Hello,

my name is Gerd and I play with model trains []

I bought a pair of Joe Works Shay in Hon30 and now I'm looking for layout ideas to get them run on. I had many ideas but non of those was good enough in my mind so I came to a point where I totally run out of ideas.

My first attempt was to build a ore tramway, somewhat like the Gilpin, but I couldn't get warm with this idea.

My favorite would be a logging layout since logging is my favorite theme for model railroading (see my user name wich means "logging railroader" in German).

So I searched for logging layouts but all of them in the internet are already build by some else, to big, without real logging operations or I just don't like them.

Maybe one of you guys has an idea for a layout. The givens are very simple.
A 2' by 4' layout or a modular design with small easy to store modules. I don't have enough room for a permanent setup of the layout.

I plan to run my Shays with Minitrains rolling stock since I've a couple of them in my collection. Beside the brown Baby-Shay I've an unpainted MichCal #2. Both locos will get NWSL regear kits installed with can motors and a nice paintjob.

Many thanks in advance for your layout ideas. It would be great to get the locos into operational service instead of standing in the showcase.

Bye, Gerd

Have you checked out the small layout scrapbook for ideas ? <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.carendt.com/scrapbook/linkindex/index.html">http://www.carendt.com/scrapbook/linkindex/index.html</a><!-- m --> ....there are tons of examples on that site .

T

Gerd, That would look REALLY good on a "fold-it-in-half (sideways) for storage" logging version of the Gumstump & Snowshoe, with lots of trees for it to be seen through - and I think the original trackplan used two locos without a run-round - The original was (I think) 6' x 1' so it will fit nicely onto 2 4' x 1' boards

I think the question is what you're trying to accomplish. If the Shays are "cute" and lend themselves to a sort of cutsey-pie display layout, that's one thing. If they prompt a more serious interest in logging railroads and their operations, that's another. You can certainly do a "serious" logging railroad model in a limited space, though this would probably take more research and planning than just something cutsey-pie. It depends on how much effort you want to spend, how much time you want to devote, and who you're trying to interact with or impress. I tend to lose interest when we get to cutsey-pie, but that's just me.

Hello,

meanwhile I feel that I know each layout on Carl Arendt's website :-) It's really a good source for micro layout ideas. There's even an entry from my long gone On30 layout in the scrapbooks (one of those layouts never finished and torned down...

I'm not really sure in the moment with most points for that layout.
I'm sure, that I like to operate my two Shays on a layout. It would be great to have a point to point operation. But a continius loop is also not bad just to watch the trains running.

Due to limit space for a new layout it's hard to find something. The biggest problem is, that I'm to narrow minded in logging, too tiny micro layouts, to large projects... So most of my ideas are just for the trash bin.

And that's the point where I hope to get some fresh wind into my mind with new ideas, maybe outside the woods, or layout plans which are "the next level". Call it some kind of brain storming.

One of those ideas could be a construction railroad for road or dam construction... That would something different, but still a nice place to run the Shays.

The question about the layout - I just finished my Southern & Graham County Railroad in N-Scale and I'm looking for a new one. Sadly, the N-scale layout blocks up my entire train room.

Bye, Gerd

Google; Maine + two foot gauge railroads.........choose one, or mix and match. At least it's information about "very slim gauge" railroading, and should help the decision making process

On that combination of gauge and the tiny sized train you can do wonders with any regular H0 gauge railroad even on 4 x 8. One that comes in to mind is a layout on a door in N-scale that begs a logging train converastion was in a Christmas issue way back on Model Railroader. The idea was a canadian isolated island operation with GP7.s that was very heavy on lumber. The layout had two scenes separated by a ridge, one log loading and the other a small coastal town with a pier and a car float. The car float thing could be replaced by more space for the medium sized lumber mill like the one made by Walthers, or any of your choise. Unfortunally I can not recall which issue it was but maybe someone here recalls it.