Hello everyone!
I thought I would start a thread to post my layout under construction after seeing how everyone is so helpful and supportive of the idea. I found this layout in the Kalmbach Books 101 Track plans, it is plan #58 called the Grand River & Western. My version will reflect my interest, whereby I like a little bit of everything i.e. steam and diesel (from old diesel switchers to SD-40’s to a 4-8-8-4 and all things in between that move freight). I am sort of partial of SOO LINE as well as NYC/PENN Central as I have a grandfather who was an engineer with them throughout the 50’s -70’s in Jackson, MI. Also I like 1970’s and newer rolling stock from 40-86ft cars.
I plan to modify some of the track by eliminating one of the crossovers that leads into the turntable from the left, I added spurs in the area of the map labeled by the author as Faraway, Old Bridge Station and, Mill Hill. I do not plan to follow any of the scenery type or location as depicted by the author rather, I plan to go with no water and mostly hills / cliffs with lots of trees. I plan to throw in freight station or two, lumber mill, some sort of silo facility, small oil facility and, maybe a small passenger station. I don’t want to stuff it to full of track and have no room for scenery but I don’t want to be bored either so I’m still looking at options in regards to adding / placing spurs. The only bridge I am planning to have is the one that comes off of the MILL HILL to the right and is apart of what I call the high reverse loop. I have to solve a grade issue for what I call the low reverse loop due to construction of the layout as a large module setup.
In regards to the yard, I was planning to follow the plans, and go with the turn table however, after reading up on the value of the cheap turn tables verses the cost of the better ones, I am seriously considering deleting the turntable and replace that area with a multi track parking / service area with a service building, I also may alter the length of a couple of tracks in the yard to accommodate some structures to add some locations requiring service.
As for the bench work, I narrowed the pit a little and terminated the angled outer frame at a joint to eliminate a joint and giving me a bit more wiggle room for track or scenery. The bench work is divided up into four equal 6’5” X 5”0” tables. The bench work is made of a 2x4 outer frame and a 1x4 inner frame. The table top will consist of 4’x8’x1/4” OSB panel that will be “cookie cut” on the green lines as depicted in this image:
I plan to use 1x4 riser’s screw mounted to the table frame to hold the paneling at various heights to achieve the elevations that the author indicates. I will be adding images of the bench work here as soon as I get it stood up, I have the tables built now and just need to make and attach the legs and stand up each table and bolt them together.
As for the track, I plan to use atlas nickel code 100 flex track and #6 turnouts as indicated by the plans. I initially wanted to use the Walthers code 83 but I cannot justify the high cost when comparing to the code 100. All of the turnouts within hand reach will have manual ground throws and I picked 6 turnouts to be powered with tortoise switch machines and used with a stationary decoder to run them. I plan to use the woodland scenic’s track roadbed rolls and super sheets for the yard.
I plan to eventually add occupancy detection and block signals as I plan to add the LED track signals. I used some of the original indicators used for DC wiring to ascertain the blocks. In the end the outer and inner main lines will be broken into five blocks each, the reverse loops two blocks each, and a block for each left and right yard entries ending up with a total of 16, just right for the future Digitrax system components I plan to add later.
As for the power, I am looking at a Digitrax super chief 5A and a matching 20A power supply, a stationary decoder and at least two auto reverse modules. I am also adding an IR sensor to take advantage of the wireless capability.
I am not certain how to build the scenery yet, my old layout when I was a teenager, I used ole fashioned window screen and model plaster to fill in the gaps of an old 4x8 cookie cutter. I need to get another book about scenery lol, so far I got books for DCC overview, track laying, benchwork, yards, track side details etc. So any suggestions about scenery will be welcome, I do like a lot of trees and ages ago on my ole 4x8 I had the woodland scenic kit trees and they were a disaster so ill probably go with ready to use unless they are to expensive. There is only two rather short tunnels so I’m not going hog wild with those either.
