READY TO BEGIN LAYING TRACK

[DoctorP]

Ladies and Gentlemen,

 

Just a very brief contextual introduction: I am new to the hobby and this is my first layout. I have sought and found advice on this forum already and am now turning to you again for even more advice. After reading John Armstrong's Track Planning for Realistic Operation (3rd ed), Layout Design by Iain Rice, and Basic DCC Wiring for Your Model Railroad by Mike Polsgrove, I am ready to order and lay track for my layout. With advice from a member of this forum, I am going to use a standard track layout model called the Faringdon https://imgur.com/a/zDXo5. It fits my benchwork perfectly and offers me a good introductory level of modelling.with options for future expansion. I wil be using Peco 100 flextrack for my layout. My questions at this important juncture are these:

1. How do I figure proper angles for turnouts...excuse me, I am from the US..."points."? Can I get this information from the Peco turnout template section at https://www.peco-uk.com/page.asp?id=pointplans? If so, what sort of information do I need to "feed into" the section?

2. What DCC brand/system should I choose. Here are some criteria to consider: a) this will be a one person layout with no visitors or other operators of any sort, b) I will be running only 1, perhaps 2, trains at the most c) simplicity is much preferred over complexity d) I want to add lights and sound to my entire layout d) cost must be modest.  I would appreciate any and all advice in making these very important decisions since I have absolutely no prior experience with any of this. Thank you very much for your time and consideration.  DoctorP (David Profitt - Kentucky USA)

 

 

[MartynJPearson]

Hi,

 

With regards to the angles of the points / turnouts, you might want to have a look at the AnyRail software. It allows you to draw out your plan using libraries of commercial track (including Peco) and it's a great way of visualising how the track will fit. You can even print out in 1:1 scale so you can try it out with trains without having to buy or lay track. That way, you can be sure that you are going to end up with a layout you are happy with, that offers the sort of features that you want.

 

There are a load of DCC systems and everyone will have different opinions. I personally use the Gaugemaster Prodigy Advance2 sytem, which I think is the UK branding of a similar system sold by MRC in the USA. The NCE powercab is also a popular option - the power output is IIRC slightly lower but should suffice if you are planning to run only a couple of trains at a time. 

 

Some may comment on the use of Code 100 track versus Code 75. Unless you are running stock manufactured quite some time ago, the wheel tolerances may well be fine with Code 75, with opinion being that it looks better. From personal experience, I use Code 100 but that is because I have a whole load of old stock, such as Lima Mk3 and Mk1 coaches manufactured 30-35 years ago.

 

Best of luck with your new venture!

[DoctorP]

Hi,

 

With regards to the angles of the points / turnouts, you might want to have a look at the AnyRail software. It allows you to draw out your plan using libraries of commercial track (including Peco) and it's a great way of visualising how the track will fit. You can even print out in 1:1 scale so you can try it out with trains without having to buy or lay track. That way, you can be sure that you are going to end up with a layout you are happy with, that offers the sort of features that you want.

 

There are a load of DCC systems and everyone will have different opinions. I personally use the Gaugemaster Prodigy Advance2 sytem, which I think is the UK branding of a similar system sold by MRC in the USA. The NCE powercab is also a popular option - the power output is IIRC slightly lower but should suffice if you are planning to run only a couple of trains at a time. 

 

Some may comment on the use of Code 100 track versus Code 75. Unless you are running stock manufactured quite some time ago, the wheel tolerances may well be fine with Code 75, with opinion being that it looks better. From personal experience, I use Code 100 but that is because I have a whole load of old stock, such as Lima Mk3 and Mk1 coaches manufactured 30-35 years ago.

 

Best of luck with your new venture!

Thanks so much for this valuable and considerate information.  DoctorP

[Salmotrutta]

I'm on the same side of the pond as you up in Massachusetts. There is a "local" club, "The British Railway Modellers of North America" http://brmna.org. I also model Swiss and I'm a member of the European Train Enthusiasts ete.org. There are also some Brits in that club too.

 

For DCC I use the ROCO z21 as I like the fact that you can add a photo of each engine and operate it from a phone or tablet. I also find that having pictograms of each function is easier than trying to remember which F function does what. I use a ROCO multimaus at shows which is fine as I usually don't have the sound on as it is either inaudible or annoying. There are a number of new systems available that use tablets or have their own controller (ESU) which have the ability to use icons instead of just buttons. If you are happy with using an laptop and are planning a "one engine in steam" layout you can build a DCC system using Chinese Arduino parts for about $20! Not exactly user friendly but certainly cheap! Your best bet is to go to a show or dealer and try some hands-on controlling a sound equipped loco - then you can see if you are happy with buttons or don't mind splashing out a bit more to have a more visual system.

