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I am just arriving to the group. I have been in HOn3 for years but our recent move from a large house to a small townhome forces me to reconsider all my model Railroading to a simple 10' X 20" world. Like so many of you I still have excess kits in-spite of my prior sales on Ebay. I have NCE controls and Sound-Traxx in most of my favorite engines but it seems like the slow - speed SHAY should become the real focus now. Sierra West Kits have fascinated me because of their detail but in living in North Dakota their southern focus (lack of some doors) calls for some modification. Since We grew up in Wisconsin the "Chicago, Milwaukee, & St Paul" was my focus so a branch line is a natural. My interest in Genealogy revealed that 2 generations of my family worked at Fairbanks-Morse so I couldn't resist an early switching engine, so maybe I'll need to reconsider a use of dual- gauge track; so turnout conversions are also in my future. Anyway here I am in my mid-70s with more then enough to keep me busy...
Great to be able to look in on all of you and see how you wrestle with space problems.
Merry Christmas
Bill
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Welcome and good luck with your project.
Merry Christmas to you and all the members here.
Ron
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On Tue, Dec 24, 2019 at 1:03 PM Bill Reid <wreidfam@...> wrote:
I am just arriving to the group. I have been in HOn3 for years but our recent move from a large house to a small townhome forces me to reconsider all my model Railroading to a simple 10' X 20" world. Like so many of you I still have excess kits in-spite of my prior sales on Ebay. I have NCE controls and Sound-Traxx in most of my favorite engines but it seems like the slow - speed SHAY should become the real focus now. Sierra West Kits have fascinated me because of their detail but in living in North Dakota their southern focus (lack of some doors) calls for some modification. Since We grew up in Wisconsin the "Chicago, Milwaukee, & St Paul" was my focus so a branch line is a natural. My interest in Genealogy revealed that 2 generations of my family worked at Fairbanks-Morse so I couldn't resist an early switching engine, so maybe I'll need to reconsider a use of dual- gauge track; so turnout conversions are also in my future. Anyway here I am in my mid-70s with more then enough to keep me busy...
Great to be able to look in on all of you and see how you wrestle with space problems.
Merry Christmas
Bill
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Like many model railroaded, I often thought about the 'empire' I would build: locomotive servicing facility, turntable, roundhouse, long mainline through towns and rural areas, branch lines, interchanges, etc., etc. However, after 30 years of this 'planning', reality set in and I realized this dream layout might not be. A left over 1x8 foot piece of 1/2 inch plywood from some construction at our house inspired me. I took a track plan from an old issue of Railroad Model Craftsman. It was an extension to John Olsen's Jerome and Southwestern called the Back Alley and Wharf. Using the free version of Atlas' track planning software I was able to compress and elongate it to the size of the plywood. I kept it simple with manual switch levers and only 2 electrical blocks : the 'mainline' and all the rest. The thought was that in future, I might be able to set up a temporary loop and put the local switcher into a siding, flip the block switch to have a through train come through. Again, to keep it simple, I mounted the power source connector on the fascia. Having the power connector had an unintentional benefit of allowing me to switch from DC to DCC very easily.? And so I have been having fun with my revised empire and have been slowly thinning much of my 'stash. Merry Christmas to all!
On Tue, Dec 24, 2019 at 7:00 PM, Ron Hunt <btlarea@...> wrote: Welcome and good luck with your project. Merry Christmas to you and all the members here. Ron On Tue, Dec 24, 2019 at 1:03 PM Bill Reid < wreidfam@...> wrote: > > I am just arriving to the group. I have been in HOn3 for years but our recent move from a large house to a small townhome forces me to reconsider all my model Railroading to a simple 10' X 20" world. Like so many of you I still have excess kits in-spite of my prior sales on Ebay. I have NCE controls and Sound-Traxx in most of my favorite engines but it seems like the slow - speed SHAY should become the real focus now. Sierra West Kits have fascinated me because of their detail but in living in North Dakota their southern focus (lack of some doors) calls for some modification. Since We grew up in Wisconsin the "Chicago, Milwaukee, & St Paul" was my focus so a branch line is a natural. My interest in Genealogy revealed that 2 generations of my family worked at Fairbanks-Morse so I couldn't resist an early switching engine, so maybe I'll need to reconsider a use of dual- gauge track; so turnout conversions are also in my future. Anyway here I am in my mid-70s with more then enough to keep me busy... > Great to be able to look in on all of you and see how you wrestle with space problems. > Merry Christmas > Bill > >
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Back in the 1990's I had to go to "MODULAR". There was a decent modular group in the Sacramento (Roseville) area so I joined it.
