Work in progress - now the X factor !

[Jordan]

Work in progress - now the pain of planning

[quote=""28ten"":1uw817jy]

while we ar on track work any thoughts on 'underlay'? I like quiet running !

I have come to the conclusion that there is nothing you can do that will quieten running. [/quote:1uw817jy]
Personally I think this "ideal" of quiet running is a bit of an illusion, not helped by seeing so many layouts on the Exhibition Circuit that appear to have very quiet running locos... but don't forget all the background noise (talking, the DCC/sound layouts, and the Trader selling videos who always plays one at top volume ) that masks the 'normal' running noises of the layout that you happen to be watching. Watched in a quiet room, that "quiet" layout would soon seem very noisy!!
Again my own opinion; but I quite like a bit of noise from a loco (and as Phill says, particularly coach & wagon wheels), and O scale is suited to producing some of the real noises even DCC can't really do, such as when a loco goes through pointwork - it helps to give an impression of the heft & weight of a train, much as I recall the noise (and vibration!) that heavy engines like Peaks and Hoovers made coming into B'ham New Street, back in the day....

 

[28ten]

Work in progress - now the pain of planning

I think thats a fair point Jordan, I just dont like a lot of growling noise and rumbling from the boards. i think I will use the 3mm foam Normon Soloman recommends and then fill any voids beneath the baseboard with some sound deadening material at least that way the boards will be acoustically dead as opposed to being a sound box.

Further developing the urban idea i quite like the idea of some flats either sixties style or art deco.
this particular arrangement would have some sidings at the back, hopefully containing the sort of old wagons I used to see just north of Reading.

 

[28ten]

Work in progress - now the pain of planning

now I know why a prototype has always appealed - its a darn sight easier! I think this requires a certain sort of imagination, one that I dont have

 

[Rob Pulham]

Work in progress - now the pain of planning

now I know why a prototype has always appealed - its a darn sight easier! I think this requires a certain sort of imagination, one that I dont have

Hear, Hear, I suppose I am lucky that the wife has the creative imagination in our house - show me it and I can make it. but make it up from nothing I struggle.

 

[iploffy]

Work in progress - now the pain of planning

Ditto I decided to use an actual location and tweek it to what I want after the PWay was down

Ian

 

[bogusman]

Work in progress - now the pain of planning

Hi Cynric
I been looking through my book collection for inspiration again (had a bit of time spare between spraying coats on the Collett chassis) as i too would like to use a prototypical track layout as trying to design one from scratch seems an uphill struggle (maybe I have not got enough artistic flair for it ?). If you have Barry Normans Designing a layout have a look at the Redruth track plan as I think with some slight tweaking it has the possibility of becoming an urban layout.

Regards
Pete

 

[28ten]

Work in progress - now the pain of planning

Pete
I had seen that in my searches I have come to the conclusion that I have 2 basic choices - up on an embankment or slightly below ground level with retaining walls. both have their merits but I am edging towards the latter because of the difficulty of hiding the exits with embankments. One thing I did pick up on at guildex is the need for some thought on a backscene IMHO some good layouts were ruined by seeing the operators 82G was a definite winner in the presentation stakes as some thought had gone into the presentation.
One of the things that draws me to Winchester is the natural entrance/ exit and the chalk hill as a backscene.

 

[Jordan]

Work in progress - now the pain of planning

... One thing I did pick up on at guildex is the need for some thought on a backscene IMHO some good layouts were ruined by seeing the operators ...

I noticed that, possibly because my layout doesn't have a backscene either... On the other hand some of the layouts were quite wide - I'm not sure how the operators could reach the middle anyway to couple stock, never mind if they had to reach over a backscene as well....
Ullapool had a good backscene; Severn Magna could've done with one...

 

[28ten]

Work in progress - now the pain of planning

[quote=""28ten"":3ugi8xrt]... One thing I did pick up on at guildex is the need for some thought on a backscene IMHO some good layouts were ruined by seeing the operators ...

