Some pointers for a newbie (and a Limey too... the shame of it)

[The_Limey]

Hi all...

Excuse my apparent ignorance but as well as being a Limey and therefore at a disadvantage in terms of 'local knowledge' vis U.S outline railways, I come from a wargames modelling background, making my living painting military gaming figures.

True, I dabbled with British steam stuff as a lad, but I am by no means a hardcore railfan (yet)

Well, cutting to the chase, I decided on a layout based on Union Pacific sometime from the mid 1970's onwards... (I have a love of old National Geographic mags of the 70's and 80's and I want to add a few 'vignettes of 'Somewhere USA).

So given that I have a horseshoe layout in mind that is 2 feet wide with 12 feet, 12 feet and 8 feet per 'side' and a minimum of 14 turnouts to play with, I am looking for ideas.

I've noticed that it's far more 'normal' for U.S lines to pass close to suburban areas than in the U.K so I was hoping to get a kind of mixed industrial downtown feel with a nod to some older suburban areas...

Also, (and again I'll come across as a newbie here) I'd be looking at integrating some other locos and stock into the layout that are not U.P if possible.

Any assistance or pointers would be good...



Thanks



Mark

U.K

 

[Selector]

No shame coming from me...my heritage is Brit/Scot/Irish, and I am proud of it. I expect you will fit in quite nicely, even if a newcomer to the hobby. Yes, there is a lot to learn, a few mistakes to make, but I think you probably bring with you a lot of experience and creativity. We'll help you with figuring out how best to use your space, which way to go in terms of operations and configuration of a fun and realistic track system, and the UP guys will help you to develop your layout specifically for the UP in the 70's. It would probably be best if you look at Chip Englemann's guide for those contemplating a first train layout: http://www.chipengelmann.com/trains/Beginner/BeginnersGuide01.html

Just keep in mind that you can't easily use what you can't reach, and that goes for construction and then later when you need to fix things and operate them. So, when you design the framework for your layout, bear in mind its height and depth at any one location. That will, in turn, impact the nature of your track curves and lengths of tangent track. That means you will only be able to get a certain range of train operations in the space you provide with the framework. And so on...it's an iterative process to get to where you are finally running trains that work reliably and that keep you involved and having fun over the next months and years. You say your idea now centers on 2' wide and horseshoe-shaped. Good, but accept that you might want to be open to new ideas once you post your diagramme.

-Crandell

 

[The_Limey]

Thanks, I'll look at that link in a while...

My baseboards are insulating board on an open trestle frame.

It's a horse shoe with one leg longer than the other in principle, and a 2 foot width, so with flex track I can do some interesting stuff.

Basic groundwork is 'meat and veg' to me so that should be easy enough. My main probs are things like the 'look' of America at the time and how to capture as much as possible in the space I have.

I was amazed at You Tube footage of loco's going down what looked like a suburban street with cars going past at the side... surreal but so evocative.

 

[Selector]

Okay, thanks, that helps me to situate you a bit.

A Swedish gentleman by the name of Pelle Soeborg has won space in Model Railroader magazine in recent years, and not without merit. He models the UP, and you may get some hints from the look he has engineered via modelling...very accurate.

Also helpful to you will be images of Union Pacific GP-38 and SD-40 diesels that were in use during the 70's and on into the 80's. You should find many scores by visiting railpictures.net and filling the requisite fields with the appropriate entries.

-Crandell

 

[The_Limey]

Yes I've seen Pelle's work.

He's a fair scenic modeler, as you say

I have a couple of 40's and a 38 sitting on my desk as it happens Crandell

 

[Selector]

Excellent! When you go to railpictures.net, not only will you see examples of the locomotives, and of their weathering and aging changes, but also you will see them in their contextual milieu. Lots of fodder for the purpose of modelling.

-Crandell