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I was close to retirement.
?
In 2000 my wife passed away and I had to move into a "RETIREMENT CLOSET" with no room for a layout.
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So I built a 2X4 ft switching diaroma. It'a an Arizona desert town. One small mie and a cattle yard. Half a dozen town buildings and a small station.
?
All Campbell structures.
?
Manual switching. DC, NO DCC needed.
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It sits on top of a couple short bookcases.
?
Better than no layout!
?
Bob Macklin
Seattle, Wa
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? ?
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----- Original Message -----
Sent: 12/24/2019 6:01:58 PM
Subject: Re: [small-layout-design] Hello and Christmas Greetings
Like many model railroaded, I often thought about the 'empire' I would build: locomotive servicing facility, turntable, roundhouse, long mainline through towns and rural areas, branch lines, interchanges, etc., etc.
However, after 30 years of this 'planning', reality set in and I realized this dream layout might not be.
A left over 1x8 foot piece of 1/2 inch plywood from some construction at our house inspired me. I took a track plan from an old issue of Railroad Model Craftsman. It was an extension to John Olsen's Jerome and Southwestern called the Back Alley and Wharf. Using the free version of Atlas' track planning software I was able to compress and elongate it to the size of the plywood.
I kept it simple with manual switch levers and only 2 electrical blocks : the 'mainline' and all the rest. The thought was that in future, I might be able to set up a temporary loop and put the local switcher into a siding, flip the block switch to have a through train come through. Again, to keep it simple, I mounted the power source connector on the fascia.
Having the power connector had an unintentional benefit of allowing me to switch from DC to DCC very easily.?
And so I have been having fun with my revised empire and have been slowly thinning much of my 'stash.
Merry Christmas to all!
Bob Mitchell
On Tue, Dec 24, 2019 at 7:00 PM, Ron Hunt
<btlarea@...> wrote:
Welcome and good luck with your project. Merry Christmas to you and all the members here. Ron On Tue, Dec 24, 2019 at 1:03 PM Bill Reid < wreidfam@...> wrote: > > I am just arriving to the group. I have been in HOn3 for years but our recent move from a large house to a small townhome forces me to reconsider all my model Railroading to a simple 10' X 20" world. Like so many of you I still have excess kits in-spite of my prior sales on Ebay. I have NCE controls and Sound-Traxx in most of my favorite engines but it seems like the slow - speed SHAY should become the real focus now. Sierra West Kits have fascinated me because of their detail but in living in North Dakota their southern focus (lack of some doors) calls for some modification. Since We grew up in Wisconsin the "Chicago, Milwaukee, & St Paul" was my focus so a branch line is a natural. My interest in Genealogy revealed that 2 generations of my family worked at Fairbanks-Morse so I couldn't resist an early switching engine, so maybe I'll need to reconsider a use of dual- gauge track; so turnout conversions are also in my future. Anyway here I am in my mid-70s with more then enough to keep me busy... > Great to be able to look in on all of you and see how you wrestle with space problems. > Merry Christmas > Bill > >
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On 12/24/19 6:01 PM, Bob Mitchell via Groups.Io wrote: A left over 1x8 foot piece of 1/2 inch plywood from some construction at our house inspired me. I took a track plan from an old issue of Railroad Model Craftsman. It was an extension to John Olsen's Jerome and Southwestern called the Back Alley and Wharf. Using the free version of Atlas' track planning software I was able to compress and elongate it to the size of the plywood. I'm working on a 2x10 (plus staging) interchange layout.?? A main line going through, a branch line terminating (so I can have a turntable and engine house), and a few local industries.?? A 1900 time frame.?? It's taking forever because I've got too many hobbies! -- "... because this is America. ... And here, right matters.??? Vindman
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I know how it goes. After many years and several different RR's I found myself with a 30'x50' section of the basement all mine to do with as I please. I also found I no longer had the interest in a big payout, the time or what it took to constantly run up and down the stairs. So I opted for a spare bedroom and a 8'x10' space. Got everything I need in it, yea it is crowded and no I don't work on it much anymore but I swear I will one of those days. LOL Ron On Tue, Dec 24, 2019 at 9:14 PM Bob Mitchell via Groups.Io <nebula07869@...> wrote:
Like many model railroaded, I often thought about the 'empire' I would build: locomotive servicing facility, turntable, roundhouse, long mainline through towns and rural areas, branch lines, interchanges, etc., etc.
