What is the setting and style of all of your layouts? We all talk about all of our buildings and stuff, and never really about our layouts. My layout is suppose to take place somewhere South of Pittsburgh, where WM and B&O trains switched with other railroads such as P&LE. The layout also has heavy industry (Paper, Steel, Cement (soon), Oil, some ag). As time went on the track went from WM, B&O, and P&LE, to Conrail, Chessie, and about the time the layout takes place CSX and a few ex-Conrail. When the layout is almost complete I'll buy more Atlas-Kato CSX and Conrail wide cab (sd-60, dash 9, sd-80). Eventually I'll expand and make a NS connection. I'm curious what layouts you guys have.
Your Layouts
- Thread starter WM-N-fan
- Start date
My layout doesn't fit into any particular locale. One of my intentions when building it was that it would serve as a framework on which I could learn various construction and scenery techniques (as well as play...um...I mean RUN trains).
But I guess that if I had to pin it down to a real place, it would probably be somewhere in the Ozarks. The R&K is a shortline. Perhaps it connects with the Union Pacific somewhere.
-Rory
But I guess that if I had to pin it down to a real place, it would probably be somewhere in the Ozarks. The R&K is a shortline. Perhaps it connects with the Union Pacific somewhere.
-Rory
Hi WM-N-Fan!
I have a very small N scale switching layout, that I've kinda made up as I've gone along...
I didn't start out with any particular prototype in mund, I just knew the layout was going to be small, & that I wanted an urban setting, with lots of opportunity for structure kitbashing, which is something I particularly enjoy.
I settled on a 50's-60's post steam era, because I already had some equipment, & mainly I have childhood memories of that time.
My main reason for starting this project, though, was to try some new construction techniques...I wanted a diorama-style look to it, with restricted viewing angles, backdrop, & lighting.
I decided to call my little creation The Four Sisters Branch, (I have 4 daughters, & I've worked all of their names into various locales on the layout) it's an industrial branchline on the seedier side of an as-yet-unamed fictional city, served by the fictional Kentucky & Indiana RR. I decided to free-lance so I could have a lot of freedom (& fun) with equipment, histories, locales, trackage rights, & so on...Operatipns consist of switching 3 large industries...The maximum length of a train is limited to 5 40' cars, & a caboose, as determined by the length of the runaround track. I eventually hope to have a system for off-layout staging. This provides me with plenty of interesting switching operation.
I was also inspired to get into digital photography by Shamus, & some of the other guys on here, & this has opened up a whole new area of modeling for me.
I have a very small N scale switching layout, that I've kinda made up as I've gone along...
I didn't start out with any particular prototype in mund, I just knew the layout was going to be small, & that I wanted an urban setting, with lots of opportunity for structure kitbashing, which is something I particularly enjoy.
I settled on a 50's-60's post steam era, because I already had some equipment, & mainly I have childhood memories of that time.
My main reason for starting this project, though, was to try some new construction techniques...I wanted a diorama-style look to it, with restricted viewing angles, backdrop, & lighting.
I decided to call my little creation The Four Sisters Branch, (I have 4 daughters, & I've worked all of their names into various locales on the layout) it's an industrial branchline on the seedier side of an as-yet-unamed fictional city, served by the fictional Kentucky & Indiana RR. I decided to free-lance so I could have a lot of freedom (& fun) with equipment, histories, locales, trackage rights, & so on...Operatipns consist of switching 3 large industries...The maximum length of a train is limited to 5 40' cars, & a caboose, as determined by the length of the runaround track. I eventually hope to have a system for off-layout staging. This provides me with plenty of interesting switching operation.
I was also inspired to get into digital photography by Shamus, & some of the other guys on here, & this has opened up a whole new area of modeling for me.
Well, my layout is based on the Murphy Branch of the Southern R.R., except in my revised history it's the Whiteoak Branch which was abandoned by the Southern and local business people working with the state took it over and the Nantahala Midland was born. (In real life the Great Smoky Mnt. R.R. took over half of the Murphy Branch) It hauls the same stuff as the M.B. did. Pulpwood,furniture, fertilizer,pallets and gravel are the exports. Fuel oil, feed, consumer goods are the main imports. The R.R. runs from Tellico Gap, N.C. to Whiteoak, N.C. at Tellico Gap it interchanges with the L&N and the Southern and at Whiteoak with the Graham County R.R. It is about 12 miles long.It is called the Nantahala Midland because in real life it would be located in the middle of both the mnt. range and the forest of the same name. Nantahla is Cherokee for "Land of the Noonday Sun" so that is the R.R.'s slogan. The time period is late 60's or early 70's depending on how my hunt for vechicles goes
Does this fall in the realm of more than you wanted to know??
