On30 layout survey

[Bob Peterson]

1. What is your On30 display? Mining, or logging operations, Christmas village, Mfg. ops., or a circle around Christmas tree?
Based on the Maine two footers.  [As if they had lasted a little longer.]

Mfg. ops., passenger traffic, harbour, all in a fictional area of Maine.
Lots of pulpwood.

2 What do you have for Buildings on your layout? Scratch built, Plasticville,
Dept. 56?

Kit bashed IHC,  Plasticville, Lionel,  some craftsman kits .

3. What era does your layout represent? Civil war, turn of century, modern,
or let us know the exact date.

1940s

4. What size and type is your layout? Shelf type , table top, walk around, 4x8, ping pong table, Etc...

Shelf type, walk around. Around three walls in the basement, with one table at each end.

[Tomcat]

1. Have got two Layouts: one is mainly a Logging RR somewhere in the
    Eastern States with all types of geared Engines plus some of the
    great Consolidations (thanks Bachmann for these Beauties!!!!)

    The other is located on my O-scale Standard Gauge Layout and picks up
    some kind of DRGW/RGS Narrow Gauge to allow me to operate the really
    big Engines (please Bachmann, get into this job too, there are some
    Models which would be worth to be built by someone)


2. I´m scratchbuilding from Wood and Paper (by using PaperCreek) plus
    using Plastic Kits (Walthers) which I´m going to weather and paint, plus
    Paper Creeks O-Scale Buildings and some Resin Cast Houses which
    improve great when beeing correctly painted.

3. Layouts represent the 40ies and 50ies, so mostly post-war.

4. The Logging Layout is a U-shaped Shelf Type Layout, the other fits into a
     bigger Standard Gauge Layout of approx. 18ft x 20ft


---> On30 is getting more and more common over here in Germany, but
       O-Scale Standard Gauge is a rare find, especially if one looks for
       an American Layout Theme... But I never did regret to change over
       from HO Scale to O. In fact, Bachmann did the trick: Infected me with
       0n30, later on I dismantled the HO and built a new O-Scale Layout.
       Its true what once could be read in the Model Railroader: Changing
       to another theme and/or Scale could give you a complete restart in
       this Hobby. It really did...

Kind regards, Tom

[gmhtrains]

  To add to the ongoing On30 layout survey, I am in the process of building a freelanced common carrier shortline that is located in the western half of Oregon, where I live. By operating both steam and diesel/gas locos, this pretty much fixes the era as late 1940's/early 1950's.
  While my favorite narrow gauge experiences were in Newfoundland (both the ex-Newfoundland Railway during CN and TerraTransport eras and on the Grand Falls Central), I've also ridden the White Pass & Yukon (Whitehorse to Skagway and return) and Mexico's FUS (Sureste) routes out of Merida, Yucatan, (daylong roundtrip to Tizimin in 1981). In fact, the corporate family tree for my On30 shortline may include subsidiary status under the imaginary YyY (Yukon y Yucatan) empire extending from Carcross to Compeche (previously known as the CyC). I have spent very little time on the Colorado narrow gauge, probably due to over-exposure.
  But I digress. Structures on the layout are a mix of plastic, resin, laser-cut wood and hydrocal kits, kit-mingled projects and scratchbuilding. I have many Chooch (now Berkshire Valley) and Yorke kits from the early 1980's as well as the latest Mainstreet Heritage and Schomberg Models structures.
  The layout is being built on two-foot by four-foot "domino" tables that will be connected in a twisting point-to-point configuration. The railroad headquarters, enginehouse and yard will be at one end and an interchange yard at the other. I invite other, local, On30 modelers to build their own railroads off the same central yard.
  I picture the central yard, which will have a train-length traverser or transfer table, as a "starter double" in a game of dominoes. My shortline, which will probably end up with 14-to-18 four-foot tables, wanders out from the central yard in one direction. Two or three other shortlines could head other directions. I just don't want anyone to build a tail-chasing loop that is the basis of most modular club layouts.
  Ideally my shortline will have one industrial or station spur per table, although I'm now thinking that four feet of open countryside between each switching location may be preferrable. Most "stations" will just be wayside flagstops. The principal town will be built on three-foot wide tables to allow both sides of the main street to be modeled, likely with the railroad running down the center (with curbed, private right-of-way rather than in-the-pavement street running).
  My favorite locomotive will probably be a 14-ton Climax, built from Bachmann's HO Climax and Boulder Valley's On30 conversion kit. I plan to operate primarily Boulder Valley and Foothills Models 20-foot length freight cars, as well as others that I shorten.
  I will have 14 to 15 months to get this layout built and running for the 2008 National Narrow Gauge Convention in Portland, Oregon. In the meantime, I will be giving a prototype clinic at Portland, Maine, this year.
gmhtrains