However, after 30 years of this 'planning', reality set in and I realized this dream layout might not be.
A left over 1x8 foot piece of 1/2 inch plywood from some construction at our house inspired me. I took a track plan from an old issue of Railroad Model Craftsman. It was an extension to John Olsen's Jerome and Southwestern called the Back Alley and Wharf. Using the free version of Atlas' track planning software I was able to compress and elongate it to the size of the plywood.
I kept it simple with manual switch levers and only 2 electrical blocks : the 'mainline' and all the rest. The thought was that in future, I might be able to set up a temporary loop and put the local switcher into a siding, flip the block switch to have a through train come through. Again, to keep it simple, I mounted the power source connector on the fascia.
Having the power connector had an unintentional benefit of allowing me to switch from DC to DCC very easily.
And so I have been having fun with my revised empire and have been slowly thinning much of my 'stash.
Merry Christmas to all!
Bob Mitchell
On Tue, Dec 24, 2019 at 7:00 PM, Ron Hunt
<btlarea@...> wrote:
Welcome and good luck with your project.
Merry Christmas to you and all the members here.
Ron
On Tue, Dec 24, 2019 at 1:03 PM Bill Reid <wreidfam@...> wrote:
I am just arriving to the group. I have been in HOn3 for years but our recent move from a large house to a small townhome forces me to reconsider all my model Railroading to a simple 10' X 20" world. Like so many of you I still have excess kits in-spite of my prior sales on Ebay. I have NCE controls and Sound-Traxx in most of my favorite engines but it seems like the slow - speed SHAY should become the real focus now. Sierra West Kits have fascinated me because of their detail but in living in North Dakota their southern focus (lack of some doors) calls for some modification. Since We grew up in Wisconsin the "Chicago, Milwaukee, & St Paul" was my focus so a branch line is a natural. My interest in Genealogy revealed that 2 generations of my family worked at Fairbanks-Morse so I couldn't resist an early switching engine, so maybe I'll need to reconsider a use of dual- gauge track; so turnout conversions are also in my future. Anyway here I am in my mid-70s with more then enough to keep me busy...
Great to be able to look in on all of you and see how you wrestle with space problems.
Merry Christmas
Bill
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Where there is a will there is a way. Anyone can have a layout if they
really want one and small ones can be as satisfying as large ones and
sometimes more so in many ways.
Ron
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On Wed, Dec 25, 2019 at 4:06 AM Bob Macklin < [email protected]> wrote:
Back in the 1990's I had to go to "MODULAR". There was a decent modular group in the Sacramento (Roseville) area so I joined it.
I was close to retirement.
In 2000 my wife passed away and I had to move into a "RETIREMENT CLOSET" with no room for a layout.
So I built a 2X4 ft switching diaroma. It'a an Arizona desert town. One small mie and a cattle yard. Half a dozen town buildings and a small station.
All Campbell structures.
Manual switching. DC, NO DCC needed.
It sits on top of a couple short bookcases.
Better than no layout!
Bob Macklin
Seattle, Wa
---
New Outlook Express and Windows Live Mail replacement - get it here:
----- Original Message -----
From: Bob Mitchell via Groups.Io <nebula07869@...>
Reply-To: <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: 12/24/2019 6:01:58 PM
Subject: Re: [small-layout-design] Hello and Christmas Greetings
________________________________
Like many model railroaded, I often thought about the 'empire' I would build: locomotive servicing facility, turntable, roundhouse, long mainline through towns and rural areas, branch lines, interchanges, etc., etc.
However, after 30 years of this 'planning', reality set in and I realized this dream layout might not be.
A left over 1x8 foot piece of 1/2 inch plywood from some construction at our house inspired me. I took a track plan from an old issue of Railroad Model Craftsman. It was an extension to John Olsen's Jerome and Southwestern called the Back Alley and Wharf. Using the free version of Atlas' track planning software I was able to compress and elongate it to the size of the plywood.
