Looking to start a small layout


Well right now I'm leaning the most towards modern, diesel stuff. I really like desert racing and off road and snowboarding in the winter so I was thinking of maybe modeling a winter scene or SW desert area, maybe both. I know I jump around a lot but nothing is laid down yet so I don't really care cause I'm not ripping apart scenery!!

I'm searching but not finding much for modern N scale vehicles, modern trucks and motorcycles in particular, Toyota's to be specific :cool:
 
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Just posted in the introductory board. Had my trains packed up for the past 2 years and just dug them out on this last move. I moved around quite a bit the last two years, hopefully this place will be a little more long term.

Anyways enough with the boring stuff, lets talk about trains! I purchased 5 pieces of Atlas flex track, and a CP A and B unit locomotive set as well as a CP boxcar and small hopper car. I'm gonna make a fairly simple 30"x36" layout that can slide under my bed frame for storage. Maybe in the future I can expand and build a coffee table around it but for now this will do. I have a few simple track plans in mind, trying to avoid a symmetrical oval as much as possible. Was thinking of a 3% incline and almost immediate decline on the "back" track to break up the flatness a bit, but might not even bother if there isn't room.

thinking of something like the 3rd plan down on the left here - http://www.thortrains.net/nscale/nminis2.html
 
Finally started something!

Ill post pics when I'm on my computer again but for now I'm just using my phone. The layout is 30"x36", plywood base and 1.5" thick insulation foam on top.

Track plan is somewhat similar to the pic below.

quarry.jpg
 
Check out Ikea ivar shelving system. I'm using it in ho. Comes in22" and 11" widths. Widths not interchangeable. I put plywood on top of the uprights(I'm using the 48"tall ones. You can put shelves underneath or get a drawer kit to store stuff in. You can also buy more when you get more room, or use it as storage if you get out of trains later.
 
Track is now all laid and soldered up! Runs fairly well.

One minor issue though, my Minitrix locomotive seems to buzz sometimes going around the track. It had flywheels retro fitted by the previous owner (older gentleman who said he pioneered the technique). It almost seems like the flywheels are slightly unbalanced, causing vibrations. Any ideas? I'd debated on going DCC as well, I have a 4% grade and the engine slows quit a bit going up and then races down quite fast, would DCC fix this? Can I still run my DC locomotives with the DCC? Or should I forget DCC and just buy a better power pack? I just use a cheap Life-Like pack that came in my set years ago.
 
If you want to run more than one locomotive at a time, then DCC makes sense. To run even two DC locos at the same time requires a lot of extra wiring compared to the wiring requirements for running just one DC loco. The question to answer is: Do I want to run more than one loco at a time? If your answer is "yes," you will probably want DCC.

In general, DCC will not make a poor-performing loco run any better. However, some DCC decoders (the component that goes inside the locomotive) have a feature called Back-EMF (BEMF) designed to keep the loco speed constant under varying load conditions. BEMF is not a magic cure, however, and cannot overcome overly steep grades.

Some DCC systems -- Digitrax is one -- can run one DC loco in addition to running multiple DCC locos at the same time. Most DCC systems can not do this. Turning the question around, many DCC decoders have a DC mode, allowing a decoder-equipped loco to operate on either a DC or a DCC layout.

- Jeff
 
ckblum said:
Finally started something!

Ill post pics when I'm on my computer again but for now I'm just using my phone. The layout is 30"x36", plywood base and 1.5" thick insulation foam on top.

Track plan is somewhat similar to the pic below.

quarry.jpg
Click to expand...


This reminds me of a layout I saw years ago called the Buckshot & Buzzard Butte RR. It may have even been this same track plan.
 
I know, that's not what I was asking. I was wondering if he had pictures of the layout built using that track plan. I'd like to see some real examples of small layouts like this.

I think next time I'm going to try using Atlas True-Track instead of flex track.
 
ckblum said:
Hey Paco do you have any pics or a link to that layout??
Click to expand...


Nope sorry, it appears it is no longer on the web. I have been searching for the past 20 minutes and the website and even the email address for the owner is no longer any good. It appears the BnBBRR is no more. I had a link to the website on an old webpage I had back in the late 90's but when I tried it nothing came up.
 
Oh I was just talking about the future if I do another layout. Already have my flex track all laid. Once I figure out how to post pics from my iPhone I'll post some progress pics up.
 
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