Finally running some trains!

[nik_n_dad]

Last year Nik and I were going to do a "quick" expansion, but health, work, and life in general halted our project for quite a while. However, we were FINALLY able to get at least part of the layout running.

 

It's still not much to look at, as we're focuses on getting all the track running sooner than later, and get scenery in place later (Nik is a senior in high school and will be going to college in the fall, so running time is critical).

 

Trains were never my hobby, but as many of you parents know, things your kids get interested in can often become your hobby. Nik was intererested in trains since he was 2 years old. He had his first n-scale loop and trains at 5. He has liked a variety of trains, from steam to diesel to freight to passenger to bullet trains. Our collection spans eras and countries. We've never let prototypical running or scenes get in the way of having fun with his hobby. ;-)

 

When we decided to expand the layout (it was supposed to be simple, reusing as much of an older layout as possible), we decided to add an elevated track for the bullet trains, along with an appropriate station (on the right side). The station is 6.5 feet (~2M) in length so we can park some good-sized bullet trains.

 

The idea is to put in a scene divider down the middle, with a modern city on the right (hence the tall buildings and the train station). On the left side we are building a more traditional US scene in a transition era. Of course, the bullet train will be running along the mountain, above the town. Towards the back on the far right there's a third scene developing with an active mine scene. Also towards the back in the center will be a tall mountain to be able to use a European cog railway that allows 20-degree inclines.

 

Where I'm standing to talk the photos will be a double-decker yard for us to park trains, maybe add some other details there.

 

Thanks for all the help and support to get us this far. There will be many many more questions as we get the elevated deck up and running, and then scenicking of course.

 

Other things you may be interested in:

 

Virtually all kato n-scale unitrack

DCC (NCE)

NCE Swtich-Kats used to control turnouts

 

Layout length: ~18 feet (5.5M) without the yard

Width: 4' (1.2M) without the mine area or the yard

[bill937ca]

Hey, nice layout room!  

[JR 500系]

Beautiful layout in a beautiful room! Thanks for sharing!

 

Is that HO scale? Somehow it looks much bigger...

[velotrain]

Interesting bridge on the windowsill.

 

At first I thought it might be by Hack  http://www.modellbahnshop-lippe.com/gattung/Hack/84-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-gatt-gb-p-0/gattung.html

 

but now I'm wondering if it might be a bash of two separate kits?

[nik_n_dad]

1) Thanks

 

2) It's n-scale

 

3) the bridges sitting on the window sill indeed are a couple of Hack bridges.  It just looks funny by the way they're stacked:

https://www.en.dm-toys.de/produktdetails/items/hack-bn24-2.html

https://www.en.dm-toys.de/produktdetails/items/Hack-HN32-2.html

[cteno4]

Nik,

 

Way cool train room and so great you and your son share the Hobby! My dad was a big wood worker and let me start smashing my thumb at 3.5 yrs old and got me hooked. I always think of him if I pick up any tool in the shop, really a wonderful gift you gave to him and a way to be a great dad to him!

 

Maybe he will take a small box of trains and a loop of Unitrak for his dorm room.

 

I bought a Tomix Russell snow plow I saw in the uc Berkeley bookstore of all places in grad school (way before I moved into Japanese trains). My childhood layout had gone in college and it just looked cool. I had it above my desk and everyone would ask what it was and be interested in it and didn't think it funny I wanted to get back to my model trains! But it drove my boss crazy as a scientist should not be playing with model trains, but that made it perfect!

 

Cheers

 

Jeff

[nik_n_dad]

Jeff-

 

I was planning on building him  couple of z-scale layouts in the Rokuhan cases for him to take to college, but as it turns out, he's planning on going to school only an hour away, so he's planning on a few weekends here and there at home to run trains (get fed, have mom do laundry...)

 

Glad you have the memories.  Nik likes to unwind at the end of the day by running trains.  It's been a time that we can still talk.  a tough feat at 17!

[cteno4]

Nik,

 

Yes and great you found that window,mit can be very hard to find at that age!

 

A weekend here and there?! Food, laundry and trains, he will be home most every weekend!

 

Cheers,

 

Jeff