The 60/40 Layout And Other Railway Related Things


kleiner said:
I ignore almost all of this well-intentioned advice and my layouts continue to work just fine :)

For the N-scale layout that I am currently building, I am using exactly one set of feeder wires (gasps from the audience). The layout is small and all track joints are soldered so any power loss is negligible.

If you watch YouTube videos, they all tell you you to use extra flux when soldering. But I have never done this and all of my soldered joints work just fine. Solder wire already has rosin flux in the center which is more than enough for almost all model railroading use cases.
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I think it does depend on how you build your layout and it's size, if you've soldered track together and it's a smallish layout one set of feeders would be enough, but my friend runs DC found his trains would always slow down going away from the feeder, and speed up as it got closer, when I suggested he add a buss wire and add 3 extra feeders (one every quarter length) he was sceptical but tried it, now his trains run even quicker than before, so there is some basis to adding extra feeders.
I've only done as many as I have to ensure consistent power and control throughout the layout, (I hate loco's stalling on frogs) plus my layout consists of two halves, I have to have feeders on each side or only half the layout would work.
 
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Finally finished my diorama that I had no intention of making, the original plan was to remodel my tunnel, but I've ended up without one, now I have something like one half of a canyon with a line under construction running along the top, and to my surprise, I managed to fit in a single track bridge too.

It's not perfect by any means, and well below par of some members skills, it still needs a few tweaks here and there, like some workmen and a crane at least, but overall I like it.

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Smudge617 said:
Finally finished my diorama that I had no intention of making, the original plan was to remodel my tunnel, but I've ended up without one, now I have something like one half of a canyon with a line under construction running along the top, and to my surprise, I managed to fit in a single track bridge too.

It's not perfect by any means, and well below par of some members skills, it still needs a few tweaks here and there, like some workmen and a crane at least, but overall I like it.

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Smudge, that is clever! Good use of your space and some work.

When the track crew is done, you could stage some of your favorite rolling stock on there!

I like it!

Dave LASM
 
logandsawman said:
Smudge, that is clever! Good use of your space and some work.

When the track crew is done, you could stage some of your favorite rolling stock on there!

I like it!

Dave LASM
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Thanks, was going to add more weathering to the rock face but decided that the "less is more" maxim works well here, made with polystyrene sheets and and some spray paint.

I was thinking of putting a few of my broken and soon to be derelict rolling stock there for the work crew to clean up when they finished with the track laying.

Need to find a crane, I was thinking of, I think it's called Titchy??? crane, then remembered it's quite fiddly to build, so I'll look around and see whats available that I can use.
 
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There just aren't any good N scale crane cars out there. There are some with the older Rapido trucks & couplers, but I have been slow to get one of those since changing the trucks can be problematic on older cars with unusual trucks.
 
Smudge617 said:
Thanks, was going to add more weathering to the rock face but decided that the "less is more" maxim works well here, made with polystyrene sheets and and some spray paint.

I was thinking of putting a few of my broken and soon to be derelict rolling stock there for the work crew to clean up when they finished with the track laying.

Need to find a crane, I was thinking of, I think it's called Titchy??? crane, then remembered it's quite fiddly to build, so I'll look around and see whats available that I can use.
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The 120 ton Tichy crane is a putzy build but looks great when done, HO scale. I posted a bunch of pics of mine in the coffee shop a couple weeks ago. I have a pre built one, M& St. Louis, is green and gray or something. Is an older model but I would like to offload it but probably cost more to ship over there than what it is worth.

A smaller crane like a tracked one mounted on a rail car would take up less space as the Tichy takes up a lot of room.
 
JeffH said:
There just aren't any good N scale crane cars out there. There are some with the older Rapido trucks & couplers, but I have been slow to get one of those since changing the trucks can be problematic on older cars with unusual trucks.
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It just needs to be a something that looks good from about 5' away, Tichy's are really nice, but I don't need anything that detailed.
 
logandsawman said:
The 120 ton Tichy crane is a putzy build but looks great when done, HO scale. I posted a bunch of pics of mine in the coffee shop a couple weeks ago. I have a pre built one, M& St. Louis, is green and gray or something. Is an older model but I would like to offload it but probably cost more to ship over there than what it is worth.

A smaller crane like a tracked one mounted on a rail car would take up less space as the Tichy takes up a lot of room.
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Yes, I'm sure it was your build I was watching, I remember you saying it has great detail, but can be awkward to build, I think you also said the cables were very finicky to install.

As for the crane, a smaller rail car mounted one would probably be better, it's widest point is only about 10". I think a Tichy crane would dwarf everything else.

Out of curiosity, how large is the crane your wanting to offload?
 
