Here's my layout so far...
- Thread starter Night Train
- Start date
dieselfan1
Member
I like it!!
Night Train
Member
Yes it's still in the garage. To be very honest, I've been working on improving the track work doing some realignment of some switches and replacing some sections of track where I had joined two sections of flex track on a curve.
All of this came about because I bought a couple of new locos that couldn't negotiate those areas I mentioned. I also had to readjust the clearance of overpasses in a couple of places so my intermodals have enough clearance.
And finally, I added some more feeder wire to a couple of locations and put in another switch off the main line so I can expand my yard in the next few days.
The result is that everything runs so much more smoothly and reliably than before. It's funny because when my wife asked what I had been doing to the layout spending so much time on it, she commented that it looked the same as it did all summer long!
Now it's about time to go buy a book on how to landscape...
N scaling in the Pacific Northwest
All of this came about because I bought a couple of new locos that couldn't negotiate those areas I mentioned. I also had to readjust the clearance of overpasses in a couple of places so my intermodals have enough clearance.
And finally, I added some more feeder wire to a couple of locations and put in another switch off the main line so I can expand my yard in the next few days.
The result is that everything runs so much more smoothly and reliably than before. It's funny because when my wife asked what I had been doing to the layout spending so much time on it, she commented that it looked the same as it did all summer long!
Now it's about time to go buy a book on how to landscape...
N scaling in the Pacific Northwest
otiscnj
Well-Known Member
In HO, I stager my flex track rail joints on curves, so that they are more reliable. Scrape off the 'spike, and slide a rail joiner onto the end. You can continue to use flex track until a switch, or straight section, depending on your choice.
Derailments can kill the fun really quick-best to take care of them, before you start adding scenery.
Derailments can kill the fun really quick-best to take care of them, before you start adding scenery.
Night Train
Member
Thanks for that tip. I wish I'd known about that a long time ago!
You're absolutely right about getting things done right before any scenery goes in. I'm about 95% ready....just one or two more places to improve and another area in which I want to add more feeder wires. I can complete my yard expansion while or after I'm working on scenery on the other side of the layout.
Maybe by next summer I'll be showing some pics of some completed landscaping. We'll see.
You're absolutely right about getting things done right before any scenery goes in. I'm about 95% ready....just one or two more places to improve and another area in which I want to add more feeder wires. I can complete my yard expansion while or after I'm working on scenery on the other side of the layout.
Maybe by next summer I'll be showing some pics of some completed landscaping. We'll see.
Night Train
Member
I know.
As I said a while ago, to me, the most fun part of my hobby is simply watching trains run. At least up until now. I'm starting to try to picture how I'm going to tackle the scenicking (is that a word?) phase of the layout. As far as being believable, well, we'll see what happens!
Maybe one part of the layout might represent a portion of the rail yard in Tacoma (Google Port of Tacoma and take a look at the satellite view of the trackwork there), another part might represent the Cascade Mountains, and yet another, the portion of track that follows Puget Sound near the Narrows Bridge.
Hmmm....this landscaping stuff might be more fun than I thought!
Casey Jones 77
New Member
Wow, nice layout! Makes mine look pretty boring lol
Night Train
Member
Time flies...
4 months since my last post here. I've been expanding my yard area to accommodate my expanding collection and as of two days ago, finished the wiring of my last switch machine. My original yard had 5 lines; now I have 15 total. I'm enjoying this hobby more than ever!
Oh yeah...I also figured out how to "speed match" my locos so I'm running a consist of three locos pulling a nice long line of rolling stock limited only by the number of cars that can fit in my shortest return loop. With those three locos pulling, those inclines are no problem at all.
Pictures soon...
4 months since my last post here. I've been expanding my yard area to accommodate my expanding collection and as of two days ago, finished the wiring of my last switch machine. My original yard had 5 lines; now I have 15 total. I'm enjoying this hobby more than ever!
Oh yeah...I also figured out how to "speed match" my locos so I'm running a consist of three locos pulling a nice long line of rolling stock limited only by the number of cars that can fit in my shortest return loop. With those three locos pulling, those inclines are no problem at all.
Pictures soon...
Last edited by a moderator:
Night Train, that is a really nice layout. Your bench work is really nice and you are making all the right progress. I built four layouts in my life and only two ever got to landscaping. I got so wound up in watching trains run that I only got around to detailing the smaller two of the layouts ( 2 x 6 and a 4 x 12) I really enjoyed the buildings and scenery and really got good at it. I am looking forward to seeing more pics of your progress. Keep up the great work!!
Night Train
Member
Thanks!
