modeling the US

Well you better get started right away. Are you going to add Canada?

A little short on funds. . .

Brian,

Unfortunately, I'm a little short on funds to model the entire US so I'll have to stick to a Free-mo module or two.

I know what you mean.

I had visions of modeling the San Diego branch of the Santa Fe at one time.  I liked the idea of running the Surfliners and modeling the tracks running along the ocean was a neat concept.  Then I started doing the math and estimating that the line is @ 125 miles long (estimate based on distance by Interstate 5 from L.A. to San Diego).  I would need a layout @ 1.5 miles long to model the entire Surf Line.

I joined the modular club and discovered that just watching trains run continuously in circles was boring to me.   enjoyed industrial switching more, so I changed my mind and decided to model the Los Angeles Junction Railway in it's entirety.  It is only @ 1 mile wide and 3 miles long. How much space would that take?  Would you believe @60 feet 8 inches x 182 feet!  I have a 7' x 9' "L" shaped bookcase to build on, so I need to compress considerably!  I used to drive around the cities of Vernon and Commerce where the LAJ is located when I was working, and it sure did not seem all that big  an area, but when I made a couple of recent trips to the area for exploration purposes with fellow model railroaders and railfans, I came to the conclusion that I have room for a small stub ended yard on the 7 foot section and perhaps 3 or 4 industries (compressed) on the 9 foot section!

Georgetown Loop

I once daydreamed about modeling the entire Georgetown Loop in HOn3, exactly to scale.  It would only need a 300' long building, which is large but doable.  Would sure be impressive.

It would only need a 300'

You just need to find an old domed football stadium for sale.

STeve S

If I had a million dollars...

I had a notion, if I had megabucks, that I would buy a farm with a piece of land that ran continuous for a mile and a half (without any roads, streams, ponds, etc.) and then dig a ditch through the property about 15 feet deep and wide which recreated the exact path of a real railway subdivision in HO.  Then I'd sink a 10 foot diameter concrete pipe in the hole, connect the sections, bury it, and put in some access buildings at intervals, plus power, ventilation, etc.  Then I'd build a floor across the bottom of the pipe, and build a long, thin layout inside the pipe, which recreated every inch of the route to scale, including number 7, 9 and 15 turnouts wherever appropriate, 80 foot long passing sidings, full scale structures, and 120 foot division yards at each end.  Naturally, the trains would be 100 cars long.

You'd get a lot of exercise, following your train from end to end.  It would have to run at a 1:1 clock, and you would need to figure out how to get crews to work for 8 (or more) hours at a time.  Well, maybe there are a few bugs to work out... 

Oh, and you could still lease out the land to a farmer, just so it doesn't go to waste.

Wrong Forum

Guys,

This one needs to go under Dream and Design!

Regards,

John

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All of us could take a lesson from the weather. It pays no attention to criticism.  Unknown

Sounds coo, Jurgen!

Simple really . . .

Program Trainz to represent the rest of the US line that your interested in. Then have a short real section as a model in your home, with a hidden yard at each end, and locos with cab cameras.

Use a monitor to control the models and sync/switch over to Trainz and vice versa whenever you enter/exit the yards.

Dream layout and electrical power ...

Jurgen,

You'd have to be really careful about the wiring the track power or you might put your layout in your pipe and smoke it...

Horace Fithers

  "Guys, This one needs

"Guys,

This one needs to go under Dream and Design!"

Not Whole US, but Big Layout

The Museum of Science and Industry In Chicago has a layout that in theory runs from Chicago to the West Coast. I wonder what their budget was?

I have included a UTube link and a link to the Museum's Website.

http://www.msichicago.org/

If you go to Chicago, go see it!

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You ask me if I keep a notebook to record my great ideas. I've only ever had one. Albert Einstein

...then dig a ditch through

Just wait for Fermilab to become obsolete and make them an offer.  And since it's one big circle you can have continuous running.

Steve S

Fermilab

That was plan B.

(By the way, in HO a loop the size of Fermilab's (12.25 miles circumference) ring would be over 1000 scale miles long...)

Fermi-layout

And if you could get a deal on the magnets (a good possibility, since I expect that they would be too difficult to remove) you could run your high speed bullet trains without motors!  Of course, it might not be desirable to learn what new kinds of models are created when you smash two larger models into each other....

Fermilab

Well screw the Sudbury Division, we could do the whole stretch from Toronto to Thunder Bay!

Lemme know...

Lemme know before you start what kind of track you're planning to use so I can buy stock in Atlas, Peco, or ME. I think I'd also buy Nickle Silver futures on the Chicago board...

Charlie