velotrain

Out of curiosity, is the rollergauge something that could be reliably produced via 3D printing? Or - does it require a "more robust" material and process? This may (or not ;-) reduce development (certainly production) costs, and would eliminate the need for someone to maintain stock (potentially of multiple versions) as it could be ordered on demand. As an outsider, I'd say the basic issue is the small number of modelers who are unwilling to compromise on 16.5 gauge for their 7mm NG needs. You're also fighting the ease of using existing 16.5 gauge mechanisms, etc. to create highly individualized models, which was a major impetus behind the rise of On30 in the States before Bachmann got involved. In any battle between prototype and cuteness, I fear the latter will usually win in the end - especially with an ever-declining number of folks who may have first-hand experience/memories of that prototype.

The strapping would work well for absolutely straight segments, but would be a real bear to shape for anything else. Unless - you had some means of chopping it up into very small segments, along the lines of Power Base - but even shorter for the curves. However, I should think that the properties which make it suitable for strapping would render it difficult to work with for other applications, and rather difficult to cut. YMMV

"there's no accounting for taste" Looks like perfectly acceptable Jules Verne to me. Interestingly, Wiki describes it as both futuristic and retro! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rapi:t

Not to quibble, but the NE corridor doesn't really qualify as "countryside", although it occasionally gets closer north of New Haven.

The Kato N-scale set is announced for December, with these dealers (and others) offering it. http://slist.amiami.com/top/search/list?s_keywords=10-1447&submit=Search&pagemax=40 https://www.loco1hobby.net/en/search?controller=search&orderby=position&orderway=desc&search_query=shikishima&submit_search=OK

Although the structures are to a very high quality - and far more densely packed than even Dick Elwell's, for my tastes the F&SM is a bit overblown. I remember seeing it some 15 years ago and the city streets were littered with supposed newspapers everywhere, and just in case you didn't appreciate what these were, they were about the size of circus posters. I was there again just a few years ago, and he had greatly reduced both the quantity and size of the discarded newspapers. Actually - I think it was an optional prelude to the Expo in Pittsfield, as I found about 200 photos of it while looking for the Hoosac Valley ones. Gilbert - that sounds like it was a fast-paced but most satisfying trip, with lots of great stops. I haven't done the Springfield show in about two decades, back when I went with a HO modular group, but I'm thinking of going this January.

Although depicting a very different region, one competitor that I can think of is Dick Elwell's Hoosac Valley Railroad in western Mass. I was fortunate enough to see it a few years back as part of the layout tour for a craftsman structure convention in Pittsfield. This layout has many spectacular New England mill buildings, including most of the range of South River Model Works. http://www.southrivermodelworks.com/ Overall I would say that it is less prototypical than the Allagash, mostly because it is often so jam packed with exceptional structures, with far less "open country", but still most satisfying to visit and photograph. The Hoosac Valley is well represented on the web, but this site seems to have the best collection of images - I see that it is advertising this year's version of the Expo when I visited this layout during November, 2013. http://modelersforum.com/gallery/?cat=7 Here are just a few of my own favorite images from the visit - as I recall I needed to swap out my camera battery at least once, as it felt like there was a potential photo everywhere you looked, and even this selection is less than 5% of what I shot ;-)

I chanced upon a photo of this in image search (I forget my original target), and instinctively thought it to be a model, but was impressed with the overall realism of the scene. Searching for the Allagash Railway brought up a few sites and a wealth of images. This line is set in the Northeast Kingdom area of far northeastern Vermont and nearby regions during "mud season" - the tail end of winter to very early spring, with the last of the snow still melting off. To me the most striking aspect is the effort he makes to match up the modeled scene with his custom photographic backdrops. Even a skilled observer will have a hard time determining just where 3D becomes 2D. I also enjoy the realism of his scenes - as someone quite familiar with the region they just "feel right" to me. He appears to have almost all of the track laid, and as of three years ago there are still many areas with no scenic work - but those that are complete are just spectacular. A good set of photos: http://model-railroad-hobbyist.com/node/15291 Video of an Op Session: https://trainmasters.tv/videos/ops-live-5-op-session-mike-confalones-allagash-railway You can pay to watch the whole thing, but I found the Preview from 0:40 quite satisfying, particularly the scene from 2:00 to 2:30. Only a large model railroad can afford to devote so much territory to a single open scene, but it's well worth it here - also seen on the right side of Panorama #2. RR Line Forums - Gallery forum: http://www.railroad-line.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=45876&whichpage=4 This thread was impressive enough that I signed up for this Forum, knowing that I have many month's worth of Gallery to work my way through! I love the image of the dock scene at night, and feel there is only one or two entries whose quality is not quite up to snuff - or, at least not in the same league as the others presented. The links above are just a sampling from the results of a search for "Mike Confalone Allagash Railway", and the Image results will provide many more amazing views of this masterpiece of a model railroad. I do realize it's not everyone's "cup of tea", but I trust that those who can appreciate it will agree with me. Now to find out if it will be open on any future layout tours ;-)

A very long time ago I designed a small HOn30 layout set on an island, where the line wound up a small mountain from the port to the Busch castle on top. As I recall, the main reason I put it on an island was to incorporate the excellent small rail ferry from Artitec - which would also bring all the tourists over from the mainland. As far as sources for Busch, I always used Modellbahnshop-Lippe, as they provide good English language support and somewhat discounted prices. You likely have customs charges which could impact things. I wasn't aware of the Busch steam engines and went to look for them, in the process discovering that there is now an excavator - if you wish to have a clay or gravel pit. The former would tie in nicely with their brick works. A Spanish fellow had been marketing a powered version in HO and O, but his video showed it as too jerky for my tastes. https://www.modellbahnshop-lippe.com/produkt/Busch/44-4-0-279210-025004-0-0-0-0-0-0-grp-gb-p-0/ein_produkt.html I believe the Busch magnetic adhesion is so strong that you could literally build a vertical layout on a wall - the ultimate solution for lack of space ;-) I also saw a photo on a German site showing that at least one of the engines could negotiate something like a 2" radius curve. I briefly toyed with the idea of a labyrinth railway . . . I've also thought of having a small loop run around the brim of a hat. I should think the main issue with the Z-gauge track is that the ties would look too short. However, feldbahn track is often half-buried in the ground anyway, so you could camouflage this by pressing the ties into your "roadbed".

