My long term goal is a DSP&P On3 empire...as well as some NKP HO modules. Neither is dependent upon my current On3 layout which is primarily for a proving ground for the equipment I'm currently building. Therefore, it doesn't have to be specific to Colorado as I was planning.

How about sand, palm trees, and coral?

For the past year, I've wanted to build some Oahu Railway pieces.

And, I now have a copy of Next Stop Honolulu. And while I have yet to build any of the OR&L pieces I'm planning...I'm flirting with the idea of making my layout into an OR&L layout instead of generic Colorado.

If I was to model the OR&L in a large space, I'd start off with the fine facilities at Honolulu (15 stall roundhouse IIRC)...and model the double track CTC to Waipahu Junction where I'd have the branch heading off to staging to represent an army base as well as Dole's plantation. I'd then include a bit of the mainline on Ewa Plain and onto the costal trackage. But any large space I do someday acquire will be for the DSP&P...

This isn't so easy for me to model with what I have. The most interesting part was essentially just a miniature heavy duty mainline railroad...more modern than the NKP and most standard gauge roads. But, the second most interesting part is the coast line which I could model. My big trestle would be at home as the OR&L had at least one trestle exceeding anything on the DSP&P.

Of course, I don't have to make any decisions right now. If nothing else, I'll eventually build a few OR&L modules/dioramas to explore the world of tropical, mainline railroad in paradise...complete with coral ballasted track!

And so there is the draw of this interesting and unique road.
Here's the website for the book: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.oahurailway.com/">http://www.oahurailway.com/</a><!-- m -->

OK, living here in New England, driving on the highway, you always see a small village off in the distance. Usually alls you see is a church steeple, and maybe a couple of roof tops peeking up over the trees.

Since I had a couple of N scale buildings left over(plus a couple Better-Half had stashed away that I found cleaning out the basement), I wanted to duplicate this on my layout. Here's a couple of samples. I'm thinking(thats the burning smell), that I have to place the "village" about eye level to get the illusion, maybe on a hill somewhere.

Constructive critisism and suggestions are welcome.
I know in the second pic I have to work on the background. Its kinda hard to do when you have to deal with roof joists in the way, and I'm thinking these might ruin the illusion.

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A few years ago I started model railroading again but it went on hold due to moving and lack of space. Now things have changed once again, there is more space available, and of course that has to be celebrated by picking up the hobby again. I've brainstormed a bit for layout designs within the limitations: no more than one foot wide shelf and not too long as the whole thing has to be transportable and not too overwhelming but it seemed rather difficult to get something good.

Anyhow, I did come up with the following layout and would appreciate some comments and criticism on whether the layout will work and whether it will be fun (in your opinion at least...)    

The layout is designed to be built in two parts. I will first build the right hand part, as it contains the switching yard and some industry to have something to do. I'm not sure about the turntable yet, as it might be fiddly, but I need some place for the engines, and this is probably the most stylish solution..

The left hand part has more possiibilities for landscaping but less track, so it probably only works as an extention for the right part. There is a town with a small passenger terminal and an industry. I'm not sure about the track layout around the industries yet, especially the left hand side industry might be unoperable. If for some reason I get the opportunity to expand the layout even more, more modules could be added between the two parts, anything from more narrow modules to loops and whatnot.

The entire two module layout is 8 feet long and 1 foot wide, spurs are designed to hold 12 to 18 inch trains, so short engine and a couple cars.

So that much for this time. I think the left hand side module could be changed a bit. Any comments are appreciated!

Edit: Oh, and it's all N-gauge, small steam engines and two-axle wagons and mostly manual switches (at least most of them).

Givens

Room area - 19' x 19'
Area available for layout - 19' x 6', with an additional 2' x 2' along the N wall.

To the North and West are walls, 8' and 19' respectively, unobstructed. To the South is the Garage door, and only 6' into the room is available here, and for 17' or so of the East boundary. The East boundary is 19' from the garage door to the N wall (or 17' if an additional 2' is allowed on the N wall, that 2' by 2' bump. The rest of the garage will be relatively open most of the year, so consider the 6' width for the layout, not including an aisle along the E boundary.