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ok I will give to you the same advice a model RR gave me when I was looking to add onto my 4x8 layout in a similar sized room you have , the advice would be to take down the 4x8 and do an around the walls layout, the possibilities are endless when you get past the 4x8 layouts . I’m on my 7th and final layout. Your room of 14’x12‘ is an excellent room for around the walls with 4’ ends for loops.
 
Smudge617 said:
No it means something, I agree the surplus window warehouse does look more generic to both countries than the machine shop. But I don't know American buildings at all.
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The brick building with the smoke stack is definitely American. Hard to get both appearances with one building. Personally I think you have way too much track there. Choose some industries that will fit and remove sidings and stub ends to make room for it. It's very confusing the way it is now.
 
Smudge617 said:
I said yesterday in the coffee shop I'd post a foto' to see how far I've progressed in this revamp so far,I haven't done as much as I had hoped, the very high temp at the moment hasn't helped much, it may not look like much, but as you all know somethings can't be rushed, and I've encountered a few unexpected glitches.

In the first shot, this is how it currently looks, the inner track on the right has been replaced from the TO all the way round with flex track, both tracks will need to be shortened when the 3 way TO arrives.
I also made the track spacing the correct distance, doing that has given me a few extra inches to play with in the center.

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In this one you can see how close to the edge the outer track comes, so I'll need to fabricate a board round this corner to prevent any flying loco's. The inner track also needs to be brought out to the correct distance from the outer line, and the TO is coming out, that will give me a few extra inches there as well. Doing the outer track was a real PIA, taken nearly a day and a half to get that curve right,

View attachment 148976

In this one you can see roughly where I want to go with this, I'm making it simpler, but I think more versatile in what I'll be able to do, without making it too complex for me to control.

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The blue circles are where the 3 way TO's are planned, the highlighted track on the right will be removed, the black lines are where the new track will go, so 2X 3 way TO's, either end of the straight, and I'm intending to have only 4 stub lines, and then one?? track into the industrial area. The white line is where, hopefully, I can get a reverse loop in, and which will also allow all the stub and industrial tracks to run from. If not, the TO on the left will feed the Industry and the track coming in from the right will still feed the stub tracks.

If there's anything I'm missing or I should/shouldn't do, feel free to comment, I'm also here to learn. :)
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What size is your layout table?
 
Smudge617 said:
Yes, I'm sure it was your build I was watching, I remember you saying it has great detail, but can be awkward to build, I think you also said the cables were very finicky to install.

As for the crane, a smaller rail car mounted one would probably be better, it's widest point is only about 10". I think a Tichy crane would dwarf everything else.

Out of curiosity, how large is the crane your wanting to offload?
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Have these two pics, one shows the back and the other the boom is visible

The crane is green and M&STL on the side, boom operates!




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not very good pics, look like the car is just a little longer than a 40' freight car

You can see the boom right next to the repair shop:

a final view 001.JPG

It does make a good background accessory, think it has horn-hook couplers but not sure, will send it your way if you want to PM me your address.
 
Lynnb said:
ok I will give to you the same advice a model RR gave me when I was looking to add onto my 4x8 layout in a similar sized room you have , the advice would be to take down the 4x8 and do an around the walls layout, the possibilities are endless when you get past the 4x8 layouts . I’m on my 7th and final layout. Your room of 14’x12‘ is an excellent room for around the walls with 4’ ends for loops.
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Quite a few members have suggested a shelf style layout, but it's not practicable, below shows you why, these are hand drawn and not to scale but it gives you an idea of why a shelf layout wouldn't really work.

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And this is what is already in the room.
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I just don't have the space, unless I put it about 6' off the floor, but I don't think standing on a bed or lying on top of a wardrobe doing track work or scenery would be in my best interest health wise either, not at 62, plus this isn't my apartment, it's rented, landlord has already gone nuts about the holes I've drilled in the wall for the layout. I'm trying to get rid of one of the wardrobes, but until my daughter comes and collects all her stuff that's in it, I'm stuck with it for the time being as I have nowhere else to put it.
 
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Not much to report regarding the re vamp, all the wiring is now done for the ground signals, and added another lamp post, wires aren't connected to the switches yet, the spade connectors I ordered haven't arrived, supposedly a "UK seller" nope China, once there done and tested and a few more items scenery wise, should have half the layout done.
 
I can see that you have a pretty tough set of constraints for space. Have you considered building a free standing switching layout like the one I built last year? You won't get continuous running but it might be more fun to operate.
 
Smudge If Dave sends you that crane he has I also have this one since I have a box getting ready to go over that big pond to you anyway

Also just wondering I know you have plenty of engines (as do I) but what is your rolling stock 40' or some 50' cars or maybe passenger Just being nosy anyway here's what I have for a background type of use The bigger one is Athearn the smaller ones not sure
 

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