Hello everyone,
I just want to tell everyone I am honored to be part of such an awesome community. Everyones layouts on here are so inspirational that this forum is actually the biggest reason as to my venture in model railroading. I come from a family with a long history of railroading as careers. Im actually the first one to break from that mold and went with engineering instead haha. Good news is I still have relatives I can talk with to get a lot of good information. A lot of them worked for the Grand Trunk down in southern Michigan and contemplating making GT my bigger focus. Problem is I like modern but dont really know much about CN who bought them I believe so I may just have to eventually try my hand at creating some modern locos with GT on them. Anyways, little about the room I have to work with and the scenario. I recently moved back to Michigan for a while to help renovate an old house that my family owns so I am quite handy with tools. In fact I drive my family nuts because Im a bit of a perfectionist when it comes even hanging drywall haha. So the house is 3,500 sq ft or so. It is divided up into 3 units which we will rent some day in the future. My unit which is on the top is about 1200 sq ft. Well I am single father and I dont really require much room. I have to finish gutting and remodeling my section of the house before I can start on the layout however so really in the planning stage. So I have designed 2 bedrooms, 1.5 baths, open concept kitchen/living/diving with a walk out terrace. Well funny thing is I eat downstairs with my family so theres really no need for me to have this huge kitchen I was planning. Instead Im going to just put my fridge, microwave, and small kitchen area in and leaves me with a good amount of space to do whatever I want with it. Best thing is I dont have to ask for permission!!
Next topic is i actually 20x20 atleast of space but I dont want to go that big for first layout. I like the idea but man I dont think Id get halfway before Id get frustrated being so new. So my first thoughts were like 10x10 or so. Well I went on mrr track database and found the red rock northern. I really liked it and it had both some operations and run around for my daughter to watch. So i thought maybe Ill do a 9x11 or so. Well I received the January issue of mrr and I think I found my overall idea of a trackplan. Its the Maine Central RR. I just think it offers so much more in operation, run around, and even some passenger potential with stations. Yes its larger 11x19 but it doesnt look so cramped and shoved together like the RRN. I am also envisioning another industrial area where the turntable is since from what I understand modern era the turntable is obsolete even though I do think they are awesome. So I think theres my compromise. Yes large layout still but I dont think its too overwhelming. Also I feel like if done smartly it could be built in a fashion that would allow for some deconstruction if I ever decided to move. Sorry if this turned into a novel Im just really excited about all this. Oh and it will be DCC I already bought Digitrax Super Chief 8a to operate it with.
I hope its ok if I link this if its not I really am sorry! Heres the mrr link of the Maine Central http://mrr.trains.com/How%20To/Track%20Plan%20Database/2012/11/Maine%20Central.aspx
Now I need to find some software to make the trackplan I believe thinking about trying the anytrack I think the name. Saw theres a good topic on it.
More to come
I just want to tell everyone I am honored to be part of such an awesome community. Everyones layouts on here are so inspirational that this forum is actually the biggest reason as to my venture in model railroading. I come from a family with a long history of railroading as careers. Im actually the first one to break from that mold and went with engineering instead haha. Good news is I still have relatives I can talk with to get a lot of good information. A lot of them worked for the Grand Trunk down in southern Michigan and contemplating making GT my bigger focus. Problem is I like modern but dont really know much about CN who bought them I believe so I may just have to eventually try my hand at creating some modern locos with GT on them. Anyways, little about the room I have to work with and the scenario. I recently moved back to Michigan for a while to help renovate an old house that my family owns so I am quite handy with tools. In fact I drive my family nuts because Im a bit of a perfectionist when it comes even hanging drywall haha. So the house is 3,500 sq ft or so. It is divided up into 3 units which we will rent some day in the future. My unit which is on the top is about 1200 sq ft. Well I am single father and I dont really require much room. I have to finish gutting and remodeling my section of the house before I can start on the layout however so really in the planning stage. So I have designed 2 bedrooms, 1.5 baths, open concept kitchen/living/diving with a walk out terrace. Well funny thing is I eat downstairs with my family so theres really no need for me to have this huge kitchen I was planning. Instead Im going to just put my fridge, microwave, and small kitchen area in and leaves me with a good amount of space to do whatever I want with it. Best thing is I dont have to ask for permission!!
Next topic is i actually 20x20 atleast of space but I dont want to go that big for first layout. I like the idea but man I dont think Id get halfway before Id get frustrated being so new. So my first thoughts were like 10x10 or so. Well I went on mrr track database and found the red rock northern. I really liked it and it had both some operations and run around for my daughter to watch. So i thought maybe Ill do a 9x11 or so. Well I received the January issue of mrr and I think I found my overall idea of a trackplan. Its the Maine Central RR. I just think it offers so much more in operation, run around, and even some passenger potential with stations. Yes its larger 11x19 but it doesnt look so cramped and shoved together like the RRN. I am also envisioning another industrial area where the turntable is since from what I understand modern era the turntable is obsolete even though I do think they are awesome. So I think theres my compromise. Yes large layout still but I dont think its too overwhelming. Also I feel like if done smartly it could be built in a fashion that would allow for some deconstruction if I ever decided to move. Sorry if this turned into a novel Im just really excited about all this. Oh and it will be DCC I already bought Digitrax Super Chief 8a to operate it with.
I hope its ok if I link this if its not I really am sorry! Heres the mrr link of the Maine Central http://mrr.trains.com/How%20To/Track%20Plan%20Database/2012/11/Maine%20Central.aspx
Now I need to find some software to make the trackplan I believe thinking about trying the anytrack I think the name. Saw theres a good topic on it.
More to come
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