Problems with "The Central Midland" Atlas HO-29 layout w/Pics


Its Christmas time and I am REALLY missing this old layout of mine. Its time to run some trains, particularly some steam locos !!

I sold the Central Midland, and now I find I am not moving overseas on a permenant basis, so now I have no layout at the moment, neither here nor there.

So I had to come back and revist these photos I had posted. Thought a few others might enjoy looking thru them at Christmas

MERRY CHRISTMAS everyone

Brian
railandsail
 
I now how you feel. I left the hobby for about 30 years. I built a few layouts and then I found the Central Midland . I modified it and at times i hate this layout but I love the character of it . I took a two year break on doing a lot on the layout but I have been aggressive with it the last few months and plan to work on it a lot in January . I will post some updated pictures . I even took a stab at hand painting a background , it turned out fairly good . I know that I will now do this hobby the rest of my life God willing.

Merry Christmas all .
 
Anxiously awaiting any and all pictures!

Merry Christmas!
While looking for some other photos to add to another forum discussion I discovered another 'lost file' of mine with a bunch of photos. I'll add them later today or tomorrow. Cheers
 
HO Scale Train Layout, Central Midland (modified)

Mainline Track
There is a mainline of over one-and-a-third scale miles in length, which is mostly double track. The dbl tracks neck down to a single track across a scratch built truss bridge.

Doubletrack Mainlines....
I made another significant modification to the trackplan that would allow for continuous double train operation without regards for the original single-track bridge restriction. This consists of a curved ramp that shortcut-links the upper inner mainline with the lower inner mainline in the ‘access hole’ area destined to be hidden by a removable foam mountain structure. This link rail is a steep grade, but I have been able to run long trains both up and down the grade without derailing. I also included protective barriers on the sides of the ramp to contain any derailments. Two long trains running in the same direction get out of phase due to the difference in the length of the two loops. Two trains in opposite directions is quite photogenic as well.
..

Okay I found a few photos that should help explaine this 'curved ramp' I spoke of. This was quite a challenge to get right as the 'on & off' access to this ramp occured a fairly steep inclination, and at a turnout location. I got it to work, even for a 6 axle diesel with small wheel flanges.
 
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Here are are few updated images i captured with my iPhone. I will try to take some others later. Notice I tried my hand at painting a background. Came out pretty good.

IMG_0212_zps3bcd085c.jpg


IMG_0216_zps95e6e478.jpg


IMG_0219_zps4ebc287d.jpg
 
Central Midland

I will try to post some pictures on my progress with my Central Midland. It's the stard layout except I extended the yard. I run an MRC Prodigy Squared Wireless DCC system, Code 83 Atlas track and turnouts. Athearn, Atlas and Bachman Wheeling and Lake Erie power mostly SD-40's. The trackwork is performing well as I spent a lot of time looking for and repairing issues. The reverse loops work fine with PSX-AR reversers. I'll try some pictures to show scenery progress which on the standard M/C layout is the upper right "L".
Thanks
Wayne
 
Looking good Wayne. I was wondering how it was going. Yeah it seems like there are always "Tweaks" you need to make on this layout but I have grown to like it. Lot of modifications over the standard design on mine.
 
Central Midland

Looking good Wayne. I was wondering how it was going. Yeah it seems like there are always "Tweaks" you need to make on this layout but I have grown to like it. Lot of modifications over the standard design on mine.

Well, I am having fun but since the layout is over at my sons house I just can't put in enough time but I sure have learned a lot. I am starting to think about a shelf layout at my house but I have to broom all of my model airplane stuff to make room.. Well it was good to hear from you. Keep in touch.
Thanks
Wayne
 
Hi Wayne & Eric,
Thanks for posting your pics. I guess my 'revitalizing' this subject thread was a good idea.

Both of your layouts are very nice, and certainly include a lot more 'scenery' than does mine,...glad to see the variety of thoughts. I was still in the stage of locating the various buildings and structures (mostly unfinished ones I had picked up at various train shows), and had not started on the scenery aspect. I had things in mind, just hadn't started on it. My layout 'planning' was a 'trial and error' affair of fitting different structures in different places. I was still modifying the track plan at times to get as many sidings as I might have, and even added an extra track line in the yard area, along with a dbl slip switch to move locos into either the roundtable area, or the diesel service area. I'll post some more pics later.

I just 'edited' my posting #45 to try and help explain how I got a double mainline operation while only having a single line truss bridge over that center area.
http://www.modelrailroadforums.com/forum/showpost.php?p=295219&postcount=45

That single mainline bridge below. (that was one of the first structures I built from a Plastruct kit, and I did much of it by candlelight as that was the winter we lost power at the house for 5 days due to a severe winter ice storm...ha...ha.)
 
