nice!
and remarcably smooth.
I realize I have not posted much in a while. Been quite busy. The train shed is nearly completely and ready to house the trains. I began working on phase 2 of the railroad, while also planning a phase 3. I now have finished the plans, at least as far as I will take the track this year. I don’t see myself adding much more beyond what you will see here due to no more yard space/reachable areas.
The attached image shows the phases I will be finishing this up in. The first phase, which was time lapsed here is in red, though parts of it were reworked for phase 2. The phases go up from there by colors of the rainbow.
SCARM estimates about 700 feet of track in total when I am done.
If you were to create a circuit diagram, or unfold the dog bones for this layout you’ll see its 2 circles, with a double cross over connecting the two circles. There are a few sidings, and the entire rail yard.
If I just want to have a train running for display and maximizing both viewership and track coverage, I can flip the double cross over and it will travel most of both loops.
If I want to run two trains simultaneously I can leave the double cross over straight and run one train on the original red line, and a second one on the blue line.
The track that cuts across the yard in the middle will be only about 6 to 8 inches off the ground. I will end up raising the earth up there like a hill or ramp so I can easily push my lawn mower over it to cut the grass. It will also facilitate walking. Course this could be subject to change once the track is installed.
Steepest grade is 4%. Clearance for all tracks crossing above/below is 12 inches.
Rethinking the grades based on searches on this site. I tried my engines out on a test setup with a 4% grade and 5 cars, with extra weights and it still seemed to go up just fine. Going to reduce the grades to 3% though as the grades are on curves.
Wot happened to the time lapse videos?
Mitch Barrie said:
Wot happened to the time lapse videos?
They are all still there. They were posted with an http:// location, and now LSC is https://.
They easiest way to see them is to log out of the secure https:// LSC site by deleting the “s” in the address and refresh the page. It will now be on the non secure LSC (http://) and the videos will be there.(http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)
At some point I’ll maybe go back and fix any broken links but there is a playlist of all the videos I made for the railroad thus far.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjOb2aZK3HAIwd8V0srx1yOkBJ3f-mHla
I apologize if it’s an insult, not meaning it that way, but when I watch the fast motion progress, all I keep hearing in my head is the Benny Hill theme music, lol
It has been quite a while since I posted an update to the railroad. A lot of work has gone on over the summer. Changes include
- A lower level to the shed built with the shed in place. A nice challenge to design and build. Holds 4 tracks almost as long as the upper levels (which holds 5). The lower level is connected by track as well maintaining the rule that all rail cars are to be on tracks even in storage.
- Landscape raised for the one part of the railroad that cuts through the yard. People no longer need to step over a 1 foot tall raised track and can climb up the hill.
- Gravel poured to cover up all the ground below the track bed to keep the weeds at bay.
- Track additions
- Added a track to attach down to the lower level of the shed
- Added another track at the back of the shed to help with shuttling trains in and out of the shed.
- A Y was created
- Numerous spurs
I am only now finishing adding the final track pieces. I have one more order of track to put in and then I can complete the primary work for this year. You can see the updated map in this post.
Very nice, Nicolas!! That track plan should be fun for years.
maintaining the rule that all rail cars are to be on tracks even in storage.
Gee, if I had that rule, I would have a lot less rolling stock, a lot less, quite a lot less…
Lets see how long the rule is enforced. (https://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)
Wow, that is a big change. Very nice.
David Maynard said:
maintaining the rule that all rail cars are to be on tracks even in storage.
Gee, if I had that rule, I would have a lot less rolling stock, a lot less, quite a lot less…
Lets see how long the rule is enforced. (https://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)
When I set out to do my railroad there were a few things that were important for me
- The railroad must be ready to run a train within the shortest amount of time possible. Currently I can have something running in the time it takes to open the shed, which is less then 1 minute.
- All engines, and rolling stock must be stored on tracks connected to the railroad. If they are not stored on the tracks, then the likelihood of me using them at all goes down drastically since shuttling them in and out of the house/garage ends up being a deterrent.
The first tenant for me comes from my childhood when I would arrive at someones house with a railroad and it wouldn’t be operational. I was always disappointed. When guests come to visit, if they want to see the trains I can share my hobby with them. I can have up to 1 train running in about a minute, and once I have let it make a careful pass over the tracks I can add 2 more pretty quickly.
My train shed has 5 tracks @187" of upper storage and 4 tracks at a 180" of lower tracks. That is a 152 feet of storage. I currently have the upper level completely full and the lower level 3/4 full. At this point there’s not much more out there in terms of cars or engines that I am looking to purchase and I still have some expansion room that I will be very careful about filling up since it is all I have left. There’s not really any more room to add any additional tracks for storage. I was almost tempted to get some of the recently announced USA and Piko Halloween cars but I had to pass as it was a lot to spend on cars I could only use a few days out of the year. Seasonal cars would be the exception to my #2 rule.
Nicolas, I completely agree with your goals.
When I started, I first had the cars in their original boxes was clearly a pain.
Then I got some clear storage boxes, where I could put one layer of cars, usually 4 in one box, and the boxes were stacked up on carts, so running trains consisted of rolling a cart, unloading the boxes and then sorting through them to find what I wanted… being transparent helped, but you could only stack the boxes so high, and they were not really secured.
Then I finally made rolling containers, with shelves that held about 21 cars… this was a lot better, easier to get to, weather proof…
BUT, recently I realized that the 2 mainline tracks by the back of the house were pretty sheltered, and leaving some trains on the tracks, and draping a bath towel over them (for the dew) worked fine.
Now I come home from work, lift the towel and run the train out… and it is so easy, I am indeed running trains more, just that 10 minutes saved to put out a short train makes all the difference.
So, I think you have learned human nature very well.
It seems silly that just a few minutes can make a big difference in how you enjoy your trains, but I have seen this with myself.
Greg
The work for the year is nearly complete. I managed to get quite a bit done despite the delayed start this.
- Lower level of the shed is completely. All that remains is to drive the cars into their parking places.
- The additions have been completed with track secured.
- Weed control is now in place with gravel spread under all tracks and I began to back fill one of the areas. Will be completed next summer.
- Decking installed in one section as a test for a raised platform surrounding the track.
- The bridge planned for the railroad has finished construction and is primed. It will soon be painted and ready for business.
Photos of all the construction and work soon to come. In the meantime.
I know this is a little late, but I’m glad to see you posted again. Hadn’t seen you around all summer and was beginning to wonder what you werer up to.
I have a lot of updates still to post. It was a pretty packed summer and I am still catching up. I finished building this year quite late into the year a week or two before the end of October. Will have updates in the new year.
good to see a lot of progress. its the time of the year to catch up on little things now and prepare for the next season of running. Looking forward to lots of pictures of the progress!
Here is an update for Schulz Bridge.
You should be able to see the construction photos here (no need to sign in to Facebook).
Here is a video revealing the bridge.
Nicolas Teeuwen said:
Here is an update for Schulz Bridge.
You should be able to see the construction photos here (no need to sign in to Facebook).
Here is a video revealing the bridge.
Nicolas,
Shultz bridge looks great! 
BTW, do the lights work yet? I’d love to see it lit at night. (https://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)