Does this fall in the realm of more than you wanted to know??My layout is losely based on the Tampa/Ybor area during transition. Cigar factories, ice house, brewery, and a grain elvator will be the main industries, with the grain feeding the brewery. Also going to try my hand a dock building to unload all that Havana leaf for the cigar factories. Its my first real attempt a finishing a layout in over, well lets just say many years of railroading. I've decided on the ACL as my main road, both for historical accuracy and my 4 year old loves purple
Now if someone, ANYONE, would just make an ACL caboose...
Now if someone, ANYONE, would just make an ACL caboose...
My N-scale lay-out is a ficticous Rock Island service yard just west of Linnyville,I run mostly frieght and have one small passenger train that I run between Linnyville and another town with no name as of yet.
I have two main lines which can enter the service yard.Leaving the yard they run parralel to each other in the same direction,then one breaks off and heads towards Linnyville and through a tunnel and exits a double portal into the other town where it starts to run parralel with the other mian line but in the opposite direction.then circles up an incline over the tunnel and down an incline where it breaks off the other mainline back to the service yard where it again meets the other mian line and runs the same direction.
My other main line starts at the sevice yard and goes on the outskirts of Linnyville and starts up the incline in the oppasite direction of the first main then over the tunnels and circles down to the nameless town then enters the double portal.it exits a tunnel oppasite the other mains tunnel and climbs an incline on the outskirts of linnyville and crosses itself and meets the other main line and runs parralel in the same direction into the yard.
This is probrobly more than you wanted to know.
Shane
I have two main lines which can enter the service yard.Leaving the yard they run parralel to each other in the same direction,then one breaks off and heads towards Linnyville and through a tunnel and exits a double portal into the other town where it starts to run parralel with the other mian line but in the opposite direction.then circles up an incline over the tunnel and down an incline where it breaks off the other mainline back to the service yard where it again meets the other mian line and runs the same direction.
My other main line starts at the sevice yard and goes on the outskirts of Linnyville and starts up the incline in the oppasite direction of the first main then over the tunnels and circles down to the nameless town then enters the double portal.it exits a tunnel oppasite the other mains tunnel and climbs an incline on the outskirts of linnyville and crosses itself and meets the other main line and runs parralel in the same direction into the yard.
This is probrobly more than you wanted to know.
Shane
My M.A.T. runs through Canada from Tayside BC on the Pacific coast to Maberly in central Ontario. It passes throught the rocky mountains then across the prairies and around the great lakes. It has in interchange with Catt's GVR at Sarnia/Port Huron. Other interchange agreements are in the works. The layout is point to point with a turning "Y" at the Tayside end in the west and a return loop at Sarnia in the east.
It is a fictional line that paralles much of CN and CP activity so there is a mix of rolling stock and motive power. There is even a link with the BNSF that runs north out of Washington Stae into BC.
It is a fictional line that paralles much of CN and CP activity so there is a mix of rolling stock and motive power. There is even a link with the BNSF that runs north out of Washington Stae into BC.
My Layout
My layout, the Iron Ridge, follows the CN trackage from London, Ontario, Canada to Hamilton, Ontario, with hidden trackage to represent both Toronto and NY state. I have interchanges with Larry's CEE, Johnathans GVR and Helge's SR&WF via Windsor/Detroit, and I'm working on having an interchange with the MAT on it's way through London. Industries will be the biggest ones in each city, and already decided for London is the GMD plant and the Kelloggs plant...not sure about all the other cities and towns, as that is always changing till I make up the final decision. Future plans also include the trackage from Hamilton to a smaller version of Toronto's CN yard (visible staging yard). So far I have layed trackage from London to Ingersoll, and am working to Woodstock as I speak. Although not a perfect match to the prototype, I'm trying to represent a selective compression (Try modelling the GMD plant to scale, the main building itself would measure 39" x 69" and that doesn't include the rest of the complex...LOL). Anyways, that's my layout at a glance.
My layout, the Iron Ridge, follows the CN trackage from London, Ontario, Canada to Hamilton, Ontario, with hidden trackage to represent both Toronto and NY state. I have interchanges with Larry's CEE, Johnathans GVR and Helge's SR&WF via Windsor/Detroit, and I'm working on having an interchange with the MAT on it's way through London. Industries will be the biggest ones in each city, and already decided for London is the GMD plant and the Kelloggs plant...not sure about all the other cities and towns, as that is always changing till I make up the final decision. Future plans also include the trackage from Hamilton to a smaller version of Toronto's CN yard (visible staging yard). So far I have layed trackage from London to Ingersoll, and am working to Woodstock as I speak. Although not a perfect match to the prototype, I'm trying to represent a selective compression (Try modelling the GMD plant to scale, the main building itself would measure 39" x 69" and that doesn't include the rest of the complex...LOL). Anyways, that's my layout at a glance.
