Barry Ten

Thanks for taking that initiative, though. I guess they don't want something that's been on the internet but that must be an increasingly tough call these days, with the way layout builds are documented. Of course I'm always happy to take new pics. I do mean to submit a photo to MR's readers' layouts page, just can't get off my backside and do it. This week, maybe. Steve: cheers!

The kind remarks are much appreciated, all. Re: the track, I think the secret to getting Peco code 55 looking acceptable is deep ballasting - it may have been Graham Hedges who pointed this out. The sleeper mouldings are very thick, so you need to get the ballast really up to the top of the sleepers to convey the right impression of thinness. The other thing is lighting - in all the photos, the illumination is coming from striplights over the layout. If lit from the side, as for instance when I don't have the layout lighting on, and the room's ambient lighting is taking over, it's surprising how much it emphasizes the rail height. Steve: not sure how obvious it is, but those buildings conceal the return track for the continuous run. You can look through the windows and see trains going through the factory floor!

Cheers, Paul. I end up using the same basic shades on all my layouts, I think - brick reds, some mid-greens, plenty of greys, usually warmed a bit with some red, not too many blues or yellows or bright reds. I do need to muck about with white balance in these shots, though, as I suspect the green ground cover is popping out a bit too much.

Thanks, John - suspected you'd know a thing or two!

A bit more detailing around the paint factory. The overhead crane is a nice little Faller kit which I assembled and painted during the German grand prix coverage. Humbrol green was splashed on, left to dry a bit and then attacked with MIG rust effect pigment. One of those kits which, after you've built it, you immediately want to build another one - always a good sign. Seaboard GP40s rumble through with a westbound freight. I don't know much about this livery, whether its from the SAL or SCL period - maybe someone knows better? Overall view of the industrial district as it now stands.

A small, boring update. I took the plunge and ordered some Atlas set track to match the 11" radius of the turnback loops at either end of the layout. I had some trepidation about swapping the track over as the existing rails not only pass through a short tunnel, but access is difficult due to a 2" crash barrier running all the way around the edge of the curve. However, it turned out to be dead easy. The Atlas code 80 track connects to Peco code 55 without difficulty using Peco rail joiners (the Atlas ones are a bit stiffer, but also workable) and a semicircle of set-track was able to be laid with only a tiny adjustment to the ends of the existing code 55. There's a slight "ramp" between the two rail sections but not enough to cause difficulties. I opted for Atlas code 80 on the basis that Atlas do the right radius, and that Code 80 is actually a better match to Peco Code 55 than "true" Code 55. As this would be concealed track I was also not concerned about appearance. Once I'd lifted the old section of flexible track, I found a massive dip in one of the rails which was obviously the cause of the derailments with steam engines. This was all but invisible once the track was in-situ, and although I could feel it with my finger, I was amazed at how bad it was once I could actually get a good look at it. I think I dropped a hammer on that part a year or two ago. The surprising thing was that not that things were derailing, but that anything was able to run through that part at all. As it was, all my diesels sailed through. Anyway, with the new track in place I was pleased to be able run my two problem steam locos without issues. I've got a second semicircle of set-track to replace the left hand turnback loop but I'll leave well alone for now, as to date there haven't been any problems on that side of the layout. Personally I find this kind of fine-tuning type stuff to be very satisfying, especially when it goes smoothly and the results are readily apparent. What I had envisaged being a tricky day's work was over and done before my tea had cooled.

That's marvellous, that is - very reminiscent of one of the shed shots in one of Robert Adley's books.

Excellent news! Are the new ones much better at not getting dirty, then?

