The layout I'm Building

[Sir_Prize]

This layout I'm constructing now. The pic is big, so I'll put the link in. It goes to that Layout Depot sight.
http://www.layoutdepot.com/view.ihtml?step=3&fid=151
That should do it.
Awaiting your comments.

 

[Woodie]

Sir,

Which one? The left or right?

TOOT!

 

[shamus]

Sir_prize my friend, here it is for you.
Now tell us about it.

Shamus
http://www.badger-creek.co.uk


[This message has been edited by shamus (edited 05-24-2001).]

 

[Sir_Prize]

Thanks Shamus!
Actually both Woodie. See there is a 52" wide window between the two layouts. this will give me two worlds; one 'watch the trains'(the left), and one 'switch the cars'(the right). Yes it's not a lot of switch but enough to see if I'd get into it.
Plus the roughly 2500' scale foot bridge seemed too "artistic license."
THE LEFT LAYOUT
Starting at the river and going up(south in real world), you reach the double tunnel. The left track(the frieght side) climbs to the left exiting out near the river headed down(north). This track has gained a three inch raise into Kentucky, there it drops an inch by Ohio. Wraps back around through the 'city', dropping one inch by the river headed back up(south). The right track is passenger, it will be a 1/2 inch lower going into the double tunnel, it climbs to the right. It exits to 'wrap' around the outside of the mountains. It is now level with the frieght line, but loses this to go under the 'city' to come back around to the river in Kentucky. While under the city at the bottom(northern most point) there is an 'underground' station. The briefest amount of the outside parking is viewable. Whew! I'll pass along the Right Layouts details when I get back from my club meeting.

Best to all;
Ken

 

[Sir_Prize]

PART II:
THE RIGHT SIDE
This side being the switching side, we'll start in the middle. Here is the mainline and branchline; with a small industerial area. The mainline will be higher by under a 1/2" . The spurs go to some soft of large freight company. Going on the same premise that almost all airlines go to Atlanta, why not the freight.

Behind and 'north' of that is a refinery of sorts. Perhaps I'll place pipes going from here over the tracks; going along the back wall; to give it a larger feel. As we go north the mainline spilts left and right. One goes into the mountains of Tenn. the other passes the back of a Gravel/Cement works, with pit. Both lines gain around 3". The one wrapping back over the Georgia area crosses a Warren truss style bridge. The lower scenery and bridge will act as a see-through divider. this joins back with the mainline that went behind the pit. at this point the line drops down gradually to Florida. Along the way it passes a spur going to a Orange Fruit refinery. I'm not concidering it a Orange Juice plant for the one it will be loosly based on ships the end product to several areas; maube even the citrus in Goo Gone, and such. Anyways the main wraps back past a Resort and over the saltwater waterway twice. As we get back to Georgia the left side water becomes a wetlands/marsh area past the bridge at the start of the industerial area.
There I think that does it.

Awaiting thoughts.

 

[Woodie]

Sir,

Looks fab! Gives a lot of work and different aspects. Of course it is N, so you do get much more in the same space. Would be fab if you could join the two together. Maybe with an extension/joiner piece at the top with hidden track linking the two. would be easy to do, as the loops at the top do coincide. Also with the little extension bit, it still keeps the distance between the two for working and stuff. You could still run seaparately, or joined, giving lengthier runs. Build separately of course, but allow for joining later.

TOOT!

 

[Drew1125]

Hi Sir_Prize!
Your plan has some similarities to the one I'm working on for my HO layout, although mine is a point to point configuration on shelves ranging from 12" to 24" wide.
The room I'm building in is divided virtually in half by a utility closet at one end. This closet contains the main electrical box for the house, & therefore, must remain accessible.
At first, I viewed this closet as a major obstruction, but have come to realize that it has potential as a staging area, & as a representation of distance between areas modeled on the layout. It also got me to think of the layout as a series of seperate scenes, or dioramas, & actually building it that way, instead of the traditional layout that is basically one big chunk.
The first diorama is the town of Salt Lick, which features an interchange, turntable & depot, a sawmill, & a small town that has grown up around them. Leaving town, the RR begins to climb, & enters the next diorama (these are divided by backdrops), simply a high trestle crossing a rocky gorge. Then the train must travel a 7' unscenicked shelf through the utility closet, & then enters the next diorama, a series of switchbacks that gets the RR to the top of Devil's Mountain. The next diorama is a logging area, & then the train enters the final diorama, the town of Campton, where there are engine facilities, freight & passenger depot, & another turntable.
Seperating scenes like this implies distance where there really isn't any. (in your case, Ohio to Florida)
By the way, my RR is set entirely in Kentucky, in the Red River Gorge area of Menifee, Powell, & Wolfe Counties, circa 1931.
Go ahead & link those sectrions together. It doesn't matter how far apart they are. Use Woodie's suggestion about keeping the trains out of sight when traveling between sections. That could add a whole new dimention to your RR.
Good Luck!

 

[Sir_Prize]

Thanks dudes.
Actually I'd love to join them. Just one problem, a 52" wide near wall height window. With this being a shelf layout set at about 35" to 45" up the wall hard to hide'em. Plus the bridge with my current skills would be a harder job than getting a date with any female supermodel. Also, I figure the gap to cross around a scale of 2500 Ft.

Than again with improved skills and help it would be a cool. Diffinently if it has duel rails.

In the yard for a few;
Ken

 

[Drew1125]

Ken,
The linkage could be temporary, only blocking the window when your operating the layout.
It could be as simple as a piece of plywood with a couple of lengths of track attached to it. you could put sides on this "bridge" section, both to hide the trains, & to prevent a catastrophic fall to the floor. You can use ordinary household door hinges (the kind with the removable pin) to attach & align your removable section.

 

[Woodie]

Sir Kenneth, (alway formal names when knighted! etiquette

:and bows: not the ribbon bows, but the lean over bows! DOH!)

Are you going to build them concurrently? maybe at least allow for the joining of the two with track extension to the edges for Justin and Ron.

TOOT!

[This message has been edited by Woodie (edited 05-25-2001).]

 

[Sir_Prize]

Hmmm... More I think on the bridge,the more likely I'm gonna get hit by a train... Oops! Wrong Train of thought. (I groaned, too.

) Anyways... I think I'll see about it. Think I'll put it just under the two layouts.
Woodie, building'em North than South. Hmmm...Perhaps that's how I'll refer to them now.

Off a reading;
Ken

 

[shamus]

Hi Ken, just my thoughts running wild, but maybe you could join it this way. You would in fact put a curved left on the right hand side and a curved right on the left side. Still give you the option to use either side.

[This message has been edited by shamus (edited 05-27-2001).]