Coldwater Layout

Model Railroader Layouts and layout building
1

Hello from the Netherlands (Rotterdam area).

It’s been almost 30 years since I last modelled anything, mainly scratch building to Dutch example and collecting, no actuall layout.

Now we’re moved to another house, and I conficated the attic, the wife didn’t mind so that’s taken care of :wink:

I sold my entire collection of Dutch rolling stuff, so a new chapter can be opened.
I wanted something different, and I like the American model railroad examples.

Well since I’m totally new to American, stock, I looked at a great amount of plans, and finally made my own with the aid of AnyRail.

My goal period is somewhere between the 1930s and 1950s, and I shifted towards the 50s (I love the 50s, been to Cuba were I relived the 50s car wise).

So the track plan had to represent a small town and a industrial part, with enough possibilities. And since I will make a fictional track plan/layout I can do what I want.

I Will use Peco code 83 tracks and I will scratchbuilt all structures when I can lay my hands on blueprints to actually build them
Minimum radius I designed with is 500mm, more then enough I guess for the period I mentioned, no extreme long cars.

The plan consists of a mainline and a brachline and a shadowstation.

I would like to share with you my plan, and hope for constructive critics on the layout.

Thank you for your imput, tips and tricks.

Coldwater Track Plan

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That time frame you selected would include a transistion era of steam locos to diesel ones. but from the engine house you have shown, I assume you don’t plan to include steam engines (my favorites).

3

Well he’s got water and coal, so you might be inferring too much from the roof of the engine house. Roundhouses and turntables take up a lot of space.

Are the tracks behind the back drop going to be accessible in case of derailments?

I am curious why you have the urge to model a railroad in a country where you have never been?

EDIT Didn’t notice this is your 1st post. You will be moderated for a little while so you next post will take a while to appear. [#welcome] to the forum

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[#welcome]

Looks very good to me, love the bridge!!

Mel

My Model Railroad
http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/

Bakersfield, California

I’m beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.

5

That is a big problem for me. From the look of the drawing, I get the feeling that the roof slopes downwards, left and right. Which hints of no access at all to the hidden tracks.

For metrically challenged persons:

Width of layout is 9 3/4 feet

“Height” of layout is 11 feet

Curve radius is 19 3/4 inches

I would think about replacing the enginehouse with a turntable. It’s nice to see the other side of a locomotive once in awhile. Then I’d have a track off of it for the now relocated enginehouse. There is room. You COULD eliminate the fueling track, and put those structures on the turntable lead track, but it wouldn’t look as interesting, I think.

Also, over at Coldwater station, I would consider making the siding longer by moving the track switches into the curved sections of track. Peco makes curved switches. Or you could still use the straight switches–see the track switch to the left of the yard office.

Those comments made, it is a very nice layout.

In the US, in the '50’s, there were still many small railroads. I think you would find Beebe and Clegg’s “Mixed Train Daily” to be both informative and inspiring.

If that book seems a little “precious”, you could choose to operate your railroad with a small diesel switcher, instead. And perhaps park “Old #1” on a track next to the enginehouse.

Ed

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There seems to be a lot of the mainline run out of sight behind the backdrop. I had a friend and tunnels were his thing. He had so many tunnels (some very long) his train was often out of sight. Eventually, he removed many of his tunnels in a rework as the whole idea of a model railroad is to be able to see the trains.

Maybe you could rework it a bit so one of your staging tracks is in front of the backdrop.

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By th way, thanks for converting the metric, I will now also put in foot and inches when it comes to measurements.

I’ve measured it all, the back is accesible for de-railed trains to be reached.

That is why the base is only 1100mm (3 ft 7 5/16 inch) wide. I could easily to 1300mm (4 ft 3 3/16 inch) wide but then I cannot reach t

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Understand, but the only benefit is that a train staged there will be visible, or I could use it to benefit the workers and relocate also the Beatie’s platform, hmm now that could be worth to explore (to boldly go… hmmm wrong forum :wink:

Greetz

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To all, sorry is my English spelling is not always as should be :wink:

@Brian, Yes purely steam, maybe an early diesel, who knows.

@Henry, Yes my very first post herem, thanks for the welcome, much apreciated

@RR_Mel Thanks, yes a bridge, I love bascule bridges.

@7j43k, yes i can reach the backside, the top of the tracks there will be at 800mm (2 ft 7 1/2 inch)

I tried a turntable, but I find it way to big, it would be handy thow.

I have moved both switches and making the platform longer.

That book (Beebe and Clegg’s “Mixed Train Daily”) sounds interesting, I will see if I can buy it in Holland.

@Batman, One staged track in from of the backdrop leaving it exposed, sounds like a great Idea, I can place the industrie platform of Beatie’s there instead.

Well thank you so far, good tips, worht while to play with, and below is the changed version two of the three mentioned options

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Gerard,

Your English (and American) is quite adequate.

When I suggested a turntable, I was thinking of something quite small, like this:

You would have to build your own.