[FONT="]So that’s about it as far as what I like to do with what I am building. Anyone have any suggestions about the engine service facility? Maybe suggestions on where to place more spurs? What would you do about the scenery etc, I love bouncing ideas of others I think it results in a better layout to have other perspectives. Thanks ahead of time. [/FONT]
I thought I would start a thread to post my layout under construction after seeing how everyone is so helpful and supportive of the idea. I found this layout in the Kalmbach Books 101 Track plans, it is plan #58 called the Grand River & Western. My version will reflect my interest, whereby I like a little bit of everything i.e. steam and diesel (from old diesel switchers to SD-40’s to a 4-8-8-4 and all things in between that move freight). I am sort of partial of SOO LINE as well as NYC/PENN Central as I have a grandfather who was an engineer with them throughout the 50’s -70’s in Jackson, MI. Also I like 1970’s and newer rolling stock from 40-86ft cars.
I plan to modify some of the track by eliminating one of the crossovers that leads into the turntable from the left, I added spurs in the area of the map labeled by the author as Faraway, Old Bridge Station and, Mill Hill. I do not plan to follow any of the scenery type or location as depicted by the author rather, I plan to go with no water and mostly hills / cliffs with lots of trees. I plan to throw in freight station or two, lumber mill, some sort of silo facility, small oil facility and, maybe a small passenger station. I don’t want to stuff it to full of track and have no room for scenery but I don’t want to be bored either so I’m still looking at options in regards to adding / placing spurs. The only bridge I am planning to have is the one that comes off of the MILL HILL to the right and is apart of what I call the high reverse loop. I have to solve a grade issue for what I call the low reverse loop due to construction of the layout as a large module setup.
In regards to the yard, I was planning to follow the plans, and go with the turn table however, after reading up on the value of the cheap turn tables verses the cost of the better ones, I am seriously considering deleting the turntable and replace that area with a multi track parking / service area with a service building, I also may alter the length of a couple of tracks in the yard to accommodate some structures to add some locations requiring service.
As for the bench work, I narrowed the pit a little and terminated the angled outer frame at a joint to eliminate a joint and giving me a bit more wiggle room for track or scenery. The bench work is divided up into four equal 6’5” X 5”0” tables. The bench work is made of a 2x4 outer frame and a 1x4 inner frame. The table top will consist of 4’x8’x1/4” OSB panel that will be “cookie cut” on the green lines as depicted in this image:
I plan to use 1x4 riser’s screw mounted to the table frame to hold the paneling at various heights to achieve the elevations that the author indicates. I will be adding images of the bench work here as soon as I get it stood up, I have the tables built now and just need to make and attach the legs and stand up each table and bolt them together.
As for the track, I plan to use atlas nickel code 100 flex track and #6 turnouts as indicated by the plans. I initially wanted to use the Walthers code 83 but I cannot justify the high cost when comparing to the code 100. All of the turnouts within hand reach will have manual ground throws and I picked 6 turnouts to be powered with tortoise switch machines and used with a stationary decoder to run them. I plan to use the woodland scenic’s track roadbed rolls and super sheets for the yard.
I plan to eventually add occupancy detection and block signals as I plan to add the LED track signals. I used some of the original indicators used for DC wiring to ascertain the blocks. In the end the outer and inner main lines will be broken into five blocks each, the reverse loops two blocks each, and a block for each left and right yard entries ending up with a total of 16, just right for the future Digitrax system components I plan to add later.
As for the power, I am looking at a Digitrax super chief 5A and a matching 20A power supply, a stationary decoder and at least two auto reverse modules. I am also adding an IR sensor to take advantage of the wireless capability.
I am not certain how to build the scenery yet, my old layout when I was a teenager, I used ole fashioned window screen and model plaster to fill in the gaps of an old 4x8 cookie cutter. I need to get another book about scenery lol, so far I got books for DCC overview, track laying, benchwork, yards, track side details etc. So any suggestions about scenery will be welcome, I do like a lot of trees and ages ago on my ole 4x8 I had the woodland scenic kit trees and they were a disaster so ill probably go with ready to use unless they are to expensive. There is only two rather short tunnels so I’m not going hog wild with those either.
[FONT="]So that’s about it as far as what I like to do with what I am building. Anyone have any suggestions about the engine service facility? Maybe suggestions on where to place more spurs? What would you do about the scenery etc, I love bouncing ideas of others I think it results in a better layout to have other perspectives. Thanks ahead of time. [/FONT]
If you add even a 6" straight section between the two switches on the third inside line, you'll straighten out the "S" curve and have a lot less problems.