TT3

Some cars at the Ballan Tractor Pull a couple of weeks back, perfect car outing weather, cold, wet and miserable And three 1989s Ford Capris, the only car where the designers saw the TR7 and thought "Yes, yes that's just the modern look we want, not the old fashioned lotus elan knockoff MX5 style for a new convertible" The green with red hardtop one in the front looks especially practical

Just caught those pictures you uploaded of Shillingstone Tim and wow perfect for my attempted model of the station, interested to see concrete sleeper and lower quad signals.

Great progress extending the mainline must be pretty tempting. I also couldn't resist one of those Bachmann 2-8-0s, bought it to donate the chassis to a PRR H10 project but will end up keeping it as. Even bought a H0 version to run on a friends layout.

Thanks barry ten, i have just got around to building my benchwrk here but I have TT on the bottom and my N test layout above. My height is 39 inches above ground for the lower level and 14.5 inches between track and base of the upper level. Looks like my compromise solution might actually be workable as the upper level seems just at the limit to work on for me being just below neck level.

Excellent work, the range of US kits is pretty good despite the price. I have a boxfull all waiting for the layout to be built. Out of interest what is the distance between the 2 decks on the layout? Also how deep is the benchwork for the levels?

And if you miss the weather you can always try garden railways

Lots of potential in this, burnt out High School, Magic Box shop, The Bronze, passenger car full or corpses, cemetery with crypt

Best buys I had recently were a bunch of DCC fitted Atlas N scale locos for $20 each, couldnt even get the decoders for that.

Other mildly expensive hobbies Classic cars - buying/restoration Photography - if you need all the 'gear' Building/renovating houses - and gardens/sheds/garages

Nice to see some Pennsy power on the layout, BLI M1a?

PM sent and yes it would be a light mountain, it would be an early Bachmann one but runs well enough an it will be a while before I start cutting up all the Trix K4s.

I tried to draw it all up to post but had to give up as it was getting way too complicated and didnt want to hijack your topic. Goint to be alot of trial and error to get it right as there are so many details to work out but, If it works it will be great. Aim to have multipe operating modes for 1 and 2 man operation (if I find any friends) so can do a point to point mine run, end to end mine to yard and back to mine - mine - yard then switching for a mainline freight, and a potential great mine terminus return run of almost 100 feet. Also using an NCE powercab, a great side benefit is I can take it to a mates HO layout and use it there as an extra cab. TT is less exciting to run in a standard tail chaser but the running and shunting standard of Triang based mechanisms is best suited for the simple. But I am also planning on making the TT layout portable for exhibitions so that will make the benchwork a real challenge for the lower level. BTW you wouldnt be interested in a Bachmann Southern heavy mountain with digitrax DCC? I bought it for the chassis to build a PRR M1A but the paintwork it is too nice to cut up.

Still in the planning stage as I have to wait for a house move to actually begin building but the planning has been a bit intensive. Only recently decided to go with multiple decks as I will not have access to a 20 x 30 foot garden shed for a while. I will use those bookshelf rails, I actually used them as intended in the living room and office as was surprised at the stength of them and the width between shelves even with the brackets. The current plan is looking interesting, have been reading abit more about prototype operations thanks to kalmbach and Father Christmas. Current idea is from highest to lowest Deck 2 coal branch on the top deck around all 4 walls with central penninsular but mostly only 8 inches wide joined by heilx in the built in wardrobe to deck 1B Deck 1B exchange yard for coal trains and the 'main line' - similiar to your current plan with a depo to give the trains somewhere to run off the branch - wider to 2'6" max at the curved ends around 3 walls Deck 1a oval roundy S&D TT layout based on Shillingstone - one side of the Deck 2 Penninsular is the fiddle yeard other is a handy workbench - around 12" wide for station with removable end loop to get in the door. 2 walls and penninsular Deck 1c - well more just a lower staging sidings level deck 1c Doing it this was should mean no more than 2 decks on any one wall.

Have to say this is a great layout for a couple of selfish reasons. Firstly, I am also trying to fit in a n scale layout into a similar space. Mine proposed N layout is my first venture back into N since 1986 and is US prototype. I am or will be modelling PRR coal so slightly different than the Southern. However the 2 deck nature of the layout is of most interest. I figured the only way to get the TT layout and N scale one in the room is double deck so was happy to find somone else doing it.