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LandNnut
Fireman
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 Posted - 11/18/2007 : 2:10:42 PM
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Introducing My 3'x6' Nscale layout that I have been piddling on since 1992 and built the bench work in 9th grade woodworking class in 1983. It has been moved so many times I have lost count maybe a dozen times. These construction pictures taken about 1995 are the first ever taken of the layout. The layout is based on the Scenic and Relaxed in Atlas' "Nine N Scale Model Railroads" by John H. Armstrong and Thaddeus Stepek printed 7/1973. Hopefully I can get some inspiration and motivation going and make some progress.
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Country: USA
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LandNnut
Fireman
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Posted - 11/18/2007 : 2:15:36 PM
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Oh well the pictures did not turn out like I wanted. I am still trying to figure out some of these hitech photo things. I am using the software that came with my HP officejet 5610xi all-in-one. These pictures came from scanned prints.
L&N nut
Ha. I think that's better.
L&N nut
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Edited by - LandNnut on 11/18/2007 8:42:03 PM |
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Tyson Rayles
Moderator
Premium Member
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Posted - 11/18/2007 : 11:17:29 PM
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Jon are second thoughts about the track plan causing the lack of interest maybe?
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| Mike |
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| Posts: 10163 |
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Cowcatcher
Fireman
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Posted - 11/19/2007 : 12:53:13 PM
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My Scenic and Relaxed is gaterthing dust due to other happenings in life. I hope to get going on it again this winter. The track plan isn't too bad but that can always be a stumper. I was always concerned that the turns were a little tight and the grade a little steep so I modified my S&R a lot by adding an oval to the outside of the layout, making one grade steeper than the other, Double tracking the gentle grade and adding a siding at the bottom of the step one. I figured this would give me the ability to run longer, heavier trains around the outside, perhaps allow for some helper service, give different options overall.
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LandNnut
Fireman
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Posted - 11/19/2007 : 10:59:02 PM
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This is what happens if you don't work on your layout for a long time.      
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LandNnut
Fireman
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Posted - 11/19/2007 : 11:57:00 PM
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Second thoughts about the track plan hummmm. My first layout was an Atlas track plan HO layout with Atlas brass sectional track that never got finished. I had a loop on a plywood table top with no roadbed with track switches added that the rest of the layout would connect to. That was as far as that layout got. My family moved and I did not have room anymore. My next layout was started concurrent with the HO layout and got me into N scale and I have never left. It was for a school project and report and built in N scale so I could take it back and forth to school. I soon got tired of the 2x4' loop with passing siding and two spurs and a couple of buildings and looked for something with a more interesting track plan and more scenic opportunities. The Scenic and Relaxed seemed to fit the bill. The twice around track plan with a nice bridge and river did not seem to spaghetti bowl like. The cookie cutter bench work gave it multiple levels which increased the scenic interest. At the time I was not ready to design my own track plans and thought I would get some experience building the Scenic and Relaxed. I got the bench work out of my Grandparents barn where it had been stored since about 1984 in 1991-2 and painted it a tan earth color so no bare ply wood would show through any thin places in the ground cover. I learned more about model railroading and decided to change a few things. The layout was changed to all 11" radius curves eliminating the 9 3/4 ones. The track was switched from sectional to Atlas flex and Peco #6 mostly electrofrog turnouts on the main line. The bridge was changed from a very plain Atlas plate girder to a more detailed and interesting Green Max through truss bridge that required modifying the bench work because it was longer.
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Edited by - LandNnut on 11/20/2007 7:13:14 PM |
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LandNnut
Fireman
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Posted - 11/25/2007 : 2:51:54 PM
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Tyson;
What do you think I could do better with the track plan? Could you please elaborate on what you mean by "having second thoughts about the track plan?
Thanks;
L&N nut
Jon
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Tyson Rayles
Moderator
Premium Member
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Posted - 11/25/2007 : 4:10:25 PM
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Nothing in particluar. I'm not all that famaliar with it. I was just wonder if it lent itself well to the terrain of the area you are modeling and if the track arrangement worked as it should for the industries you need and is still visually interesting. I know none of the track plans in the books worked for me for one reason or another.
