Railpassion

One day there'll be OO/HO radio controllled trains as standard. No more track cleaning!

It's like stepping into Louis de Bernieres land. It's full of character. When creating a scene there is a tension between the desire for accuracy and the need for something representative or realistic. We look down on our layouts as if we are birds and not like OO/HO humans. We need selective compression to create a sense of space or distance. Our perspective needs to be forced in order to stimulate the imagination. That's when a layout is at it's most satisfying at an exhibition. Layouts such as Bergellerbahn which ingeniously incorporates two stations and three levels in 14ft by 7. I have seen very long layouts, 20ft or more, with near scale length village station passing loops in surroundings and found them worthy but rather dull. Boundaries, edges, frames define a stage, the placing of objects to create space and lead the eye - all these come into play on a layout.

I'm thinking of buying a Lenz SET100 to start in DCC. Apparently the main box requires a transformer. Would a Gaugemaster dual transformer 16v AC output be sufficient?

Yes, I've two places where I'm using 18 inch curves: the reversing loop and one tight corner on the upper level. If I can widen the curves on the upper level to 22" I should be OK as the passenger cars can stand in a siding whilst the loco turns on the loop. If only US makers made passenger cars like the European ones which can turn on 18" curves if needed. Is it a blind spot?

Many thanks for your thorough answer and for the very useful links. Also to @Keith Addenbrooke for the your insight. It's all a bit new for me as I've never really had much interest in the American scene until recently. I would only be using maybe one train of four or five cars and possibly a Budd DMU or railcar. My layout is so restricted in space but I've managed to create enough for two upper level industries and would like to run the odd passenger train in between locals. Using trees and buildings as scenic blocks I'm hoping for a shortline feel. Maximum freight length for the reversing loop is 14 40ft cars. Maximum length for the staging is 17 cars. The base is built and track work almost complete to the upper section. There's 108 feet of mainline running from the staging siding at the back to the station via the top level. One of the problems I've found modelling OO is the length of modern stock and the curve problem. I tried N but it was too small for me to work with easily. So the attraction of US is the dominance of freight with its shorter wagons and interesting operations. I tried British OO 1960's but the 12T vans came off the rails too readily. So this US based plan/fantasy gets me into it for the day when I move and can find a bigger room for a 20 x 30 probably somewhere in Canada.

I'm working on a 9x9 table with a 3x2 extension on the top right side. It's on two levels 0 and 3.5 inches with continuous runs on each, a hidden return loop on the base and a reversing section on the top. There are 4 hidden staging tracks (1 top, 3 base) each around 90 inches. In order to have 28 and 24 scenic curves I need 18 inch curves in the small hidden corners and on the base level hidden loop. Will Amtrack 85' cars negotiate the 18" curves so I can run a passenger train now and then? Full length French carriages manage 18" but are the US ones more prone to locking? Ill try and draw a sketch plan later. Here's a very rough sketch. The station is served by a team track and is more compact and forward than shown. There are two industries on the upper level. A passing loop acts as hidden storage on the upper and there is a stage track below. Two trains can run on the lower level to give the grandchildren a thrill. The plan looks busy but in fact there is quite a bit of space. 5 trains can be staged if needed. But the staging is mainly for the Amtrack to hide away etc. Any suggestions welcome

No return loop?

A trip to the loft has resulted in finding a box of 6 unused Bachmann GP35's in various liveries. Two work OK on my DC layout. They are in grey boxes with foam inserts and yellow labels. I bought them at an auction in 2010 for £25. I shall take a look inside tomorrow to see if they are dcc ready but I think not. They have working lights and illuminated numbers. I've seen the latest sound fitted Bachmann models on youtube but they look to be re-issues of older models with few detailed features. Does anyone have recommendations for budget sound models? Would it be cheaper to install sound on a dcc model from contikits. I also found a pikestuff engine house - what on earth am I doing?

Model Railroader 2021 Layout plans edition is out in Smiths for around a fiver. Good write ups and interesting plans.

Looking good. Have you considered less hidden track? The north side is understandably hidden but could the south side single line be made an embankment or wooded feature? It sounds a bit nuts but with suitable separation and scenic blocks it could give you a taste of the rural in addition to all your station working. I had so much hidden track on my layout that it became a really frustrating as I realised that most of each train journey was out of sight. The sense of journey was lost. Is concealment always a good thing? Does it limit the imagination? Our brains tend to make things work on a model even if actual distances are absurd in reality.

@Lacathedrale I agree. Today young people see steam on preserved lines and can come to believe they moved slowly. They also do not hear the sound of clanking buffers which was heard in most towns at breakfast time up until the early '80's. I did not witness steam but saw 20's and 31's shunting the pick up goods and the shunter swinging on the pole. DCC has enabled very slow running which is a huge bonus but it can often bore at exhibitions. I was at York the other year and saw a very large and brilliant modern layout where all trains, both on the mains and the slows, were crawling along at no more than 30 throughout the afternoon. There was no impression of speed on the expresses and I was a little surprised as the punters expect a turn of speed on a large layout. After my jab this morning I discovered Smiths is selling the latest Model Railroad Planning. A US short line could be my next attempt.

