I very much doubt the derailment happened at Beamish Museum, County Durham, U.K. When I see my son I shall ask him. He used to work there.David, the location of your photo reminds me of a derailment where a steam locomotive went the wrong way through a turnout and derailed. Do you know if that's the place, and if I'm remembering correctly?
California for years have had almost everybody wanting dams that actually store water and redistribute to other locations for crops, drinking and emergencies ( just like this one ). That is pretty much is all we heard when picking or delivering loads in the 'burbs or out laying areas. We used to go right through the middle of it all: Ventura, 1000 Oaks, Port Hueneme and of course up/down I5/!10/!15/I210/I405 - you name it.Without getting political, the main reason fires can get that close is because all the trees and brush have been allowed to overgrow everything in the name of helping the environment.
Troy: 1st thing I saw is the about 50" reach-in on the upper right corner and 42" upper left from the inside of the U. You might think about creating a semi-circle at the top of the U to meet your reach-in requirements.Well howdy there internet peeps and those with graph paper!
It's Troy again.
I've been noodling on the upcoming layout. I think I've got my brain about as simplified on it as possible. Especially after spending yesterday punning foam risers to the benchwork to see what would and wouldn't work.
the problem with my original idea of two loops on one level was I had four separate tracks crossing a planned gorge in a small pinch point area. Since I'm trying to avoid wonky polarity issues in things like return loops, I didn't want to combine the loops and drop it down to two bridges.
Here's what I came up with after a few rough noodles.
Note, the right wing shows as 36" from the wall, but it's really 36. Like Gerry Leone, I "Changed my Mind" in the middle of building the benchwork.
View attachment 208760
Color key:
Dark brown are structural features (Walls, Counters and Cabinets, Doors) that I cannot alter.
Pink is the line leading to/from the planned helix.
Green is mainline on main grade level
Orange is Climbing/descending up to a +2 inch grade height.
I'm debating on taking the Yard wing to the left, and adding an extra layer of foamboard to gain an inch, so I don't have to make the two inches from/to the gorge area in a short space. I could have a 1" descent from the orange gorge crossing to the yard. And another 1 inch descent fro the yard along the front of the left wing toward Eerie falls.
Constructive input is requested. None of the sidings or spurs are set in stone. I'm unsure if I want the line to/from the helix to come out as depicted, or to have it branch off closer to the curve around the quarry.
Starting on the lower right, I imagine a quarry in the curve as the track climbs, but that could move to the corner where the orange curves toward the gorge.
Jump back to the green main line, heading toward the gorge, and we encounter the town of St. Maurice (St. Mo). This area will have a shallow harbor, with a pier and amusement rides. Their main industry is rock mining (quarry). So the quarry needs to stay close to the coastal town.
Follow the green line over the gorge and we'll change from coastal scenery to interior/wooded. This is the town of Eerie falls. A few minor industries to be decided. Forest and waterfall features.
Room for another town in here if I figure out what I want. Or, maybe a lake in the "showcase" spot right across from the door/stairway into the basement. I'd like something eye catching there.
Follow the green line clockwise around the backdrop divider on the left, and we've got a yard. Not sure how that will get layed out yet. I'm imagining a stub end set of classification tracks.
Follow along through the backdrop on the orange (raised) line and I've got room to add another town before the gorge. Cross the gorge, and we'll loop over the St. Mo area. The more I think about it, the quarry will fit well here. But then what could go in the end by the Helix?
Thoughts? Suggestions?
That's because it comes with an engineer.For some odd reason, I like the second locomotive better!
Thanks for the advice.Troy: 1st thing I saw is the about 50" reach-in on the upper right corner and 42" upper left from the inside of the U. You might think about creating a semi-circle at the top of the U to meet your reach-in requirements.
Is there a door at the top of the stairs? If so, remove the bottom door and gain a couple feet for the yard extension - or some other kind of door - hippy beads maybe
I take it HO scale?
You probably are not going to like me ... but. I know you have computer savvy - CAD is your friend. Folks say SCARM is pretty easy and that will help with curve placement and other stuff. I use XTrack and I don't know what I would do without it. Much easier 'noodling' using cut/copy/paste; YMMV.
I Like the mainline runs as you have them pretty sparse and not aligned with the table edges!
Later
Graph paper is just fine if you are careful. Don't let them bully you into a computer program at this stage. I used scarm to do my final track plan. It did the job, but it was a P.I.A.Well howdy there internet peeps and those with graph paper!
Thoughts? Suggestions?
Its the same here in the states as well.Good afternoon all. Just collected youngest grandson from school.
Parents with toddlers.
Whilst picking up Thomas I waited in my car at the car park. When parents have their children in the car the area is a racetrack. I just wait until the 'speed merchants' have departed before I move on. You get the picture?
Obviously parents living locally walk their children to and from school.
Today two mothers more content on chatting to each other and holding their schoolchildren by the hand, let their toddlers (two years of age; three at most) run across the car park. Fortunately a driver was alert. The two mothers were oblivious to the scene.
17 to 18 inch on the main, but spur lines may be 15 or even 14Graph paper is just fine if you are careful. Don't let them bully you into a computer program at this stage. I used scarm to do my final track plan. It did the job, but it was a P.I.A.
I'm guessing your minimum radius is 18" ? Even with 'shorty' passenger cars I don't think I would go with HO, I'd stick with N. Coal hoppers look OK on tight radii, coaches not so much.
Its the same here in the states as well.
Most parents on pick-up have their nose in their phones and aren't paying attention, and the kids just start running in all directions. Its a recipe for an accident or a student getting hit. Amazed it doesn't happen.
Still snowing here too, but much less intense than when it first started. Looks like just a tad over 2" so far. Looked out and saw a visitor who left no footprints.Home today with the weather (33F and snowing). Did a couple hours of work remote, but signed off for the day to enjoy our snow day (big deal here in TX)
Whew! Thought you were talking about me, until I read it again.Sorry for the tirade, but it's not computer skills, its the thought process behind the software. It doesn't operate the way my brain thinks through a project. The frustration of using it was not even a mediocre experience. There's a reason I didn't study architechure, engineering or a hard math science field.![]()
