My first Santa Fe layout

[austrian]

I have just finished the trackplan of my first H0 Santa Fe layout.
The layout will be built in a small room in the basement with a later extension into a 2nd room.

The trackplan:

[Hunt]

Can you easily reach all parts of the layout?

[austrian]

Can you easily reach all parts of the layout?

Yes, I can reach all the parts of the layout, the picture does not show the whole room - above the "sceniced fiddle yard" there is room left that cannot be used for the layout.

Thomas

[Pacific Northern]

What era are you modeling?  Will you need to turn around any engines or rolling stock?  If so, how?

I see no wye tracks or turntables.

[austrian]

What era are you modeling?  Will you need to turn around any engines or rolling stock?  If so, how?

I see no wye tracks or turntables.

I am modelling the steam to transition era. At first I will run diesel locos only road switcher and F7 A-A consists will not need wye or turntable. Funds permitting I plan to buy a turntable and a E-Z Command ® DCC Automatic Reverse Loop Module. It is possible to build the wye left under the yard and add a turntable in place of the 90° crossing. A small turntable will do the job because of the 19 1/4" minimum radius I will only use a consolidation and a mogul.

[rogertra]

You could convert those two tracks, that diverge left and right by the depot, at the left hand end, into a wye quite easily by using two right hand switches.  That would do away with the need for a turntable and save yourself a few pennies into the bargain.

It's a logical and prototypical location for a wye and gives you yet another route from two track staging yard to your scenicked fiddle yard.

Cheers

Roger T.

[austrian]

Thank you Roger, I have checked it, seems to fit.

Thomas

[ebtnut]

Putting that wye there as Roger suggests is a really good idea.  It will allow for "out and back" running into the staging yard as well as to the L extension without having to make a reverse move at the runaround on the oval. 

[Joe Satnik]

Dear All,

Just thinking about the best location for the Insulating Rail Connectors (both rails) and DCC auto-reverser input and output for the added wye.

How about IRCs on the main and divergent routes of the (presently not shown) southern most turnout of the wye?

DCC controller output (also DCC auto-reverser input) connected to the south of that turnout,

DCC auto-reverser output connected to the north of that turnout (powering the loop).

Other thoughts, please?

Hope this helps.

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik

[austrian]

Thank you all for your input, much appreciated!
I tried an improved trackplan:

[rogertra]

I like the improvements.

Cheers

Roger T.

[Len]

Simple changes, major operational improvements.

Now you can do end-to-end, out-and-back, and 'round the loop' when you just want to watch them run.

Len

[austrian]

Today I got my Santa Fe Warbonnet F7 ready for the road.
I have 3 of them, all sound value: 2 A units and 1 B unit.
For the time being I run it as A-B-A set but my planned layout really is too small for it. When funds permit I will buy another A unit and run two sets, one as A-A and the other one as A-B.

The speed of the 3 units was a perfect match and all three run smooth and silent (when sound is off) - great quality from Bachmann!

Here are the CV values that I choose:
CV2=0
CV3=16
CV4=12
CV5=80
CV6=40
CV25=0
CV29=6 for  A and B and CV29=7 for the 2nd A unit
CV128=60
CV131=110

Now I am looking forward for my trainset to arrive with the sound value F7 in the Santa Fe blue freight scheme. It is a pity that this loco is not available as single loco as I would buy a 2nd one but do not wish to buy a 2nd trainset - Bachmann what about it?

Thomas

[austrian]

I wanted some buildings that looked "Santa Fe" and searched the web. Found some that I liked and ordered them. Buildings arrived last friday but I will not start building until some trackwork is done.





What do you think - will these look the part on a Santa Fe layout?

Thomas

[Len]

They should both be right at home, condidering they are both based on Santa Fe prototypes from the 1930's.

Len