F-UnitMad Posted January 19, 2016 Author Share Posted January 19, 2016 (edited) Ok chaps, brace yourselves... First a bit of back-story. Over the past few years I had been building a combined HO/OO layout up in my loft, to run both my US-outline HO stuff, & my lad's OO stock on. As he's grown, he's moved to N Scale, and I wanted to concentrate on O; trying to model in two scales meant I accomplished less in either. So once all the HO & OO was sold off, up came all the track. This O scale layout is built on the same boards, and you can see some of the mortal remains of the HO/OO in some of the following pictures. Overall size is 17ft by 8ft. Curves are tight of necessity (more of which in a bit), and I admit I would not contemplate a British O layout in this space, due to problems with scale couplers & buffer locking. But we're not modelling British trains here, are we...?? I did think long and hard about what I really wanted with this layout, following the writings & philosophies of Mike Cougill & Lance Mindheim. Two areas of US Railroading in particular fascinate me; Short lines, and the interchange between them & their Class 1 connections. So this layout has (or more accurately, will have) two main features. On one side is an Industrial branch to switch, and on the other, the Interchange between the Portway Terminal, and the Class 1 Railroad, which varies between being the Soo Line (1980/90's Era) CP Rail (2000's with Ex-Soo locos ) and slightly bizarrely given we're supposed to be in Southern Minnesota, CSX. This latter is because I've taken a fancy to the CSX YN2 Light Future livery, and am up-grading a Weaver GP38-2 to paint in those colours. Maybe it's paying back Horsepower hours to CP Rail, or BNSF..... The Branch is laid with Code 100 rail (salvaged from the HO/OO layout!), the Main line (which will basically be a roundy-roundy oval) will be Code 125. Finally, as this layout is up in the loft, it's the High Line Sub. Division. Enough waffle, here's some pics. First a look down the Industrial branch. Track uses Peco track spikes, thin card tie plates, and coffee stirrers for ties. The Main line will pass to the left, where all the clutter is now It's more or less just a long Inglenook; just two turnouts and 3 spurs. First spur will have a Chemicals Distributor and Food Processors, the further spurs (below) will be a Team Track & Distribution Warehouse on the right. Mmmm.... rickety track.... ...though not quite as drastic as on Portway Center, as hand-laid track can't be shimmed up & down as easily as flexitrack. The turnouts are all #6 (apart from the curved one), hand-built over printed FastTracks plans, soldered to a 'skeleton' of a few copper-clad ties for strength. The two on the Branch have my home-made "Self Guarding" Frogs, a feature of some US turnouts especially on slow-speed lines. With these frogs, I have NOT forgotten to fit wing or guard rails!!! Curves, as I said, are tight - about 3ft radius or so. From above, they look very silly... ... but the layout is mounted quite high up, so the natural view is more-or-less at eye level, and the view then isn't so bad. The abandoned Elevator in the background is HO scale; an experiment with perspective modelling. The branch curves around and meets the Main. You'll really have to use your imaginations here - the main will also have a siding (passing loop in English) to the left here, so trains can be interchanged. It's a simple arrangement, but as Lance & Mike have shown, you don't need complex track plans to make for interesting and realistic operations... In the foreground, the start of laying the Main itself can be seen. This track will look a lot neater than the branch, to further emphasise the difference! The turnout here is Code 125, and uses Right-O-Way parts. Cast Frog and Guard rails (extra bolts, & tie plates from Grandt Line) Cast switch rails and Brace Plates (Caboose Industries ground throw - the N Scale version!!) Cast Transition Joint Bars for Code 100 to Code 125 rail join, from American Switch & Signal The one turnout for the siding off the main has to be a curved one. I made it off a blown-up copy of an HO switch plan, as such tight radius (4ft outer, 3ft inner) plans aren't available in O scale! The frog is another home-made concoction, this time representing a Rail Bound (manganese insert) Frog. I used a few more copper-clad ties than usual on this turnout to make sure it stays in shape! So, there you go... that's the mischief I've been up to for the last few months. This is very much a long-term layout project. Hope you like it, anyway. Edited March 28, 2016 by F-UnitMad 14 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allegheny1600 Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 Hi Jordan, Well, I like it, quite a lot indeed! Good on you for hand laying your track, it really does look very good SO much better than Peco's overscale efforts (imho). Cheers, John. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAMO Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 Waow! Nice project, excellent ideas and nice work Jordan! Thank you for the photos and the informations. I share your enthusiasm for shortlines and junctions for interesting operations possibilities. Your handlaid track looks very good! The 3 foot curves don't look bad because of the eye level position and because you are located inside the curve. Your small radius curved turnout is interesting. Can you post a schematic trackplan please? Thank you Jordan. Jack Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted January 20, 2016 Author Share Posted January 20, 2016 Thanks for the feedback, everyone! Simon, yes the rickety track is intentional though I suspect doing the Main line, neat and straight and level, may well take much more effort!! Jack yes I'll draw a trackplan soon. It really is quite a simple layout, only 5 turnouts in total. