New table, New layout! Pics+ Video

[SubwayHypes]

[SubwayHypes]

Greenmax Tokyu 5000 Series with New Microace 223 Series U@tech train.

[Bernard]

Subway - nice addition, where did you pick this up?

[Mudkip Orange]

New Microace 223 Series U@tech train.

That's HOT.

[to2leo]

Yikes please mind the gap between the train and the platform! 

 

Nice collection, I think I am beginning to like boxy train fleets!

[SubwayHypes]

Subway - nice addition, where did you pick this up?

The 223 U@tech is from Hobbysearch, here is a video highlighting my latest trains and some of my old favorites, plus done to Michael Jackson's Beat It for tribute.

 

And yes to2leo, passengers in my trains must brave a 4 foot jump to the platforms, lawsuits are piling up.

[disturbman]

Strange to see a blue train being pulled by a DF200.

 

I was also wondering, where happens your power related problems?

[SubwayHypes]

Yea i am well aware i need that ED75 but the DF200 is my only loco at the moment.

 

My power issues are intermittent, they are usually isolated to the outer line.  Basically about 4 or 5 of my motor cars (all kato) have trouble on the track, they seem to run fine, then lose power, and then RPMs raise again, then fall, then the train will die all together.  but then i have some motor cars (df200, all my microace gear) that run fine with no problems on both sides of the track. 

[quinntopia]

Great videos and pictures!  Thanks for sharing!  Really enjoying seeing your work!  I gotta tell you...I really love that Hitachi.....so cool.

[EWS60008]

Cracking layout there mate, I have the same model of that DF200 in my fleet as well. Keep up the good work and keep us posted .

[SubwayHypes]

So i have been thinking about tearing down the layout and starting over.   While i really really like my subway design, and i LOVE how the trains dissappear underground, the overall design is creating problems with power and current in the kato unitrack.  i could probably pull this layout off if i switched everything to a more flexible track of some kind, but the angles on my layout are creating stresses that i havent been able to solve.   I can barely run trains some nights because the power is so low in the track.

 

 

So i am thinking about making the layout a single level that would basically be a huge loop 3-4 tracks deep, with a large yard.  My current layout has made it hard to get create my train storage yard which i have always wanted.  I also just want my freaking trains to RUN, although i love my double decker and i amaze myself that i even pulled it off, these power issues are stressing me out and i am sure reverting to a more basic loop will enable me to actually run all these dozens of trains i have stockpiled.  i have spent too much money on them to just sit in place because every time i run them they stall.  i also just want to be able to look at my layout and see my whole collection sitting in place.

 

[disturbman]

That's maybe a sensitive idea. But couldn't you be able to have the yard and the station in the same area?

 

You could still try another double-decker but maybe with a less steep gradient. Maybe that's the issue here. Anyway, you should perhaps take the tracks off the layout and lay them on the ground to see if running is okay.

 

You could also, maybe start thinking about a new benchwork. One that can be more adapted to your needs.

[Mudkip Orange]

No!

 

Don't kill the two-level concept. Maybe bash your layout and start over (starting over is ALWAYS fun) but don't revert to single-deck operation. You won't be satisfied.

 

Assuming your max train length is 8 cars, you need a solid 3'6" for the yard tracks, plus leads. You can do that in a 4x8, but have you considered building a "wing" to the layout along an opposite wall? That would make a good yard location.

[disturbman]

Yeah, if you do it good enough you might even be able to have the yard over the underground section of the layout. I'm convinced you have to make a new benchwork and have an undergound section with a 2% steep instead of the 4% one.

[Mudkip Orange]

Are you planning on using Kato for the next incarnation? Or is Flextrack an option?

[disturbman]

Okay. I made a quick plan to show you the possibilities.

 

• The black lines are the upper loop (two track).
  
• The red line is a spur linking the inner loop to the underground loop.
  