[c-16]

Hello all,
Just starting to get back working on my On30 Crystal River Southern Layout after about 7 months!
Too many other things taking my time. I have an open house in early September by our train club and would like to get the middle island completed by them.
And thanks to all of you who have viewed my layout in the photo gallery. It has over 10,000 views as of this date! Thanks to all!

1. What is my On30 layout?
   Freelance mining, operations, Livestock, Small industry, Passenger traffic.
   Based on the Colorado narrow gauge lines.

2 What do I have for buildings on my layout?
   Scratch built, Kits, and kit bashed structures.

3. What era does does my layout represent?
    late 1930's

4. What size and type is my layout?
    Shelf type, walk around. Around three walls in the basement, with and
    island.

5. Motive power:
    2-6-0's
    2-8-0's
    K-27
    shays
    Mack Center cab
    rail trucks/buses

[Ken]

gmhtrains

   May need to talk, to aquire trackage right's on the Yukon & Yucatan
for my Northern Division (Dolly Varden/Kaslo&Slocan  to connect with
the Mexicano and point's South for my RR<BG>

  Making plans to attend Portland in 2008

  Ken
   GWN

[ginzokid]

1. What is your On30 display? Mining, or logging operations, Christmas village, Mfg. ops., or a circle around Christmas tree?

My layout is a fictional "museum/tourist" attraction set in the eastern applacian hills of what used to be a lively logging industry. The logging camp has turned into a tourist display attraction at the end of the branch line. The mainline now runs past a small ghost town, over several tall trestles and deck bridges through the forrested route to the small town and base of operation.

2 What do you have for Buildings on your layout? Scratch built, Plasticville,
Dept. 56?

All my structures are craftsman type wood kits by Bar Mills and others and a few scratch built ones as well.

3. What era does your layout represent? Civil war, turn of century, modern,
or let us know the exact date.

Time stopped on this road when the logging died out, about 1935.

4. What size and type is your layout? Shelf type , table top, walk around, 4x8, ping pong table, Etc...

The Shiloh Valley Museum Railroad is in my very cold 18' x 23' basement taking up the walls on shelves and a center island. Everything is DCC using an NCE system with Bachmann, Precision Scale and BLI locomotives, all sound equipped.
TheGinzokid

[Mark Damien]

My current layout plan started as a module in HO, but after laying a little test track, I decided to make it ON30. I assumed HO would require less room, but most of my HO locomotives are large & therefore require long trains. ON30 being narrow gauge appears fine on this size Layout.

1/. When complete, it will have a small harbour for general goods & coal. A coal mine in the second scene. Finally a logging scene & below a freight siding.

2/. Buildings will be mixed.

3/. Era is debatable, so is the Road.

4/. 10x5, with three distinct "views" containing a total of six differing scenes.

Unfortunately, some delusional person  laid some unused EZ Track & a Magnum controller for a little weekend fun, that has lasted for a couple of months. Thanx to this thread, hostile takeover plans have been exercised & the ad-hoc railroad is being removed, so building can continue.

[BIG BEAR]

   Mark,
       I hope you went through the proper channels, and filed for abandonment and received non-use status. before pulling up track.

        Have fun,
                     Barry

[tac]

1. What is your On30 display? Mining, or logging operations, Christmas village, Mfg. ops., or a circle around Christmas tree?

