Start Small, confirm your Givens and Druthurs

Dear TrainBoy,

Wow, sounds like a whole lotta fun is coming your way. That said, it also sounds as if you're standing at the foot of Mt Everest, looking at the peak, and thinking "how do I get from here to there?"
(Rest assured, you're not alone, we've all been there!!!)

The answer, in most cases, is to:
- start small,
- work out what you're aiming for
(the resulting list is sometimes referred to by modellers as a "Givens and Druthurs" list.
"Givens" are the Must Haves and Strict Limits,
"Druthurs" as the "nice to haves" and "things we can do without if needs require").

- then with the target firmly in mind, work within the practical limits and criteria in play.

From your list, we already have:

Givens:
- HO scale
- Alaska RR (and presumably Alaska as a geographical theme/scene/inspiration)

Druthurs:
- Undefined

In order to flesh out the above, can I ask:

- what are the specific trains we are having to provide a stage/"home" for?
(Passenger? Freight? Size and type of locos? Steam or Diesel?)

- what are the specific _models_ we are having to provide a stage/"home" for?
(Pref by manufacturer and model/era. Some models have specific mechanical limitations that need to be respected if you're going to give them "somewhere to look their best")

- How many complete trains do you envisage having to host on the layout at any given time?
- Are you looking for a place to "watch the fave trains run by thru evocative scenes?"
(IE literally a railfan-style display layout, minimal user interaction, ability to "stop running train A, start running train B" easily as whim dictates)

OR

- a place to put those fave trains thru their paces, literally playing the roles of "Engineer and Brakeman" with the models?
(Or, somewhere in between???)

- do you have any inspirational Alaskan RR scenes that you look at and say "I want to model that"?
(A few minutes/hours spent with Google Image Search could provide _the_scene_ you wish to model,
and if you do identify any such image, posting it or a link to it here will help get those-who-might-help into the "headspace" you're working in...).

- do you have a physical location in mind for the display?
- If yes, where? (Spare bedroom, along a hallway, garage, basement, other?)
- If confirmed, what are the dimensions/space/area available?

Answering the "what models are we talking?" questions start setting the Givens RE mechanical limits such as curve radii and grades.

Answering the "where will the display be located/space available" questions start setting the limits of "what can we fit in the available space".

Answering the "what role do you wish to play on/with the layout?" question starts determining things like trackplan and "desired functionality".

Start by answering the above questions, and working out what "the top of Mt Everest looks like",
and then we can work, one step at a time, slowly but surely, to get from here to there...
(and you'll be able to recognize "when you've got there",
because you started with a firm idea of what "there" looks like... ).

Hope this helps,

Happy Modelling,
Aim to Improve,
Prof Klyzlr

PS It's not snowy, nor is it classic "Alaskan Mountains and Valleys", but for a small switching layout that gives a place for Alaskan Locos to stretch their legs, you could do worse than "CTU Spur"
http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/49555-ctu-spur-alaska-city/

PPS apart from your Dad, are there any other experienced modellers or model RR clubs in your area that you can reach-out to? Online is always a useful source of assistance and help, but if you're starting "from the foot of Mt Everest", having someone alongside you who's "climbed them there mountains previously" to help/guide in-person is invaluable...

more info

Im planning for it to hold my dad's Alaska gp40-2 and his three 89' passenger cars. The size of the display will be 1' wide and 63" long. I'm planning on it being 2 tracked. The manufacturer of the locomotive and passenger cars is Bachmann.

Im also planning on it being a straight track display.

Is this N scale?

Double track in one inch has to be tight even in N.

correction

Sorry bout that it was supposed to be 1 foot wide instead of 1' wide.

1' IS one foot

1' IS one foot

1" is one inch

Just saying

Sounds like a diorama = do-able!

Dear Trainboy,

OK, so it sounds like we're looking more towards a scenic-display/diorama type situation, does that sound right?

Let's review the updated G&D list:

Givens:
- HO scale
- Alaska RR (and presumably Alaska as a geographical theme/scene/inspiration)
- 5x1 (shelf layout?) style area
- Use 1x GP40-2 + 3x pass cars

Druthurs:
- "Dual track main" scene

Now, a quick Google didn't provide many obvious shots of ARR dual-track mainline scenes, but it did turn up a load of evocative "single track lazily curving between a river and a hillside" scenes, with the occasional wooden trestle or small bridge.

https://www.google.com.au/search?gs_rn=17&gs_ri=psy-ab&tok=o8ZBjyH9WBygDnGcSCyQ1g&suggest=p&cp=7&gs_id=k&xhr=t&q=alaska+railroad&safe=off&bav=on.2,or.r_qf.&bvm=bv.48293060,d.dGI&biw=1280&bih=617&wrapid=tljp1371961847343012&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hl=en&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=6nnGUfCNOIeDlQX744CIDw

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/eb/Alaska_Railroad_passenger_train_-_Whittier,_Alaska_-_14_July_2004.jpg

Given this, I think a single-track "lazy shallow S-curve" track accross the 5' shelf should be well do-able. There's logic in "gunbarrel straight" mainline runs accross a shelf, esp if the track is skewed on even a shallow angle relative to the layout edge. However, they aren't called "sexy curves" for nothing, and in a diorama where actual train motion may be limited or non-existent, anything you can do to make the scene more interesting/appealing has got to be investigated.

As far as the visuals are concerned, a decent printout of far snow-capped mountains could give a load of "vertical height" in a relatively narrow-depth shelf.

If there is any chance of a removable 4' long cassette on one or both ends, then I could also see a simple shuttle circuit actually allowing the train to move "across the scene", thus adding the inherrent action of the train moving to the scene...

In looking thru old posts, I also recalled this and similar threads by Jurg which may be similar to what you're thinking of???

https://forum.mrhmag.com/post/h0-collection-12192472

I think this could really end up being an impressive scenic effort, and train-movement would be a bonus...

Happy Modelling,
Aim to Improve,
Prof Klyzlr

PS from here, what's the next steps?
- do you have a 5x1 shelf available as a base?
- If no, what form/location of support and basic framing did you have in mind to use?
- If Yes (shelf/base is already available), do you envisage needing under-track earthworks?
(speaks to laying 2" foam or similar on the base, so you can carve away the undertrack creeks, trestles, and embankments)

i don't

Have a base for this display. I am planning on having a wood base for support and then the rest of the landscape will be done using 2 inch foam. About the s curve I might do that instead of a straight track. JR59 page I have looked at his displays and they are basically what  have in mind.

Now for the track im thinking about using code 83 flex track.

Code 83 = do-able

Dear Trainboy,

Sure, for the purpose Code 83 flextrack should work a treat. Personally I'd use PECO Code 83, but Micro Engineering, Atlas, and Shinohara all do HO SG track in code 83. By using commercial flextrack you get the benefit of "quicky decent detail" (not Ultra Proto level detail, but enough to suggest "there's something there"). without spending time/effort handlaying. As this layout will likely invite photo opportunities and suchlike, you can spend the time-saved to add Detail Associates, Foothill Model Works, or Proto87Stores track details and jointbars for that "superdetail sparkle"...

Happy Modelling,
Aim to Improve,
Prof Klyzlr
 

I agree with the professor...

I built a small diorama for photographing engines.  It's single-tracked, with a gentle curve.  It's not as wide or long as your plan, but it's just enough to provide some variety and capture the area being modeled. 

There are some plaster castings for the rock faces, some water out front, and a photo background that I found in a LHS that provides some depth...

-bill

wow

 That is a very I nice display. What size is it? Now as for the double track part of the display im starting to go towards a single track display. Since I can easily find photos of that on the Alaska railroad.