Layout design
Two other West Virginia track plans to consider
I've made the move to West Virginia and the railroad room in the attic is measured and ready. Unfortunately I still have considerable unpacking before I can start building. In between unpacking boxes I've been doing a few sketches on Cadrail. the first is a depiction of the GC&E branch of the Western Maryland between Bergoo and Webster Springs. The branch has a narrow gauge feel to it which isn't surprising since it was narrow gauge when WM bought it. it would support simple slow operations between the two track fiddle yard and Webster Springs.
Freebies: Train Layouts for iPad
Good Day!
We're giving away a number of free copies of our Train Layouts app for iPad today!
Lots of updates - depot build, layout lights / flooring / phones, op sessions
Lots of blog updates, finally - it's been quite a while. Lots of photos inside the blog posts.
RGS Ridgway depot build, updates, structure lighting - https://rgsrr.blogspot.com/2019/05/ridgway-depot-construction-begins.html
Layout improvements, including new flooring and a phone system - https://rgsrr.blogspot.com/2019/05/layout-improvements-flooring-and-phon...
Layout improvements, trying some theatrical-style lighting, and op session photos - https://rgsrr.blogspot.com/2019/05/layout-night-lighting-and-op-sessions...
Need help wiring a DCC reverse loop!
I would like this yard to have automatic electrical reverse loop for DCC and future JMRI operation. My first question is whether each track needs an automatic reverser.
Back To It on the Michigan Southern
After writing my initial post here, I took a job in the UK and now live in Northwest London. One of the nice things about V-scale model railroading is that there wasn't any packing to do beyond transferring the files to my laptop so I could keep working until my household goods caught up with me. Having carted a good bit of HO stuff with me during my military moves in the 80s and 90s, I found it very pleasant to make a move without any worries about damaged models!
This post will talk about the layout design, with the bulk of the write up and a map in the first comment.
Keep Alive, lift gate in track, and derails
Every so often I see a comment about how killing power to tracks when a lift gate in the track is opened isn't very effective when a loco has KeepAlive. The loco is supposed to stop, but can keep going and end up on the floor.
Here is a link to pictures of a possible solution. Split rail derail will put the loco off the rails, but if it's strategically located the train will still be on the layout. I can see whittling extra parts off some old turnouts that aren't DCC friendly, and wiring a switch machine to activate when the lift gate is opened.
Y Junction Track Plans
Hi everyone,
I am considering more and more the possibility of a medium sized layout in the future that functions as follows.
A stub ended yard on one end of the layout followed by a Y junction with a branch line splitting off of the main line. Each would be point to point operationally with two small staging yards or a common staging yard on the opposite end. The main could be continuous run though.
The Pine Spur Chronicles
What started out to be a simple new layout with a loop of track, inspired by the one-town layout design concept, has morphed into a railroad that I have become very excited about building. It is still a basic loop that will start and end in a four track staging loop and pass through the town of Waipahu (pronounced “why pa who”) where cars will be left for the branch line.
3d printed servo mount
for those who may be looking I have designed a servo mount for turnout control. im using a 9g servo, levered micro switch with 11mm hole spacing, and .9mm wire to throw the turnout.
its listed on thingiverse as srvo mount for model train turnout. you can also find it listed as servo mount 3B
the direct link is www.thingiverse.com/thing:3603598.
Lancaster Central v2 reboot
I made the decision to rebuild my layout, now that it’s 5 years old, it’s time to remove the basic things and focus on more details. I will be removing the ‘filler’ cars from the roster, upgrading and weathering the cars that stay. For some reason I procrastinated for several months and then I decided decided it’s now or never.
The mainline was straightened on one end and the connection removed that made a loop between the scenes of the visible section. The passing siding was extended. Most of the mainline stayed.
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