End to end shuttle line, about five feet long on the window-ledge in front of my work-station, with a Shay, Climax or Porter beebling from one end to the other.  Very simple track with a spur at each end, to give me some eye-candy while I'm working

2 What do you have for Buildings on your layout? Scratch built, Plasticville,
Dept. 56?

Three non-descript buildings and a water tower.

3. What era does your layout represent? Civil war, turn of century, modern,
or let us know the exact date.

Sometime in the '20's from the only two vehicles on the layout.

4. What size and type is your layout? Shelf type , table top, walk around, 4x8, ping pong table, Etc...

Five feet, three inches long and eight inches wide.

tac
www.ovgrs.org

   

[Jeff in NJ]

Here's the beginning of my newest On30 layout. It'll be smaller than my last one, but it'll have much more scenery...

[ollie]

1. there is nothing yet, but the plans are for a log hauling yet a common carrier operation

2. Still browsing but those plastic kits from Walthers look promising. The SOO LINE depot llooks different enough to look right.

3. Somewhere in 20-50.s backwoods operation where the time have stand still a bit.

4. Much is depending how large everythiing is to look. Either a deep shelf type of switching layout or a double decker with easy access staging and by helix at each end up to the sceniced portion. Size either 2x15 feet or 10x15 feet depending on the configuration.   

[drgw268]

Layout is currently in the planning stages

1. It will be a Colorado narrow gauge style layout with mining/logging operations, although a New England seaport terminal is very tempting.

2 The buildings will be mostly laser kits with some scratch building as needed.

3. The time period will be an undefined early 20th century setting in a vaguely defined location.  Town names will either be pulled randomly from a map of the area, or made up based on other typical town names.  There will be Model A's, some wagons, and mostly wood buildings.  No diesels or oil fired locos.  There will probably be some woodburners, even though that's a stretch for the early 20th century.  I'm going more for a general feel than a prototype.

4. It's going to be a shelf based layout, hopefully with continuous running.  The 26 inch minimum radius of the MMI K27 is putting me off a little bit, but I'll figure something out.

[BIG BEAR]

        Hey Rich19,
   Our 4-4-0's are soon to be here. They will feel right at home.
   I will have him pulling my new Gramps Tanker, a Fathers day gift, and the new livestock cars. I just need to figure out were to put a siding to make a stockyard.

                  Enjoy,
                           Barry

[aussie30inch]

In reply to survey

Im in the prosses of building a freelance 30inch commen carrier in the mountainous area of Victoria ( Australia ) with a sea port at on end.
Victoria is noted for 30inch railways ( Ie Puffing billy near Melbourne )
My fleet of freight wagons compries of it bashed Bachmann stock to look like local products.
the current list is
12 box cars , 2 tankers 4 wooden gons ( converted to 4 board with doors ) , 7 bulk head flats , 2 flats , 4 cattle , 3 modified cabooses, 3 combines , 2 coaches , 1 Obsevation car .
3 2-8-0s  2 shays and 1 0-4-2 porter. I also have a Bachmann branchline 08 which i am using for a diesel hydraulic loco.
I have an area of 20 x 20 and am planning to have L girder around the walls with a peninsula in the middle. Built to be end to end operation, but with the option of continuous running.

aussie30inch

geoff

[rich19]

Hi Big Bear!

When I wrote my entry, there was nothing. Now there are two 4-4-0's announced! Due to the common carier character of my rr, the management of my RR will prefer the MMI Rio Grande 4-4-0 in a Russia Iron livery. I asked them for the minimum radius and hope that they will make it thrhough my 24" curves....

When I started to plan my layout I also thought about tank cars. Then I read that the first oil wells around the LA-TX border were erected not earlier than 1893 or so. That will require quite some modellers' license.

I guess I will stick with the salt mine (compressing the Avery Island structure) and a sulphur mine. With a sugar mill, maybe a cotton gin (although not particularly characteristic for the Atchafalya basin area) as the larger industries, this will suffice to keep the RR profitable.

I read a nice article in the German MIBA, where they built a stock car cleaning site. Takes up only little space, but adds tremendously to the operational fun.

Greetings from Austria,
Richard