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Yorkford, PA - A US Micro Layout


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  • 3 weeks later...

Looks great Rod

 

I plan something similar in N scale.. THats what I have and I can fit more too.... but my limitation is the shelf design... 12x48, maybe 18" deep.. I'm collecting Erie-Lackawana stuff now.... I have a few industries in mind, one is a flour mill thats I pass everyday to work. I'll probably keep it to foods and distribution.

 

NOthing physical yet... Im in the planing stages. Have a listen into www.modelrailradio.com.. THey already have had several discussions on small layouts (micros) and traction too, which is something I want to do too.

 

Phil

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Phil

 

N scale on 4x1? You've got bags of room...

 

Interestingly, my first attempt on a 4x1 was in N, I got the track laid and some locos running, but I just found it that little bit too small for my liking. Oddly, I found that going up to HO on the same size board wasn't as limiting as I'd expected.

 

But if there were a lot off ready-to-run US TT out there, I'd go for that instead.

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  • 4 weeks later...

I was about to splash out on some HO scale figures for my layout when I decided to see if my leftover 3mm scale ones would do. The adults measure just on 20mm, which is just over 5ft 8in. in HO.

 

Here's one busy at work (well, I think that's what he's doing)...

 

The oil drums are 3mm scale too, although the crates are OO.post-14205-0-91753600-1333104032_thumb.jpg

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It may be of interest if you are doing a small switcher in N, HO or S, but lazer-printed, die-cut foam-board, flat backscene buildings are available on ebay,com from < ibanezsclassic > store - without the brackets - they are not all available all the time. but they should be listed and he will customise them for you - delivery to me was about 7 days to UK. 1 HO one currently shown 110806973529 but others available shown at bottom of page

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  • 2 months later...

Having done more work on this layout I'm getting to the stage where I'm considering saying it's finished. Apart, maybe, from making a higher backscene.

 

Here are a few shots. You can just see the factory chimney smoking in the top photo.

 

It's my first attempt at US outline and I hope I've captured at least some of the right character, though to my mind the engineers at the right (based on a Ten Commandments frontage) looks decidedly Brtitish.

 

Thanks to those who gave me advice on rail bumpers (which I made out of matchsticks) and grade crossings.

 

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Someone has left their 1975 Mercury Bobcat rather precariously placed in between the tracks:

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

All packed up and ready to go. It just fits into the back of my hatchback. So far, it's been as far as Bradford, which is quite appropriate really, because all boarded up, it looks a bit like Bradford town centre.

 

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Here's what's underneath, all four feet of it.

 

post-14205-0-29937500-1341320138_thumb.jpg

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  • 11 months later...
I’ve made what I hope are a couple of improvements to my US switching layout Yorkford, PA – a higher backscene and an extended road, running right across the tracks. I’ve also added more stock. An updated description and new photos can be seen on the web:
 
 
Meanwhile, here are a few of the photos. Hope you like it.

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Interestingly enough, I do enjoy operating it. Operating really wasn't my thing but I was surprised how such a small layout can hold your attention, even if you're only moving one car at a time. So it goes something like:

 

1970s using the WM engine

1990s using CSX

1970s using Conrail

1990s using NS

 

all of which takes about 80-90 minutes, the cycle for each period involving 22 or 23 moves. And each cycle starts where the previous one left off, by starting with boxcars that could have been common to both periods.

 

As I've said in the write-up, I find a fixed sequence much better than using random computer-generated moves.

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Hi Stuart

 

It's the Unit Models Building Front 7:

 

http://www.unitmodels.com/product.php?id_product=237

 

plus building sides:

 

http://www.unitmodels.com/product.php?id_product=250

 

I reduced the depth of the building sides by about half, using a hacksaw, and scratch-built the loading platform from Plastikard.

 

It's not clear from the Unit Models website whether they ship to Australia.

 

Regards

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That was made from a Walthers Cornerstone Modular front, with sides and roof added by me. The chimney and vent are from Unit Models.

 

I got the Walthers front from Model Junction Online but they seem to be out of a lot of these modular kits at the moment. Another possible source is Team Track Trading. But there again you may be able to order them direct from Walthers.

 

Regards

 

Rod

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  • 1 month later...

Amazing work! You've created a very believable scene in a small amount of space. By the way, the engineering building on the right side of the layout looks quite American. There are numerous buildings here in central Alabama with the same overall design. In fact, the entire layout has a decidedly American look to it that would fit many regions of the country, particularly the east, south and midwest.

 

Are you using Peco Setrack or small radius turnouts?

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Amazing work! You've created a very believable scene in a small amount of space. By the way, the engineering building on the right side of the layout looks quite American. There are numerous buildings here in central Alabama with the same overall design. In fact, the entire layout has a decidedly American look to it that would fit many regions of the country, particularly the east, south and midwest.

 

Are you using Peco Setrack or small radius turnouts?

 

Thanks for the encouraging comments. Oddly enough, the building you mention, Sunderland Engineering, is the only British OO scale building on the layout, the rest being HO, so I'm glad it looks American to someone living over there! The frontage is a plaster casting I bought and which I then added the roof, sides and fittings to.

 

The turnouts are Peco Streamline small radius. When travelling at a crawl (which they usually are) my Bachmann Geeps and Athearn SW1500 do slow down over them and I have to increase the throttle a tad. I should probably have gone for medium radius but they would have taken up more room - and besides, these were free from my dad!

 

The layout will be at its first show here in York in October, but of course I realise that's a long way for you to come!

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