 

With UK sound chips most of them come pre-loaded; if they are ESU based you can write our own with the ESU LokProgrammer but most of the UK files are proprietary so cost about L15 plus the chip. ZIMO also do a lot of UK sound. I power lights from a separate 16V AC supply and reduce / rectify the voltage with some components I get direct from China which cost a couple of $$ - I have also used the DCC output from the track on my show layout. 

 

I recently sold my UK layout with code 100 PECO track - I'm likely to replace it with either code 83 or 75 when I get around to the next layout because it does look better IMHO. 

 

Hope that helps a bit......

[DCB]

I cannot get your track layout plan up but in many ways Faringdon is a very good basis for a GW terminus layout, my father in law modelled Faringdon  in the garden and it was good fun.  The lack of a kick back siding makes shunting a pleasure instead of a mental challenge.  The real Faringdon had a very little room between the loop points and the buffer stops, not long enough for "New large Locomotives," introduced around 1900 to be able to run round.

Obviously the larger streamline points you have space for the better. Keep the run round loop as long as possible.  I would try to keep the "6ft" way down to around 45mm from the standard Peco 50mm as this makes the layout look bigger / longer.

[DoctorP]

I'm on the same side of the pond as you up in Massachusetts. There is a "local" club, "The British Railway Modellers of North America" http://brmna.org. I also model Swiss and I'm a member of the European Train Enthusiasts ete.org. There are also some Brits in that club too.

 

For DCC I use the ROCO z21 as I like the fact that you can add a photo of each engine and operate it from a phone or tablet. I also find that having pictograms of each function is easier than trying to remember which F function does what. I use a ROCO multimaus at shows which is fine as I usually don't have the sound on as it is either inaudible or annoying. There are a number of new systems available that use tablets or have their own controller (ESU) which have the ability to use icons instead of just buttons. If you are happy with using an laptop and are planning a "one engine in steam" layout you can build a DCC system using Chinese Arduino parts for about $20! Not exactly user friendly but certainly cheap! Your best bet is to go to a show or dealer and try some hands-on controlling a sound equipped loco - then you can see if you are happy with buttons or don't mind splashing out a bit more to have a more visual system.

 

With UK sound chips most of them come pre-loaded; if they are ESU based you can write our own with the ESU LokProgrammer but most of the UK files are proprietary so cost about L15 plus the chip. ZIMO also do a lot of UK sound. I power lights from a separate 16V AC supply and reduce / rectify the voltage with some components I get direct from China which cost a couple of $$ - I have also used the DCC output from the track on my show layout. 

 

I recently sold my UK layout with code 100 PECO track - I'm likely to replace it with either code 83 or 75 when I get around to the next layout because it does look better IMHO. 

 

Hope that helps a bit......

Thanks for your reply...yep, helps a lot. I'm a member of BRMNA as well but there doesn't seem to be much activity on that site or I would use it more. I've tried posting but can't get much of a response...Mr. Venable is very good to reply however and I appreciate his help. John Kendall has been a big, big help on this site and I stand in his debt for what he has taught me so far. There is no club close to where I live...being from Mass. I'm not sure how familiar you are with Central Appalachia, but it's not likely that I'll find anybody closer than Lexington that is very interested in model railroading. There is a club at Lexington however but we are about 100 miles away so...I appreciate the help.  DoctorP

[DoctorP]

I cannot get your track layout plan up but in many ways Faringdon is a very good basis for a GW terminus layout, my father in law modelled Faringdon  in the garden and it was good fun.  The lack of a kick back siding makes shunting a pleasure instead of a mental challenge.  The real Faringdon had a very little room between the loop points and the buffer stops, not long enough for "New large Locomotives," introduced around 1900 to be able to run round.

Obviously the larger streamline points you have space for the better. Keep the run round loop as long as possible.  I would try to keep the "6ft" way down to around 45mm from the standard Peco 50mm as this makes the layout look bigger / longer.

Thanks, Dave, I appreciate your wisdom and help. I take all the advice I can get believe me...knowing nothing means one is wide open to listening to those who know much.  DoctorP