A new layout!

[Doneldon]

Re: The wire glue

I have some of this but I haven't had occasion to try it yet. I'm wondering if anyone
has tested for resistance across a glued joint. Or if anybody has noticed and heat at a
glued joint. If no one has any info on this I just might run a test of my own.
                                                                                                                   -- D

[wiley209]

Hey; it's been a while, but I have some more updates! I've been busy this summer, but now I've had some more time to get back to my model train layout (as the recent Walthers sales flyer said, autumn is not only when kids go back to school, it's when model railroaders go back to their layouts!)


Pola/TYCO/IHC Exxon gas station! This is the IHC version offered in the 1990s.


Life-Like 50" Union Pacific boxcar I bought off eBay, with Kadee knuckle couplers and metal wheels!


This school is back in session!


TYCO Baby Ruth boxcar.


TYCO Burger King building kit! A.H.M. also used to offer this from 1984-1986, and then TYCO from 1986-1990. I might put some kind of glazing glass/plastic in the windows though, to make it look more realistic, and pave a road for the back entrance to the drive-thru. The reason I put it near the TYCO crossing gate is to mirror the location of a Burger King in Bridgewater, MA.


One of my current freight train roster lineups, with two ATSF "Shock Control" boxcars (one Life-Like, one TYCO) and two TYCO piggyback trailer cars.


Rail yard shot. I'm also getting another Bachmann DCC locomotive soon, and I'll also be upgrading my Walthers Amtrak "Pepsi Can" Dash 8 with a DCC decoder as well.

[Doneldon]

Wiley-

It looks like you really enjoy your model railroad. Good for you!

                                                                                     -- D

[Irbricksceo]

Looks nice! I'm loving the retro theme here.

[wiley209]

A little auto-carrier train, hauled by a modified Bachmann Santa Fe "Warbonnet" GP40-2 equipped with DCC.

I would've also gotten a Bachmann tri-level auto carrier car, but IDK how well it would perform on the layout due to its size, compared to the TYCO and Life-Like auto carriers seen here. TYCO's was first offered in the late 1960s, and was still made until 1993 (though beginning after 1986, it would only be included in train sets), and Life-Like's version was first made in 1982 and is still available today (but it still comes with X2F couplers. D'oh!) The Bachmann tri-level auto carrier seen here...

It first came out in 1976, and I believe was discontinued some time in the mid-1990s, when Bachmann began to cut back on operating accessories (too bad, I'd love to see a version of this come out with metal wheels and E-Z Mate couplers! Maybe Bachmann will see this and get the idea   )


Showing several of the illuminated components of my layout!


Rare TYCO 50th anniversary boxcar! (Though this was actually supposed to be celebrating Mantua's 50th anniversary, not TYCO, but then again TYCO started out as a division of Manuta...)
Now why didn't Bachmann try something similar?!


Tried relocating the Atlas water tower near the Plasticville Suburban Station.

[gehdoc97]

I like the new design especially the way you incorporated the horizontal siding to use an existing switch.

My new design is somewhat similar to yours without the horizontal spur and the 90deg side panel.

Good luck on the design and have fun working it all out - like to see some pics of the finished layout or work in progress
if you can too.  I am going to put a layer of 1" insulation foam on my benchwork to help deaden the sound, paint over it
and then while the paint dries sprinkle on landscape grasses etc.

HAVE FUN!

gehdoc97

[wiley209]

Some more updates!


My attempt at a gravel driveway for the TYCO Lighted Ranch House, due to the slightly raised base that the house is on. It does look nicer that way...


Life-Like Snap-Loc commuter station. Since I now have two (one of them the elevated version) I thought I'd use the non-elevated version on my layout, removing the Power-Loc tab that goes on the bottom.


My TYCO 50th Anniversary boxcar now has E-Z Mate knuckle couplers to allow it for easy layout use.


Currently I'm using it on this small train, that has both of my auto carriers! And yes, that Santa Fe GP40 is DCC-equipped!


I also just installed a TCS T1 DCC decoder into this Walthers Amtrak Dash-8 locomotive! So now I have six DCC-equipped locomotives for use on my layout.


The full Amtrak train, now powered by DCC!

