A table-top train set.

jonte

Western Thunderer
Hi,

Having popped in last night to check on the progress of other layouts, as I do from time to time, I was privileged to learn that I had received an award for being a long time member of Western Thunder. Equally, I am ashamed to admit that in all of that time, I've contributed diddly squat to the forum. Probably because I have nothing to offer. Although that isn't strictly true. No. I have begun a model railway, of sorts. In fact it's my first, during a rather piecemeal interest in the hobby, and I'm quite pleased that it's got as far as it has, although it's still very much in the early stages of construction, and really is nothing to write home about, I assure you. I would have shared it before, however, as it's a North American based layout -Los Angeles in fact - I didn't think it would generate much interest. Please don't move on just yet. Please!
However, in light of interest already shown in a couple of USA themed layouts amongst these hallowed pages, one most recently in fact, I thought perhaps that the time was right at least to provide you with the opportunity to decide whether this is merely an exercise in how not to build a model railway - or otherwise (hopefully!) - and also make the effort to contribute something, at long last, that might make me feel a little less awkward about receiving my 'award' (did I mention I received an award?).
The layout is HO gauge and cobbled together on an old door - it is in fact merely a glorified table top layout which I suppose for this time of year is rather topical - which defines its boundaries. However, it does benefit from a small traverser and not all of the track is Peco Setrack. In fact, the rail in the traverser is Peco Code 75 which I'd accumulated for a layout that didn't get anywhere, and the track in the scenic section is home made from bits of PCB and code 75 rail from a couple of sources. It's not up to scratch built standards having been built from some dimensions on the NMRA site using a vernier gauge and some rather blobby soldering - which is why I prefer to call it home made - but at leAst it works and the few items of rolling stock I possess don't suffer the dreaded wheel drop.
It's set in the late seventies in area of LA known colloquially as 'The Patch' due to the series of ninety degree crossovers along its length, and traverses streets and sidewalks in the industrial area of the city, serving myriad warehouses and yards of the construction industry, fabricators and Lord knows what else!
Sadly, it no longer exists, but if you look hard enough, you can still find the odd trace in the form of ashort length of track poking through tthe tArmac here and there, or the odd buffer stop decaying to the side of a non descript concrete edifice.
Now, I'd sincerely like to start posting photos chronicling the build right here, however, my other lap top where they reside is playing up and I can't presently access them. So, if nobody minds, I'll provide the link to the North American forum where I have a thread, in the hope you find it of interest. If I'm in breach of the forum rules - can't seem to find anything to the contrary at present- please accept my humblest apologies and be assured I shall remove the link forthwith.
It's the fourth post down the page by the way, and as you can see, it's almost twelve months since I started it - where doses the time go? Unfortunately, like most of us in the hobby, time is currently at a premium and I haven't updated it since August, which I trust will change in the near future.
So here you are, friends, and thanks again for recognising my membership. And I mean that.


http://bigbluetrains.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=46&t=4126&start=165
 

Dog Star

Western Thunderer
Jonathan,

As if the link in your first post was not enough of a time bandit then you come along and offer a tantalising glimpse of an area of LA which has similarities with the Great Eastern in the East End of London. "The Patch" pages includes a link to a model of that part of LA and the link seems to be broken - can you oblige with a working link?

regards, Graham
 

jonte

Western Thunderer
Jonathan,

As if the link in your first post was not enough of a time bandit then you come along and offer a tantalising glimpse of an area of LA which has similarities with the Great Eastern in the East End of London. "The Patch" pages includes a link to a model of that part of LA and the link seems to be broken - can you oblige with a working link?

regards, Graham

Apologies, Graham.

Would this help?

http://www.patchrailroad.net/The_Patch/Patch_Home.html

Fingers crossed,

Jon
 

jonte

Western Thunderer
Yes, very much so.... yet more time taken in pursuit of a scatter-gun interest.
Oh, dear........that's how I got started with the Dark Side!!

