Requirements for Next Layout

[Joe323]

I am Throwing this out for advice suggestions comments etc:

                         Name Staten Island West

Era Freelanced but 1980 with liberty to allow me show my container collection No Actual Harbor scene but New York Container Terminal to be in the background

1.   Must fit in 4 x 8 Space (HO Scale)

2.   Must use all numbered turnouts (no curved turnouts derails too much)

3.   If EZ track is used ballasting will NOT be used if ordinary track/road bed used Limited Ballasting may be allowed  I have two many problems with stray ballast

4.   Must Have 3 sidings One for waste removal  two for Container Service three for storage and if possible a fourth siding for a 3 car excursion set to be run primarily during the holiday season.  While the container service will modeled I prefer not to run actual trains.

5.   After much thought normal max train length will be 4 cars (Loco + 2 cars + Caboose) Primary motive power will be two GE 70 ton switchers and one 0-6-0 dockside switcher for the excursion.

6.   The Storage track will house the 2 GP 40s (Conrail, Chessie) and excursion train consist), for longer consists as assembled.

7.   The main line will be an oval Preferably not parallel to the sides of the layout IE offset long consists once assembled will run around the oval to represent trains leaving/arriving  the layout.

8.   Budget: No more than $300 for new track I already have needed rolling stock buildings DCC people and landscaping supplies much of which to be recycled from existing layout. I think the track will not survive demolition.   

[jward]

there is no reason you can't salvage the track from your existing layout, if you take a little care in removing it. i ALWAYS salvage my track materials when i dismantle an old layout. even before i started to handlay, i found i could use the old track if i was careful
pulling out the track nails.

[Doneldon]

Joe-

If you're not going to run actual trains, why not build a swoyching layout?

                                                                 -- D

[rogertra]

Picking up the thread, these are my requirements for my next model railroad to replace the now demolished GER.

10 x 30 foot room, with 10 x 8 foot "crawl space" for staging yards etc..

1)  Run electrical supply, plugs and lighting.  (Almost completed)

2) Drywall room.  (Almost completed)

3) Design track plan (Main Yard done, simply a full scale version of the Rutland's Alburg yard)

4)  Track.  Visible track, Micro Engineering code 70 and code 55.

5) Control.  DCC.  Not a single DCC engine yet, so 50 plus to do.

6) All visible switches will be hand lined.  ME switches have a centre locking device a la Peco switches.  Staging switches electrically controlled and monitored by CCTV.

7)  Theme.  1958 freelanced GER.  Mainly steam with diesels on the mainline.  Yard will be a branchline hub located on the mainline to the Maritime provinces and located roughly where the real town of Farnham QB is located.  There will be three visible branch connections.  There will be a passenger station located within the wye, the tail track of which will be a branchline.  There will connections to the D&H, NYC, CV and B&M via the branch lines and these will see both passenger and freight service.  There will be mainline freight and passenger trains between Montreal and the Maritime provinces.  Freight trains will set out blocks of cars and lift blocks of cars interchanged from the foreign roads.  The yard will have a six stall roundhouse and engine service facilities and will house nothing larger that 2-8-2s.  The 2-10-2s and 4-8-2s will only be used on the through freight and passenger trains.  There will also be morning afternoon and evening commuter runs to and from Montreal with steam predominating.

Should be busy enough to keep three or four people busy in an operating session.