in the clinic section, theres a lot to be learned about scenery there.
Feel free to post, ask questions or just join in on a discussion. Anyway that sure is an impressive layout.
13.gif
Willis
 
Hi Brent. Welcome to the forum. I can tell from your pics that you've got a few layouts experience under your belt. ;) It looks great so far! I'd love to see your other pics. I'm also interested in any other specifics you'd care to share such as what you'll use for train control, if the RR will be signaled, what type operations you're interested in, etc.
 
Welcome to the forum Brent, that's a mighty impressive layout you have there! I look forward to seeing additional pics. You've picked a great period for an excellent road - really wide variety of 1st- and 2nd-generation motive power, and still plenty of EMD covered wagons! If I had lived in that area of the country I'm sure I'd have modeled BN too.

I had toyed with the idea of building a double-decker myself earlier, but decided my trainroom wouldn't accommodate a helix and a Great Lakes steel mill. I have other ideas for making my layout seem larger than it really is, but I want to keep it as simple as possible - I'm a one-man band like Willis!
 
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A big WELCOME Brent!
Wow! You have been busy and your photos show that you are far from being a novice. Please share more info about your layout with us. It looks like an exciting operation.:)
 
Wow Brent what an entrance!! Please post more photo's and a track plan.

My new room is 13 X 25 so I'm very interested in what you've done.

Great work.

Ken.
 
CBCNSfan said:
Hi Brent and welcome to ModelRailroadForums. Glad you decided to post and show us some of your work. That's quite a large layout, are you going to have a crew to run it, or are you all on your own like me? Looks like it's coming along fine.
I hope you've had a look at the topics in the clinic section, theres a lot to be learned about scenery there.
Feel free to post, ask questions or just join in on a discussion. Anyway that sure is an impressive layout.
13.gif
Willis
Click to expand...

Thank you very much for the complements. I have been mostly on my own with building the layout, but I have got others involved and interested in what I am doing. I have 5 children (and a couple nephews) who all enjoy running trains. My 2 oldest sons (teenagers) especially enjoy it. The each have a loco on the layout, and have attended shows with me. My wife has been very supportive, and likes to buy me train stuff for Christmas which is cool. :D

I have a couple of buddies who are involved as well. Both of them I know through the Fire Department where I work.

One of them is Robert S. You may have seen his fantastic photographs on the Railroad Forum under FoamersNW. He has helped me alot over the years in learning about prototypical ops, and introduced me to PSMRE, which I have been a member of for 2 years (I can not take any credit for the fantastic work there- I mainly just attend the operating sessions). Robert is looking forward to beginning ops sessions, and will be an asset to me for setting that aspect up.

My other buddy is Josh B., who works with me at Littlerock Fire. He has donated a few pieces of rolling stock and is also looking forward to beginning ops sessions.

Robert and I think that we will probably have Ops sessions with about 5 people that will last most of the night and several beers! lol:cool:

I have been browsing all of the threads and have been very impressed with everyones work. That is why I have now "come out".

I will have more info and pictures coming soon. Photography is not my specialty (I borrowed a digital fom wok for this first batch of pics).
 
grande man said:
Hi Brent. Welcome to the forum. I can tell from your pics that you've got a few layouts experience under your belt. ;) It looks great so far! I'd love to see your other pics. I'm also interested in any other specifics you'd care to share such as what you'll use for train control, if the RR will be signaled, what type operations you're interested in, etc.
Click to expand...

Thank you for the kind words. I am using Prodigy Advance DCC which I really like so far. Its easy to use and alot of sophisticated features.

Eventually I hope to have signals, even if they are just animated for viewer interest. I am going to set up a car card and waybill system similar to the one in use at PSMRE. I still have alot to learn about the prototype with regards to operations. That is pretty much my priority. Everything else will be completely freelance- scenery, structures, towns. I have named the different areas after family members.

I designed the layout for 15 car trains (average).

Burlington Norethern Allen Subdivision:

Running Eastbound from Cascade staging-
1. Helix
2. Port of Allen (Grain export terminal, intermodal terminal)
3. Stevens River bridge
4. City of Allen
5. Allen Yard (Classification for locals on layout)
6. East Allen (Industrial area- to be determined)
7. Forrest Area (still unnamed)
8. Helix (Mountain pass)
9. Bobbo Jct. (Lumber mill, machinery, petro chemical tank farm and loading)
10. Kathleen Ave. (Fast food chains)
11. Evan Gap (Cannery and cold storage, Power Plant [coal])
12. Rayne (Grain elevator)
13. To Field staging (Representing all points east)

Cascade and Field Staging are the same 6-track staging yard wrapped around the back of the room on the lower level- capacity estimated at 200-250 cars.

Running out of the rear of Allen yard will be the Jacobson Mine branch which will be above the helix.

Sorry for the long reply- just excited to share.
 
NZRMac said:
Wow Brent what an entrance!! Please post more photo's and a track plan.

My new room is 13 X 25 so I'm very interested in what you've done.

Great work.

Ken.
Click to expand...


Hi Ken. I used right track freeware from atlas just to figure out how the mainline will run and where to put the aisles, and get the maximum running distance without doubling through the same scene twice. I settled for a minimum radius of 24" and 30" aisles. I suggest designing your benchwork and aisles first, and avoid "pop-up" areas. I only have 1 duckunder that is about 8" wide, that originally was going to be a lift out or tilt up section, but ducking under has not been too bad yet so I'm not worried.
 
