Ballard Railway

[Mike Kieran]

Jack/Shortliner and I were fooling around with some track designs on the aggregate railroad thread.

Here's some designs that I came up with:

[teejay]

Think I like " door number 1 " as far as operating the layout...T....more interesting IMO.

T

[Ralph]

I prefer the first because you have a continuous run option and can even arrange for a meet with a short train or light running loco.

[Mike Kieran]

Variety is the spice of life. I just added the second one to show that a feasible layout can be done in a small space.

[Tyson Rayles]

Mike how about designing a Z and a Gn15 scale layout for that same space?

[Mike Kieran]

Mike how about designing a Z and a Gn15 scale layout for that same space?

I don't have the amount of sanity needed to work in Z scale and I know nothing about Gn3 or narrow gauge at all. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to put my electro-shock therapy helmet on.

[Ralph]

Variety is the spice of life. I just added the second one to show that a feasible layout can be done in a small space.

Sure! I'm impressed by the creativity.

[eje]

Good stuff, Mike! I kinda prefer door #2. Only two track switches can give plenty of switching ops, plus there is the continuous "lead", so the moves are streamlined and more like the real thing. The long building supply spur gives a place to shake out the incoming interchange cars, plus off spots at the end of a session. Coupling and uncoupling on curves most of the time might be a good reason to try the couplers from Sergent Engineering. I suppose one could remove the centering spring from Kadees to the same end and use a skewer. I really like that most all coupling and uncoupling occurs right up front if one is facing the layout from the bottom edge as shown. Back dated to pre 1950 with an 0-6-0T or little GE and short cars, one could use 15" curves and make the layout even narrower. I think yours is an elegant little track plan.

[Tyson Rayles]

"I don't have the amount of sanity needed to work in Z scale and I know nothing about Gn3 or narrow gauge at all."


I'm sorry, I misunderstood you. I thought you were just drawing what if track plans, I didn't realize you were going to be building them.

[Mike Kieran]

Hey Mike,

I'm just doodling for a potential layout. It's just trying to mentally adjust to proportions in other scales would confuse the hell out of me. I'm so used to HO Scale.

[Mike Kieran]

Good stuff, Mike! I kinda prefer door #2. Only two track switches can give plenty of switching ops, plus there is the continuous "lead", so the moves are streamlined and more like the real thing. The long building supply spur gives a place to shake out the incoming interchange cars, plus off spots at the end of a session. Coupling and uncoupling on curves most of the time might be a good reason to try the couplers from Sergent Engineering. I suppose one could remove the centering spring from Kadees to the same end and use a skewer. I really like that most all coupling and uncoupling occurs right up front if one is facing the layout from the bottom edge as shown. Back dated to pre 1950 with an 0-6-0T or little GE and short cars, one could use 15" curves and make the layout even narrower. I think yours is an elegant little track plan.

I'm actually considering the second layout for the reason that you just said. The top of the layout in the drawing will be against a wall when it rests on my 5x3 foot table top. All of the switching will happen in front of me. If I had more room, I would at least go with the 1st plan.

[Brakie]

I like that top layout with the interchange..A GE70 or 44 tonner would look right at home on that layout.Backdate it and a 2-6-0 would look nice..

[Mike Kieran]

I think that the trees hiding the interchange help the layout on top. I would imagine that a photo op looking under the overpass at the interchange track would look awesome.

[Tyson Rayles]

"I'm so used to HO Scale."

I know what you mean, I think my eyeballs are permently calibrated for N scale.