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Edited by - Tyson Rayles on 11/25/2007 4:13:40 PM |
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LandNnut
Fireman
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Posted - 11/26/2007 : 2:36:30 PM
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Thanks for the response. I intend for the layout to have the flavor of Copper Hill and a couple of the features of the layout can be made to resemble a couple of things in Copper Hill so it's a compromise situation but I think it can be made to look good. More to come in the saga started above.
Thanks;
L&N nut
Jon
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Edited by - LandNnut on 11/26/2007 2:37:48 PM |
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LandNnut
Fireman
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Posted - 01/01/2008 : 7:21:41 PM
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I am planning to have one reversing loop that crosses under my 3'x6' layout. I have my 3'x6' lay out in my bedroom arranged with my bed like two beds. I have an aisle between the closet and the layout that starts off at 26" then to 24" then to 21" having a dresser underneath the layout opposite the closet. The closet has sliding doors that hang from tracks. On the other side of the layout I have a 19" aisle between the layout and the bed and a 17" aisle between the bed and the wall. The lowest railhead is approximately 52" off the floor. The layout is resting on a bookcase and a chest of drawers so it's not to hard to reach under where the hidden part of the reversing loop will be. I hope.
Ramblingly yours;
L&N nut
Jon
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Tyson Rayles
Moderator
Premium Member
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Posted - 01/01/2008 : 8:59:41 PM
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Probably a great set-up but it sounds a little awkward?
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| Mike |
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Country: USA
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LandNnut
Fireman
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Posted - 01/01/2008 : 10:38:54 PM
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It is the best I figured out to do with the space available and my wife likes it better in the bed room than in the living room where it used to be. The layout is not tippy if that's what you mean. The layout is quite stable and there is access to work on the underneath. Maybe I can post some pictures after I get the room cleaned up.
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LandNnut
Fireman
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Posted - 03/10/2008 : 9:32:10 PM
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More background on my model railroading journey:
I got into model railroading in the seventh grade. I bought an HO tyco trainset in 1981. My aunt warned me not to buy the first thing I saw and I did not listen. Boy was she right. The tyco was junk. I even had bought extra track to expand the trainset but after a few dozen laps on my 4x8' train board the locomotive traction tires wore out. I was disgusted and sold the crome Santa Fe warbonet, trainset, and track for $20.00 just to get it out of my sight. I replaced it with an Altas/Roco GP and Atlas brass snap track from the local hobby shop. Later during my 8th grade year(1981-1982)we had to do a project and a report.
So I did a model railroad and a report on prototype railroads. I went to nscale because I could make a 2x4' model rail road that would be easy to carry back and forth to school. Got my start in model railroading with the little Atlas books that had the snap track plans in them.
L&n nut
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Edited by - LandNnut on 03/10/2008 9:35:02 PM |
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Tyson Rayles
Moderator
Premium Member
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Posted - 03/11/2008 : 09:24:05 AM
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Yeah we all got started I think with a cheap train set. It's a wonder that didn't turn more of us off to the hobby! It did teach me one thing though, never buy another train set! 
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| Mike |
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Country: USA
| Posts: 10163 |
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LandNnut
Fireman
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Posted - 03/11/2008 : 5:40:08 PM
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Ain't it the truth!!!!      
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LandNnut
Fireman
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Posted - 07/24/2008 : 12:13:25 AM
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Hi Mike;
I have taken some more photos that will address some of the question you had earlier so you can give me better advice. I had the track put together where a train could go all the way around the layout, but took some of it apart again to lay it more smoothly with no hump going over the bridge and change some of the grades, level certain places out and get rid of some bad track shims that I cobbled together and realign some of the curves and grades with better easements etc.
Power pack and the chest of drawers that one end of the layout rests on:
The other end of the layout rests on top of a book case next to the wall under the window:
This is the area that the reversing loop turn out will come of the end track.
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