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The SLTM Light Railway/Shortline


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Long time lurker/member.

 

I've long been a fan of small layouts and Carl Arendt's site.  I've also loved the layouts posted here and elsewhere.  Recently, the Budget Model Railways channel on youtube showed a small 00 gauge layout with 7.5in Radius curves.  I had amongst my collection a loop of old Eldon 7.5"Radius brass track so I thought I'd see what I can do.  I've modeled North American prototypes most of my life, but I also have an interest in the North Western Railway as a prototype (yes...  Thomas) as well as British railways in general.  

 

Track is a mix of Atlas and Tyco/Roco turnouts and straights.  The curves are Eldon.  Track is also a mixture of steel and brass.  I have a few small North American prototype 0-4-0's, along with a Playart 0-4-0T and a couple other small locos that can run on it.

 

The name is still up in the air, but "SLTM" is for "Slightly larger than Micro", being designed to fit on a 20"X30" piece of 5mm foamcore.  I only have North American stock at the moment, but due to the size, I'm definitely thinking UK prototype.  The layout is a small roundy-round, but can be operated as a point-to-point.  The map shows how I envision the line to actually look.  The junction area may become another micro, but for now it's a 12in fiddle stick (yet to be built).  I plan a scene divider down the middle as well.  The side with the switchback being more built up with the side with the single siding more rural.  I've operated it with my short NA stock as well as virtually on Trainplayer, and it's a good 45 minutes work running a mixed train from "one end to the other".  I'm planning on doing this on a budget, so second hand stock and paper and card buildings will be the norm.

 

 

It may also be "interchangable" with NA and UK buildings swapping, not sure at this point.

 

More to come soon.

 

Dan M

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Edited by DanMacK77
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I do like your idea a lot, and the scene divider should work very well. My only query would be whether you'll be able to shunt both of the sidings, as they face in opposite directions and there is no runround loop. I'm certainly looking forward to reading further posts.

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4 hours ago, Ian Simpson said:

I do like your idea a lot, and the scene divider should work very well. My only query would be whether you'll be able to shunt both of the sidings, as they face in opposite directions and there is no runround loop. I'm certainly looking forward to reading further posts.

 

Actually...  I can.  I use the actual loop as a runaround loop at the "end of the line" to reverse the train and shunt the goods/cattle siding.  The facing point (Dairy) siding is shunted on "the way back" as it were, so it's trailing point.  Absolute worst case scenario, if something has to be run to the end of the line from there, I'll simply push it ahead of the loco :D

 

Ian, I will say as well, your blog is an inspiration, I've got it bookmarked.  I've got a John Bull and a Norris and a love for early railways.  There's a very real possibility of the 1840's making a visit to this layout, especially since I've recently discovered Newman Miniatures...  

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Okay, that definitely sounds like a plan! I wondered if you would send a light loco along the line to deal with the problem ...

 

Many thanks for the compliment on my blog, When I first read your post I couldn't help thinking how ideal this design would be for short early trains! It's also worth checking people like @Killian keane and @5&9Models for other early models that they are producing. (BTW I hope to start posting on my blog again soon.)

Edited by Ian Simpson
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  • 4 weeks later...
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20190618_151634.jpg

 

Looking at your original plan (with siding along the bottom), the problem I can see is that the siding on the right is long enough for, say, 3 vans but the headshunt to the left will only take 1 small loco and 1 van. Maybe you've seen this and planned it like that, if so I'll be quiet!  I think I'd try to move it to use a left hand point to replace the lower left curved section, so that the straight arm leads to the siding and the curved arm is the main line. Then if you have a right hand point, use that to give a short spur bottom left which could be a loco shed or small factory. Effectively, that would mean that the bottom siding is accessed from the opposite direction, the same as the siding above it, which (to my mind) would make shunting more interesting and workable.

 

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10 hours ago, JDW said:

20190618_151634.jpg

 

Looking at your original plan (with siding along the bottom), the problem I can see is that the siding on the right is long enough for, say, 3 vans but the headshunt to the left will only take 1 small loco and 1 van. Maybe you've seen this and planned it like that, if so I'll be quiet!  I think I'd try to move it to use a left hand point to replace the lower left curved section, so that the straight arm leads to the siding and the curved arm is the main line. Then if you have a right hand point, use that to give a short spur bottom left which could be a loco shed or small factory. Effectively, that would mean that the bottom siding is accessed from the opposite direction, the same as the siding above it, which (to my mind) would make shunting more interesting and workable.

 

Excellent suggestions. The plan is a little bit misleading because it uses PECO turnouts and I bashed some Atlas wants together to give me a little bit more room. It will take a locomotive and at least two possibly three vans. Plus technically that's the main line to my fiddle yard so it is extendable if need be. I do intend to add an exchange siding bought an extension and I'll probably put the engine shed their. The biggest problem with putting a turnout on the curve is it's a seven and a half inch radius so it's either a hand lay or a somewhat unreliable matching turn out for the track LOL. I will hopefully post some more information later in the week

 

EDIT: the headshunt without the Fiddle stick is a couple mm shy of 8 inches.  With a small loco and overhang, I can manage 2 wagons

 

Edited by DanMacK77
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