Mine is the WM/B&O from Baltimore to Frostburg, with the Hagerstown yard as the main hub. WM trains serve Frostburg, Thurmont, Union Bridge and Westminster. B&O shuttles between Hagerstown and Baltimore yards.
Time period is the early 70's. Was late 60's, but I just had to have that Atlas Chessie caboose. It's also the C&O version of the caboose, but what the heck, Chessie can put it's rolling stock anywhere it sees fit!
I own the typewriter that was in the B&O president's office back in the 1880's so I can type up any sort of railroad agreements I want between the B&O and any other road!
Time period is the early 70's. Was late 60's, but I just had to have that Atlas Chessie caboose. It's also the C&O version of the caboose, but what the heck, Chessie can put it's rolling stock anywhere it sees fit!
I own the typewriter that was in the B&O president's office back in the 1880's so I can type up any sort of railroad agreements I want between the B&O and any other road!
My layout is roughly based on what it looked like at Homestead, Florida right after Hurricane Andrew That is to say, it is a mess. FEMA hasn't shown up to offer any assistance, so I guess I'm still on my own.
I honestly can't believe that I am this far along on the construction and really don't have much of a clue what I want to do scenery wise. It has become something of a frustration to tell the truth.
I think I will give it a ficticious name ( I am leaning toward The Bristle Ridge and Western) and allow just about anyone who really ran or runs in this part of the world to have authority to run on the BR&W right-of-way.
Oh well, back to wiring my DCC.
Bob
That is to say, it is a mess. FEMA hasn't shown up to offer any assistance, so I guess I'm still on my own.I honestly can't believe that I am this far along on the construction and really don't have much of a clue what I want to do scenery wise. It has become something of a frustration to tell the truth.
I think I will give it a ficticious name ( I am leaning toward The Bristle Ridge and Western) and allow just about anyone who really ran or runs in this part of the world to have authority to run on the BR&W right-of-way.
Oh well, back to wiring my DCC.
Bob
Cactus, where do you live in Md? There's a dirt road by the Roundhouse Musuem in Hagerstown off Burhams Blvd. that takes you to the Hagerstown Yard, but sometimes there are bulls. You can also see it from behind Lowe's. Do you have the large quarry next to it? It has a siding to a silo-like structure. Please post some photos of the Hagerstown yard!
WM-N-Fan,
I live in Westminster, and I've never seen the Hagerstown yard, except in some photos on the Hagerstown Roundhouse web site. So, it's all in my imagination. I do have a turntable and roundhouse in the yard.
I have limited space, so the same yard is also Baltimore. Whether a given loco or car is in one city or the other depends on the waybill it carries at the moment. Switching in the yard when it's "Hagerstown" is done by a WM BL-2. A B&O GP-38 does the duty when the yard is in its "Baltimore" mode. The "Baltimore" yard is simply a terminus, so there's nothing complicated that's supposed to go there. A freight car goes to Baltimore from Hagerstown, gets unloaded (by flipping over it's waybill in the car card slot and having any load it actually carries removed by the great 5-fingered crane in the sky), then gets hauled back to "Hagerstown" when the next B&O freight heads in that direction.
Traffic to Frostburg, Thurmont, Union Bridge and Westminster is all handled by WM locomotive power.
The yard has an eastbound and a westbound track. In "Hagerstown" mode, the eastbound track takes you to Frostburg. In "Baltimore" mode, the same track runs past Westminster, then Union Bridge, then Thurmont, then on to Hagerstown. I could say similar things about the westbound track.
Mine is a shelf-type layout, 30 inches wide, 10.5 feet along one side and 9 feet along the other. Trains do most of their inter-town travel by making laps around the perimeter (plus one interior shortcut). So, for example, when a train heads east out of Baltimore to head to Hagerstown, I have to blink my eyes and pretend not to be looking when I reach the turnout to Frostburg. It's not supposed to be there <chuckle>.
My layout is far from complete, the trackage I've talked about is complete, though I want to expand the yard a bit. Mostly what you see when you view it is the tracks, a kit-built roundhouse with turntable, and some scratchbuilt buildings. The buildings include a freight house in Hagerstown, Bowman's feeds in Westminster, a grain elevator in Thurmont and a coal elevator in Frostburg. The rest of what you see is a flat expanse of blue extruded styrofoam. I'll make some photos and try to load them on here, when I get a chance.
