Port Able Railway v2.0

[Mike Kieran]

I can't put a folding drop leaf there because there's going to be a wall abutting one end. I want to keep it contained within the edges of the layout. Think of it as an ISL wrapped around itself, kind of like a Palmetto Spur or an Inglenook layout.

[sailormatlac]

I can't put a folding drop leaf there because there's going to be a wall abutting one end. I want to keep it contained within the edges of the layout. Think of it as an ISL wrapped around itself, kind of like a Palmetto Spur or an Inglenook layout.

And an ISL that doesn't need a cassette! A good point in my opinion! That's a humility lesson you're teaching us.

Let's face it, not anybody can mount a layout on a wall (the reason why my layout is in someone else home!).

For a long time, I was limited to a 4' x 4' board. I once tried a similar layout as yours with a mining/forest theme. However, I went to far, making it a twice around (conceptually interesting, but lack of flat trackage proved to be a problem for switching operation).

Mike, I think you went quite with your building layout. At some point, when drawing we face a wall called reality and lose sense of proportion. It happens in the real world when working on some building plans. The track plan is relatively cast in concrete and the overall scenery concept credible. At this point, you will see that the real solution will come up when you will start mocking up the layout in real life, just like Faraway proves us every single week!

If you don't have bough most structures, I would seriously suggest to only get the principal ones and see what you can do with boxes, cardboard mock up, etc... Catalog pictures are attractive. Reality, in such a small place, may looks like a collage and kills the realistic stance you are trying to work out. Maybe you'll get better reasult with buildings that blends togethers. My criticism about DPM modular wall is that they are very large (windows, doors, etc...) and blend with difficulty with some other manufacturers building. Also, they tend to make a scene looks smaller. I would suggested you to check out other DPM offerings like Laude Manufacturing building. They are cheaper than modular walls, looks better, have smaller windows (a 12" building with 12 windows will look considerably larger than the same thing with only 8 large windows). They can be easily bashed and combined to suit your need.

Good luck! I'm really eager to see this layout take form in real.

Matt

[Svein]

Don't know how I've managed to miss this thread...

The track plan looks good, should be interesting to operate, and proves that you don't need a large layout to have fun!

I'm curious about the three sections, how do you plan to connect them together? I started on a somewhat similar layout a couple of years ago, only slightly larger than yours, but with a tilting frame on wheels instead of multiple sections. Never got around to finishing it, sold the framework to another guy who wanted it for his son's layout, but there are some pics and a brief description of the construction here.

Svein

[kamerad47]

I understand what you are saying ! How about the other end????? I love simple But, i think you will run into trouble having the interchange on the main???? I just think there is 3 things you need in a model RR , some place to get a car some trackage ( short or long) & some reason the car is there!!! other wise I think it may be just a Diorama! Just my thought.

[sailormatlac]

I understand what you are saying ! How about the other end????? I love simple But, i think you will run into trouble having the interchange on the main???? I just think there is 3 things you need in a model RR , some place to get a car some trackage ( short or long) & some reason the car is there!!! other wise I think it may be just a Diorama! Just my thought.

I agree the interchange track would need to be off the mainline. It could easily be added just like the Gateway Project referenced. In Mike's first plans, there was provision for a "long" spur that could be used for this purpose.

Matt

[sailormatlac]

Hi Mike, just for fun, I tried to do something with Kamerad47 comment.

Your layout gave me some ideas about an average small rural community. The local is based on a stretch of CNR trackage part of the old Intercolonial between Levis and Montmagny. It's protofreelanced from 3 small villages in the area. Basically, it's you same old track plan, but I tried to see if something could be done about a interchange track long enough to store cars useful to operate the layout. Dimensions are similar to yours, they could be made a little bit smaller.

For visual divider, I used a combination of a low profile Appalachian ridge caracteristic of the area and also industrial buildings and three line.

The layout is made of three scenic blocks wrapped around 3 parallel streets: Grain Elevator, Village, Industrial district.

Most structures are leftover from the club layout I decided to pluck to see if I could come with something that could work.

Turnouts are PECO ST-245 and streamline small radius. Min. radius is 18".



Maybe I'll try to build it with leftover from my previous 2012 resolution contest. I should take about 1-2 hour to build a benchwork out of foam and a pair of 18" closet doors.

Honestly, I really surprised how this simplified track plan can fit many different settings. Lots of possibilities.

Matt

[shortliner]

Neatly done, Matt - the only difference I'd make is to move all the track 1"-1.5" to the right to get the end of theinterchange away from the edge of the table. Gravity switching can really spoil your day!
I also wonder about fitting another curved turnout into the start of the upper siding. running down to the plastics factory, to give an off-spot track - but that would take us away from Mike's original concept

[sailormatlac]

Neatly done, Matt - the only difference I'd make is to move all the track 1"-1.5" to the right to get the end of theinterchange away from the edge of the table. Gravity switching can really spoil your day!

Jack, ahahah! Gravity switching take less place using vertical space available under the layout top!

I also wonder about fitting anothe curved turnout into the start of the upper siding. running down to the plastics factory, to give an off-spot track - but that would take us away from Mike's original concept

It could be easily done and would be useful to store a switcher locomotive, etc. Mike's minimal trackage is what's make it realistic and not over crowded. Anyway, I've got plenty of PECO curved turnout from my Harlem Station project (funny how Harlem Station can be built on the same template!).

Matt

[Mike Kieran]

I understand what you are saying ! How about the other end????? I love simple But, i think you will run into trouble having the interchange on the main???? I just think there is 3 things you need in a model RR , some place to get a car some trackage ( short or long) & some reason the car is there!!! other wise I think it may be just a Diorama! Just my thought.

