Zeus Posted October 9, 2020 Share Posted October 9, 2020 Hi all, i've got the bug again! i dug out my 4'2 board from a failed project and im thinking about what to do with it, my thoughts as it stands are a small H0 switching layout for a continous run N scale layout all control will be dcc, my main question is how long are N scale locomotives, is it realistic to get a continuous run in such a small scale. Thanks Joe Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndrewC Posted October 9, 2020 Share Posted October 9, 2020 a 4x2 in N is similar to the cliché 4 by 8 HO oval layout. It can be done but the play value vanishes fairly quickly. Why not a more intensive N switching layout? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zeus Posted October 9, 2020 Author Share Posted October 9, 2020 i was thinking the board is a bit awkward for a switching layout but id be welcome to any inspiration! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zeus Posted October 9, 2020 Author Share Posted October 9, 2020 aswell as this i have a H0 scale inglenook already so i wanted something to just watch the trains go by! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zeus Posted October 9, 2020 Author Share Posted October 9, 2020 i also found this interesting track plan online that inspired me quite a bit 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndrewC Posted October 9, 2020 Share Posted October 9, 2020 My only suggestion then is to see if you can stretch the baseboard a bit. Seriously, the 2 by 4 roundy will bore you to bits very quickly. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted October 9, 2020 Share Posted October 9, 2020 1 hour ago, AndrewC said: a 4x2 in N is similar to the cliché 4 by 8 HO oval layout. It can be done but the play value vanishes fairly quickly. Why not a more intensive N switching layout? 39 minutes ago, AndrewC said: My only suggestion then is to see if you can stretch the baseboard a bit. Seriously, the 2 by 4 roundy will bore you to bits very quickly. I disagree. If the plan is very well designed, to accomplish what the owner wants, it will hold interest ok. My O Scale layout at 17' x 8' is only a tad longer in comparitive terms to the 'Sacred Sheet', and has a grand total of 5 turnouts on it. Maybe the size makes a difference and the fact I'm inside the layout, but an operating session just switching the 3 spurs - loadeds in and empties out - can take up to an hour or more. Meanwhile something else can make up the miles on the High Iron. This rough trackplan is all I have drawings-wise, and it was modified from my original by Jack/"Jamo" of this Parish, who 'added' hidden staging'. On my layout the main line is not hidden under the spurs, it just passes in front as a single line. It might look boring and too simple on paper, but as Sir Lance Mindheim (may his Disciples prosper) has said - Operating Potential of a layout depends on the amount of car spots, not on a complicated trackplan. Another plan for 8 x 4 in HO that I always wanted to do, was one by the Model Railroader team way back in 1994 or so. The fact it was called "Soo Line Red Wing Division" may have influenced me but it was still a plan with switching potential and roundy-roundy at the same time. It was featured in "Small Railroads You Can Build". Google threw up these - The original track plan. And someone else's version; I think this might even be in N Scale. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zeus Posted October 9, 2020 Author Share Posted October 9, 2020 Do the americans have small scale staging points like in the uk or are the another grand afair? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted October 9, 2020 Share Posted October 9, 2020 12 minutes ago, Zeus said: staging points Not a term I'm familiar with; what are you describing? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zeus Posted October 9, 2020 Author Share Posted October 9, 2020 3 hours ago, F-UnitMad said: Not a term I'm familiar with; what are you describing? Sorry for the late response! a small locomotive staging facility maybe one two tracks and a shed im more leaning towards a smaller H0 switching layout now as ive got spare track and a few stock items i can transfer between layouts Thanks Joe Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted October 9, 2020 Share Posted October 9, 2020 Ah, engine terminals. Dunno about the Class 1 railroads, they will have big facilities, but Short Lines & Regionals will have more modest arrangements of the sort you're thinking of. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Regularity Posted October 9, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 9, 2020 41 minutes ago, F-UnitMad said: Ah, engine terminals. Dunno about the Class 1 railroads, they will have big facilities, but Short Lines & Regionals will have more modest arrangements of the sort you're thinking of. Sometimes it’s called a piece of track... 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zeus Posted October 9, 2020 Author Share Posted October 9, 2020 Does anyone know what the name of this layout is, i think it would work well with the space i've got, maybe with some adjustments Thanks, Joe 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
