New Plan

[scubadude]

After a couple of years' studying all things trackplan, I submit for your critique my latest N scale trackplan.....

Scale: N (1/160)
Era/Locale: 1956-1976 along the route from Ft. Worth, Tx to Wilmington, NC
Prototype: Freelance based on Cotton Belt, KCS, SP, Southern, Santa Fe
Benchwork: 9'x12'x9' around the walls with expanded return loop peninsulas
Elevation: Track height 51" with max 3% grades to 57"; min turn radius - 13"
Track: Microengineering Code 55 weathered flex track; med turnouts
Control: Digitrax Zephyr w/throttle DCC

I have already had this plan operational with old, Atlas code 80 flex, so this plan fits the benchwork already contructed. Now I'm ready to make things permanent with the new Microengineering Code 55. But before I do, I just wanted to hear what you guys had to say as far as the operational aspect of this plan.

The west side of the layout is based on North Central Texas with the "Three C's" of Texas industry - cotton, crude and cattle...

The middle section is all full-service maintenance and double-ended classification yard. It also has a scenic block hiding the return trip around the layout....This is the focal point of the layout almost 11 N scale feet of yard with a/d track, east and west thru freight, east and west local, RIP maintenance and diesel service facility

The east side is patterned after North Carolina with lumber and coal as the main industries, and dramatic mountain scenery...

Looking to you all for comments and suggestions to improve.......

This plan is NOT to scale, just a drawing...    

[Tyson Rayles]

"The east side is patterned after North Carolina with lumber and coal as the main industries, and dramatic mountain scenery..."

Richard we have next to no coal in North Carolina, it was never commerically mined here that I know of. I live in the mountains here and the main industries were/are (depending on the era) lumber, furniture, pallets, pulpwood, paper and tobacco and down in the eastern part of the state there was a thriving textile industry. Putting Texas and North Carolina on the same layout should make for some interesting operations!

[scubadude]

Thanks for the info, Mike...yes there was very little coal in NC, however as a kid growing up in and around Orange County, NC (Mebane, Hillsborough just north of Ral/Dur, we studied the Coal Glen mining explosion. I included coal on the layout to represent this at some point. For now, I will loosely represent a coal mine by bashing the Walthers New River Mining kit. In my retirement years, I will scratchbuild this event [http://freepages.history.rootsweb.ancest..._glen.html]

Not to mention I have the Athearn Challenger from the Clinchfield that is just itching for some mountainous photo ops!

I know the Texas & Atlantic Railway is geographically unlikely, hard to find cattle, oil, cotton, coal, lumber and all their deliveries on one layout, but hey........

[Tyson Rayles]

[scubadude]

Thought I would post an update...I converted my lame drawings into a SCARM trackplan using Minxy's planning software. The yard tracks will actually be located a little closer to the edge of the bench. The mainline makes a gradual 2-3% grade leaving the east end of the yard and travels up and over the return loop at the southeast peninsula. Benchwork and pink foam down, will start laying track soon...pics to follow..... Comments are welcomed...

[Charlie B]

Hi Richard. I will follow along. It looks like a great track plan. You have put a lot of thought into it. Start those pictures flowing.
Charlie

[Tyson Rayles]

It looks like you will have a good long run.

[scubadude]

Yes, Charlie I have been planning this for a long time, been thru 2 smaller table top layouts and worked on a lot of others' projects, so now is the time to do my version of a "dream layout". My hope is that this plan will allow me to operate in a couple of ways....the lower mainline coming out of the yard is a point to point local delivery and the upper mainline with the return loops will represent long haul thru-freight or passenger trains, so I can operate switchlists or just let 'em run around and around.

Thanks for looking and feel free to make suggestions and comments, I need all the help I can get....

[scubadude]

                    Started test fitting new Microengineering code 55. Slight variations from track plan due to the differences in the Atlas turnouts vs ME turnouts, but is otherwise looking good so far. Here are a few snaps of bench work and future expansion...Microengineering track and turnouts are awesome!

[sailormatlac]

Interesting plan. I like how you managed to have a continuous loop and switching opportunities without overcrowding the benchwork.

Matt

[scubadude]

Getting the last of the bench work completed. The southeast return loop peninsula is now ready for the pink stuff...Merry Christmas

[Charlie B]

Richard, you are making a lot of head way, Happy New Year...
Charlie

[scubadude]

Pink stuff down....loosely fitting track and getting a feel for space. The digital track plan has translated well to the benchwork. I have made a few tweaks to the plan, I'll post an updated track plan later. Temporarily raised the track to see how it will get over the lower mainline...looks like a 2-3% grade should do it. Then it needs to descend at about the same pace to return under the "upper" mainline. Next step, install permanent risers and roadbed. Need to make a LHS run for a couple of turnouts to finish the coal spur.

Comments and suggestions are welcomed....

[Tyson Rayles]

[scubadude]

I have Tortoise switch machines to install on the T&A...the installation went well on my test bench, however Installing them under 4+ inches of benchwork, foam and roadbed will present a problem with the thin .025 wire that connects to the throw bar on the turnout.

Has anyone had experience with this? looks like a stronger wire thru a sleeve (straw) might work.....