Does anybody have the issue that this layout was featured in or know what radius track was used? I am thinking about building this and adding a GN flavor to it and backdating to the days of steam. But I need to know if my Tenshodo 0-8 Mike will handle the track work. She does 22 with ease and 18 if I go easy like switching/yard speed. Thanks Mike
It would help if you knew the name of the layout. Have you checked the Track Plan Database to see if it is there? At a guess I would say those curves, expecially at the right side are 18".
Good luck,
That one is Gateway central X built in 2003, here is another one from the same group that I like. This one actualy fits the GN theme a bit better with the mountains, but all they have is a simple black and white pic, no track plan ect. This one is the Gateway Central III, based on the Berkshire Division, according to thier website. Site is a bit out of date now though, no real updates since last year. Track plans are one of my huge stumbling blocks, I can build and tune brass engines, but planning a layout to run them on goes right over my head. Mike P.S. I would love to look at the data base and I do subscribe to the magazine, but it was a gift subscription from my wife’s parents and I cant get into the database. Mike
The Gateway Central III was done in 1996 if that helps those with MRR collections for referance. I dont have many from that year. That black and white pic would make an excellent small GN layout. Thanks for all the help Thanks for the link Ray, thats where I got the pics from, unfortuanly the one pic is all there is of the 1996 year layout. Mike
The top right turnout gives it away. Looks like a #4 which would be 18 radius. The rest of the curves match it.
It also looks like a shinorrah curved turnout on the bottom left which has a much higher radius but on the top left they compensate with what looks like a close to 15 inch.
I say stay away from that one.
after seeing that black and white pic of thier 1996 year layout, I am leaning toward that one. The track more closely hugs the outer table edges so its probably a larger radius, it does bow in on left side of the pic where it runs along a river or lake ect. But it does give some good ideas. I know I can fit 22r around the outer edges and the bow in on the one side keeps it interesting as does the mountain range. I will have to break out my pen and paper and try to figure out the track plan and see what I can do with it. Thanks Mike
It’s most likely not 22 but probably 18. 22 would start from near the edge on both sides. On the right it comes in at least 6 inches before entering the curve.
Hi,
I took the liberty of scaling the picture and 6x4 in metric is 1800mm x1200mm scales to 800 x 533 or fairly close to the size of your pic in proportion. Using that the scale should be a 6x4 and your curves should be 18inches. The other tell tale is the switch at the bottom of the layout where the straight section appears to be the straight set track length of 9". . There is possibly a compounded curve piece of flex track between the RH switch at the bottom and the LH curved switch on the left.
My LL 0-8-0’s go around compound curves sharper than 18" ultimately … you should be OK! Hope this Helps
Trevor in Australia www.xdford.digitalzones.com for your interest!
I would be happy to look up this information for you, but you need to be a little more specific about the dates. I looked in the MR annual index for 1996 and see no reference to anything called the Gateway Central. I also skimmed through the magazines for that year and again did not see that trackplan or title. I searched the trackplan data base and again nothing called Gateway Central comes up.
Are you sure that this was in MR?
My estimate-based on scaling the track width-is that the layout is about 42"x62"; the tighter radii are about 15". If the curved turnouts are Shinohara and are the same as they now produce, the outside radius is 24" and the divergent radius is 18" (despite the claim of 20").
Dante
Well, if nothing else, this plan doesn’t suffer from excessive parallelism, so has some appeal. But those curves are mighty tight. Good place for 40-foot freight cars and four-axle diesel, cab-ended diesels (SW7, etc.), and mid-twentieth century modeling. Overall, not a bad choice for a first-time layout.
Mark