Small N Scale Layout


SunsetLimited

SunsetLimited

Enjoy the Journey
Hey everyone. I wanted to share a layout plan that myself and my partner have put together. The layout is set in the early 1950s somewhere in the Midwestern US. We based the design on the Carolina Central track plan, but added an interchange and diamond for geographical accuracy and operational interest.

The layout was built using Kato Unitrack on a hollow core door, making the entire layout less than 7x3ft in size. Minimum turnout size is #6, and minimum radius is 249mm on the interchange track. The mainline however has a minimum radius of 315mm. The two interchange tracks also allow room for expansion. Hope you guys like it!!

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Mitch
 
Looks great Mitch!
The diamond adds lots of interest and I like how the track disappears under the bridge on the right.
 
Yea, we're a bi-lingual bunch down here. I have to remind myself to spell (write) words like colour as color so as not to confuse the natives on here.
 
I'm very proud of its functionality considering it's size. We had to make the sidings long enough to accommodate Kato's Silver Streak Zephyr, which was more challenging than it seems. My partner also couldn't decide on which railroads to model, so the plan had to be flexible enough and provide enough operating potential to realistically host any Midwestern railroad from the 1950's. The Santa Fe, Southern Pacific, Union Pacific, CB&Q, N&W and Nickle Plate have all made an appearance!!

The staging tracks (including the track from the interchange) are wired in such a way that they can be isolated. I designed the Interchange so that a train can stop in front of the depot heading in either direction and drop off or pick up from the Interchange. A foreign engine can then pick up the wagons from the interchange and take them to the electrically-isolated staging track and hide without causing electrical interference. It hasn't been touched in a while, but here's some pics of the real deal:

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When we're not working on the layout, it just leans up against the wall in the spare room.

Mitch
 
Tony,

As you know I've had some setbacks... the other side of the story is that while I designed it and helped to build it, it's not really my layout - it's my partners. He doesn't like me working on it without him because if I did, he'd run out of modelling projects!!

Mitch
 
Aww shucks, Dave. I'm an odd character when it comes to track plans. As I mentioned, I designed this layout for my partner. It would seem I can design the most outstanding, functional and interesting track plans for everyone but myself. When it comes to my own layouts, I can never seem to get it right, and more often than not end up changing the track plan half way through building the layout!!
 
Thanks everyone for your lovely comments!! I spoke to my partner this evening to try and figure out what the next project is. He's loved trains and railways all his life but he's a modelling novice - I told him to join the forum!!

Hopefully I'll have some new pics in the coming weeks.
 
Here are some more pictures of the layout.

Hopefully we'll be able to find the time to do some more work on it.

HCD Layout.JPG
 
SunsetLimited said:
The two interchange tracks also allow room for expansion.
Click to expand...
Plus the interchange track is the most flexible of all industries. It can take any type of freight car.

I could also argue that the "crossing" interchange track is actually the main line, and the curved track between that and the depot is the "interchange" between the two railroads. At least scenically speaking.
 
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