I spent the evening finishing up all my switches so that they all work perfectly. I bought a new more powerful MRC transformer to power all my switches replacing the old weak Atlas transformer I'd had for years. Now they all snap into position correctly whereas before, some of them seemed to not work properly, especially as I continued adding switches for my yard area. At first I thought I'd gotten some bad, malfunctioning switches, but as soon as I hooked up that new power source, they snapped into position just like they should. I was very pleased.
Pictures soon!
I spent the evening finishing up all my switches so that they all work perfectly. I bought a new more powerful MRC transformer to power all my switches replacing the old weak Atlas transformer I'd had for years. Now they all snap into position correctly whereas before, some of them seemed to not work properly, especially as I continued adding switches for my yard area. At first I thought I'd gotten some bad, malfunctioning switches, but as soon as I hooked up that new power source, they snapped into position just like they should. I was very pleased.
Pictures soon!
Night Train
Member
Yard trackwork and all switches complete...pics...
Here are some pictures I took just today showing my finally completed track work in the yard area. A couple of before and after pictures including the added switches for the yard tracks. Sorry about the crappy shots....camera phone...
Now I have room for all my stuff and more to come.
Going to build or find some platforms/stations for the spaces between the passenger trains...
I'm now officially out of excuses to start doing the landscaping....
Here are some pictures I took just today showing my finally completed track work in the yard area. A couple of before and after pictures including the added switches for the yard tracks. Sorry about the crappy shots....camera phone...
Now I have room for all my stuff and more to come.
Going to build or find some platforms/stations for the spaces between the passenger trains...
I'm now officially out of excuses to start doing the landscaping....
Last edited by a moderator:
arealgijoe
Member
Nice work! Fancier than what I make.
I do have one question? It looks like there is little if any lead/feed track for the freight yard. How are you going to do much switching w/o using the main-line? I do not see how you can pull a string even near half a track long to move a car or few, But, if this yard is for staging only its not an issue at all. For my staging yard (a totally separate yard) I have only a very short lead track, that also serves a 2 track engine shed a the other end of my layout.
I have a lead track for my small switch yard that is longer than my longest switch-ladder track. In fact my lead track wraps around my roundhouse. If I were, and I am not, installing a switch yard, I would reverse the switch and track ends and run a lead yard around the yard area inside the mainline to yield a long switching lead for yard operations w/o interfering with main-line trains/operations.
JD
I do have one question? It looks like there is little if any lead/feed track for the freight yard. How are you going to do much switching w/o using the main-line? I do not see how you can pull a string even near half a track long to move a car or few, But, if this yard is for staging only its not an issue at all. For my staging yard (a totally separate yard) I have only a very short lead track, that also serves a 2 track engine shed a the other end of my layout.
I have a lead track for my small switch yard that is longer than my longest switch-ladder track. In fact my lead track wraps around my roundhouse. If I were, and I am not, installing a switch yard, I would reverse the switch and track ends and run a lead yard around the yard area inside the mainline to yield a long switching lead for yard operations w/o interfering with main-line trains/operations.
JD
Night Train
Member
Great question!
All I use my yard for is for storage, or I guess it's called staging. Once I replace that crossing track in front of the switch control panel with a slip-switch, I'll be able to form a long train out of the yard while running another train on the mainline without any interference from what's going on in the yard.
All I use my yard for is for storage, or I guess it's called staging. Once I replace that crossing track in front of the switch control panel with a slip-switch, I'll be able to form a long train out of the yard while running another train on the mainline without any interference from what's going on in the yard.
Last edited by a moderator:
Night Train: what a great layout! It really has all the elements of running long trains and yard operation that you could ask for. Could you tell me what track plan you are using and how I can reference it? It is very interesting and looks to be the right size for the space I have to build in.
Don't let landscaping intimidate you. Just remember: weathering, weathering, weathering......................
Don't let landscaping intimidate you. Just remember: weathering, weathering, weathering......................
Night Train
Member
The plan is the Philadelphia-Reading from Linn Wescott's 101 Track Plans...there is a picture of the book elsewhere in this thread. The layout is 13'6" by 6 ' narrowing down to about 4' or so.
I do enjoy the yard stuff hooking up the long consists and running them through all the possible routes. Running two long trains is still a challenge to operate simultaneously, but seeing them pass and cross over and under each other is pretty cool. DCC really makes it easy. I couldn't imagine doing what I can do with DCC with the old block system.
Fun times.
I do enjoy the yard stuff hooking up the long consists and running them through all the possible routes. Running two long trains is still a challenge to operate simultaneously, but seeing them pass and cross over and under each other is pretty cool. DCC really makes it easy. I couldn't imagine doing what I can do with DCC with the old block system.
Fun times.
