My bnsf layout

[A2TwrOpr]

Hey everyone, I finally got my bench work done and just have to belt sand the plywood. I reused as much of the old layout as possible so it needs to be cleaned up a bit. I'm sticking with the Midwest theme on the bnsf, and have to come up with a name for this layout. The space will essentially be divided in half with one side being the rural town and the other side being my yard and engine facility, plus a couple industries. A lot of what I learned with the previous layout will be applied to the work on the current one. One thing I am doing differently is using a cork roadbed for the mainline only and dropping the yard and spur tracks down onto the plywood to get a realistic look. Here are a few pictures of what's been done so far.

this portion here shows roughly where the buildings will be located and the team track.

And this is the view looking the way at the town area. The cork that's sitting on the layout is where the mainline will be.
Some of the back drop is up along the side the yard will located on as well as the facia.
This coming week I'll get the sanding done so I can start laying roadbed. I also plan to paint the plywood a sand color before putting down any scenery. That will give me a "dirt" base for the layout which is another idea I stole from some folks here and other places.

 

[Rico]

I'm starting mine over too and did the same thing with a sander on some pieces.
I use HO cork for the mains, N cork for sidings and Spurs, and sheet cork or rubber Matt for yards and such.
I'll race Ya! LOL

 

[A2TwrOpr]

this is the track plan that I'm using. The tracks are drawn in red and buildings and roads are in black and labeled. I do hope to have my farm house and barn somewhere on this layout as well as a good amount of scenery. I didn't want to cram so much track onto the layout that it was a mess. My goal is to have some switching as well be able to just let the trains run in a circle, since I have a coal train I plan to run. Let me know what you think, I'm always open to new ideas and comments!

 

[A2TwrOpr]

I'm starting mine over too and did the same thing with a sander on some pieces.
I use HO cork for the mains, N cork for sidings and Spurs, and sheet cork or rubber Matt for yards and such.
I'll race Ya! LOL

Haha I wouldn't be much competition! This layout is going to be slow moving since spring is getting closer.

 

[Cjcrescent]

To make the track a little more interesting, instead of running it parallel with the edges of the benchwork, add some very gentle curves into the lines. Also on your yard, you're going to need an escape track, so any trains that you run counterclockwise, and pull into the yard, the engines will have a way to get away from the train. If they will always run clockwise, this track won't be needed, but is nice to have. All you need to make one is to place a crossover between two of the yard tracks. I would also consider extending the yard tracks around the corner to allow for more car storage. Lastly I would put in a bypass track, that parallel the ladder so locomotives can get in and out of the engine house, without having to wait for a train to clear the yard ladder.

 

[A2TwrOpr]

To make the track a little more interesting, instead of running it parallel with the edges of the benchwork, add some very gentle curves into the lines. Also on your yard, you're going to need an escape track, so any trains that you run counterclockwise, and pull into the yard, the engines will have a way to get away from the train. If they will always run clockwise, this track won't be needed, but is nice to have. All you need to make one is to place a crossover between two of the yard tracks. I would also consider extending the yard tracks around the corner to allow for more car storage. Lastly I would put in a bypass track, that parallel the ladder so locomotives can get in and out of the engine house, without having to wait for a train to clear the yard ladder.

Thanks for the advice. I do have a run around track that parallels the main near the yard. Part of it will double as a tail track for switching moves so the crew doesnt come onto the mainline. A track parallel to the ladder is a nice idea so I may add that. With the space ive got, I may be able to add a 3rd yard track for more car storage.

 

[logandsawman]

You don't let any moss grow under your feet, do you. Way to go on the new layout!!!

 

[A2TwrOpr]

You don't let any moss grow under your feet, do you. Way to go on the new layout!!!

Haha thanks! I've gotten some cork and track laid this week already. The two curved switches I ordered should be arriving tomorrow in the mail. So hopefully this week I'll have a mainline and possibly a few electrical pick ups too.

 

[A2TwrOpr]

The last couple weeks have been rather productive on the layout. I got the mainline completely laid now but ran out of track, joiners and cork so things are hold until I get more. Here's what has been completed so far

I may add another yard track because i don't think there is enough storage space with only the two tracks for all my cars. That will be determined later though once I get some yard track laid.
I bought 4 cylindrical hoppers from a member here, those came today in the mail so I'm excited for that! And my new sd35 SP Kodachrome arrived Saturday! So there are lots of good things going on with the layout currently. This week I'm hoping to get the wires ran and start moving items under the layout to their new home. And I've gotta fix that darn back drop that's out of place due to a lack of support in the corner :/

 

[A2TwrOpr]

here's the other half of the layout as it sits now. I changed the location of the grain elevator and team track because of how tight the space worked out to be. And so far it's turned out to be ok having the elevator right there in the front. There may not be a back drop along the city area, that way it's easy to see the layout without having to duck under it and get in the square. That's still up for debate though.

 

[logandsawman]

Nice update, I like seeing your stuff!!

 

[A2TwrOpr]

I haven't been on here in quite a while. I took the layout down and was planning to get out of the hobby for a bit. I've got all my stuff still and have been busy weathering rolling stock. Maybe one of these days I'll post some up

 

[montanan]

I must have missed your earlier posts. You were off to a really good start. Sorry to hear that the layout was taken down, but seeing that you still have your cars and locomotives, I guess you still have the "bug". Hopefully you'll regain tour interest and get started on a layout again soon.

 

[logandsawman]

I saw the pictures earlier and thought you were still going on it. Even without the layout there is stuff to do!

 

[trailrider]

BNSF, hunh? The ICC will never allow such a merger, even though the C.B.&Q. is owned by the Northern Pacific and Great Northern. As to the Santa Fe and the D.&R.G.W. merging... can't happen! Looks like you've got a great start. Have fun!
Trailrider,
President,
Grashhook, Galesburg & Western Division, Chicago, Burlington & Quincy R.R., with motive power pooling with the NP & GN, and some AT&SF & D&RGW c. 1940's & '50's.

 

[rodney mcgiveron]

G'day A2TwrOpr , I like the way you go ....I also started again a while back ,I had a fairly decent sized 14 ft x 5.5 ft...Santa Fe / BNSF layout using Bachmann EZ Track and turnouts...i started buying some ES44s , some SD40-2s , and a couple of SD70 ACe's and soon found out that the 18" radius and the No 4s or so turnouts that were pretty reliable for my older GP 9s , 30s , 35s , 38s and 40s..just couldn't cope with the 6 axel newey's...One Friday night i just made up my mind to go back to scratch and start again...bought two boxes of Atlas Code 100 HO Track , a half dozen sets of No 8 Atlas turnouts and a couple of N06s as well and also decided to elevate the double main track...A few things have got in the way over the past 12 months but I'm at it again now...I'm also into BNSF /ATSF and I hope your new layout will be as much fun as I think it will be..Demolishing my hills , tunnels and river bed was frustrating as was lifting my bridges and town buildings but I NEVER would have been happy with the old layout...so starting again is a wise choice I think...GOOD LUCK WITH IT....Cheers Rod....

 

[A2TwrOpr]

Thanks fellas. I've got a layout in the works now, the Los Angeles junction railway. It's modeled after the real LAJ which is a switching railroad operating about 64 miles of track in the Los Angeles area. It's owner by the Santa Fe so I can use my Santa Fe power on the layout.