John: I'll photograph the Seaboard GP40s I picked up at Colonial last time. Patrick: glad you're still following it! I put the original design plan at the start of this thread, but I thought it was about time I did a new one to show the way the layout has worked out, and where I'm hoping to go with it. It's a bit simpler than the original in some respects, as there is now only one run-road loop in the industrial area. I dropped one of the sidings on one side of the tracks, but added another on the other, so in that sense there are the same number of switching destinations. Comparison with the other plan will show that this one occupies a 10x12, rather than 11x12 space: there's room for it to expand by one foot (imagine adding an extra 12 inches to the staging yards) but with the pre-existing boards, it made far more sense to stick with 10x12 for the time being. The main development in the last year has been to put in place the possibility of an extension to the layout, as indicated by the "phase B" area on the plan. The spur for this was the realisation that I already have more structure kits than the existing layout can easily accommodate, and that I like exhibiting enough to want to have a small, detachable module that I can take with me and show off now and then. Initial thoughts were for this to be a purely switching/industrial area that I was going to call Mercy Street, but gradually my plans have turned in the direction of adding a loco servicing terminal with turntable, roundhouse etc. However, I still need to work out the best way to arrange this and also include a small stub-ended classification yard. Whether this ends up being on the Phase B or Phase C extensions, I don't know yet. So far all I've done is put in the 1 in 30 gradient and flyover that enables the track to pass over the double mainline and project into the room. The other realisation is that the 6-road fiddleyard isn't much cop for fiddling! It's all but impossible to swap engines, cars over without clearing all the other trains out of the yard, so all hands-on stuff tends to take place elsewhere on the layout, with the yard merely being a staging area where I can hold six assembled trains. That being the case, I don't really need access to the yard at all. The track stays perfectly clean since most trains have one car in the consist with one of those Gaugemaster cleaning pads fixed to the truck - I never clean the track, except for the sidings. Therefore I'm intending to add a removable scenic area over the central portion of the yard, incorporating a town scene and perhaps a siding or two kicking back from the Phase B extension. Experience has shown that derailments in the staging yard are rare enough that the scenery would not need to be removed all that frequently (touch wood, etc). As for the yard throats, I do need to be able to see where trains are stopped, since there's nothing to prevent them fouling each other or over-running points set against them. However, I don't need to be able to physically access the throats any more than I do the central area, so some sort of scenic viewblock seems to be the idea, with the throats being monitored by low-cost wireless CCTV cameras bracketed off the upper-level boards. I've got a camera and 7" monitor on order - total cost about two N scale diesels - so I'll be keen to see how this works out. If it's successful, I'll add second camera monitoring the southern end of the yard, and perhaps a third covering the bridge/swamp scene. The key thing, which I hope comes across, is that I like to have some idea of a plan but not be tied to it 100%. And I'm willing to rethink or rejig major elements of the plan if something new occurs to me. Lessons learned thus far: American N is very reliable. Derailments and electrical issues are almost non-existent, at least with diesels. Most of my locos put in hours of steady running while I'm busy with something on the workbench. MTL couplings seem to work best in conjunction with MTL couplings. I am gradually swapping all freight car trucks to be MTL. With the MTL bulk packs, this isn't too expensive. And I've really only had success with the large magnets, not the ones that fit between the rails. 11" radius curves work fine most of the time: I've yet to find anything that absolutely refuses to go around them. The only slight exception was an Athearn SD90 (or similar) that seemed to grind and slow a bit on these curves - with reluctance I returned it to the shop. Kato and Atlas diesels of similar size whizz round without a grumble. Modern rolling stock, such as 89' auto carriers, intermodal stuff, etc, is not a problem at all. However, if there's anything likely to derail on tight curves or dodgy rail joints, it will be steam! Every new steam loco seems to require the layout to be fine-tuned to suit its particular characteristics. I don't doubt that things would be much easier if I could have eased those curves out to 15 or 18". In fact I am giving some thought to relaying the hidden areas with set-track since I think this will make it easier to maintain a constant radius and avoid kinks. As I said, diesel is far more trouble-free in this regard. All Peco code 55 points are now wired for independent frog switching. I don't do any additional work on them for DCC, and when I have tested the layout under digital control, it's all worked fine. In the long run, I'd like to be able to go to fully DCC but I'll need to get quite a few more locos chipped before that becomes viable. For now twin-cab control works fine, although having a mish-mash of DCC and non-DCC locos means that I can't always run loco X in a consist with loco Y.

Slow but steady progress in the industrial area. This week I've added a fire escape to one of the buildings, some roof details, and finished the grade crossing. That, and just enjoying running trains The Peco point mechanism needs treatment. Switching in progress. In this view, I've made some efforts to cut down/disguise the Peco point mechanism, but there's still more to do. Atlas GP7. I suspect this is one of those love 'em or hate 'em liveries but I think it's fab. Windows still need glazing...

No, it's very much a permanent layout, although as I'll get around to outlining later, I've got plans to include a detachable module which could be exhibited on its own.

Thanks, Paul - just been drooling over your Rhatisch Bahn stuff - wonderful! Here they are just after being made: I actually just winged it and guessed the sizes. Later I checked and found that they're pretty good for the American alligator, Alligator mississippiensis. Males of this species average about 13-15 ft in length, whereas females are smaller at about 10 feet long. I therefore ended up with two females, two males, and finally a 20 ft monster - about the size of the largest American Alligator on record (19 ft, 2 inches).

Someone actually did that, on an old thread about fascia colour. That's why I've got green in mind! In fact I painted the sides of Paynestown with a nice neutral mid-green and it looks pretty good, I think. One thing's for sure, I don't like the nut brown anymore, and it's far too glossy.

I used black on Cogirep but eventually decided it was too stark. I think I need something that's a balance between not drawing the eye, and not sucking too much light out of the room. One benefit of using green is that if a bit of the fascia intrudes into a photo, it doesn't necessarily look amiss as it can pass as a bit of out of focus foreground .... ?

Thanks, JWB - yup, I guess that counts as ornate in anyone's book! And thanks all for the continued encouragement. Here are some pics of recent progress on the industrial area. The foreground siding descends steeply past the fuel depot to serve another factory which is as yet on the un-scenicked area. The gradient on the siding is about 1 in 20, so it's a struggle for a small loco to haul anything more than three or four boxcars back up to the level. The edge of civilisation - this is about as far as the scenery has reached - we're up near the top left corner of the layout now. This is the Walthers "Interstate Fuel and Oil" kit in the foreground. At the moment I'm a bit undecided about what will go over the wiring visible in the background - it might be a hill, a factory, or a retaining wall with a factory on it. Somehow or other I've got to disguise the exit of that road.