I kept it simple with manual switch levers and only 2 electrical blocks : the 'mainline' and all the rest. The thought was that in future, I might be able to set up a temporary loop and put the local switcher into a siding, flip the block switch to have a through train come through. Again, to keep it simple, I mounted the power source connector on the fascia.
Having the power connector had an unintentional benefit of allowing me to switch from DC to DCC very easily.
And so I have been having fun with my revised empire and have been slowly thinning much of my 'stash.
Merry Christmas to all!
Bob Mitchell
On Tue, Dec 24, 2019 at 7:00 PM, Ron Hunt
<btlarea@...> wrote:
Welcome and good luck with your project.
Merry Christmas to you and all the members here.
Ron
On Tue, Dec 24, 2019 at 1:03 PM Bill Reid <wreidfam@...> wrote:
I am just arriving to the group. I have been in HOn3 for years but our recent move from a large house to a small townhome forces me to reconsider all my model Railroading to a simple 10' X 20" world. Like so many of you I still have excess kits in-spite of my prior sales on Ebay. I have NCE controls and Sound-Traxx in most of my favorite engines but it seems like the slow - speed SHAY should become the real focus now. Sierra West Kits have fascinated me because of their detail but in living in North Dakota their southern focus (lack of some doors) calls for some modification. Since We grew up in Wisconsin the "Chicago, Milwaukee, & St Paul" was my focus so a branch line is a natural. My interest in Genealogy revealed that 2 generations of my family worked at Fairbanks-Morse so I couldn't resist an early switching engine, so maybe I'll need to reconsider a use of dual- gauge track; so turnout conversions are also in my future. Anyway here I am in my mid-70s with more then enough to keep me busy...
Great to be able to look in on all of you and see how you wrestle with space problems.
Merry Christmas
Bill
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Welcome aboard. Enjoying a smaller build cycle as well. Have a son living in Woodlake, CA and have become fascinated with the Visalia Electric Railway. Modeling its latter years with SP 44 ton switcher moving reefers and LCL shipments through the valley. Great fun researching and designing a modular/transportable system of construction.?
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I've never had a respectable amount of RReal estate. I once had a 4'x8' plywood board, but that was for a month. Of course the occassional roundy round under the Christmas tree. We all know how long they last!
I've collected a number of Erie and EL equipment, transition age. All DC. DCC is a possibility. The intention was for a flour / bread baking industry and some other small industries that I've researched in the area of Paterson NJ. There's lots of history there, the silk industry of the early 1900 and also a few loco manufacturers.
Now that I'm retired with much less space, I now am looking at a 2'x8' modular layout. This will reside on part of my desk! The flour industry is still part of the plan. a station, a small section of small industries and stores that reflect their dependance on the RR in Paterson.? Two sections able to stack one over the other for storage. After the new year I'll be starting some post on my RR blog (see below).
Like all elders we have fond memories of our younger years and how the RR was part of our lives. The path of research and planning is a much part of the hobby as building and operating. Enjoy!
? Best Regards Phil
KD2HTN / WA2069SWL
Long: 34.210293 Lat:-78.057048
FM04xf 30dl
______________________________
On Tuesday, December 24, 2019, 1:03:43 PM EST, Bill Reid <wreidfam@...> wrote:
I am just arriving to the group. I have been in HOn3 for years but our recent move from a large house to a small townhome forces me to reconsider all my model Railroading to a simple 10' X 20" world. Like so many of you I still have excess kits in-spite of my prior sales on Ebay. I have NCE controls and Sound-Traxx in most of my favorite engines but it seems like the slow - speed SHAY should become the real focus now. Sierra West Kits have fascinated me because of their detail but in living in North Dakota their southern focus (lack of some doors) calls for some modification. Since We grew up in Wisconsin the "Chicago, Milwaukee, & St Paul" was my focus so a branch line is a natural. My interest in Genealogy revealed that 2 generations of my family worked at Fairbanks-Morse so I couldn't resist an early switching engine, so maybe I'll need to reconsider a use of dual- gauge track; so turnout conversions are also in my future. Anyway here I am in my mid-70s with more then enough to keep me busy...
Great to be able to look in on all of you and see how you wrestle with space problems.
Merry Christmas
Bill
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James Dennis