I too thought it had a UK-esque feel to it when I discovered it, which is probably what inspired me to have a go at modelling it in the first place. I'm afraid the double or even triple headed 100+ box car consist looping its merry way across a mountain range isn't my cup of tea, although some wonderful models exist both sides of The Pond.

If I can fire up the other lap top, I've links to a couple of other sites with wonderfully atmospheric shots of the district, past and present, that should help to while away an odd hour or two over the forthcoming Christmas break.

I'm sure you'd enjoy them, Graham.

Jon
 

ceejaydee

Western Thunderer
Hello Jon and Welcome to WT :)

Spent some time looking through your thread over on Big Blue and like Graham have spent far too much time looking at The Patch too.

Street running, switchers and abandoned tracks..... oh yes :thumbs:
 

jonte

Western Thunderer
Hi Christopher and thanks for your warm greeting and interest :)

I still think the abandoned track of the prototype is in better condition than my model track work :(

Regards,

Jon
 

adrian

Flying Squad
If I'm in breach of the forum rules - can't seem to find anything to the contrary at present- please accept my humblest apologies and be assured I shall remove the link forthwith.
It's the fourth post down the page by the way, and as you can see, it's almost twelve months since I started it - where doses the time go? Unfortunately, like most of us in the hobby, time is currently at a premium and I haven't updated it since August, which I trust will change in the near future.
Welcome - the only rule per se is 'play nicely' and everything else flows from that, links to blogs or other fora are fine, you are even allowed to mention RMWeb without incurring a visit from the Flying Squad.

Thanks for the links, I've spent quite a bit of time exploring them so look forward to any updates.
 

jonte

Western Thunderer
Jonathan,

What are triple crossovers?

Thanks for the insight into the darker corners of forgotten tracks.

Hi, Graham and thanks for your continued interest.

I think I'm right in saying - although I stand to be corrected - that triple crossovers are merely three ordinary crossovers e.g. Ninety degree or otherwise, in series.
If you look at the Facebook images above (the black & white ones taken by Mr. Greg Leskorn in the early 80s) an example can be seen in, I think, the second shot in the second row of images (these were located behind the buildings in Industrial Street), while the shot immediately above it shows a series of three ninety degree crossovers (also at this location) in the foreground. Those I've just mentioned can just about be made out in the background (one of which is more acute).

It's this type that I've tried to model on my humble train set as can be seen on this page http://bigbluetrains.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=46&t=4126&start=180

Incidentally, one of the sets of crossovers mentioned above can also be seen in the rather gloomy colour picture in the top right hand corner of the page on the bob's garden path link (the link at the very top of the page).

I hope this helps, Graham, and thanks again for looking in.

Jon
 

jonte

Western Thunderer
Welcome - the only rule per se is 'play nicely' and everything else flows from that, links to blogs or other fora are fine, you are even allowed to mention RMWeb without incurring a visit from the Flying Squad.

Thanks for the links, I've spent quite a bit of time exploring them so look forward to any updates.

Hi, Adrian, and thank you too for taking time to welcome me.

The laid back approach of the 'rules of the road' are also appreciated and may I assure you I shall respect them.

RMWeb? Is this a utility supplier? I jest, of course. It has much to commend it.

Regards,

Jon.
 

jonte

Western Thunderer
Thanks for that - a great source of information on American rail-side industrial architecture - especially the second link. Very useful for decorating shunting planks. :)

Jim.
A pleasure, Jim, and thank you for your interest.

There's another web site you'd enjoy, but try as I might, I can't quite locate it at present. Like my photo archives, the link is also on that darned calcitrant lap top of mine. Still, I shall endeavour to find it!

Btw: I adore shunting planks.

Jon
 

jonte

Western Thunderer
Hi, westerfan, and many thanks for the compliment re the posting. Glad you find it of interest.

They are unique as you say. Mine need beefing up with outside rails like the prototype, however, the fact that they would be sited prototypically closer to the stock rails would just make the unprotypical gaps of the internal check rails more glaringly obvious. Unfortunately, this is a necessary compromise to allow for the wider HO gauge wheels. Probably best just left as they are.

Regards,

Jon
 
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