Finally finalized layout plan........I think

Model Railroader Layouts and layout building
1

Ok. I have decided to stick with modern day frieght, chemical, and aggregate transport for my layout. I plan on using Norfolk Southern for the prototype railroad but in a freelanced location. The one absolute is having a large staging/frieght yard on the layout. I think I have asked before but cant find the post, how many different HO manufacturers produce NS locos and rolling stock? Should I stick solely to NS rolling stock or would it be prototypical to see other road’s rolling stock in consists? Which companies make the small and large tank cars that you see? The ones that are all one color with just small letters signifing the chemical being carried. What type of road bed do you guys think it best to use?

2

It is prototypical to have other railroads rolling stock mixed in with there own. Athearn makes kits for several different kinds of tank cars and there are several rtr made by other companies.

I use wood road bed that you can buy in 36" lenths and I like but for curves the wood must be cut at an angle for it to work. It’s nice and quite on top of extruded styrofoam evan after gluing it down with elmers wood glue at every track joint.

3

I own locomotives painted for NS made by Kato, Atlas, BLI, Athearn and Proto 2K. All are great runners, IMO my Katos are the best runners and the P2Ks are the most detailed. BLI looks good and sounds good too but some detail on her could be better. My Athearn is just a BB kit and for the price it is not bad at all. All are DCC and All are used on a regular basis on my layout.

It is normal to see cars and even locmotives from other companies all on one train so dont worry about that. Most of my cars are Athearn BB kits with a few Athearn RTR, Walthers RTR and Kits, and one or two Atlas RTR all in NS. Finding NS stuff is usually not too hard.

4

Ok guys that helps on the locos and rolling stock now I have a question about DCC. As I plan on running this as prototypical as possible DCC is a definate choice. Which should I buy? I want to be able to control as many locos and functions as possible but without having to add on to the DCC each time the layouit grows. Also I have considered buying some dummy locos to keep cost down but also like the prototypical operation of several powered locos in a train, what are your thaughts on this? Do any of you use dummy locos?

5

One question for dcc is: How big is your layout? or how big is it going to be?

since you want all the sound functions I think that nce has all of them so far but I’m not sure about the base systems unless they’re newer ones but I’m pretty sure that the throttles do have all the sound functions.

But then again don’t quote me on this.

6

Maybe the better question would have been who all makes DCC equipment?

7

Maybe but they are:

I think that’s it.

8
9

Thanks guys that helps out there. Now for a layout specific question. As I said the one absolute on my layout will be a large freight and staging yard. The design I have envisioned involves a double main line running on the out skirts with the yard off to one side. To reach the yard I figured creating a short siding that inturn branched off into the yard. The yard would be at the shortest 16’ long by 3’ wide possibly larger. I would like to include a large engine house, turntable, repair facilities, etc… Who makes the best turnouts in code 100? Would you guys advise switching to code 83? Who all makes 3-way turnouts and wyes? Does this seem to be a prototypical yard design? If not what would be better? In a related question I wish to have the most prototypical motive power as I can. I see many many trains go through here with as many as seven locos sometimes. Is it possible to do this on a layout? Do you guys use dummy locos any?

10

I don’t use dummies. For the yard desighn it sounds good. Atlas makes good code 100 switches. One thing about code 83 is that not everything will run on it but everyhting will run on code 100. Let’s a second for the three way switch peco and shinorah make them and a three way is currently on sale @ www.walthers.com for $40 it normally goes for about $60 so it’s best to get those this month or you’ll be spending even more then you want to for one switch.

Also for the switch you can hadlay youron using a kit from www.handlaidtrack.com but it’s around $160 bu they are very good from what I’ve butit’s not really worth the price unless your using more than 4 or 5 3 ways. By the way I wish I could have a yard as big as yours.

Atlas also makes wyes. Peco and shinaro might but I’m not sure.

11

Thanks for the info. I hope to be starting work on this layout by the end of the year. I need to get everything baught up first. I was considering building the entire thing in a modular formnat, anyone built one like this?