Large Scale Central

N.B.R.R v4.0

Well, here we go (4th times a charm?) Below is a roof-top shot of what the kids and I laid out this morning. I thought I had more of the Split-jaw roadbed, but that appears to be all we have on hand.

I like the idea of a crossover in a figure 8…No plans to buy much more (as little as possible $) of the S-J Roadbed so I’ll have to work with what we have. here is an opposite end, ground level shot:

so what do you like about it? what would you change? We will build up grade for level running long before laying track :slight_smile:

There seem to be two camps to layout design.

Roundy-roundy, great if you want to watch trains go 'round.

Point to Pointy if you want to operate and switch cars and all that.

Both are a matter of taste. I discovered that Roundy-roundy isn’t for me. But the Grandkids loved it when they were small. I had them operating my trains in the backyard from about the age of three. I think it’s great that you are going to have two loops, to run 2 trains at once.

Don’t be surprised if there are boy trains and girl trains. My little granddaughter, now 10, still calls the loco she used to run when she was three, Emily.

If you think you personally will be taking this hobby beyond the ‘only for the kids’ stage, than don’t put a lot of heavy lifting into your layout at this stage. Just minimally level what you have to to get the trains running ASAP. The ASAP part is probably the most important thing. In a couple of years you may decide, as I did, to raise the whole thing to waist height or so, maybe on benchwork, or maybe on serious earthwork & hardscaping, and you may then want to go Pointy-pointy with your layout, again as I have done. I am glad I made these two changes. I love operating, and I now have a small group of fellow operators. How one runs one’s trains is a matter of personal taste and priorities however. Most garden RR’s that I know are Rounders.

You’re going to have a lot of fun, whichever way you go, especially with kids in the mix!

I just wish it was warm enough up here in January to get out there and work on projects like yours! Won’t be able to do a thing 'til late April - and then only if IF the weather is warmer than usual. Usually it’s the end of May. :-((

I’m just wondering if that inside circle (Top of the pic in the 1st pic and bottom of the pic in the 2nd) is going to be long enough to establish a usable grade especially if your going from 0" to 8-10" high for the bridge. Kinda hard to tell from the pictures.

(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-TVvkU3B2pXg/UP3ngoKSAgI/AAAAAAAAAMc/qV2SL9cGsOA/s800/DSC00246.JPG)

John, we’re into roundy-round down here :slight_smile: Ken good point on the grade…

Im with you Cal on the roundy round. I never got into the operation part. No patience for it lol.
I think you have a good start. Two loops is importan,t especially if you want to run or each kid wants to run. Thats why I went with two loops. I can run one and my little guy can run on the other.
Another option. Have one ground level loop and then have the second loop raised like a mountain line. Have tunnel on the lower loop while the upper loop goes above.

Awesome bridges!

KISS = Keep It Simply Simple , easier to build and manage, particularly if your goal is just to have some fun. look forward to seeing it progress!

Shawn said:
Im with you Cal on the roundy round. I never got into the operation part. No patience for it lol. I think you have a good start. Two loops is importan,t especially if you want to run or each kid wants to run. Thats why I went with two loops. I can run one and my little guy can run on the other. Another option. Have one ground level loop and then have the second loop raised like a mountain line. Have tunnel on the lower loop while the upper loop goes above.

I’d need 5 loops :slight_smile: good idea though(small mountain line), something I tried in the past and may try again. I like the ‘crossover’ effect, and blinding the view so one has to move around a bit to take it all in. It’s sub-40 here today and colder for the rest of the week, I may try to move some things around and see what I have to use if it warms a bit soon.

Victor Smith said:
KISS = Keep It Simply Simple , easier to build and manage, particularly if your goal is just to have some fun. look forward to seeing it progress!

Vic, my eldest (Eli) has been around for all the builds, and last night as we were settling down, he asked “how much bigger” were we going to build the RR. I told him, this time would be different, we’d start small and if the need arose-we could build out larger. I reminded him that in the past, our builds were much larger-and never were finished :slight_smile:

John Le Forestier said:
Awesome bridges!