Thanks Dr, I think satisfaction is key and everyone will have a favourite focus be it operations, running, scenery, realism, etc. For me operations and scale running speeds are high on my list. I've been to many shows where brilliant scenic models are ruined by Evil Knieval at the power controls. Recently I've enjoyed watching some of the large US basement layouts. They seem very satisfying for watching the trains go by. I'm using Woodland Scenics risers for a 3% rise in around 8 ft. I've had no problems with mainline locos up to 7 coaches.

With an additional curved crossover beyond the station you could have more variety in shunting both sides.

You could add a cattle dock as a kickback to the coal siding for a couple of wagons.

Fascinating to see your evolution from US through to DE via CIE etc. Since 2007 I've tried OO preserved BLT, 70's roundy, German roundy, Scottish roundy with BLT on two levels, N gauge on two levels from 101 US plans, Swiss HOm on three levels, TT using HOm track, then N again and finally HO OBB/DB on three levels all on a 9x9 baseboard with a 3ft square added for a helix. After so much spaghetti track work hidden away to create three levels at 0, 3 and 6 with return loops I realised I was tying myself in knots. So, this week I opted for a re-design with just two levels and return loops which opens up the space and reduces the points from 27 to 15. Less is more. I take your excellent point about early influences and for me these were watching trains run along an embankment incline and hearing locos work hard climbing north of Bridlington. Also seeing a busy summer station and shunting across the roadway to the goods yard. On a layout that translates into enjoyment of trains running through landscape and also shunting in sidings. Nostalgia didn't do it for me and I like up to date stock which is where OO is a problem. In a smallish space UK stock with 23m lengths is just too unrealistic. 12 inch long locos are not so good either, so I've settled for HO and the ultra reliable Trix or Piko expert locos that run like a dream. I mix 1:100 carriages with full length as a compromise. I'm aiming for satisfaction not just enjoyment and this I find comes with many things working well together. I suppose for me satisfaction is really the absence or minimising of irritation when running the layout. Watching your changes has helped see I am not alone in ripping everything up and starting again several times.

Less is more and I think fore and mid ground buildings better than more distant ones. You could try one low relief cottage mock up to get a feel. Your pagoda looks within 3ft of a main line - the men would not be happy.

Poor leadership has a big part to play in the death toll. I think most people accept this. Political pressure from certain factions led to delay and ineffective decisions. Much will come out in the next year. On my earlier point about schools, I think it is established that u11 schools pose less of a risk and should be the first to open. Secondary schools pose more risk particularly in the older age groups. So many of the adult population have not been exposed to covid19 yet and a significant number of under 50s could be hospitalised and die. My family work in hospitals and tell me their ICUs are now full of people in their 30s. Yesterday they lost a woman in her 20s. Voices in the media this morning, mostly MPs, are calling for an early end to restrictions. These people have already caused thousands of unnecessary deaths. They are dangerous.

Sunday papers stuck for copy so they have devoted themselves to speculation. I can see some primary schools opening on the 8th, but I think it would be wise to open secondary next term. If they (2ndary) open on the 15th there will be two weeks of teaching left. With so many in hospital, a small surge in cases would push them towards capacity quite quickly. There seems to be a vocal political lobby for relaxation of rules and on each occasion they have been lethally wrong.

Very nice. I'm a little concerned about the number of weeds on the engine siding. BR generally kept working lines shipshape. The shed man would have been out with his can of weed killer.

Great to see your progress, very impressive in such a short time. Bravo. You could always use the bracket signal in the other direction to indicate a loop beyond the tunnel.

Nice to see a different world and useful to see the chat. I tried a couple of other cameras, Fort Madison has the wide sweep of the river and Waupaca has a foundry with a trip goods in the afternoons around 3. See good old fashioned shunting in real time - a rather different H&S regime too. The cameras have a 12 hour loop so you can scroll back and watch earlier action. Some trains have 80 cars. Here's Waupaca where the temp is minus 8 at 1300 CST

Loco restrictions date from post privatisation. In BR days all major types visited including deltics. As a youth I spotted cl 20,25(rare),31,37,40,44,45,46,47,55,56(special).

40s, 31s, 37s all had a turn on this KX working. Loco bans and all that rubbish date from Railtrack and NR days. Most types found their way to Brid. 20s 31s 37s and 47s all worked passenger and freight. There were hosts of charters and excursions up until the mid 80s. I remember travelling behind a 40 to Butlins in 1976, a deltic at Filey, travelling direct from KGX to Brid with dining car, probably 40 hauled, and plenty of DMU variety. Peaks were frequent visitors as well as 47s. I also remember a school trip hauled by a 47 watching it run round its train before departing the rarely used platform 2 southbound for London and returning late on platform 8.

Shape | ______ / / < Hood 0.1 mm thick 4mm diameter hollow cylinder _ / | < faceplate 8mm diameter circle.