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  1. J

    Price and quality questions

    Back when I was Jeep'in and belonged to a forum like this, it wasnt unusual for me to run outside, crawl under the jeep and take photos of suspension part's, ect for someone ( to help them out ). Thats the fun and comradery of the hobby. BUT, I wasnt expecting someone to tear into thier Loco's...
  2. J

    Access to rails under mountains?

    If your talking to me, nothing as of yet. I'm still getting my ducks in a row. I seen a video on a large layout on youtube. He used a grid type so he could duck under a large mountain and clear a track if needed. I'll most likely go that route.
  3. J

    Price and quality questions

    Well, not exactly. My latest TV purchase is a great example. I had a 42" Poloroid 1080P LCD TV ( $600 during a WalMart black friday sale ) Used it 3 years, trouble free. Then I see a TV commercial ad for the Sharp Aquos 60" LCD. I spend Almost $2000. It has broken down 3 times in the 1st 90 days...
  4. J

    Price and quality questions

    I hope to find someone who would spend the time and post some photo's of the internals of some "cheap " Loco's and do the same of some moderate and also expensive Loco's, then explain the difference of the componets used. This would help a newbie like me to understand why spending $200 for a...
  5. J

    Access to rails under mountains?

    Derailment, I figured I'd be able to somehow push/pull the pieces out. Track cleaning ( I'm told ) can be done using the engine. Do I need to make the mountain top removable? Any "How-to's " that make it look nice if I did?
  6. J

    Xtrkcad question on connecting track ends

    Sometimes when placing a new piece of track ( lets say, a curved piece ), it wants to connect ( snap fit ) to the current track on only 1 end. If I try rotating the track, it will NOT "snap fit" to exsisting track. Now this is how I figured out how to do this, and I am asking if this is the...
  7. J

    Access to rails under mountains?

    I was planing a large, long mountain. The track would only visable in a couple places, on an 8 ft run. I wont be able to leave the back open, as I wont be able to get to it ( up against a wall and cant move layout table ). Am I inviting trouble?
  8. J

    Minimum radius for HO?

    Nice drawing Stein! Yes, thats what I think would work best for me. I liked your idea, but chest high wouldn't be easy to work with. And, I will be sharing this with my grandkid's, so that wouldnt make it practicle for them either. I am hoping to run 2 tracks on the bridge, so I'd imagine 6"...
  9. J

    Minimum radius for HO?

    Thanx for the idea's guys. Peninsular type doesnt do it for me and the chest height wouldn't let me work comfortably. I think I'm going to have to stick with this layout:
  10. J

    Minimum radius for HO?

    Here is what I came up with, that allowed me to make the most of the space available: That leaves me just about 20" between bed and layout peninsulas. I would need the brigdes, in order to use 22" radius curves for a continuous run layout.
  11. J

    Minimum radius for HO?

    Yea, thats why I was shooting for 30", and decided on 27". If you look at my original layout, you'll see it's " 15 " squares by 10.8. The last diagram I posted is just showing the 8x10.8 I am wanting to work with. No, cant step into the bay window area. I want my train to be able to...
  12. J

    Minimum radius for HO?

    I'm not in a wheelchair. Just cant get on my hands and knee's to crawl through to an opening. I was thinking more of 27" depth, with radius inside corners ( making it 30" ) add if needed for the track. Something I started with Xtrakcad ( still figuring out how to use it ):
  13. J

    Minimum radius for HO?

    After much consideration, I nixed the polebarn idea. Hated the idea of going out there in sub-zero temps just to fire up the firplace and come back inside while it heats up. And keeping it heated all winter would be too costly. So, I tore down the closet I had in my original room to make room...
  14. J

    Xtraxcad help

    Figured it out. Use the arrow keys.
  15. J

    Xtraxcad help

    I set my layout to 10' 8" x 10' Started laying my track from the bottom left of the layout. As I work up, it goes off screen, I can zoom out, but I want to "Scroll" up instead. Working on 10' lenth, zooming out gets too hard to see. Any way to scroll up ( or left/right/down )?
  16. J

    Loco's and cold, do they mix?

    I couldnt use the whole space for the layout, only a small area. I also park my truck in there in the winter. At most, I'd probably built a 12'x5'...maybe 14'x5' if I got crazy with it. Place it on wheels so I could roll it up against the wall when not in use. Its already insulated. I have a...
  17. J

    Loco's and cold, do they mix?

    Its a completely open ( 1 room ) 24x32x10. No room to make a train room. I had planned on placing a plastic sheet over the layout when not in use. I'm leaning towards going back to the original "L" layout table I 1st posted ( in the spare bedroom ). Either have a tight HO, or go N. I'm not...
  18. J

    Loco's and cold, do they mix?

    Yea, I could bring the engines in when not in use. But that could become a pain real quick.
  19. J

    Loco's and cold, do they mix?

    If I build my layout in the polebarn, it wont be heated unless I'm in there. Can the engines be run in freezing weather? Even if I heat up the barn an hour before I go out, the engines will still be cold, I'd imagine. What about heat from the motors and the cold metal parts around them?
  20. J

    Minimum radius for HO?

    Michael, my wife nixed your plans. She didnt like the bed so confined. No biggie. I guess I'm moving out to the barn to build my setup. Lots of room to do as I please there.




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