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Today I finally assembled it. Not much there exept the rails now, still have some rough spots to fix, but its prety much operational. Was very fun running trains on it today. Now I know how you guys feel!
Some photos...
#1 The layout as it is. If you look carefully you'll see that there's a track that's not connected to anything. It's set side to be a monumnet for a very special engine.
#2 The first train:
BN 980 C-Liner
CP 1522 GP9u
CNJ 50' gondola
BN 50' boxcar
CN 40' boxcar
BN caboose
#3 Those switches keep on derailing every other train...
#4 A funny rear-ender by the Geep in DPU duty at the moment.
I find the insulators worked really good in isolating the depo from the system, also the middle track in the middle works great for turning engines around, making them run incorrectly (forward is now backward), good for mixed consists.
I'll be posting updates if you guys want to see them.
Looks like you'll be working out kinks for a bit with them tyco/life-like trains you got there. I retired all mine cause they derailed ALL the time. Yes, looking at your pictures those are X2F couplers, the old NMRA standard, now the standard is more of like a Kadee #5... On and the switches might be slowly drifting open, maybe... You might need operating stands, try: http://www.cabooseind.com
Thanks guys. I think I'll be adding/building some structures today.
As for operating stands, they're on my "to buy" list along with maintenence oil and a couple other items....
If you're not using a snap-switch, then the switches might be drifting open on you, which will cause these derailments. You might also get yourself a NMRA gauge, to measure the wheels. They could be out of gauge, which will cause them to pick a switch.
My only 'criticism' on your layout is at the upper right corner in pic one; that switchback. I don't think the tail is long enough to accomodate a loco plus one car and clear the switch so it can push the car to the industry on the other end. An alternate would be to put the engine house there; you can use the tail as the engine lead.
Nope, I have Atlas Custom Line(R) Mark 3 Turnout - Nickel-Silver - #4's.
My only 'criticism' on your layout is at the upper right corner in pic one; that switchback. I don't think the tail is long enough to accomodate a loco plus one car and clear the switch so it can push the car to the industry on the other end. An alternate would be to put the engine house there; you can use the tail as the engine lead.
Funny you mention that, as that whole section coming off the mainline on the curve, is the enginehouse! It's also isolated from everyhting, so that engines could sit there.
WHile right near the station, it does not directly connect to it, which I think makes for more manuevering.
Hey Roman,
I was wondering.
With all that trackage right on the edge of the table, are you going to invest in some plastic bumpers to prevent your trains from dropping off the edge and smashing on the floor????
I once lost a priced Loco to a drop off many moons ago as a young lad
while running the high iron.
I was wondering.
With all that trackage right on the edge of the table, are you going to invest in some plastic bumpers to prevent your trains from dropping off the edge and smashing on the floor????
I don't know how well that will work.
You may want to look into some plexiglas strips and attach them with finishing nails.
It may take a year or so to snap all of those legos together!
I think we've got two different discussions going...
Roman is talking about end posts (bumpers), which you can also buy already mounted to a piece of track, or in kit form, rather than trying to make them out of Legos.
The plexiglass strips around the border of the table are also a good idea, as a fall from that height would certainly not be beneficial to the health status of a train...
Hi Roman, it's looking great and I'm glad to see you have a good start on your layout. I use Customline switches and most of them have little notches for the point rails to fit into to prevent the wheels from picking the points. If your switches have these notches then as Kennedy sugests it probably is the wheels could be out of gauge. Thanks for posting the photos they're a great way to communicate. I have a couple of ebay links you may be interested in, these are quality models
You've got some nice boxcars there William. Real nice. I'm thinking about ebaying for my layout needs, but the whole university shopping has to settle down first. Just "blew away" $500+ on useless looking books today.
sushob said:
The plexiglass strips around the border of the table are also a good idea, as a fall from that height would certainly not be beneficial to the health status of a train...
One part of the loop is dead, it's isolated with insulators as to prevent problems. I know its not the best, but it works for me and I have no problems with it. Besides its only used when I need to turn a train.
Interesting setup. Hope most of the industries you want to put on the layout are small.
I know that, but that's the fun of it. To date the largest Lego piece I've made was a triple-deck (last deck had no roof) bus with a trailer. That took about 1.5 thousand pieces. While I can't find a photo of it, here are some other things I build when I was younger. In case you're wondering where is the engine in the Lego train, the answer is rather simple - there was not enough power for a locomotive to pull all those commuter cars, so I had to stop construction at that point. No use having a Lego train if you can't run it!
OH! OH! thought that might happen, LOL fact is I'm bidding on some of his stuff, note the eBay user name CBNSfan is a short form used by the CB&CNS on revenue cars. In fact he is a friend of mine, who for reasons (I'm not in the know) is leaving the hobby and selling all his RR stuff. Being in the armed forces may have something to do with it, I really don't know. He was the one who came up with the idea of kitbashing the MLW C630's from Tycos and the models are all his own work. Those Athearns have been fine tuned into good runners. I've bought some of his eBay auctions before, and he is safe to deal with.
In case you're wondering where is the engine in the Lego train, the answer is rather simple - there was not enough power for a locomotive to pull all those commuter cars, so I had to stop construction at that point. No use having a Lego train if you can't run it!
HOW DARE YOU insult Lego like that, there is NO such thing as NOT ENOUGH power in the terms of lego... Hey if I could make a 2 motor SD45 pull 45 lego tanks cars, you got your answer allready! Boy, if only the custom market were larger for lego trains, I'd get back into them...
HOW DARE YOU insult Lego like that, there is NO such thing as NOT ENOUGH power in the terms of lego... Hey if I could make a 2 motor SD45 pull 45 lego tanks cars, you got your answer allready! Boy, if only the custom market were larger for lego trains, I'd get back into them...
Hey, I love Lego! That's why it'll dominate my layout!
I only had and still have one motor and it gave wheelsping when I tried to pull those three coashes. So I figured why bother building the engine above the motor when it can't pull without it...
Besides those cars were really heavy, filled inside with corridors, stars, seats and people with various things like shovels! And all the cops had riot sticks sitting in one corner opposite the pirates!
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