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted January 20, 2016 Author Share Posted January 20, 2016 Hi Jordan, have you thought of using a straight SweepStick from Fast Tracks when laying your mainline? Simon - you, Sir, are a Gentleman & a Scholar I'd completely forgotten about those - I wasn't too worried about the straight track, but wanted to get something to help me do consistent 36" curves. The Branch was laid against a strip of mdf on edge, lined up more or less by eye. One straight, & one 36" curve (the last in stock!!) now ordered!!! Thanks again for the reminder!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAMO Posted January 21, 2016 Share Posted January 21, 2016 Thanks for the feedback, everyone! Simon, yes the rickety track is intentional though I suspect doing the Main line, neat and straight and level, may well take much more effort!! Jack yes I'll draw a trackplan soon. It really is quite a simple layout, only 5 turnouts in total. Only 5 turnouts? Well, very good! Less is more. I'm planning a layout and I try to reduce the number of the turnouts to the minimum. Thank you for the future trackplan. I'll be happy to discover it. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAMO Posted January 21, 2016 Share Posted January 21, 2016 Speaking of rickety track, I like these HO photo too: I like rickety track! Great looking Jack 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted January 21, 2016 Author Share Posted January 21, 2016 Jack - you want to see that layout in action..?? Awesome modelling, although it can be argued that he's running the train a bit too fast. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAMO Posted January 21, 2016 Share Posted January 21, 2016 Waow! Thank you Jordan. Really amazing scenery and track. I hope you'll obtain this atmosphere on your layout. O scale is good for the presence of the rolling stock: big cars, big locomotives. They seems like heavy metal things like the prototype. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talltim Posted January 22, 2016 Share Posted January 22, 2016 Speaking of rickety track, I like these HO photo too: NewEnglandMarkII-2010529rrr.jpg NewEnglandMarkII-2010533.jpg I like rickety track! Great looking Jack I've posted these before, but http://photos.nerail.org/s/?p=84709 http://photos.nerail.org/s/?p=84708 Other pics (The NE Rail site is very slow to open, but it does eventually) Note that track is too bad to run trains on, don't go this far with your decrepitude! 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAMO Posted January 22, 2016 Share Posted January 22, 2016 Waow! Great pics! Thank you Talltim! That's nice to see. I understand now where Michael Cawdrey has found his inspiration. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAMO Posted January 22, 2016 Share Posted January 22, 2016 (edited) I've made hardcopies from Michael Cawdrey movies Sorry Jordan. I stop to flood on your very interesting thread. Jack Edited January 22, 2016 by JAMO 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAMO Posted January 24, 2016 Share Posted January 24, 2016 Overall size is 17ft by 8ft. Curves are tight of necessity (more of which in a bit), and I admit I would not contemplate a British O layout in this space, due to problems with scale couplers & buffer locking. I've met the same problem with my French branchline layout in my basement. I should use 4" minimum radius to obtain a nice running because of the buffers and screw link couplers. If I use 4" radius I spend a lot of space in the corners and the "straight" line begin to be too short. With US trains: no problem like that. I can use a 1 meter radius (40") without any problem of running or derailment. I'm located always inside the curves of the layout so I can't see the big gap outside of two wagons (Like you Jordan). I use mainly 40' cars but I have 4 longer models (50 to 52 foot long). I model Iowa during the 60's so my wagons can be short. We are waiting for your trackplan Jordan. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted January 25, 2016 Author Share Posted January 25, 2016 Ok, sorry for the slight delay; Life, The Universe & Everything tends to get in the way of important stuff like this. Here's the trackplan. Strictly 'back of the envelope' sort of sketch, but the outside perimeter is to scale. The inside edge of the layout I've shown as a dotted line to try & simplify things a bit. It narrows at the left-hand (actually north) end as it passes over the room access and central heating boiler at that end. A sobering thought is that the area I have is only just a bit longer than a "sacred sheet" 8ft x 4ft board in HO Scale, albeit with a great hole in the middle. This puts things into perspective when it came to trackplanning. Some modellers can throw track down and build a layout in a week - or less!! I am not one of them, & as I said earlier, I thought long and hard about what I want from this layout, and sketched many variations of it before I was completely happy with the plan I have. The Freight Branch is all laid, right up to the main line connecting switch, as per the photos posted earlier. The Main itself, and the Code 100 siding at the Interchange, have yet to be started, although I have built the curved switch and laid the pcb ties for the other switch on the main. I haven't included any buildings on the plan. At the Interchange there will be a Depot, the HO Elevator in the background, and not much else. On the Freight Branch, various low-relief Industries, and the Team track inset in the road surface top left-hand corner. There is no hidden staging. When working the Freight Branch, one is mostly facing the one side of the layout, and when exchanging trains at the Interchange, one is facing the other way. True, trains on the Main have nowhere to go in the strictest sense, but if you are only looking at the Interchange, where they have come from (i.e. just the other side of the room) as they enter the yard is really irrelevant - if you use your imagination!! Which, like it or not, is exactly what we are doing anyway, when we actually get chance to play trains!! 