• The green lines is the spur linking the underdroung loop to the upper outside loop. Here there is too possibilities. You can either build a folded 8 loop on the underground and then you will have to come out by the down side of the drawing. or you can make it like you had before goes down make a turn then come up by the upper spur.
  
• The blue lines are the yard
  

 

In fact there is another possibility. You can also isolate the underground loop from the other tracks. This is show with the clear blue line.

[SubwayHypes]

cool ideas ^^.    ideally i would like to have a main 4-track loop in which 2 of the tracks stay above ground, and maybe the other 2 dissapear underground and then re-connect with the 4 track somewhere else.

 

and then on top of that i would like to have a seperate 2 track underground loop that does not go above ground.

 

It would definately help to add another 4x4 table to the side of the 8X4, so that i would have an L shaped table. 

 

So many ideas, so little money!  In the time being im gonna keep the current double decker.  My housing lease is up in september so i have to start planning for dissassembly soon.

[to2leo]

If you want to create double decker without the agony of power loss, why not try using Kato V12 and V13 track sets to do it.  Beside, they are all very mobile and you can take down and rebuild again.

 

I know one thing that is on your side is your next house lease, since California is not doing well at all.

[SubwayHypes]

I used two kato v11 sets plus a 4% WS inclines, which i probably should have done 2% instead.  I would like to go with flex track next, specifically Peco Concrete Tie flex track, but money wont permit that right now.

 

Also i think my upper level supports are to blame, i should have used wood that was nailed into the bottom layer, instead i glued PVC pipe which made it kind of unstable.  ALso the upper level itself is too thin to support the whole level.  I will take these into consideration building my next layout.

[serenityFan]

I used two kato v11 sets plus a 4% WS inclines, which i probably should have done 2% instead. 

 

FWIW I am also using 4% inclines (although my layout is smaller than yours), I don't think they are that steep and so far no problem with the incline. I think I simply tried to avoid putting the unitrack joiners directly on the spot where the incline starts/ends, don't now if this helps...

 

But in general, i agree with the others, the two level concept is great, don't kill it   

[disturbman]

For your benchwork you certainly don't want a full double decker. Maybe you should try to have a wood benchwork (so it's sturdy enough for you to move it) like I drawn. The upper level will be abviously full in order to accomodate scenery. The lower will be smaller benches, nig enough to accomodate tracking where you need.

 

I also think that making an underground station under the upper one will be a great idea.

[Mudkip Orange]

For your benchwork you certainly don't want a full double decker. Maybe you should try to have a wood benchwork (so it's sturdy enough for you to move it) like I drawn. The upper level will be abviously full in order to accomodate scenery. The lower will be smaller benches, nig enough to accomodate tracking where you need.

 

I also think that making an underground station under the upper one will be a great idea.

 

You could do that by gluing the suspended track to the underside of an HCD.

[disturbman]

Yeah but then, on what does the layout rest?

 

Sub, another idea, you might also think about making your layout modular. You will then don't need to tear him down to be able to move.

[Mudkip Orange]

Yeah but then, on what does the layout rest?

 

Sawhorses? Cinderblocks? Used copies of "the purpose driven life" you bought off Amazon marketplace?

[Mudkip Orange]

cool ideas ^^.     ideally i would like to have a main 4-track loop in which 2 of the tracks stay above ground, and maybe the other 2 dissapear underground and then re-connect with the 4 track somewhere else.

 

and then on top of that i would like to have a seperate 2 track underground loop that does not go above ground.

 

What about this? Basically I took your existing layout (the green) and added "outer" tracks that stay on the upper level (yellow) and lower level (blue). You could build the upper level as the reverse image of the lower, but for operational variety I have the four tracks necking into a three-track station with side platforms and one "express" track. This gives you the opportunity to operate five trains continuously, or more with bottleneck/tower operation.

 

The turnouts at the station allow trains from the yard to access all tracks on the top deck. You'd need to add turnouts to the lower deck to allow trains from the upper yard to reach the blue line.