I was bored...

[nickhp]

Too hot outside.  Stuck indoors.  Bored.  Ventured into the garage storage room to find something and saw a small piece of 1" thick pink foam left over from making my t-trak corner module with the river and hills on it (see http://www.jnsforum.com/community/topic/7986-jason-and-nick-do-t-trak-modules/).

 

So, less than an hour later I had drawn up a small plan in XTrkCad that would fit that piece of foam.  The thought was to have something to run shorter trains on, with more of a countryside feel to it. 

 

Within a few hours I had completed the basics and tested the grades to make sure they would work, which they did.

 

Now the warning, I am a bit of a layout planner but not so much of a layout finisher, so who knows how far along this will go?  I guess time will tell!

 

Nick

 

 

[Ken Ford]

Is that the Woodland Scenics track subbase?  This looks like a fun little project!

 

What's the overall size?

[nickhp]

Yes, Woodland scenics sub base.  I haven't finished the big loop yet, that will be cut back to form an embankment. 

 

Overall size is 31 by 27 inches. 

 

Kato compact curves of 117 and 150mm radius.  I like small layouts so keep a "stock" of the 3 small kato curves (117, 150 and 183 radius) to try out ideas with, the larger stuff I can buy easily locally so I don't bother keeping a supply of most other pieces except for some straights and a few other 15 degree curve pieces.

 

Nick

[cteno4]

Nick,

 

Great little project! Quite fun, can't wait to see the results of your boredom!!

 

Cheers,

 

Jeff

[katoftw]

I'm having enough problems trying to get you a well planned layout.  And you get bored and mash one together in a single afternoon.  haha Nice job!.

[kvp]

 

Kato compact curves of 117 and 150mm radius.  

Nice layout, but with those curves, what could run on it?

[katoftw]

pivot body trams and trolleys etc

[Ken Ford]

Nice layout, but with those curves, what could run on it?

 

I recently picked up a Kato Pocket Line tram from Nariichi-san - it would run around this layout like a scalded rabbit!

 

 

[nickhp]

I should have mentioned that this is designed to run my b train shorty items on, not scale length items!

[cteno4]

looks perfect for that as the btrains look best on curves as when they are going on a curve at an angle to you they dont look so short, its only on the straight side view that they really look short!

 

love to see the trains going around this layout, please take a video!

 

cheers

 

jeff

[nickhp]

This layout has been getting some attention recently, I started it out of boredom and then got too busy to touch, but it was exhibited at the local train show in an unfinished state earlier this month and I hope to have it much further along for the bigger show in town early in March.  I will update the progress here in the next 2 weeks leading up to the show and then post a few shots from the show itself.

 

The one negative aspect of the layout is the grades.  Using Bandai Power 3 chassis with extra weight, I still have to go with 2 power chassis per train, whether it is 2 cars or up to 4 cars.  I am looking into better weights that might improve things to only needing 1 power chassis per train. 

 

Other than that, the layout got some good feedback even in its unfinished state, people couldn't figure out if it was a single track or double given the bridge hiding part of the layout.

 

Picture update soon.

 

Nick