A word of note when installing a TCS T1 decoder into the Walthers Dash 8...
http://www.tcsdcc.com/Customer_Content/Installation_Pictures/HO_Scale/Walthers/GE_Dash_8-40BW/Walthers%20Trainline%20GE%20Dash%208-40BW.html

When it comes to the motor pick-up wires, you must solder the red wire to the gray one, and the blue one to the orange one, instead of the other way around as shown in the pic. When you do that, it will mess up the direction of the locomotive on a layout, at least when you're using a Bachmann E-Z Command system.

At this rate, it'll soon be time for me to get the E-Z Command booster!

[wiley209]

For those curious, this is my current roster of locomotives for layout use...


The six in the front row are all DCC-equipped.

[clan line 35028]

I found that buying the cheaper DC locomotives and upgrading them to DCC tends to actually be a bit more costly in the long run. 30 of my locomotives are still DC but all together cost me the same as to buy the New Atherns Genise SD-70 Alaska Railroad with sound and DCC. the other locomotives do not have as much good looks to them as the new SD-70. same with my passenger stock. instead of buying regular passenger coaches i have bought walthers proto coaches and on my British line some Hornby Oriental Express coaches with lights and full interior.

[clan line 35028]

my pullmans feature Merchant Navy 35028 Clan Line, 1st class kitchen Minerva, 1st class parlour Onyx, 3rd class Parlour NO 97, 1st class Parlour Leona, 1st class Kitchen Adiran and 3rd class brake NO 65. the train measures 74 1/4 inches from buffer to buffer.

[rogertra]

my pullmans feature Merchant Navy 35028 Clan Line, 1st class kitchen Minerva, 1st class parlour Onyx, 3rd class Parlour NO 97, 1st class Parlour Leona, 1st class Kitchen Adiran and 3rd class brake NO 65. the train measures 74 1/4 inches from buffer to buffer.

Actually, to accurately model a BR(S) steam era Pullman train, you need two brakes, one on each end of the train.  You should also marshal one the kitchens between the 1st class parlour cars as that's how it was done with the other kitchen car next to the 2nd class cars.  Remember, on Pullman trains in the UK there were no dining cars, passengers were served at their seats so the kitchen cars need to be placed so as to give convenient access for the waiters to the passengers.

Here's a typical formation of the Bournemouth Belle from around 1950 until near the end of steam.  Sometimes, an Ex SR eight wheels GUV would be added to the front of the formation for passenger luggage.

Car No. 95  Third Class   Brake Parlour
Car No. 60  Third Class   Kitchen Car
Car No. 32  Third Class   Kitchen Car
Car No. 35  Third Class   Parlour Car
Car No. 34  Third Class   Parlour Car
Philomel    First Class         Kitchen Car
Lydia            First Class         Kitchen Car
Rosemary    First Class         Parlour Car   
Car No. 31  Third Class   Kitchen Car
Car No. 94  Third Class   Brake Parlour

For our North America  viewers, in the UK a "Pullman" was not a sleeper, it was an extra fare "luxury" passenger car with dining and alcohol service at your seat, not in a dining or club car.

Cheers

Roger T.

[clan line 35028]

yea i have not been able to get another brake car yet. but then how many americans model British railways and so forth. your railway does look awesome except why did you not use cork roadbed?

[rogertra]

yea i have not been able to get another brake car yet. but then how many americans model British railways and so forth. your railway does look awesome except why did you not use cork roadbed?

I don't use cork roadbed in yards, I lay the track directly onto Homasote ("Donnacona" in Canada).  I use cork outside yards as that's more realistic for open country road bed.  If I need drainage ditches in yards, I carve them into the Homasote.

Cheers

Roger T.

[jbrock27]

I found that buying the cheaper DC locomotives and upgrading them to DCC tends to actually be a bit more costly in the long run. 30 of my locomotives are still DC but all together cost me the same as to buy the New Atherns Genise SD-70 Alaska Railroad with sound and DCC.

clan, I'd like to see your math on that.  (And it's Athearn Genesis )

[Irbricksceo]

Well, for one, sound is a big expense. But I think you need to look at the value of said Locomotives first. I could go buy an assortment of old Tyco Locomotives now for less than a new one, sure, but they wont run as well.