The Capital Lines

[franciswilliamwebb]

I'm five years into this N gauge build in an L-shaped room. The longest dimensions are a healthy 23’ by 14’2” but the narrow bit of the L is only 64” wide - more of a corridor.

 

All track is Kato Unitrack, the pre-ballasted clip-together nature of this being a major draw when starting from scratch in a new house at my age!

 

Control is DCC using a blend of brands.  The traction side of things is mainly Lenz, the signalling and points mainly Digitrax, all garnished with a sprinkling of other manufactures such as Digikeijs and Hex Valley.

 

Computer software is iTrain running on an iMac with additional iPads/iPods.

 

Although British, the influences are mainly from US linear style layouts with a bit of Japanese thrown in for good measure.

 

Finescale it ain't 😉

 

 

 

Cab ride filmed using the (now obsolete) Panasonic HX-A1M action camera.

[AY Mod]

I find this quite fascinating; I'm a big fan of the robustness of Kato's track (HO and N) to whap some down to test various products in various configurations but I'm intrigued with what you've done to bed it in and improve appearance. 

 

 

As just a still from your video you've achieved some very easy curves and transitions; can I ask how you achieved that? Also I note the effective superelevation.

[franciswilliamwebb]

Andy,

 

Bedding it in is just a matter of gluing strips of cork floor tile (or similar) alongside and then coating with a thin layer of ballast - Kato's own brand in my case. Much easier than trying to get a thicker ballast layer nice and level if you have my patience:

 

 

Transition curves are a matter of joining sequential radii together...

 

 

...and taking a razor saw to the moulded track base to let you flex it a little if you need gentler curves:

 

 

After all, off the shelf flex track is just a series of short gapped straights you bend to give a curve of your choosing, the Kato track just needs the gaps adding and away you go.

 

 

I don't pretend the end result's as good as finer scale track work, but it has the advantage of getting me where I want to be before arthritis and sundry other ailments really start to bite.  To infirmity and beyond!

 

Edit: The superelevation is an out of the box Kato feature if you choose the right parts.

Edited November 30, 2022 by franciswilliamwebb
Forgot the superelevation!

[franciswilliamwebb]

 

Not a lot of the layout is scenic as yet, but Roger the Shrubber has plied his trade here alongside Penny Brook.

 

The security fencing (a bit sweary in N gauge!) is a laser cut card kit from Scale Model Scenery, along with the engineers blue brick paper.  The brook isn't complete yet and the walls (currently gloss varnished to seal them) need a coat of matt to hide that meniscus.

 

Penny Brook is named for a Border Collie I had, who liked to curl up down this end of the layout.  Indeed, she lay down here when it was time to breathe her breath of last old age, God bless her!

[franciswilliamwebb]

 

This is my fiddle yard. There are many like it, but this one is mine...

 

It's semi-scenic as a concession to the camera car (the little orange thing in the middle is a Panasonic HX-A1M action camera sitting on half a Dapol Megafret) but will never be fully scenic - just enough to present something other than bare wood and electric cobwebs to the proxy eyeball.

 

Another level will sit above this in the fullness of time, in fact trackwork is already climbing in that direction!

[franciswilliamwebb]

 

An awkward angle with the iPad wedged right against the wall at the back of the layout, but it shows the weeds I've just added to bed-in a couple of small line-side buildings.  These are Kato N gauge yard huts and do look a little Japanese, it must be said, but hopefully this'll be less apparent after a repaint in a murky dark brown/grey.

[franciswilliamwebb]

Working on the retaining walls and bridge abutments at the fiddle yard exit/throat.  The white and brown Plastikard areas are new, the orange and black parts are old and need raising by 10mm.  The basic carcass was prepared for an old layout at our previous house and is being re-purposed here.

[Fishplate]

This all looks very nice and tidy PWay. Very straight straights and the transition curves and canted track just add to the realism. Watching the video and looking at the pictures it is difficult to tell that it is pre-ballasted clip together track.

 

Have clicked follow. Looking forward to seeing further developments. 

[franciswilliamwebb]

3 hours ago, Fishplate said:

Watching the video and looking at the pictures it is difficult to tell that it is pre-ballasted clip together track.

 

Thanks, that's very kind of you.

 

I certainly find it easier than traditional methods, where some of my less successful efforts looked like I'd thrown track into the cat-litter tray and given it a good shake😏

[franciswilliamwebb]

 

Seasonal greeting to all!

[ian]

And to you Steve.