I've only been model railroading since last summer. So far, I've only actually visited the local tracks around Westminster and Union Bridge. By the way, the WM Historical Society has an excellent museum with layouts under construction. This is housed in the old Union Bridge station. It's open on Sundays and admission is free.
I had a great-uncle who was station master at the Point-of-Rocks station, so I want to visit that when the weather improves. Also, I want to get over to Hagerstown one day in June. Do you live around there? Perhaps I could pick your brain to find the best directions to railroad sites in that part of MD.
Sorry to be so long-winded. Cheers.
I live in Westminster, and I've never seen the Hagerstown yard, except in some photos on the Hagerstown Roundhouse web site. So, it's all in my imagination. I do have a turntable and roundhouse in the yard.
I have limited space, so the same yard is also Baltimore. Whether a given loco or car is in one city or the other depends on the waybill it carries at the moment. Switching in the yard when it's "Hagerstown" is done by a WM BL-2. A B&O GP-38 does the duty when the yard is in its "Baltimore" mode. The "Baltimore" yard is simply a terminus, so there's nothing complicated that's supposed to go there. A freight car goes to Baltimore from Hagerstown, gets unloaded (by flipping over it's waybill in the car card slot and having any load it actually carries removed by the great 5-fingered crane in the sky), then gets hauled back to "Hagerstown" when the next B&O freight heads in that direction.
Traffic to Frostburg, Thurmont, Union Bridge and Westminster is all handled by WM locomotive power.
The yard has an eastbound and a westbound track. In "Hagerstown" mode, the eastbound track takes you to Frostburg. In "Baltimore" mode, the same track runs past Westminster, then Union Bridge, then Thurmont, then on to Hagerstown. I could say similar things about the westbound track.
Mine is a shelf-type layout, 30 inches wide, 10.5 feet along one side and 9 feet along the other. Trains do most of their inter-town travel by making laps around the perimeter (plus one interior shortcut). So, for example, when a train heads east out of Baltimore to head to Hagerstown, I have to blink my eyes and pretend not to be looking when I reach the turnout to Frostburg. It's not supposed to be there <chuckle>.
My layout is far from complete, the trackage I've talked about is complete, though I want to expand the yard a bit. Mostly what you see when you view it is the tracks, a kit-built roundhouse with turntable, and some scratchbuilt buildings. The buildings include a freight house in Hagerstown, Bowman's feeds in Westminster, a grain elevator in Thurmont and a coal elevator in Frostburg. The rest of what you see is a flat expanse of blue extruded styrofoam. I'll make some photos and try to load them on here, when I get a chance.
I've only been model railroading since last summer. So far, I've only actually visited the local tracks around Westminster and Union Bridge. By the way, the WM Historical Society has an excellent museum with layouts under construction. This is housed in the old Union Bridge station. It's open on Sundays and admission is free.
I had a great-uncle who was station master at the Point-of-Rocks station, so I want to visit that when the weather improves. Also, I want to get over to Hagerstown one day in June. Do you live around there? Perhaps I could pick your brain to find the best directions to railroad sites in that part of MD.
Sorry to be so long-winded. Cheers.
I live a few miles north of Hagerstown a few hundred yards off the old WM 2-track line to Lurgan. CSX trains come by every couple hours. One of the two tracks is abandoned, and CSX the other day parked several hundred empty rail box box cars there. Speaking of CSX/B&O/WM layouts, someone I know in Smithsburg made a huge 11-34 in their basement that's entirely WM/CSX/B&O. BTW, is there a hobby shop in Westminster, or do you have to go to Mainline in Blue Ridge Summit, or Hobbytown in Fredrick?
Until last month, I went to the Model Train Works in Finksburg, just 10 miles east of here. They closed down last month, so I've been on the lookout for another shop. I have off work this week -- well, not exactly, but it's a very flexible schedule with no requirement on how much time I spend there -- so perhaps I'll get up to Blue Ridge Summit. It's a nice drive and I haven't been up that way in 10 years.
Is Mainline a good shop for N-scale?
The only Hobbytown I've visited is the one in Glen Burnie, an hour from me.
Is Mainline a good shop for N-scale?
The only Hobbytown I've visited is the one in Glen Burnie, an hour from me.
Mainline is a great shop. They have pretty much every N scale freight car, locomotive (even brass), building (even ones that were stopped years back), with good prices for a hobby shop. Good Atlas/Kato locomotives (such as SD-80, WM GP-35, CSX SD-60, and many more) are in the 70-80$ range, while better lifelikes (GP-20, F units, S-7, etc.) are in the 40-50$ range. Their engines aren't for the begginers.