To my eyes the 3mm Society ties are quite narrow, with the unmodified track almost looking like a feldbahn line. The Peco HOm looks more like American track, and for an industrial area the ties can be left as they come. You might want to tighten the spacing if you were representing a mainline.

I'm disappointed to see that this topic/layout has apparently been abandoned.

Here are a few videos related to the Kato Portram, and tram operations in general - although much of it also applies to automating general N, 009, or On18 operations. The first shows two Kato trams on Tomix track, and using the Tomix TCS #5563 automated operation unit. This controller offers 8 pre-loaded programs, including this one (mode 7) which alternately sends two trains/trams from sidings at a station. A variation allows each train/tram to run in opposite directions. Many of the programs call for two sensors on each track, the first to initiate deceleration and the second to ensure a hard stop before the turnout is fouled. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=purwCvZRlbM I discovered that it is possible to "clone" some of the programs by adding additional turnouts and sensors, so long as they follow the mandated sequence for that program. Those skilled at electronics could design their own automated controls, although it would require sourcing many individual elements and designing the required circuit. What I like about the #5563 is that it's "plug and play", with multiple options, although you do need to purchase sensors along with the basic unit and a power pack. This video shows mode 7 cloned, which I think would be quite useful for an exhibition layout with two sidings at a station in the displayed area of the loop, and the other two hidden behind the skyboard (substitute the appropriate British terms as needed ;-). If the punters ask how this is being done with your hands free whilst talking to them, you could tell them that it is all off the shelf components. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2U2WyNqtTIY Here is a video showing mode 5 (cloned), which is also applicable for trams. This one only uses a single sensor on each track, and careful placement along with a judicious speed setting is required to keep the trams from running off the track. Of course, I could have installed bumpers, but what fun would that be? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOZHuzbW-N4 Mode 3 is a double switchback operation, and I can also see this being used for an exhibition layout with a longer middle section, and changes in track elevation on all levels. This could be incorporated into a (009 ?) mining operation, with the mine itself on the top level and a truck or barge dump at the bottom. Of course, unless you're quite clever, the actual transfer of material would need to be simulated. I recall a cartoon of a loaded timber car being returned to the logging area, "What's the matter Joe - the guys down at the mill didn't want those logs after all?" One other note on the 5563 that I should make here. Others have reported using it all day at shows, but I noticed some erratic behavior while running mode 3 for an extended period. Apparently it can get overheated and confused, with subsequent erratic operation. The solution is to set the delay time to a high value, say 10-15 seconds - which is actually quite reasonable for a switchback operation. Also - I believe it does expect Tomix sensors and turnouts, but there is no reason why you couldn't use flex track between the turnouts. You would likely want to camouflage the turnouts for an 009 (or On18) application. There are also not quite so obvious sensors than those shown in the videos, but some have reported less reliable operation with them - although that is not my experience. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQIA6fD2NLs This last video is of a tram bash I did, combining two three-segment Tomytec units (similar to the Piccolo) into a five segment tram. I used two power units, mostly for the convenience of taking advantage of the incorporated hinging sections. However, based on horror stories I've heard of the Modemo Hiroshima Green Mover, I'm also glad I did this for operational reasons. I believe the gist of the problem was that the unpowered sections wouldn't straighten out properly after going around a curve. My test loop here includes R140 turnouts, and you can see that the Tomytec power chassis handles them with ease. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B22evuRA7UQ Charles

I just stumbled on this thread while looking for something related. I notice two things that no one else has commented on: the track on the right (under the Gramodel wagon) is significantly raised above the work surface, so this is not a fair comparison. I won't claim that this is responsible for all of the height variance, but it does look to be a major contributor. The Parkside deck has a noticeable curve/slope downward toward the end of the wagon, which combined with the above could account for all of the deck height difference. You mention straightening the Gramodel deck, but perhaps you should also have done that to the Parkside.

81C - thanks for the Roxey Mouldings tip. I asked him about screw link couplings, and Dave recommended the Markits/Romford ones. It's quite unusual and highly commendable for one manufacturer to steer a customer to someone else's product ;-) He is also willing to receive and consolidate intra-UK shipments, so they don't have to all cross the pond separately. I hope I wasn't too sharp re: Evergreen. I wouldn't even consider undertaking this if I wasn't familiar with their range. I've decided that I should get the Bachmann wagons for now and work on the reinforcement trusses before I actually order the other bits. Perhaps as some of you, I have a tendency to start a project and then get distracted by a newer and, at the time, more exciting idea - AKA Modeler's A.D.D. Thanks again to all of you for your help - I think I'm fully "kitted out". Charles

Brian - Some of the WW1 Warflats were indeed used by the British as tank carriers during the war, most famously in the build-up for Cambrai - see the "WDLR at Battle of Cambrai" thread. Photos show Warflats, Rectanks, and Macaw B (+D?) reinforced frame wagons all being used. Genesis doesn't appear to sell their jacks as parts (perhaps because they're cast on?), and they don't have the angular splayed surround as shown on the Rail Album - Macaw B site referenced earlier.