The M - K & Eastern RR

[M Graff]

The M - K & Eastern RR

A Harbour / City layout in HO scale containing some different building ideas from a Swedish modeller.

Link to the original thread:

 

M - K & E RR Building thread

 

Layout size:

 

The layout is built to a size of 118.5" x 16.5" wich gives a total size of: 1955.25 square inches. A little bit from the maximum of 2010...

 

The implementation of # 5:

 

I had actually planned to made some elaborate thing with it, but I decided to keep it simple and have 5 industries on the layout that is served by the railroad. I have also 5 locomotives painted and marked for the railroad (wich I rotate as I have only 2-3 on the layout at any time).

 

A brief background of the M - K & Eastern RR:

As I have always been interested in US railroading and had 4 previous layouts with a US prototype I felt that this was a perfect way to try some "new" kind of layout. Although it is still a US layout it should have a universal appeal I hope.

This time I really wanted a harbour! Preferably with a carfloat operation. And the locale should be New England.

I felt that a prototype layout on the available area would be pushing it really, so I made a revival of my earlier freelance shortline: the M - K & E! The name is the initials of me and my wifes names but will be read as; The Maine - Kershaw & Eastern RR.

It is to be a piece of a midsize east coast city in the vicinity of Maine. And set in the mid to late 40´s.

The traffic would be based on the carfloat as the main connection with the outside world. Therefore I made the carfloat as a cassette.

The company is old and have been operating the harbour since the new port was dredged in the early 1900´s so the bigger ships could manage to use it.

It is making most of it´s revenues from the barge operations and the Tugs they own, the railroad is mostly an even affair. Especially after the reduced shippings after the war ended.

The biggest customer is "Hughes industries", but as they made mostly military equipment, theay have reduced the number of cars they ship per week.

But the owners of the company is seeing a light in the horizon.....

 

The track plan:

I made a lot of different plans and got some really good input from both this Forum and some others wich finally gave this one:



It is not the final cut however as I have made some small changes along the way to make it "flow" a little better.

I really like to have some interesting switching to do as that is what I enjoy most in operating.

 

The benchwork:

I made the benchwork from 90 x 20 mm pine and the top is made of 9 mm MDF. The whole construction is resting on wall mounted consols on wich the backdrop and light-valance is attached as well.

I used 20 mm pink foam on top of the baseboard.

 

The tracks:

I use Peco code 75 track and turnouts as I think it is a very good looking and well functioning track system. It isn´t all correct for a US layout with the tie spacing, but I let it pass;).

I opted for all Electrofrog turnouts & crossings, as I hate it when short wheelbase locomotives stall on the turnouts.

I glued the tracks directly on the baseboard foam using No Nails glue.

I painted the tracks before ballasting it, and I used chinchillasand as ballast glued with Matte medium.



 

The backdrop:

The background is plain 3 mm masonite glued with 18 x 18 mm strips of pine on the backside for stiffening it up.

I primed it with Gesso in preparation for the sky painting.

I painted the background with a blue color fading it down to a light, almost white color. I prefer to let the "chaos theory" rule when I paint my backgrounds, it gives me a bit to play with when I start with the detail painting (the clouds, etc.).



 



The city is handpainted by me.

 

The buildings:

I prefer to make most of my buildings from scratch, but with the limited time at hand, I have made some from scratch, some from kits and a few kitbashed. I will replace most of the kit buildings in time with my own designs.



Night lighting was also a thing I like to have and here is a shot of how it looks:



 

The scenery:

It is mostly basic stuff, the only "new" material to me was using "basket-liner" for grass.

As it is an urban layout the city is most of the scenery.

 

The roster:

I have 5 locomotives for this layout, 2 steamers,2 diesel switchers and 1 Gas electric rail-bus.

 

A 4-6-0 sound equipped from Bachmann Spectrum:



 

From front to rear; Bacmann Spectrum 0-6-0 t, Alco S-1 from Atlas and Alco RS-1 from Atlas:



 

Railbus, kitbashed from a Labelle coach kit and equipped with a Loksound decoder:



 

The port:

This might be the part I enjoyed the most. I got the chance to play with a water feature as well as some marine equipment.



 



 



 

Rolling stock:

 

I have a fleet of 16 cars ready for duty on the layout. Most of them was weathered in good time for the end of this challenge, only 2 of them are in their as new, pristine apparence

.

An example of the weathered cars:



 

The "final" pic:





Movie of it:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0aQiCWVHkE

 

This is how it looked at the end of the challenge. I hope you have enjoyed the tour .