I'm sure many people remember

I'm sure many people remember me starting with my N scale G&AM, taking it down, starting to build a German H0 layout, taking that one down and then starting to build the G&AM in N scale again. Call me crazy...

It might be that I suffer sometimes from homesickness and crave for something that looks like Germany. At least that's one possible explanation. Anyway, this time I've decided to try a new cure: I have enough space to build two layouts right next to each other: the G&AM as it is already being built and no change will be necessary, and next to it a smaller German themed layout where a branch line connects the small town of Rosenheim to an even smaller village that's called Breitenbach. Both are fictional, both names have a special meaning to me.

This is the space where the new layout will go (yes it's a mess and I need to do a lot of clean-up):

And this is the track plan as it exists today (click on the picture for a larger version):

I'm sure there will be changes to the plan as the railroad is being built. Staging areas are not shown but exist for both the main and the branch line.

I hope building two railroads at the same time will be fun!

Awesome!

I hope you find this dual layout building rewarding and satisfying to what are both clear interests of yours.  When you went back to American N scale, I wondered what you would do with all the German HO stuff as it seemed to be of interest to you, and in my experience, when you have a couple significant interests, you can't just walk away from one for good.  I look forward to your progress on both layouts.

Did you talk to the elves about this???

The elves are going demand double wages for working on two railroads.  It will be interesting to how much progress you can make having to split your time between two large railroads.  Good luck, and like many here on the forums I will be watching!

Den

Only 1

Only one is a large railroad. The other one is N scale 

Both are large, the n scale

Both are large, the n scale seems to be in the space that one could build the same layout in HO except for track centers. I think it will go rather quickly once the elves get in there and get to work. Also think of the detailing possible in HO compared to N there will be lots to see.

Rob in Texas

Still large!

Success!

Michael,

wish you success with this German themed layout. Would be this a Marklin layout? 

Herzliche Grüße aus Dresden/Germany!

Good luck!

Michael,

you have my respect sir !

With this project you can consider yourself as a Model Railroader in between the continents.

Thanks everybody for your

Thanks everybody for your understanding and support! With the backing of everybody here and the help of the elves this should be a fun project. About the splitting of my time: as it is right now every time I run into an N scale obstacle or problem I stop working while I'm thinking. Now I will just switch layouts when that happens, at least in theory.

@Bernhard: No, not Maerklin, I'm running on Tillig Elite cod 83 track. Gruss zuruek aus Florida!

Michael is the the opposite corner of the same room?

Looking at the road bed in the lower left of the pix, it looks like you have just turned ninety degrees from the N-scale layout.  Looks to be a large space.  Have you indicated how large the overall room is.  Looking at both track plans, there appears to be staging indicated, but not defined.  Do you envision it being in a common area or have you just not cleared your thoughts on that yet?  Michael your work is like the old novel serials.  Like a good Dickens novel, I/we can't wait to read the next installment.

Good luck with the elves,

Larry

Larry, my railroad room is 50

Larry, my railroad room is 50 x 28'. Of this area two strips of 4 x 28' each at both ends of the room are dedicated staging areas (behind the backdrop). These areas are accessible through doors from my office and my electrical lab. I wrote a novel once but it turned out not to be a Dickens so I'm hoping to be better at model railroading!

Room cleaning

I kind of cleaned the room a bit so I can start building the peninsula.

People often ask me where my staging areas will be so I took a picture today. Just ignore all the clutter...

Tillig track

Michael

Will be interested in seeing how you get on with the Tillig Code 83 track, especially the turnouts. I have only used the Peco Code 83 track, and find that a lot of the Fleischmann / Roco stock doesn't like the turnouts and rides over them. The VT98, being a 2 axle unit, will lose power as well.

Brian

It took a little over four

It took a little over four hours to build the Breitenbach peninsula.

Elves

are at it again.

I'm looking forward to this

German Trains!

Looking forward to seeing German trains again. Your work is always inspiring.

Can't wait to try out your tree method on my own layout.

http://www.ete.org

Achtung! Dastrains are not

Achtung! Dastrains are not fer finger poken and mittengrabben! So say the elves. Michael your work is truly inspiring we just need to know two things. How long have you been suffering from insomnia and where do get elves? Oh and a third thing do you pay them?

Rob in Texas

Michael - I'm so glad to see

I lasered my first few pieces

I lasered my first few pieces of H0 roadbed today. This was made out of 1/8" taskboard. The markings on the roadbed make it easy to glue the track on straight.

I tried my first piece of

I tried my first piece of double track main roadbed. The thin connecting bridges between the two roadbed parts will be cut away after the roadbed has been installed. This will guarantee both tracks being installed completely parallel and allow me to shape the ballast correctly afterwards.

I noticed that I used old track with old silicone glue still on it from the last railroad. I've taken down so many...

And I was all set to post

And I was all set to post what no track yet? Now we see that not only elves but elves with lasers too. Oh the humility of it all, just me the other guys in the club and glue paint and hand tools, I feel so inferior. Michael you are truly inspiring, working, building really nice scenery and models in N scale no less and an HO layout under way as well. Along with two vastly different prototypes that require a huge amount of knowledge for each.

Great job thanks for sharing.

Rob in Texas

Looking good, Michael...and at you usual breakneck speed!

I'm so glad to see your progress on the German HO portion in your layout building!  Looks like you must have imported more elves!

Guys, you're overdoing

Guys, you're overdoing it!

Today I played around a little bit with my CAD, my laser, some paint, and plaster mixes. As this railroad is supposed to resemble Germany in the sixties and seventies I will need to make the proper structures. That's why I made a test wall to see how it could be done.

The plaster mix used as mortar wasn't completely dry yet when I took the picture, it will be more prominent tomorrow but I think this looks acceptable. Here's another shot taken from a different angle: