The 60/40 Layout And Other Railway Related Things

[Chrιstιαη]

Well done. IMO a bit tight but it works.

 

[migalyto]

What do you think, maybe I should have left a little more room round the curve.

View attachment 166120
View attachment 166121

Thats a precision tolerance, but hey it works, so it's a win!

 

[Smudge617]

Man those things aren't meant to go around curves. Cut it in half and make 2.

I know, I've widened both tracks, but anything this length will now be relegated to the outer track only, the curve is just too tight and the trucks don't traverse that far and simply derail. If I take the inside track out any more, I run the real risk of a collision and a fall of 4' to the floor, as you can see. Before anyone say's that I should add a board or some perspex to avoid anything falling off, it's not that easy, this is the side that is usually stored vertically when not in use.

moved both tracks as far as I can, nice thing about using screws vs caulk, no mess.

 

[Hutch]

Screws just into cork or deeper?

 

[Smudge617]

Screws just into cork or deeper?

Screws go deeper, I'm using a plyboard base.

 

[Hutch]

I love the idea but I want to avoid plywood. Maybe I'll rethink it.

 

[Smudge617]

I love the idea but I want to avoid plywood. Maybe I'll rethink it.

As long as you seal it, you shouldn't have a problem, if your going to use caulk on foam then just use it in strategic places to hold the track till your happy with it and everything runs as it should, easy to lift it slightly and add more when your satisfied with it.

 

[Hutch]

One more idea you have given me. Avoid 80" passenger cars even though that's what the have on the CSR. I like the old fashion ones better anyway. So there's another plan. Keep it small, keep it simple.

 

[Smudge617]

One more idea you have given me. Avoid 80" passenger cars even though that's what the have on the CSR. I like the old fashion ones better anyway. So there's another plan. Keep it small, keep it simple.

I've 4 84' UP passenger coaches, which I still need to add new couplers to. I regret buying them as I doubt they will ever see my layout. I'll add the couplers and sell them, no point in keeping them, weirdly, unlike UK passenger coaches, they have no interior's, seems they're "extra" for some reason.

I'd stick to shorter rolling stock, I think in the long run you'll have far more variety to work with, even second hand ones, give them a re-paint and new decals for your particular RR, who's to know?
The big new stuff is really nice, but you've got to have long curves, the bigger the better to use them.

I've plenty of UK OO scale wagons and passenger cars, so at some point I may do a re-paint (maybe not ) and use them behind my HO engines, definitely not pro-typical, but I can't keep buying more to justify that, to me it's a hobby, it's supposed to be fun.

 

[Chrιstιαη]

What radii did you use ? Peco/Hornby R1, R2 or R3 ?

 

[Jaz avalley]

The gap in the track is one of those, " if it ain't broke, then don't fix it" ones.
The missing rail ties, is one of those, "I'll get round to it at sometime"
And I honestly can't remember why the screws there, apart from the fact it's holding the track that is.

It probably to hold the bugger in place until the glue set

 

[Smudge617]

It probably to hold the bugger in place until the glue set

Glue! Glue !, don't use the stuff apart from on structures, it really is there to hold the track. If you look to the left on the original photo you'll see a vertical line, that's where the layout splits in two, a track screw doesn't hold the track in place there, so I replaced it with a larger screw and the washer makes sure the screw doesn't disappear between the rail ties.

 

[Smudge617]

What radii did you use ? Peco/Hornby R1, R2 or R3 ?

Most of the outer curve is Hornby R3 and flex-track, inner is Flex-track with a 2 1/2" separation, so I suppose that would be R2

 

[Smudge617]

Well, the industrial are is coming along, wiring all done and working. I know it looks quite bright, I assure you it isn't, the phone camera makes everything brighter than it is, and yes, the red light on the chimney is a flashing one.

Security fencing continues.

 

[migalyto]

Wow! What a difference lighting makes, It makes a good scene look great.

Well done!

 

[Hutch]

Yeah! Run trains at night and maybe add a night sky curtain.

 

[Smudge617]

Yeah! Run trains at night and maybe add a night sky curtain.

My OO passenger coaches all have lighting, if I convert one to kadee I may be able to run a few

 

[Smudge617]

Yeah! Run trains at night and maybe add a night sky curtain.

Had a look for them, if I can find some small enough, I might get one.

 

[NorthBrit]

One more idea you have given me. Avoid 80" passenger cars even though that's what the have on the CSR. I like the old fashion ones better anyway. So there's another plan. Keep it small, keep it simple.

Two or three small passenger cars look realistic on small layouts imo.

David

 

[Smudge617]

Two or three small passenger cars look realistic on small layouts imo.

David

I was looking at some "old time" passenger cars, but three problems, first is they look so out of place behind any diesel, even a GP7, secondly, rarely does anyone list the length, and I spend an hour looking up the specs for it, third and most importantly, guess where they all are, yep in the US, I've looked at maybe getting some German or French passenger cars, but they all look so untypical of their US counterparts.

I'm going to look at perhaps getting some BR Mk 1 or 2 or Gresley Teak coaches and seeing if I can re-paint and decal them for a US RR, (anything but UP) that might work, but for the moment, that's in the "maybe" pile.