Dan's N Scale layout project

[danielb]

I recently returned to railroad modelling after a 14 year break, and at first decided to build a small switching layout. To shake off the cobwebs and learn what had changed as well as new skills, I decided to join a model railway club. This proved problematic at first with none of the ones I tried at first even working in N scale, and all their interests being British Steam Era. Eventually I was ready to give up, until I thought about trying one last club in the nearest city to where I live - imagine my surprise to find that not only did they have a large N scale layout being worked on, it was American too!

I signed up straight away, and after working on the club layout for a few months I've decided to start up my own home layout again.

After learning a heck of lot from the other members of my local model railway society, I have scrapped the switching layout and begun to build a larger, more organic layout based on the design philosophies of the leader of our N scale section.

I have no plan, no design to work to, other than that it will be continuous with switching potential, and at least double track with a shortline thrown in for good measure. I have a tapering space, 10 feet long, 6 feet free at one end and about 3-5 feet free at the other. Starting on one side with a freight yard, which will be my visible staging, adjacent to which will be a double track main line, as well as an elevated shortline, which will include a section of street running and an intermodel yard in the top left corner of the upper level, as well as potential other industries for switching interest.

Where it goes from there... time will tell.

I am building more framework between times when I am working on the club layout. We shall see how it progresses.

Here are photos of the progress so far, apologies though - it is pretty messy!

[Tyson Rayles]

Hi Dan and ! You have overcome the biggest challenge to building a layout and that is you can't build one until you start which you have. It's good to hear you found some other modelers who also model in the ONLY correct scale! . We will be looking forward to your progress.

[danielb]

Thanks Mike, to hear praise from you - even this early into a project is heartening; your layout is a true inspiration for me.

Onward, as they say:

[Sumpter250]

It's good to hear you found some other modelers who also model in the ONLY correct scale! . We will be looking forward to your progress.

Mike, you know me, I've run a train on your excellent layout, and you know I mean this in jest - - - -
the ONLY correct scale ????
Or,.........
the ONLY correct scale.
I've built in both, and HO, and 1:700,1:72, 1:25, 1:96, 1:244, 1:64, ad infinitum ad nausium.

1:700 scale DD770
   
This is one of the ( if I remember correctly ) Woodland Scenics "Styrofoam layouts" in N scale, that I did most of the scenery on.    
The "correct scale" is the one you are comfortable working in.
There are people in SciFi modeling, working in 1:2256 scale !! ( a 40' box car in that scale would be 0.213 inches long ) THAT, is a bit too small for my "old fingers" and "Tired eyesight" :o

[Tyson Rayles]

Yeah Pete I know there are a lot of very nice, talented but misguided people out there. As you know I work in HO and O at work and N at home.

[Catt]

I must be having a hearing problem this morning.I could swear Mike just admitted to working with those abNormal scales,

[danielb]

O gauge scares me. So much detail you have to get right or it looks like a train set and not a layout. You can get away with more in N

For those interested, this is my layout space so far:


And here's what the extension currently looks like:

[Tyson Rayles]

"O gauge scares me. So much detail you have to get right or it looks like a train set and not a layout. You can get away with more in N "


You are right on the money Dan. The only easier scale to model in than N would be Z except it is so expensive and has so little American prototype stuff available. It's good to see you are moving right along, hope to see trains running soon.

[Sumpter250]

" O scale scares me. So much detail you have to get right "
Yeah, but then again, it's "larger", therefore "easier detail, to model".
   
(( The engine is a Bachmann On30 Mogul, with the boiler extended, on an Athearn Genesis 2-8-2 chassis...+ brass castings.))
The forest scene painting used as a backdrop helps make the scene look better.

Look at it this way, it could be "Gawd I have to model every single nut and bolt...and the threads on each bit of exposed bolt !!" scale.

The sobering thought is how much more layout you could build on a postage stamp, in "T" scale. not me.

That said, Dan, I'm looking forward to seeing your N scale empire grow, you are off to a good start.

[Sumpter250]

This is part of a display I built for "GC Laser" N scale kits. The diorama is 2' X 8', in two sections.
   

[danielb]

I managed a little progress on the layout yesterday, here are a couple of pictures:

[Tyson Rayles]

I like the over under effect.

[danielb]

Cheers Mike, I'm hoping it will help disguise how busy the trackage is/will be - I've got to squeeze a lot of layout in a relatively small space.

[danielb]

Not much to report at the moment as I've been busy getting some xbox time in whilst my wife has been distracted by the Elder Scrolls Online, but I'd rather not neglect the thread so here is a basic first draft of the track plan.

Note that everything here is subject to change - even the parts I've already built!

[Tyson Rayles]

Keeping in mind I'm a less is more kinda guy it looks like you might want to thin out the track work some to keep your curve radius' from being too sharp and so you can use higher numbered turnouts. That said I might not be reading it right either .