Mainline has a large glass case full of Micro Trains cars, as do they with Kato and Atlas cars and engines. They also have a beautiful 5-8 layout that you can operate. They have a BNSF B-23-7 on it that runs every minute they're open for the last 6 months that hasn't had one problem to this day! They also sell many Digital systems, wide selections of track etc. It is located after you cross the Former WM (now CSX) Dutchline on Pa. Rt. 16 in Blue Ridge Summit.
I used to go to the Train Room in Hagerstown which was OK, but had a poor, expensive selection. I hear that there are two more smaller places around Hagerstown, but never noticed (or cared to go in) them. Hobbytown U.S.A. has a place in the Fredrick Shopping center off seventh street in Frederick, visible from US 15. I have been there twice in the last few months, and have noticed that they are hit or miss. The first time I went there I found a Supierior Paper kit for 30$ unopened, but there for 4 yrs. I also bought a coal mine and a Milling Co.
I noticed that Hobbytown had a whole row of paint, almost as many freight cars as Mainline (the $2.99 Industrial Rail Cars, which very few shops carry, and not at Mainline), Many sets and layout kits including the 4-8 scenic Ridge layout kit, NO engines left from the holidays, very few building kits, and very few accessories. I personally go to Mainline, and only go to the Trainroom i f I need something urgently (or don't want to drive to BRS), and I go to Hobbytown if I'm in the area, or going by and I need something.
BTW Cactus, did the train works have/will have a closeout sale?
Mainline has a large glass case full of Micro Trains cars, as do they with Kato and Atlas cars and engines. They also have a beautiful 5-8 layout that you can operate. They have a BNSF B-23-7 on it that runs every minute they're open for the last 6 months that hasn't had one problem to this day! They also sell many Digital systems, wide selections of track etc. It is located after you cross the Former WM (now CSX) Dutchline on Pa. Rt. 16 in Blue Ridge Summit.
I used to go to the Train Room in Hagerstown which was OK, but had a poor, expensive selection. I hear that there are two more smaller places around Hagerstown, but never noticed (or cared to go in) them. Hobbytown U.S.A. has a place in the Fredrick Shopping center off seventh street in Frederick, visible from US 15. I have been there twice in the last few months, and have noticed that they are hit or miss. The first time I went there I found a Supierior Paper kit for 30$ unopened, but there for 4 yrs. I also bought a coal mine and a Milling Co.
I noticed that Hobbytown had a whole row of paint, almost as many freight cars as Mainline (the $2.99 Industrial Rail Cars, which very few shops carry, and not at Mainline), Many sets and layout kits including the 4-8 scenic Ridge layout kit, NO engines left from the holidays, very few building kits, and very few accessories. I personally go to Mainline, and only go to the Trainroom i f I need something urgently (or don't want to drive to BRS), and I go to Hobbytown if I'm in the area, or going by and I need something.
BTW Cactus, did the train works have/will have a closeout sale?
Yes, the Train Works did have a closeout sale. They didn't advertise that they were closing, just had the sale. I discovered it when I walked in with a pocket full of Christmas money. I took it to be an annual week-after-New-Year sale (though I was suspicious because everything in the store was 25% off).
Anyway, I didn't get down there again until a few weeks ago. I found their doors closed, with a sign that said they were still doing business over the internet.
Thanks for the word on Mainline. I'll definitely get up there this week!
Anyway, I didn't get down there again until a few weeks ago. I found their doors closed, with a sign that said they were still doing business over the internet.
Thanks for the word on Mainline. I'll definitely get up there this week!
Thanks,
I visited Main Line this morning. My wallet was much lighter when I left, but my shopping bag was heavy. Good store.
I took some digital photos of my layout. Tried to post them, unsuccessfully. It looks like one needs one's own web page to link photos to, and mine is a company web page that I don't feel free to put personal things on.
I visited Main Line this morning. My wallet was much lighter when I left, but my shopping bag was heavy. Good store.
I took some digital photos of my layout. Tried to post them, unsuccessfully. It looks like one needs one's own web page to link photos to, and mine is a company web page that I don't feel free to put personal things on.
Cactus,
If you can get the pictures into your computer as a jpg file then you could post them here.I had the same problem with some paper pictures I had scanned into this box of wires and they just seemed to dissapear when I tried to post them.
Good luck
Shane
If you can get the pictures into your computer as a jpg file then you could post them here.I had the same problem with some paper pictures I had scanned into this box of wires and they just seemed to dissapear when I tried to post them.
Good luck
Shane