Here's my two industry track plan variation:



It's actually an ISL style switching layout wrapped into a circle. The overpass marks the beginning and the end of the layout. Here's the schematic of what I mean:

[Mike Kieran]

I can't put a folding drop leaf there because there's going to be a wall abutting one end. I want to keep it contained within the edges of the layout. Think of it as an ISL wrapped around itself, kind of like a Palmetto Spur or an Inglenook layout.

And an ISL that doesn't need a cassette! A good point in my opinion! That's a humility lesson you're teaching us.

Let's face it, not anybody can mount a layout on a wall (the reason why my layout is in someone else home!).

For a long time, I was limited to a 4' x 4' board. I once tried a similar layout as yours with a mining/forest theme. However, I went to far, making it a twice around (conceptually interesting, but lack of flat trackage proved to be a problem for switching operation).

Mike, I think you went quite with your building layout. At some point, when drawing we face a wall called reality and lose sense of proportion. It happens in the real world when working on some building plans. The track plan is relatively cast in concrete and the overall scenery concept credible. At this point, you will see that the real solution will come up when you will start mocking up the layout in real life, just like Faraway proves us every single week!

If you don't have bough most structures, I would seriously suggest to only get the principal ones and see what you can do with boxes, cardboard mock up, etc... Catalog pictures are attractive. Reality, in such a small place, may looks like a collage and kills the realistic stance you are trying to work out. Maybe you'll get better reasult with buildings that blends togethers. My criticism about DPM modular wall is that they are very large (windows, doors, etc...) and blend with difficulty with some other manufacturers building. Also, they tend to make a scene looks smaller. I would suggested you to check out other DPM offerings like Laude Manufacturing building. They are cheaper than modular walls, looks better, have smaller windows (a 12" building with 12 windows will look considerably larger than the same thing with only 8 large windows). They can be easily bashed and combined to suit your need.

Good luck! I'm really eager to see this layout take form in real.

Matt

I made the same mistake before it hit me. In my original track plan, the spur track on the end was going to be the interchange track (like Carl Cascone's Kanawah Creek Railroad). I then decided to just make the upper right corner a grade crossing separating the beginning and end of the track with the "interchange becoming a spur.

This is when I decided to make the right end grade crossing an overpass. I then realized that if I wanted to have a switcher with 4 box cars switching the manufacturing Company, I needed 38 inches of switching lead. I then moved the overpass to the 2 o'clock position, giving me a lead and a decent interchange for 2 box cars and 2 covered hoppers.

[Mike Kieran]

Mike,Looking at your track plan I can envision a short line with a small drivered 2-6-0 or GE 44 or 70 tonner..

I would operate that layout as point to point.

That's what I was aiming for. A short line with some kind of switcher, maybe an 0-4-0 Varney Little Joe or a 45 tonner.

[Mike Kieran]

Mike,

I think your building location really improved since your first draft. Most of them creat a visual barrier at different level, making the background dynamic and deep. That should pay off a lot. If I read well your plan, a long part of the main street after the overpass is still elevated which is a good idea. Regina Manufacturing could be on two level (track level, and upper storey at street level. It would visually justify the track going under the building.

Matt

I was pondering this, but I decided to just make an overpass on Hill Street and use the buildings as view blocks.

[Mike Kieran]

I understand what you are saying ! How about the other end????? I love simple But, i think you will run into trouble having the interchange on the main???? I just think there is 3 things you need in a model RR , some place to get a car some trackage ( short or long) & some reason the car is there!!! other wise I think it may be just a Diorama! Just my thought.

I hear what you're saying.

The interchange is on the beginning of the mainline. Like most shortlines, it's an abandoned branch with a few spurs. I've decided to leave the engine on the other end of the mainline without an engine house and just have the engine run caboose first to the interchange.

[Mike Kieran]

Hi Mike, just for fun, I tried to do something with Kamerad47 comment.

Your layout gave me some ideas about an average small rural community. The local is based on a stretch of CNR trackage part of the old Intercolonial between Levis and Montmagny. It's protofreelanced from 3 small villages in the area. Basically, it's you same old track plan, but I tried to see if something could be done about a interchange track long enough to store cars useful to operate the layout. Dimensions are similar to yours, they could be made a little bit smaller.

For visual divider, I used a combination of a low profile Appalachian ridge caracteristic of the area and also industrial buildings and three line.

The layout is made of three scenic blocks wrapped around 3 parallel streets: Grain Elevator, Village, Industrial district.

Most structures are leftover from the club layout I decided to pluck to see if I could come with something that could work.

Turnouts are PECO ST-245 and streamline small radius. Min. radius is 18".



Maybe I'll try to build it with leftover from my previous 2012 resolution contest. I should take about 1-2 hour to build a benchwork out of foam and a pair of 18" closet doors.

Honestly, I really surprised how this simplified track plan can fit many different settings. Lots of possibilities.

Matt

Matt, I love this plan and had a similar design. I would want this plan with 22 inch radius curves.

I would go with the width and an extra siding, but I want to keep the with to 38 inches so that I can fit the layout into my 1995 Nissan Maxima or something smaller down the road since I don't see myself buying a larger car.

[Mike Kieran]

Don't know how I've managed to miss this thread...

The track plan looks good, should be interesting to operate, and proves that you don't need a large layout to have fun!

I'm curious about the three sections, how do you plan to connect them together? I started on a somewhat similar layout a couple of years ago, only slightly larger than yours, but with a tilting frame on wheels instead of multiple sections. Never got around to finishing it, sold the framework to another guy who wanted it for his son's layout, but there are some pics and a brief description of the construction here.

Svein

Hey Svein,

I plan on making it in 3 38x22 inch sections that bolt together. I plan on storing the legs inside the frame in 36 inch lengths that slide inside each other like a tent frame when at shows and just putting it on my table when at home..