I noticed that, possibly because my layout doesn't have a backscene either... On the other hand some of the layouts were quite wide - I'm not sure how the operators could reach the middle anyway to couple stock, never mind if they had to reach over a backscene as well....
Ullapool had a good backscene; Severn Magna could've done with one...[/quote:3ugi8xrt]

yeah, all that work on the track and a background of middle aged gents crotch :shock: in fairness it wasnt the only one and it may well be in the works.
Another one I liked was the small urban diorama one the guild technical stand, I was especially taken with the idea of lighting for a rainy day

 

[Jordan]

Work in progress - now the pain of planning

Another one I liked was the small urban diorama one the guild technical stand, I was especially taken with the idea of lighting for a rainy day

On this Website which focuses on Micro-layouts (so not really your cup of tea usually :lol: ) there's a page dedicated to this layout; "Brooklyn 3am", which is a layout with lighting for a rainy night... very atmospheric !!
Gives a new meaning to "modelling the Dark Side", anyway

/gets coat

 

[bogusman]

Work in progress - now the pain of planning

Its a shame you dont model the southern :lol: :lol: as one of the St Leonards on sea stations near Hastings it is basically 2 platforms with station buildings between 2 tunnels at either end of the platforms .

Pete

 

[28ten]

Work in progress - now the pain of planning

I have been re reading David Jenkinsons book and the most heartening thing is that I am not alone in the dilemmas I am facing :laugh:
Still, I am really down to a a couple of basic schemes either a simple single or double track loop with a couple of sidings and maybe a branch junction either in a slight embankment/ retaining walls or just a simple through station. of the latter style Llangollen and Dollgellau are both appealing possibilities but they lack any hydraulic action, Winchester is also a possible and all three have a natural backdrop. Stratford and Henley in Arden are late contenders and Churston is back in the mix (!) Wellington is also an interesting proposition but a little on the large side, but again it features some handy retaining walls.......

 

[Simon Dunkley]

Work in progress - now the pain of planning

Why not do what the Americans do, and slect a few features you like as "layout design elements" and bring them together to create your own unique model? This is really what Niel is doing with Morfa, when you think about it. (Hope that is not too previous, Neil!)

Or, for showing off stock running round, a retaining wall at the back, a low wall at the front, and a park with kids watching the trains. I vaguely recall seeing photos of somewhere like that in Bath, which I think was mostly Western territory...

 

[Phill Dyson]

Work in progress - now the pain of planning

If you do not wish to shunt & just like to watch the trains go by, have you considered a short stretch of sea wall viewed from the beach side ? :scratch:

Phill

 

[28ten]

Work in progress - now the pain of planning

If you do not wish to shunt & just like to watch the trains go by, have you considered a short stretch of sea wall viewed from the beach side ? :scratch:

Phill

Holiday haunts??! :laugh: Im getting there, slowly! I need at least one loop as I dont have any space for storage sidings its really the scenic backdrop that needs to be resolved

 

[iploffy]

Work in progress - now the pain of planning

I have a suggestion why not do as you say and have a passing loop but have a cassette system inside the loop so you can make up trains to run some thing different when you want, so as not to disturb the runing of trains on the outer loop. I have seen the cassette system work very effectively and as you have very little storage space on your layout it would suit your needs admirably.

Ian

 

[28ten]

Work in progress - now the pain of planning

I have a suggestion why not do as you say and have a passing loop but have a cassette system inside the loop so you can make up trains to run some thing different when you want, so as not to disturb the runing of trains on the outer loop. I have seen the cassette system work very effectively and as you have very little storage space on your layout it would suit your needs admirably.

Ian

As you have seen, I need access where the stairs enter the cellar, so what I will probably do is to make a cassette system there on one of the lines - roughly what you suggest but on the opposite side.

 

[Simon Dunkley]

Work in progress - now the pain of planning

I need access where the stairs enter the cellar, so what I will probably do is to make a cassette system there on one of the lines - roughly what you suggest but on the opposite side.

Why not make access to the cassettes via a single line the basis of a junction onto a double track circuit? You can then treat the circuit however you wish. The junction does not have to have a station - many didn't. You would then have the choice of a modern style junction with single lead and crossover, or one using a diamond crossing with a double junction going down to a single track, which has the potential for great visual impact.

 

[Phill Dyson]

Work in progress - now the pain of planning

I'm losing track a bit on this one, are you still using the track plan on page 10 ?

 

[28ten]

Work in progress - now the pain of planning

I'm losing track a bit on this one, are you still using the track plan on page 10 ?

It's fluid!! It will be something similar ie two tracks and a siding, possibly a junction. I do have a couple of dozen other plans though :laugh: