A very old layout (and some lousy pics)

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This is the H0 layout of my local club. It was built more than 30 years ago, using plaster and wire mess. Since then, it has undergo some overhauls, but now we are not more working on it, because the club will move soon to another -and bigger, I hope- local and it will be scrapped.
Yesterday I took some pics of it, but in poor light condition and without tripod, so I advice you of not stare long time at they, or you will have a free headache! (next week I will do better)
This is the best picture It's an RENFE 252 electric, made by Siemens, pulling a Talgo trainset almost identical to the Amtrak ones

 

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This one is the east half of layout (and a good example of that you obtain shooting photos at F8 with poor light and hand-holding the camera). I don't accept liability for headaches

 

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This is the shed area. Old Märklin, Lima & Electrotren material here.

 

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Finally, the N layout in progress. Still a lot of work to be done (here, the N people are a bit lazy )

 

[Tyson Rayles]

All in all it looks like a nice layout and probably fun to operate. I hate to see any layout torn down but hopefully they will be able to start on the new one soon! If they do please take some pictures and post them for us.

 

[shamus]

Hiya Javier,
Nice looking layouts there my friend. Am I looking at the old Fleischmann turntables? they were very good, and the new ones are excellent but expensive.

shamus

 

[Topo]

Hi Shamus,

I think -but I'm not sure at all- that the old H0 turntable is an oooold Märklin one (the rail in the shed area is AC. In fact, they are two different independent rail systems in the same layout: an DC one and an AC other).
I have no idea about the N turntable, but I can ask to the N people (keep it in secret, but I suspect that their work time must be also in N scale. This N layout is taking ages to be completed!!).

 

[kettlestack]

Javier, It's always a shame to disassemble a layout like that, you must feel you are a part of it. Although it is Marklin AC by centre studs it is an extremely reliable system. Will the new layout be similar or will there be a massive upgrade to two-rail DC + catenery?

It looks like a Sommerveldt catenery system is used there, is that the DC source to the pantograph equipped locos? ..... A long time ago when I was in Germany I built an automatic demo system using the Sommerveldt catenery piece parts. It was for my friend who ran a hobby shop, he displayed it in his store window. It is the sturdiest catenery system I've ever come across. It's perfect for club use as it lasts forever without failing. My demo unit lasted 10 yrs running 8 hrs a day... he he he, it wore out the worm gears on 4 locos in all that time! (says a lot for the Fleischman motors too)

The N layout looks a real good one and when I look at the control panel for it I see your club is into perfection . Somebody must have access to a metalwork machine shop to have made that panel.

Thanks for sharing the pics my friend.

Errol

 

[Drew1125]

Very nice looking layout, Javier!
I believe that's what we used to refer to as "zip textured" scenery...?
I really like the overhead electrified line, too.
And it must run really well, to have lasted that loing!
BTW...you may have shot some holes in Rory's theory about the activity level of N scalers!

 

[RI541]

The only reason us N-scalers are so slow is that perfection take a long time.................

Keep the pics coming and take the management out for icecream. This works for me in desperate times

 

[alkcnw]

Javier, On the N scale layout is that control panel custom made? It looks great!! And the reason N scalers are so slow is that it takes them awhile to focus thier eyes on all those tiny trains!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

 

[Topo]

The catenary

Hello, friends

The catenary poles are made by Electrotren, the only ones available when they were installed.
Yes, this is a DC system: the locos can draw current from catenary and one rail (the ones with pantograph, as you have pointed, Errol) and the others (diesel/steam) from the two rails.

Now, the catenary system is no longer working (if you look at the electric loco, you can see that it has the pantographs down). We try to get the youngers into hobby so we have "children days", and we encourage the members with children to take them to club these days and left them "operate" with supervision the layout. In spite of adult supervision, the tiny hands have taken its toll in the catenary. Additionally, the club locos have had their pantographs changed to Sommerfeld, but no all member's locos have the pantographs with the same quality, causing frequent hookings. Thus, and the near scrapping of layout, has made the "maintenance people" to shut-down the catenary system.

 

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New layout

Errol, Andy

Yes, these control panel is custom made. We are lucky to have some people very skilled in alluminium working. One of them have also an computer-guided machine for cutting alluminium pieces!

Errol, we don't know yet the size that will be available for the new layout, because we still are looking for the new local, but they are lots of crazy ideas and suggestions about it. We will go to full DCC system, with some (city?) areas 'electrified' with catenary (out of reach for child's hands, I hope ). The Märklin AC system will be banned (the members that have Märklin locos have them more for collection than for operate them), and we will save many scenary pieces.
As you can see, the actual layout is very European-style. In the club, the people that like also the North American RR we are in minority (only nine out of almost 100!!), but we are very active 'lobbying' and we have managed to obtain that the new layout will have some area with 'genuine american flavour' Well, some South-Eastern spanish areas are very similar to american 'Far West' ones (in fact, many italo-spanish 'spaguetti westerns' films have been filmed there!), so it can be viewed as a good solution.

 

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N modelers

Charlie, Shane

To be honest, some of our more skilled modelers are N scalers
The real cause to the delays is that we have too few modelers with enough spare time , but slowly we have the things going.

As I have told in another thread, I'm only good with computers and electronic and, when I have tried to model some terrain, I have ended with a piece of scenary that looks as if Godzilla would have rampaged and gone wild on it!! So, before I start my own layout this summer, I will have our 'talented hand' teaching me some tricks and hints.

 

[Tyson Rayles]

Javier I noticed from your avatar that you will probably base your own layout in the western United States. If that's the case you ought to look in to joining NARA. it's free and painless. You can go to any thread posted by matthyro and at the bottom of his post click on the line with NARA in it for more information. As far as doing scenery it's not all that hard once you get the hang of it. There are plenty of very talented people here who are more than willing to help you with it. You might want to check out Rory's Copper Ridge thread in the N/Z forum. He is posting pics from start to finish of a layout he's building. Best of luck!

 

[Topo]

Thanks

Tyson, thanks for your advice. I will give a look at NARA
I need all help I can get, starting for advice about the tools I will need (Hum! I think that this 3-pound hammer that I purchased sooo cheap past week won't be of much use )

 

[Tyson Rayles]

Oh I don't know, I use a big hammer to fine tune my computer with all the time!

 

[Woodie]

Javier,
The layout looks very European, and reminds me of my travels on European trains.

Also, your English is very sweet, lovable, and nice to read. Keep up the good work!