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Bridges

Obviously I like bridges on my layout. Did you count the number I have here?....and only two of them are the same....modified Atlas Curved-Cord bridges.

6 bridges
 
Central Midland

Whats interesting to me is the differances we all come up with. Good looking stuff.
Thanks
Wayne
 
Fake Bridges

Obviously I like bridges on my layout. Did you count the number I have here?....and only two of them are the same....modified Atlas Curved-Cord bridges.

FAKE BRIDGES
Several of my bridges were not really bridges in the truest sense,.... they didn't have their bottom structures.

Both of these were the double-track bridges that I Ikit-bashed from single-track Atlas/Roco Curved Cord Bridge kits. I simply took two single track bridge kits and 'doubled' the upper connecting beam structure to effectively provide for a dbl track spacing between the curved cord beam structures.

I left the bottoms out (to be used on other projects*), and just relied on the roadbed to provide support for the track of the bridge. I glued four 'locating pins' onto the corners of the curved cord sides, and these plugged into 4 holes drilled into the roadbed. This kept the 'bridge' properly located, and its side frames properly spaced apart such as to not interfere with the passing trains.

One of these dbl track bridges was set up as a safety device,....that one against the backside of the layout right at the point of the crossover switching between the 2 mainlines. I had in the past experienced several of my nice steam engines derailing and crashing off the layout onto the concrete floor...NOT a pleasant experience!! I decided I was going to put up this bridge structure to prevent any derailed loco from experiencing that fall off the side. Strange as it might seem, after I put this 'guard-rail bridge' into place. I hardly ever experienced any other derailments ??

That 'fake bridge' precipitated the idea of a stream/river running under it and out into the 'contry backdrop. It also meant I have to have another bright for the inner track,....thus the 'deckbridge' to allow for variety.

The other 'fake bridge' came about as a result of my adding the Walther's double track truss bridge for the dual tracks I wanted to have enter into the turntable zone. Since I had that bridge actually spanning the lower tracks, its only naturally the my yard entrance tracks would also be spanning those mainlines below. The 'fake double chord bridge' was the easiest way to do this without tearing out the subroadbed and replacing it with an actual real bridge. Besides with all the ballast, and cinders, etc in this yard area, no one would ever tell there was no bottom on that bridge. I also had to pay particular attention to the exact location of those bridge side frames so as to not interfere with the swinging passenger cars and articulated Big Boy loco that would come thru that trackage.
 
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Modified Central Midland

I now how you feel. I left the hobby for about 30 years. I built a few layouts and then I found the Central Midland . I modified it and at times i hate this layout but I love the character of it . I took a two year break on doing a lot on the layout but I have been aggressive with it the last few months and plan to work on it a lot in January . I will post some updated pictures . I even took a stab at hand painting a background , it turned out fairly good . I know that I will now do this hobby the rest of my life God willing.

Merry Christmas all .
Hey Eric, I just noticed that your 'link' is to another site (Photobucket) that requires registration and sign-in.

So I thought I would add this link to your subject thread located right on this forum....good discussion and lots of pics
Modified Central Midland
 
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My Modification Dwgs

HO Scale Train Layout, Central Midland (modified)

This trackplan is largely based on John Armstrong’s design, commissioned for Atlas Model RR, “The Central Midland”, plan #HO-29. But mine is in the ‘reverse image’ of the original, and modified in a couple of significant manners. Basically 10’x12’, plus.

This RR is for someone who likes to run trains, as well as do some intricate switching work. You can put the twin mainlines into continuous running mode, while you deal with the intricate movements of steam engines in the roundtable/roundhouse area, supplying the coaling tower, diesel & freight yard train shuffling, container loading, quarry & warehouse sidings, and the make-up of trains in the staging area. You can also manage to turn some very long trains around to run the layout in the reverse direction via the double wye’s, and the extended tracks of the additional staging area......
I never really provided the modified track plan for my layout, so the other day I sketched them out, and here provide them with the mods highlighted in blue and orange.
 
Container Yard

At the far end of the freight yard there is a container loading/stacking facility with cranes and multiple stacks of containers. There are corner mirrors standing at the edges of this scene that act to reflectively ‘double the size’ of this container yard, and also make the freight yard appear twice as long as it is.
 
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Staging Tracks (around the corner of the wall)

The yard tracks turn 90 degrees at this container facility and enters a 6 track wide staging area. If a one or two of these staging tracks are left empty, then very long trains can be backed in from the mainlines and turned to run in the opposite direction via the ‘double-track wye’ formed at the entrance to the freight yard.
 



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