DanielB Posted October 25, 2013 Share Posted October 25, 2013 I've recently joined a model railway club, and the N gauge section are all US enthusiasts, which is brilliant! We've been working on a layout which is fairly fluid in it's design - we keep adding bits, changing others, and it is growing and evolving steadily. Early days yet, but we hope to have the electrics done and something running by then end of the year. I've gotten permission from the rest of the N gauge chaps to post progress up here, so here are the photos of the layout so far! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Claude_Dreyfus Posted October 25, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 25, 2013 Looks very interesting! Will it be a 'somewhere in America' layout, or based on a particular state/region/era? There looks to be plenty of scenic scope with at least some urban (even if it is a smallish town) modelling. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanielB Posted October 25, 2013 Author Share Posted October 25, 2013 I think it will be generic once we start the scenic work, it will allow us to run pretty much whatever we want that way. Most of my stock is based around the Burlington Northern Santa Fe and the railroads which have been merged to form it, so that's my leaning, but the other chaps have a lot of steam locos so we will likely run sometime around 1950's onwards I'd say. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted October 26, 2013 Share Posted October 26, 2013 It's not an Exhibition layout, then..? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanielB Posted October 27, 2013 Author Share Posted October 27, 2013 Nope! Pure clubroom empire! I'm working on a Haston clone which may become an exhibition layout depending on how it turns out. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Wintle Posted October 28, 2013 Share Posted October 28, 2013 It looks like you should be able to run some decent length trains on that. Adrian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanielB Posted October 28, 2013 Author Share Posted October 28, 2013 That's the plan. We are hoping to extend from the under construction loop next to the painted backscene into a 5 road fiddle yard along the wall, with a traverser at the far end to allow locomotives to run around their consists and head back out onto the layout. I'm eager to get cracking with the wiring as it's a facet of railway modelling I've not really done before, but the track laying is incredibly therapeutic I have to say. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanielB Posted November 1, 2013 Author Share Posted November 1, 2013 Big surprise at the club last night - we actually got something running! http://static.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid1303.photobucket.com/albums/ag144/shaslakais/20131031_192207_zpsd9d24b51.mp4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calnefoxile Posted November 1, 2013 Share Posted November 1, 2013 Fantastic!! That's a hell of a trainset you have there it looks like a typical American modellers home layout, in that it's an elongated figure of 8, is this correct?? Regards Neal. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanielB Posted November 1, 2013 Author Share Posted November 1, 2013 Essentially yes. Technically when it is finished it will be a point to point from the as yet unbuilt storage tracks to the again as yet unbuilt freight and passenger yards. It will have continuous running simply because we can, and with so much space why not? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adamphillip Posted November 1, 2013 Share Posted November 1, 2013 you interested in a B&N loco for £40? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
corax67 Posted November 1, 2013 Share Posted November 1, 2013 I am impressed how much you are packing into your club room - should be spectacular when it's completed and sceniced. Plenty of room for a host of operators which is always a plus on a club layout. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanielB Posted November 1, 2013 Author Share Posted November 1, 2013 Is it DCC or DC? If DCC, is it easy to convert back to DC? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanielB Posted November 1, 2013 Author Share Posted November 1, 2013 At the moment there are only 3 of us working on the layout - myself and another member building it and a third helping to operate it. Hopefully the main circuit will be completed next week and then we can start ripping up track and adding in industry spurs - which is currently my job Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanielB Posted December 3, 2013 Author Share Posted December 3, 2013 Updated photos, took these a couple of weeks ago but forgot to upload here. I should have some more updated ones this Thursday. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanielB Posted December 4, 2013 Author Share Posted December 4, 2013 We wanted to test the track this week - now the main lines are now two complete circuits - though I don't think that my choice of train really fits the US theme. Click the link to watch the video. http://s1303.photobucket.com/user/shaslakais/media/20131202_193323_zpsde979d8f.mp4.html Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adamphillip Posted December 7, 2013 Share Posted December 7, 2013 looking good Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanielB Posted December 10, 2013 Author Share Posted December 10, 2013 Cheers Adam! Didn't realise you were into airsoft! Where do you play? Not sure if you can make it out but my avatar is of me with my KWA KRISS Vector. Pictureless update for now, I won't be down at the club again to get photos until Thursday, but there's a lot more work been done. Lots of little jobs accomplished so not a lot seems to have changed, though we have started adding in the supports for the depot and freight yard which will go in the middle of the left side loops. Once that is completed we shall begin adding in the storage tracks to the left hand wall and the incline up to them, starting from the grain silos against the painted backscene. The main running lines are complete, all track secure and tested, and the dips and bumps are being evened out with copious use of card packing under the ties. We are also working to ensure all curves are banked for maximum realism. Planning has begun on where we can locate spurs and industries for switching, and these will no doubt go in during the run up to christmas. Once this is all done, hopefully before the end of January, we can begin the arduous task of completing the wiring before we make a start on the scenery. Last week myself and Stan, the other 'builder' for the layout, spent 11 hours working on the layout in one day, and this coming weekend I intend to be there for around 10 hours per day for three days running, so hopefully there should be a lot for you to see once the weekend is over. Until then, current pictures will be forthcoming on Thursday evening. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanielB Posted December 16, 2013 Author Share Posted December 16, 2013 A little later than planned but here is the progress for this week. Firstly, the "before" photos from this morning... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanielB Posted December 16, 2013 Author Share Posted December 16, 2013 And now the progress shots from this evening. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanielB Posted December 16, 2013 Author Share Posted December 16, 2013 Finally, some video of today's running session: http://s1303.photobucket.com/user/shaslakais/media/20131215_181354_zpsd2644c78.mp4.html Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanielB Posted December 22, 2013 Author Share Posted December 22, 2013 Last update before the xmas break! The running loops have been completed, as has the passenger depot, freight yard and return loop! Not bad considering this is just 6 months work from the 3-4 of us working on the layout! The yard areas need to be wired up before we can run trains through them though, but that's the first port of call for january. Then work can begin on the gradient up to the staging yard and traversor area. Another milestone reached - first scenic work has begun - we began to ballast the track on the double track section that runs underneath the passenger depot. Photos below: A CSX hauled double stack set navigates the freshly ballasted curve: Followed soon after by a BNSF coal train: Finally, another shot from the reversing curve where the gradient to the staging tracks will pass overhead: Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanielB Posted January 9, 2014 Author Share Posted January 9, 2014 Not updated this in a while as I keep forgetting to take photos when I am down at the club! I'll try and rectify that tonight. The plan has changed again, and for the better we think. We have decided to change the work in progress storage tracks off to the left of the layout by making them split-level. Have a couple feeding off the lower level, for setting up consists and putting cars on the tracks, and the top level for actually storage of made up trains. The top level will no longer be accessed via an incline along the top end of the layout, but will instead run along the top edge of the layout on elevated tracks and curve across the main running tracks to join onto the layout at the entrance to the reversing loop which houses the passenger depot and freight yard. Photos should be up tonight, but I'm currently uploading a couple of videos to add to the thread. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanielB Posted January 10, 2014 Author Share Posted January 10, 2014 In my haste to "play trains" I forgot to take photos again! Videos will have to do. http://s1303.photobucket.com/user/shaslakais/media/20140105_130750_zpsbdbb9f81.mp4.html http://s1303.photobucket.com/user/shaslakais/media/20140105_114844_zps02b195ac.mp4.html Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robatron86 Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 You are so lucky to have a decent local club. My local club (which i refuse to join due to the attitude of the chairman) are obsessed with O gauge GWR, which is fine, but leaves those not that interested at a loss. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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