Other obstructions - I have a 2' x 4' workbench. Bench height, 36". Back panel above the work surface, about 12" (let's call it 48" from the floor). In addition I have several modular metal shelving units, broken down into 4, 3' high units and 4, 4' high units OR 8 units similar to the workbench, 36" at the front, 48" at the back. These are 18" deep by 48" wide. Ideally they will live under the layout...there's really no other good place for them in the garage (or house, for that matter). They have been trusty and useful shelves and I'd really like to utilize them - but NOT for benchwork. Too much trouble leveling them all together on the sloping garage floor.

Ideally I do not want any duckunders, unless the plan is just too good to pass up and worth the trouble.

Ruling Rolling Stock - I have an N&W Class J 4-8-4 with 70' passenger cars, roughly an 8' train altogether that I'd like to run from time to time. It does not have to fit into any operating scheme, but that'd be nice if it did. Likewise I want to run my 6-axle trainmasters with 10-12 car hopper trains, and a couple other freights with a variety of rolling stock that may not ever serve any industry on the layout (or even fit the era), I'd just like to see them run. This is primarily a hang-up from my modular days, when I collected all sorts of equipment because I had a little disposable income from time to time and no home layout. Train length mattered little, along with era, locale, etc.

That leads to some druthers. Most of the time I'd like to run locals out of a small yard, up a branch line to serve a few little communities or industries along the way. Locale, Appalachia. Era, steam with perhaps an early diesel occasionally. Suffice it to say I'd rather have steam engine facilities than diesel fuel racks if the choice must be forced.

Trains don't need to be that long as grades can be steep. Small steam and short equipment would be the norm on the branch.

I'd like a provision for continuous running. Staging isn't a necessity. Minimize hidden track, please.

I'm sure I've left something out but it's late. A sketch of the space will follow.

Galen

Hi All,

What else do you or have you modelled apart from railroads or something that ties in with the railroads, before coming to N scale and lately HO i was doing 1/35 military individual vechiles or diorammas ... gone are the days of chasing an etcehd brass part a few MM in length i had carefully shaped to see it fly off into the distant carpet , making individual track links and applying Zimmeritt using Milliput as a base.

Though i did enjoy my time making them i wouldnt go back to it.

Here are a few pics


Replacement Metal track links give a better realistic sag to the tracks on this and the next pic, the kit rivits cut off and new punched out from plasticard.








Replacement various etched parts including new fenders from brass heated and bent simulating good usage, resin exhausts

Recovery conversion of this Famo using three etched set Hundreds of of add ons .... individual metal track links, the tarp over the cab milliput shaped over an etched brass frame

Hi Guys,

I have an Intermountain SD40 T-2 N scale loco i bought from Ebay and converted to DCC though the paint NYSW isnt the one i'd choose so i'm looking for a replacement body for it U.P./S.P. does anyone have a body with all the rails fittngs intacts in good condition or know of a hobby shop that sells Intermountain bodies.



This is the loco now.

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This is what i'm looking for my body seems to have the short nose like the ones above, despite writing to Intermountain several times with no reply i cant find a supplier of bodies.

Any help would be appreciated.

My beautiful wife spent five days last week with her daughter in Union City, TN. While traveling about, she stopped at a map store that was closing. She picked up a Roadmap Guide to railroads and railroad museums for the Northeastern states. It not only has maps, but all sorts of other cool stuff. It is published by Coop's Maps in Flagstaff, AZ. (that's fifty miles north of where I used to live!) She also brought back "SPV's Comprehensive Railroad Atlas of North America." It's of the Appalachia and Piedmont Railroad area, and it lists all of the railroads, including the present ones, that operated or are operating in this area. Has lots of maps, too! (I love maps!!) She bought a travel guide to all of the North American lighthouses, too, but, for some reason they left out the Tillamook light house in Oregon. :o BTW: I hope to begin running some trains pretty soon! I finally got some of the wall paneling in place, so now all I have to do is set up some of the "benchwork." (tables)

Check out the May 2009 Railroad Model Craftsman article about the Northwest Traction Group's modular traction layout. I've seen this at Trainfest, and been able to watch them set it up.
Power is overhead wire!, and the layout is modular! It runs beautifully, and looks great!