CSX_road_slug said:
Welcome to the forum Brent, that's a mighty impressive layout you have there! I look forward to seeing additional pics. You've picked a great period for an excellent road - really wide variety of 1st- and 2nd-generation motive power, and still plenty of EMD covered wagons! If I had lived in that area of the country I'm sure I'd have modeled BN too.

I had toyed with the idea of building a double-decker myself earlier, but decided my trainroom wouldn't accommodate a helix and a Great Lakes steel mill. I have other ideas for making my layout seem larger than it really is, but I want to keep it as simple as possible - I'm a one-man band like Willis!
Click to expand...

Thank you very much! I like what you have going with your layout as well!:)
 
Heres some pics of the Stevens River Bridge- Kitbashed and partially scratchbuilt from a pile of bridge parts, stripwwod, and flextrtack.

1. I-CASFLD East bound Intermodal Thru Train approaching Stevens River bridge
2. Crossing Stevens River
3. Stevens River Bridge


Still a "plywood jungle".
New Atlas locos don't even have detail parts installed yet
Alot more work to do!:confused:

Need to work on files sizes for pics too!
 
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Welcome from the newest novice around here! I've only gotten into this hobby this year and I'm currently 'attempting' my first layout.
It's good to see what other people are doing!
Jarrell
 
Hey Brent - Looking good - not too much longer and you will have the yard in and we will have our first Ops session.


Based upon what Brent has in place, I put together an Ops plan for him to work from;


Operations Session Set-Up

Cascade Staging for EB Time Called Track Train Set-up

M-CASALL 0000 1 2 units 10 cars
I-CASFLD 0300 2 2 units 5 cars (POA pickup)
A-CASFLD 1500 3 2 units 5 cars (POA pickup)


Field Staging for WB Time Called
M-FLDALL 0300 9 2 units 10 cars
I-FLDCAS 1100 8 2 units 10 cars
A-FLDCAS 1800 7 2 units 10 cars
G-RAYPOA 0400 6 2 units 10 cars


Allen Yard Staging Time Called
M-ALLCAS 0330 2 units 10 cars
601 0700 1 unit
602 0730 1 unit
604 0800 1 unit
Job 101 0000 1 unit
M-ALLFLD 0830 2 units 10 cars

Jacobson Staging Time Called
C-JACEVN 0000 2 units 5 cars (RAY pickup)


Car Set-up
Allen yard with cars for industries in each town
Cars ready for pickup in each town, ensure there are enough for trains to Cascade and Fields
for adequate train size.

Operator Set-up

Dispatcher/Yard Master
Yard Job Cab 1
Road Job cab 2
Road Job Cab 3
Road Job Cab 4
Local Job Cab 5
 
Train Schedule
Train Direction Type Called Description
Job 101 Local Switch 0000 Allen Yard Switcher
M-CASALL EB Manifest 0000 Manifest from Cascade to Allen Yard - Traffic from South and West for layout
C-JACEVN WB Coal Load 0000 Coal load on duty, assemble train and goto Evan Gap Power Plant
I-CASFLD EB Intermodal 0300 East bound Intermodal Thru train, work at Port Allen
M-ALLCAS WB Manifest 0330 West bound train with traffic from Allen Yd to South/West points off layout
M-FLDALL WB Manifest 0330 West bound train with traffic for Allen Yd and layout from East points off layout
G-RAYPOA WB Grain Load 0400 Grain load for Port Allen
601 WB Local 0700 Local from Allen Yd to work Port Allen and return
602 EB Local 0730 Local from Allen Yd to work E. Allen and Bobbo Jct and return
604 EB Local 0800 Local from Allen Yd to work Evan Gap and Rayne and return
M-ALLFLD EB Manifest 0830 Eastbound train with traffic for points east off layout
I-FLDCAS WB Intermodal 1100 Westbound intermodal Thru Train with work at Port Allen
Job 102 Local Switch 1200 Allen Yard Switcher
E-EVNJAC EB Coal Empty 1300 Eastbound coal empty from power plant to Jacobson mine
X-POARAY EB Grain Empty 1400 Eastbound grain empty for Rayne
A-CASFLD EB Autos East 1500 Eastbound auto thru train with work at Port Allen
A-FLDCAS WB Autos West 1800 Westbound auto thru train with work at Port Allen
 
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As you can see- Robert is excited to get ops sessions up and running! Now if I could just win the lotto so I could buy all the stuff I need...LOL 1
 
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Hey Brent! Good to see another local. If you ever need someone to help operate, I'm available.

Robert, youplanning on a dispatcher?
 
NWR #200 said:
Hey Brent! Good to see another local. If you ever need someone to help operate, I'm available.

Robert, youplanning on a dispatcher?
Click to expand...

That could work. Tell Robert to bring you by.
Brent:)
 
NWR #200 said:
Robert, you planning on a dispatcher?
Click to expand...

Seth:

I dunno - most likely that would be up to Brent - probably dependent on the amount of folks that operate.

Most likely with the train traffic there would need to be a dispatcher - dont want to have any headlight meets!
 
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