North Crow Point Yard

[fraggfish]

Hi all,

 

 

This thread will be covering construction of a N scale North American based box file layout. My intention is to build a larger layout based on The New Haven RR's and Moshassuck Valley RR's operations around the Lincoln RI area. This area was heavily involved in textiles, generating large amounts of traffic for the railroads. The chosen timeframe is the 1950s when, while the industry was in terminal decline, traffic was still considerable.

This bigger project is going nowhere fast so in the meantime I've decided to have a crack at a box file.

 

 

I have a spare Kato switch left over from the nephew's train set so will be using this, perhaps to "mainline" in appearance but it's available and the self contained motor makes things easy! This should allow space for two cars per spur with a "fiddle stick" outside the box file.

 

 

Thanks for looking,

 

Neil

[fraggfish]

Hi All,

 

I've mocked up a few buildings and had a play around with positioning. 

 

A few things I wanted to include are  -

 

• The track disappearing through a gap between the buildings.
• Transfer shed and 'team track' style yard.
• Road vehicle loading point 
• A wooded backdrop reflecting the countryside nature of the location

Here's a couple of views of what I think I'm going to go with 

 

 

 

Thanks for looking,

 

Neil

[Zomboid]

Is that an A4 or an A3 file?

[fraggfish]

Is that an A4 or an A3 file?

Hi Zomboid,

 

It's an A4 file

 

Thanks

 

Neil

[shortliner]

Not sure that you can get A3 files at anything approaching sensible prices - the only sensible way around that problem seems to look into the Really Useful Boxes for something approaching the size needed. A3 Paper is 297 x 420mm or 11.69 x 16.54 ins - but there should be an additional length and width for working room. FWIW an A4 sheet is 210 x 297mm or 8.27 x 11.69 ins, whereas an A4 file is 283 x 360 mm or 11.14 x 14.17 ins. Hope it helps

[fraggfish]

Thanks Jack

 

I had been looking at these boxes and they do have quite a bit of potential especially the 800mm & 1200mm long rectangular ones.

I'm going to stick with the boxfile for this project though but have got Ideas for future projects using Really Usefull Boxes.

 

Neil

[Zomboid]

You've got me looking at Kato track now...

[fraggfish]

You've got me looking at Kato track now...

It does look pretty good and the plastic ballast can be weathered to look much more realistic. The main advantage is the running qualities - the live frog switching and point motor built in are excellent. I did have had a problem with one of the #4 switches/points derailing stock due to the lack of a recess in the stock rail. I solved this by altering how the track lead into the toe but it can done like this -

 

http://www.pbase.com/atsf_arizona/kato_4_turnout_tuning

 

I believe the #6 switch/point doesn't have this problem but never used one.

 

Just thought you needed to be aware of this potential pit fall but that said once I sorted it out they all work perfectly.

 

Thanks,

 

Neil