Jonathan's Layout #3

[Len]

If you raise the third tier enough, you may be able to use N-scale things to 'fool the eye' even more.

Or you could use 9mm (N/HOe/HOn30) track and narrow gauge HO equipment for a lumber operation above the mines.

Len

[bbmiroku]

What's the e for?

N gauge
?
HO narrow 30"

[dutchbuilder]

H0e stands for H0 eng( pronounced as in (b)ang) .
Eng is German and means narrow.
30 inch in H0 scale is about 9mm.
So the American name H0n30 is correct.

Ton

[Len]

Some folks say the 'e' stands for Egger. The Egger brothers made and marketed the first HO scale narrow gauge equipment to run on 9mm track, calling it HOe, under the 'Egger-Bahn' name in 1963.

They first appeared at the 1963 Nurenberg Toy Fair, so a case could also be made that the 'e' stands for "eng" (narrow) as Dutchbuilder said.

Len

[jonathan]

Thanks, guys, you've given me lots to ponder on the third tier.

Meanwhile, while not much to show visually, I have been picking away at the second tier.

The track is laid.  The inside loop is 19.75" radius.  I chose to use flex track rather than sectional.

DSC_1562 by Jon Vogel, on Flickr

DSC_1561 by Jon Vogel, on Flickr

I've prepared lots of feeder wires and some bus wire in advance.  Also, I've installed several tortoise switch machines already.

DSC_0001 by Jon Vogel, on Flickr

Can travel a complete circuit on both loops of the mainline.  Getting there...

Regards,

Jonathan

[dutchbuilder]

No return track from the top layer?
Did you leave some expansion gaps in the flex track for warmer days?

Ton

[jonathan]

Yes. I'm working on some sort of reverse loop for the return. I want to get the third tier  built to get an idea for the best configuration.

I do not solder the tracks connecting the turnouts and do leave very small gaps. However, basements seem to be fairly stable environments.

Regards,

Jonathan

[bbmiroku]

Yes, stable.  Translation: always cool and slightly damp, except by the furnace and/or water heater.

You might want to invest in some DampRid, or something of the sort available at a dollar store or en mass from homedepot.com
Take the lid off the container, set it on the floor out of the way (or between your first and second tiers) and forget about it until it needs to be replaced.

[jonathan]

A little more to show this week...

I finished wiring the track and turnouts for the second tier.  Gonna be for mining:

DSC_0138_01 by Jon Vogel, on Flickr


Began planning the reverse loop that will get the trains back down to the mainline.  In the photo, you can see the LH turnout, back/right, for the return. I will need a curved turnout for the end of the outer loop to set up the entrance into the return.  Hopefully this photo will give an idea of the Wye (sort of) configuration I'm planning:

DSC_0137_01 by Jon Vogel, on Flickr

Got most of the wood construction done on this same area, which is also the grade leading back down to the mainline:

DSC_0136 by Jon Vogel, on Flickr

Finally, I'm working on the third tier pieces and parts needed to start construction.

I will need a lot of trestle bents for the travel between two tall mountains.  I looked at what was available at the last train show. Couldn't find anything real satisfying.  So... I've decided to scratch-build my viaduct/bridge work.  Drew up some plans for bents on graph paper, made some copies, got some basswood and balsa, and just started going to town:

DSC_0135 by Jon Vogel, on Flickr

Going to take a long time to build all the bents (think I need about 20), plus build up the whole trestle structure, before I can start to lay track.  It's a bit of a pain in the neck.  However, I think it will be worth it in the end.

Regards,

Jonathan

[Irbricksceo]

Love it so far. A properly Handbuilt Trestle is something I've always wish i had the skills (and patience) to do. for now, there's no space on the ol 4*8 for such a thing anyway so i can just pretend THATS why i dont

[bbmiroku]

Any particular prototype's bents are you copying, or just the Atlas-style?

[Len]

If you can find them at a show, or on eBay, Black Bear Construction made a nice set of jigs for building trestle bents in HO, S, and O scales. Sadly, the owner passed away a while back and they are no longer in business.

Len

[jonathan]

Thanks again, guys.

I studied some prototypes of trestles, and searched what other modelers have done with their trestles.  Pretty amazing stuff.  I am copying the bents I saw in, um, oh I forgot I guess.  I liked the six, round verticals and two upper horizontals.  The look is appealing to me.  I also like the idea of a long wooden bridge between two middle bents.  I will attempt it.  Time will tell of I'm successful. BTW the vertical struts are those round kabob skewers from the grocery store... like 100 for a buck kinda stuff.

At the Timonium train show, there was a company called "Hunterline" that sells trestle kits--will even build them for you... if money is no object. Money s an object for me... hence building my own.  I also liked the iron viaduct system that Micro Engineering makes.  Couldn't find any of those kits at the train show.  I was wary of getting those kits on line with having seen the real thing first.  So scratchbuilding became the answer.

Regards,

Jonathan

[bbmiroku]

Off topic a bit, but jonathan, did you see the helix table in the south room?  the foam-backed helix templates that you put together.
neat stuff, and really rigid.

[jonathan]

I did see the helix table. I liked it. They have really nice system. Right away I was thinking that might be a neat system to use for a transition to my third tier.  So much track, so little time...

Regards,

Jonathan