The Fuzzy World 3um

...to me for N Scale. I need to do something MRish. Since HO is currently out for me I am going to give N scale a try. I have a door available to me so I'm going to start planning for a midwestern town type layout, probably DC only at this point.

I found this place:
http://www.cke1st.com/m_train2.htm So far I like plan 78x30_04 just because there's some variety. Switching, running, yard, and nice scenics. Just gotta come up with everything N scale now...

EDIT:
Here's an image of the layout I'm basing my project off of.

Have you tried using the equipment, change out couplers, etc.? My son has a bit of N scale stuff, and I find I have a darn hard time working with it. The only N scale track I have used is Kato Unitrack, good stuff.

I have a hard enough time working on HO scale.

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"Every day I'm shufflin'..."

Yeah I have played "a little" with some N scale stuff. I haven't changed out a coupler in quite some time but with good light, patience, and taking things easy it shouldn't be too bad.

I'll be watching with great interest, Dan. I don't have room for an HO layout, and don't have the patience to deal with the politics of a club, so the idea for an N scale layout has been running around in the back of my head for awhile now.

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Chris
Denver, CO

"May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, leading to the most spectacular view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds." ~Edward Abbey

It looks like layout construction starts tomorrow. I'm going to use a 32"x78" hollow core door as the foundation. The OMRC was gonna toss about $1000-$1500 worth of N scale flex track & Peco switches (~40 in 6 or 7 configurations) so I got lucky there - free! They also had several hundred bucks worth of Atlas switches that I got too, some of which I traded a friend for a couple of locos & 7 freight cars.

My thought is to eliminate the staging tracks shown and to make the curves as broad as possible. I'd also like to eliminate the middle crossover and perhaps add an "interchange" track.

I plan to wire it for DC but simply so...keeping an eye to DCC in the future.

Thoughts & comments welcome. I plan on taking pictures along the way too.

For rolling stock don't go with interMountain. I have had some recent bad experiences with them. They are highly detailed and always look sharp but the parts are real fragile. I had two or three ladders snap off their hoppers. I never had ap roblem with that from my Micro-Train, Atlas and others, but only interMountain.

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The rolling stock I have appears to be Atlas with Micro-Trains couplers & trucks. I would like to do the body mount adaptation...if this pans out.

Yesterday I had some time while my son was napping to lay out the track in a modified form from the plan I liked.

West End:

West End by Wide Cab, on Flickr

East End:

East End by Wide Cab, on Flickr

Overview:

Overview by Wide Cab, on Flickr

I did end up using a couple of wye switches and using the larger Peco turnouts to crossover from main to main. I have the curves laid out with easement pieces to broaden things but can use flex track when the time comes. I have LOTS of flex track...

I think I like the idea. Nothing to have tons of operations, per se...but if I isolate the two loops and the "yard" section, technically I could have three trains running...

I have seen the back and forth arguments over body mounting N scale freight cars. Well it should be done on locomotives and cabooses, for freight cars it really depends on what you want. Don't listen to any arguments you may encounter save mine. All my rolling stock has truck mounted Accumate or Micro-Trains couplers. Why? Because it is easier to do than installing a small coupler into a tiny shank on the body of a car. Cabooses and locomotives have body mounted though.
Truck mounting doesn't look as realistic, but body mounting can cause a few problems such as change of grades, the cars will follow the end of the train car, whereas truck mounts do not. Also if you have curved grades and/or tight curves you will have to send in the crane every time to clean up the derailment. Body mounts look realistic but mostly work well for short trains/locals.
So truck mounting is better in my opinion. It's easier to switch out the couplers too. If you have the ugly square rapido or some non magnetic dummy knuckles on a truck, just take out the truck and install new MTL (Micro-Trains) trucks and you are good to go. Just make sure you get the correct trucks for your pike. I accidentally picked up an old archbar style truck instead of a more modern truck.

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Interchange by Wide Cab, on Flickr

Would this be too much? I'm not 100% sure about adding it. Thoughts?

My only suggestion would be to lengthen the yard tracks.

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I played "John Henry" for about 3 hours over the last two days. 80% of track is laid out and nailed in. I have one small piece to redo and then 4 other sections to lay. Then comes joint soldering & wiring. Photographic proof tomorrow!

Ok, here goes.

First photo the outside loop is laid and I'm test-fitting pieces for the main crossovers.

N Scale Outer Loop by Wide Cab, on Flickr


Second photo, the inside loop is laid as is one future industry (right side). Tonight should see the rest of the tracks in.

N Scale Inner Loop by Wide Cab, on Flickr

Should finish tonight. Laying track anyway.

Looking good, Dan. I'm watching this one closely. I miss modeling. A nice door N-scale layout seems like it might be a good fit for my life and my small house right now.

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Chris
Denver, CO

"May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, leading to the most spectacular view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds." ~Edward Abbey

What about a coffee table layout? I thought about building one but I'm more of an HO guy.

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Sincerely,
Todd M. Taylor
The Unofficial $oo Line Diesel Roster

Hmmmmmmmm!!! *Starts pondering*

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Chris
Denver, CO

"May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, leading to the most spectacular view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds." ~Edward Abbey