doctor quinn Posted October 10, 2020 Share Posted October 10, 2020 10 hours ago, Regularity said: Sometimes it’s called a piece of track... And the local fuel dealer’s truck Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zeus Posted October 10, 2020 Author Share Posted October 10, 2020 where would one buy H0 scale american outline buildings? in the uk preferably Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prof Klyzlr Posted October 11, 2020 Share Posted October 11, 2020 (edited) Dear RMwebbers, I'd suggest a well designed 4x2 in N, (or even HOn30) can certainly hold build, scenic, and operational interest. For consideration: Broughton Vale Tramway (HOn30, but easily converted to N) http://members.optushome.com.au/jdennis/broughton/frameset.html Cripple Creek Central (the MR project layout which inspired BVT above) NOTE! While it's a "roundy roundy", the operational schematic shown illustrates how to conceptually operate it as a "interchange to End-of-Track" shortline... reccomend checking out Kalmbach's "A HO Layout you can Build", which is a compendium of the "project layout articles" as originally published in MR... ...Yes it's HO, but should scale-down in N to something arund 4x2... ...perfect for a B'mann S-series switcher, an early GP, or a LL SW1200 switcher...). Mike Kieran's "Port Able" lines, see attached Schematic and Trackplan images... (a significant search failed to turn up any of Mike's old threads on Big Blue, RMWeb, or MRH, Utmost respect to Mike, wherever he is.... ) The layout could be resized down for N, and then expanded as available, but the core is similar to CCC above. IE a "loop" which is conceptually "unwrapped" into a P2P Interchange <> EoT shortline, with "viewblocked" "break of loop" at the "loop point".... ...works particulary well with a Ballard Terminal/Meeker Southern "park the loco and caboose on the main" technique typical of Class 3 shortlines... Happy Modelling, Aim to Improve, Prof Klyzlr Edited October 11, 2020 by Prof Klyzlr 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stivesnick Posted October 11, 2020 Share Posted October 11, 2020 21 hours ago, Zeus said: where would one buy H0 scale american outline buildings? in the uk preferably Model Junction have a range of kits - but hurry the shop may close at the end of the month. https://www.modeljunction.info/42-kits-plastic Nick Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zeus Posted October 12, 2020 Author Share Posted October 12, 2020 a walthers dcc sound GP9 plus a few industry kits for the layout will be ordered soon. and i will start mocking up track plans on the baseboard. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zeus Posted October 12, 2020 Author Share Posted October 12, 2020 i got some track and boxcars out to lay out a trackplan, based loosely on selah fruit row just reversed, where the gp15 is will be the fiddle yard with the track infront being the siding for this im not sure what industry will serve the front left and rear left tracks yet. aswell as this how long is a walthers GP9? 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted October 13, 2020 Share Posted October 13, 2020 9 hours ago, Zeus said: aswell as this how long is a walthers GP9 I can't be specific but it'll be a bit longer than the GP15 you have there, maybe a couple of cm or so. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zeus Posted October 13, 2020 Author Share Posted October 13, 2020 I’m assuming an sw7 would be significantly shorter thou Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Regularity Posted October 13, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 13, 2020 GP9 was 15" longer than a GP15, so not a lot different. (just over 5mm in H0, a bit over 2mm in N.) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Gilbert Posted October 13, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 13, 2020 On 10/10/2020 at 19:10, Zeus said: where would one buy H0 scale american outline buildings? in the uk preferably Mech Models or Model Junction if they are still open. I think Gaugemaster are a Walthers dealer as well. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zeus Posted October 15, 2020 Author Share Posted October 15, 2020 ive heard bad things about bachmanns american line, are the gp38-2s to be avoided or are they okay? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdvle Posted October 15, 2020 Share Posted October 15, 2020 So, no direct experience with Bachmann US, but they can't be covered with a blanket statement. In general even Bachmann US stuff should run reasonably well - for example your GP38-2 in the Bachmann catalog says it is all-wheel drive like (almost?) all Bachmann diesels. It may not be quite as smooth as a high end model, but it should run quite well. And Bachmann's US steam locos are quite popular even among serious modellers. Where Bachmann US differs from say Bachmann UK, or the Athearn/Rapido/ScaleTrains, is in the accuracy of the shell, the added detail parts, and the roadname specific stuff. But if one doesn't care about those things or are simply working to a budget then Bachmann should be fine. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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