I'm well pleased if it looks that way, but I'm sure there are lots of things which don't look quite there to American eyes - as always, it's the "unknown unknowns", the things you don't know that you don't know, that trip you up - like regional uses of stone versus brick, for instance. I've put quite ornate walling around one of the factories, too, before noticing that you don't see that sort of thing all that often. It's not necessarily about going to the States or looking through books, either - you can get a lot of good detail tips from watching cop shows, especially ones with car chases around the seedier parts of towns. One thing I hope I've steered clear of is that syndrome of American layouts built by Brits which don't seem to set anyhere in particular and which have things like grain elevators in one corner and Wild West type shop fronts in another. On the other hand there are some British (and non-North American)-built layouts which do have a great sense of place, such as the ones on this area of the forum! JWB: the gator is in the lower right corner of the shot with the family on the fishing boat. You're right - they do just tend to resemble floating logs - I could probably not have bothered doing the legs. Phil: cheers!

They're also in the Mainly Trains range: MT315 - 317. I ordered a few not too long ago.

Thanks for the kind words and encouragement, all - I'm knocked out! Jon: not the best pic for 'gator spotting. Try this one: 6026: The F-M is in Central of Georgia olive green - a very nice livery, although I also like the gray/blue/orange that the CoG used. Signalmaintainer: I would like to run coal trains, but it'll be a while before I have enough coal hoppers, unless someone does some bulk runs one of these days. TBH the scenery probably looks more convincing for Virginia/Appallachia than it does for the deep south, as it's perhaps a bit hilly and dramatic. I'll admit to being ignorant of the geography until fairly recently. Here are a few shots of the industrial area, as it stood about a year or so ago: I haven't done an awful lot to it since other than add details and grime and a couple of new industries. Pushing the scenery along to the left takes ages - it's so much easier to do a square metre of field or hill than it is factories and industry, which seem to soak up months of modelling time. But it's all good fun ultimately and there is no deadline. From now on I'll be updating on new progress since the old thread was locked.

I haven't done much on the GA&E this year other than run trains but as I have just dabbled for an evening I thought I would start a new topic and begin with a brief recap. The original layout thread is here: http://www.rmweb.co....php?f=67&t=8420 I started this layout in 2008, having had a few false starts since beginning to dabble in American N a few years earlier. By the end of 2007 I had homed in on a round-the-walls design that would fit into my 12x11 foot train room. This is the basic track diagram, as it stood at the start of construction: The layout hasn't deviated too radically from that plan, although inevitably I've had a few rethinks and bright ideas along the way, mostly to do with the left-hand side of the plan. More on that later in the thread. The layout is bracketed off the walls and is set at about 48" off the floor. Early on in the design it became clear that I would also be adding a second layout above the American one, which is why I added additional brackets at this stage. They now support Shillingstone, which in turn is the lighting rig for the GA&E. After some discussion on the old forum, I was encouraged to add a gentle gradient to the mainline, such that the track rises and descends by 1 inch between the hidden and visible areas. This was achieved using Woodland Scenics foam sheets and inclines, with a ruling gradient of 2%. The basic track layout was soon down and running: Later I began to work on the scenic development at the lower right corner, where the track enters a tunnel and turns through 180 degress before scurrying back under the removable scenery: My approach to scenery is very low-tech and lightweight although since building this area I have made much more use of loft insulation type foam. At the time I didn't know of a good source for it. As time went on I began to push the scenery towards the swamp. And add water and detail to the swamp (including scratch built alligators): Finished fascia: not sure about the brown now; may go for grey or green at some point: That'll do for now...

Cheers, Mike! I've been getting some of my diesels out of storage this week and weathering them; makes a nice change from pre-nationalisation steam.

A bit of hydraulic action on Shillingstone:

Glad you enjoyed the layout, Bad Rabbit - nice to chat as well. No, I didn't go for the Deano - contented myself with a couple more 12T vans, remarkably restrained by my standards.

Much better day - the trestle swap worked, the stock mostly performed well, with only a slight misalignment issue causing occasional problems for the prairie. And the layout has a provisional booking for 2011!

Good to meet both of you today! After the first hour I was ready to order a skip for the layout, but it did settle down a bit as the day went on. As I may have mentioned, by the time I'd set it up and people were around, I realised that I'd used the wrong trestle on a critical join - Wickes and Aldi trestles look the same, but aren't quite! There was an unsightly baseboard gap and derailment issues with some of the stock crossing the join. Tomorrow I will take it down, shuffle the trestles and re-assemble - hopefully that will cure matters. I will also be running BR stock tomorrow, as a contrast to today's GWR stuff.

Silversun Pickups - Swoon.