After deliberating for many months (actually several decades if I wanna get argumentive) I have this evening launched the benchwork for the Ajax & Imperial Railroad; a freelanced short line operating near the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains. The layout is based on the 4 X 8 Turtle Creek Central but I have expanded it to 4 X 11 to give myself more space for industries and such.
I’m already wondering if I have done the right thing. Nonetheless…onward and upward!
do you mean did u do thte right thing by maken it bigger, of course give u more room for industry thjerefore it will give you more switching operations and more possiblities for the layout itself it will giv eoyu enough room to have the track and have room for a nice scenery, do you have a track plan?
Hey man, Congrats on finally pulling the trigger! Only mistsake you will make is not attempting it. Keep us posted.
Best Regards
Kiva Valley Railway Management
[:D]
Actually I meant - did I go with the right trackplan. I know in my heart that choosing a trackplan is the toughest part of the process!
So far the trackplan is as and was featured in MR January 2005 (I wish I had that issue!). I need to extend it by 3’. I’ll see if I can upload my screenshot from ‘TrainPlayer’.
Bill
kool cant wait too see it
Okay, uploaded to: http://s58.photobucket.com/albums/g280/toft/?action=view¤t=turtle_creek_central.jpg
looks like a nice layout it has a nice simplicity too it and a good bit of industries to keep you entertained fot a small area
Congratulations. Tayder. The track plan looks interesting. You have several other important milestones ahead of you: laying the first track, the first wheels on the track, the first engine, the first time the engine runs, the first train, and many others. Welcome to a wonderful, life-long hobby.
Be sure to keep us updated with photos. If you want your pictures to show up here in the forum, simply put { img] immediately in front of the link and { /img] after the link. I have added a space immediately after each opening bracket. Be sure to remove those also.
Again, congratulations!
Tom
Didn’t they actually do an extention for this layout? A coal mine on a wing if I remember right.
Here, these might be of quite some interest to you!
Turtle Creek video
http://www.trains.com/Content/Dynamic/Articles/000/000/003/606xmycp.asp
Turtle Creek branchline extention video
http://www.trains.com/Content/Dynamic/Articles/000/000/005/562ykrnt.asp
Turtle Creek coal mine video
http://www.trains.com/Content/Dynamic/Articles/000/000/005/725dcmmi.asp
Does that help any? [;)]
Way to go. Let the fun begin.
pcarrell, those video clips helped me with my final decision, small as they are. I will be adding the 2 X 6 extension very early in the construction phase. I want to get my turntable and roundhouse in there somehow.
This is my second start of the A&I. I tore out the last one to make room to build my kayak. It wasn’t going anywhere…I just started laying track and wasted a LOT of real estate. So I have most of my ‘stuff’ already. Lots of kits to build and bash. Lots of ideas [:D]
the turtle creek is a pretty decent trackplan that’s quite different from most 4x8 plans due to the way the switching area in the middle of the original layout works . add the branch and it becomes even better . by extending the layout from 4x8 to 4x11 you can add even more possibilities .
one thing to note , the video showing the branch has a switcher pulling some cars towards the mine , then later you see the switcher pulling the cars away from the mine . unfortunatly there is no run around to get the engine to the other end of the cars so this would have to be done with the 0-5-0 switching method . you either have to pu***he cars into the mine track or build a crossover between the 2 tracks there , with a long enough tail track to have room for an engine
the neat thing about trainplayer is you might have already found that out by trying to switch the mine
Hey Tayder,
Yes you’ve done the right thing! If you’ve been thinking about it for “several decades” you’ve planned ENOUGH. Planning is highly revered around here… but I often see guys get immobilized by planning and researching and what-iffing and this isn’t prototypical, and that doesn’t fit my era/ geography/ industry/ whatever. If that’s the fun part for you, great! But at some point I say ya’ just gotta get your hands dirty and DO IT – right or wrong! Way to go. (Hey I live on the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains.)
me the first thing i would change if possible is the radias or the curves , bigger is always better nothing smaller than 22 even 24 if possible maybe # 5 switches!
good luck with your plan and keep us posted
ray
RE: Actually I meant - did I go with the right trackplan.
If you like it and it gives you pleasure then it is the ‘right’ plan for you. [:)]
Enjoy and have fun
Stephen