For a locomotive, this one by Bachmann would appear a good choice–perhaps relettered for your own railroad:

There are also quite a few similar locomotives available that were hand-made in brass. The cost is not much higher, though they would likely come unpainted. And without DCC. But there is quite a variety.

Bachmann makes what would perhaps be the ideal small diesel for this railroad, the GE 70 ton:

Unfortunately, they have a bad reputation for running quality. That is very unfortunate.

Ed

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I’ll make a pitch for a Bowser VO 1000 for a small diesel switcher.

https://tinyurl.com/y83rk3lp

You don’t mention DC vs DCC. Older Bowsers may need machining of the frame to fit a decoder. They run very well, and the newer ones came with loksound. Unfortunately it is not in their current catalog, so you will have to keep an eyeout on ebay.

Atlas also had a recent run of S-1’s

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I have the BS 4-4-0 DCC/sound and I think it is my favourite loco.

One warning, if you look at the wiring harness hanging down in the photo, mine did the same and shorted out after wearing through the insulation while going over turnouts. I rewired it and fixed it up so it would not rub on the rails ever again. A learning experience for sure, I should have noticed the poor design and the wire hanging down.

That little engine has a Gazillion laps on it on my layout. I put it on with five cars at about 30 MPH while I am working on the layout. I just have to remember it comes by every six minutes and remember to clear the crew (elbows) off the line.[(-D]

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It’s good to hear good things about that 4-4-0. It is a lovely locomotive. Unfortunately, my “branch line” is a logging outfit. Much more suited to 2-8-2T’s. And geared.

I also thought of the VO-1000. I feel it MIGHT be a little big. I’ve got some, and agree that they’re very nice. I prefer the Atlas S-2, because of the extra weight. However, I think the Baldwin would be more likely to show up on this particular layout.

Actually, Atlas has another little cutie: the Alco HH-660

It’s smaller than the Baldwin VO-1000 or the Alco S-2. And it’s certainly older, and thus (perhaps) more likely to have been picked up used by a small railroad.

Sure is fun pondering these choices, no?

Ed

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@Ed, ok, this turntable looks great, that one I would love to incorporate in the layout, there must be some European brand that has these small ones, and I can do some modifications to look American.

The Loco I love, I’m a novest regarding American models so I would love to learn more, so I would do some digging and get to know the history.

Honestly you can say I’m a rookie, I know what I want, but were to find stuff I have to figure it out were to get it. I know and heared about American brands like Walthers, roundhouse, bachman, Woodland Scenics (this last one I used when making diorama’s) etc. And with the help of you I’ve learned a lot.

@BigDaddy, Yes I forgot to mention DC or DCC. The obvious choice I think when you start new is to go DCC, so this I will do. But also in this field I’m completely new, so any advise is very, Very welcome.

Railroaders in Holland advise me to use a so called MultiMAUS a handheld to control trains, turnouts etc.

@Batman, Sound in a loco is not my thing, I can do without. I know is common in the states, but in Europe you don’t see much railroaders using sound. DCC is a must, sound not :wink:

At the momen I’m comparing prices of track materials, And I know prices in Europe/Holland must be a bit higher than in America, for example a peace of Peco Code 83 flex SL8300 I can buy as cheap as € 5,63 ($ 6.37), A Peco Code 83 turnout SL8361 will cost me € 29,03 ($ 44.20) so you may say is this is cheap or expensive I can’t compare.

Thanks again for the input and your thoughts.

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[#welcome] to the Forum, Gerard. I hope you have as much enjoyment as I have modelling the North American prototype.

Why Not!![:O][;)]

I can’t answer for Gerard, but when I got interested in model railroading, the choice, availability, and good running quality of HO American locomotives, (in general) and dare I say overall affordability, made modelling the North American prototype very attractive, plus the Club had a large collection of Model Railroader and RMC in the library.

Other pluses that came along later, are I quite like learning new hobby related stuff, and the fellowship (?) I’ve gained through this forum.
Cheers, the Bear.[:)]

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Hello Gerard!

Welcome to the forums!!! [#welcome]

Your plan looks very interesting. I hope you get a lot of enjoyment out of it.

Dave

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I can answer that question easily, i like the trains, and its more interesting than over here, in Holland its more straightforward thats why.

You don’t have to actually been somewhere to model something is my opinion.

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Henry - model railroading US-style has quite a followership in Europe, so it is not at all unusual. Modeling something which you don´t see at your doorstep is that extra kick on Route 66 for not a small amount of folks.

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There are American model railroad railroad clubs that model European, and show their layouts at train shows. It goes both ways.

Having only spent a couple brief vacations in Britain and France, the look of European rail is unfamiliar to me. Modeling the US Civil War era, is equally foreign. At least there, I’ve seen a lot of photos, but it is equally outside my experience and I wouldn’t model that era either.

With all the complaining we do about the demise of the local hobby shop, the availability overseas, wherever overseas is, is another dilemma. I don’t want to hijack Gerald’s thread, so maybe I’ll start a new one.

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While your B&M LHS around the corner most likely won´t stock US prototype model trains, sourcing is not a problem at all. There are quite a few internet shops in Europe selling US trains, and ordering in the US is not an issue at all.