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanielB Posted January 25, 2016 Share Posted January 25, 2016 Looking forward to seeing this one develop Jordan! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAMO Posted January 25, 2016 Share Posted January 25, 2016 (edited) Many thanks for the trackplan Jordan. Obviously, this sketch is precise to understand your project. Your trackplan is simple but it permits to have a lot of operation possibilities. The limited number of turnouts don't reduce the potential. I like. Edited January 25, 2016 by JAMO 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ceejaydee Posted January 25, 2016 Share Posted January 25, 2016 Interesting when you compare the space you have in O to that in OO/HO. I like the restraint in your design and the progress you are making; I'm think simple and achievable is a good option when applied to most layout concepts and the consistent results you have shown with your previous layouts means that this will be another winner 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted January 25, 2016 Author Share Posted January 25, 2016 (edited) Thanks Dan & Chris. This is very much a long-term project.Jack - spot on. Operating potential is not dependant on the amount of track or turnouts. It's what Messrs. Mindheim & Cougill have been telling us for a while! It just takes a bit of faith to accept it and put it into action.!! Edited January 27, 2016 by F-UnitMad 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted January 27, 2016 Author Share Posted January 27, 2016 Simon - 42!!!! Stop tempting me!!!! Cougill. sorry, must pay more attention! Please don't tell him!! I haven't signed up to join in his Blog (yet) but it's a wonderful read. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted January 28, 2016 Author Share Posted January 28, 2016 (edited) The only person stopping you from commenting is you...Yes - I'll get my Round Tuit fixed soon.Got my sweepsticks from Fast Tracks this morning - quick service slightly marred by the fact they've sent an On30 Curve by mistake. Email sent; I await a reply... Edit: reply received, correct part on it's way Edited January 28, 2016 by F-UnitMad 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zomboid Posted January 30, 2016 Share Posted January 30, 2016 You're ruining my "not enough space for 0" argument... Like how restrained your plan is, like what an actual railroad would build. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAMO Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 Ok, sorry for the slight delay; Life, The Universe & Everything tends to get in the way of important stuff like this. Here's the trackplan. Strictly 'back of the envelope' sort of sketch, but the outside perimeter is to scale. The inside edge of the layout I've shown as a dotted line to try & simplify things a bit. It narrows at the left-hand (actually north) end as it passes over the room access and central heating boiler at that end. A sobering thought is that the area I have is only just a bit longer than a "sacred sheet" 8ft x 4ft board in HO Scale, albeit with a great hole in the middle. This puts things into perspective when it came to trackplanning. Some modellers can throw track down and build a layout in a week - or less!! I am not one of them, & as I said earlier, I thought long and hard about what I want from this layout, and sketched many variations of it before I was completely happy with the plan I have. The Freight Branch is all laid, right up to the main line connecting switch, as per the photos posted earlier. The Main itself, and the Code 100 siding at the Interchange, have yet to be started, although I have built the curved switch and laid the pcb ties for the other switch on the main. I haven't included any buildings on the plan. At the Interchange there will be a Depot, the HO Elevator in the background, and not much else. On the Freight Branch, various low-relief Industries, and the Team track inset in the road surface top left-hand corner. There is no hidden staging. When working the Freight Branch, one is mostly facing the one side of the layout, and when exchanging trains at the Interchange, one is facing the other way. True, trains on the Main have nowhere to go in the strictest sense, but if you are only looking at the Interchange, where they have come from (i.e. just the other side of the room) as they enter the yard is really irrelevant - if you use your imagination!! Which, like it or not, is exactly what we are doing anyway, when we actually get chance to play trains!! Hi Jordan, I like to draw track plans and I had an idea... Sorry! There is 3 levels of track: 1. the fiddle yard (lower level), 2. the interchange (middle level), 3. the freight yard (higher level). Please don't hurt me 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted February 10, 2016 Author Share Posted February 10, 2016 Another Jack who messes with trackplans!! Now you know why we got you confused with Jack from Scotland/Ecosse!!! only joking - no problem at all, Jack!! I like it in fact. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAMO Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 (edited) Thank you Jordan. Yes I love to draw track plans from I was a kid. I'm Jack or Jacky. You can use Jacky to avoid any confusion. Edited February 10, 2016 by JAMO Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Northroader Posted March 24, 2016 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 24, 2016 Yoohoo! Only visiting, you mentioned Portway Center on my thread a while back, but I only searched for it and read it all tonight. Dull, or what? Looks good, I like the way you make a deliberate attempt to lay ropey track, mine just seems to happen without trying. Good luck for the future, at one time I tried a O gauge oval, but all the sectioned baseboards was just too much altogether, so now I stick to BLT formats. Thanks again for your help and advice. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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