Those came from the same gent who ‘gifted’ my kids the Split-jaw roadbed, I’m hoping to use them if I can. Here is a snapshot of his track plan:

(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/calenelson/track/trackplanalpha.jpg)

looking at that makes me think I may be missing some pieces???

I also failed to mention that I cleaned the gutters yesterday while on the roof taking snap-shots of the roadbed. My wife would have not understood me getting up there just for that, so I threw leaves to the wind with the ele blower killing two birds with one stone. I left the ladder down at the house to take any further shots from above as we progress.

C. Nelson said:
looking at that makes me think I may be missing some pieces?????
Well, you can always start out with the smaller inside loop and as time, ,money and material becomes available, start on the outside loop. Get something down and get something running, and add on as you go......;)

C. Nelson said:
Here is a snapshot of his track plan:

(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/calenelson/track/trackplanalpha.jpg)

looking at that makes me think I may be missing some pieces???

You’re either missing some pieces, or it’s possible not the entire RR used the Split Jaw roadbed. Either way, it was a pretty cool gift :slight_smile: We’ve got to get together so I can return the rail bender :wink: A few weeks down the road when I feel a little better. Ralph

Cale, remembering past posts of yours and thinking of your kids, I think this would be a perfect size and style of layout. Also, if you can’t make the grade and want a figure 8 make the figure 8 on the ground and have it go through a tunnel under an elevated line.
Just a thought. And it’s good to see ya back in the hobby!

Terry

Rock On! We need a retaining wall to acheive grade, Over the weekend we went ‘rock huntin’ and found a few fine examples right here in the yard!

(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/calenelson/FarmBuild/rock/rock1.jpg)

threre is a fine looking large rock holding that tree up…I wonder…

(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/calenelson/FarmBuild/rock/rock2.jpg)

Yep, a little heavy for the little 9N but it got it sat in place

(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/calenelson/FarmBuild/rock/rock4.jpg)

A few hours later the kids and I made some progress!

(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/calenelson/FarmBuild/rock/rock5.jpg)

Temp sitting in somewhat of a pattern that will eventually become a retaining wall to allow a build-up to an even grade.

Ralph, what a heck of a time to be under the knife…did you plan this or what?

Terry, good idea, and thanks for the post.

Nice start Cal. Glad to see you back into the hobby. The kids will have fun this summer, even the big kid;)

Shawn said:
Nice start Cal. Glad to see you back into the hobby.....

Looking good. As you probably know after three previos layouts; building it is the fun part. That’s why mine is never done.

"The road to hell is paved with good intentions" Bernard of Clairvaux

(http://www.fotolode.com/images/m7farms/RR/mess.jpg)

So there you go. Yes there is a Trestle buried along with the bridge…the pool adds a splash of color don’tcha think? and that Utility Cone really sets it off…

my abbreviated list of excuses:

  1. I hate Summer

  2. 30"+ of Rain just in the month of July

  3. My Weedeater is broken-again

  4. Can’t locate trailer to haul Bobcat

  5. Rocks needed to finish retainer are too big for my 9N to move (see #4)

  6. I hate Summer

Getting there mentally is the hardest part right now. 'course Fall is coming and I’m usually much happier to be outside then…let’s not anyone be holding their breath though-just in case!

Cale,

Roundy or pointy, your choice of course. Looks like a good use of space and a pretty nice plan.

I have only one complaint (suggestion). That wood pile is just too close. Unless you can access the wood from the other side you will almost certainly be trampling the layout when taking or stacking wood.

If it is accessible from the other side then I would look into at least a barrier or partial wall between the stack and the layout. Besides protecting things it would be a great backdrop for building flats or painted backdrop.

Great start though for sure.

nothing to show in the physical realm…but in the mental realm:

(http://rsrc.psychologytoday.com/files/imagecache/article-inline-half/blogs/105364/2012/11/110399-108297.jpg)

wheels are a turnin’…

edit: Wait, I have completed a task-I moved the Woodpile and plan to extend that wall to center post (at least) at full height and half height to opposite end-and use it for the town area with Built-up Flats

Cal you cant use the summer excuse. Its fall and perfect time to build especially in SC. :wink: