… that is, as far as I know.
An early 1960s John Armstrong article on his “Hardscrabble” plan featuring standard, dual, and narrow-gauge, but most importantly, multiiple levels, inspired my own. Never did finish it:: graduated from college and moved from California to New Jersey. Here’s a 1967 photo. Employed a “nolix” to reach the second level.
Can anyone document an earlier multi-deck layout?
What’s a “nolix”? Neat picture by the way.
jep,
I’m going to guess it’s short for “no helix”.
Tom
I started one in the 1960’s, started it in 1965 in Topeka KS but moved it out in 1970 when I took a new position in Kansas City KS. The layout still exists, in 3 levels, also using a non helix to connect the top and middle deck and a helix to connect the middle and bottom deck. This layout is for all purposes, completed, and has been since 1983 or 4. All scenery done, and I now have op sessions, and still redo sections of it when a need or urge strikes. It just grew over the years. The layout is in my basement, survived the move and expanded, and occupies a space 29ft by 36ft, running through three different basement rooms…
Bob
A nolix is a rising path all the way around the layout that raises the track to the second level without the use of a helix.
The layout was a five-by-ten-foot donut. There was a standard-gauge oval with hidden staging. Narrow gauge was point-to-point running twice around the layout and terminated on the upper deck, above the lower level yard where the gauges interchanged. The upper deck was about half the size of the lower deck.
Guess I qualify, upon my relocation to Ca. in the early 70’s , and confined to a 10 X 12 bedroom with a high ceiling and many imported articulateds that demanded large curves, I constructed an around the walls layout design that climbed 4 levels before terminating in a reverse loop over 12 feet off the center of the floor, for bullet proof track-Tru-Scale roadbed with code 100 rails was chosen along with their matching turnout kits, Kemtron switch machines, Twin-T detection and walk around throttles were some of the advanced features.
I never did get scenery beyond the first level-but did complete an impressive timber trestle on the 42R curve that comprised the reverse loop. One wonders what scenery effects could have been accomplished with 11 feet of air below! This is my only layout for which no photos exist, although the track plan survives in my files.
Dave
Dave, please share/show your track plan!
Very interesting.
I want to start next month with my Armstrong version of the Pueblo & Salt Lake RR. I’ve changed the original plan to my room.
Wolfgang
Mark
This layout has been in my thoughts as of late, so i’ve recently reviewed that plan with thoughts of some updating: The reverse loop could have trackage added for stagging, a elevated operator platform would have to be deisgned and built for access inside the loop.
The proposed narrow guage logging branch could be converted to standard guage, this extension was never commited to paper, but would have terminated below the reverse loop.
I was keen enough to keep layout width to a foot or less with the exception of the main yard and grades which exceeded 3% in a couple of spots, yet don’t recall any operational problems with them and the typical 15-20 car train. Min. radius was 36 and turnouts were # 8’s on the main. The reverse loop was free standing, suspended by steel wires from the ceiling joist and stabilized by attachment to several wall studs. No thought was given on how I would hide these wires! My late uncle was a master carpenter and to him goes the honor of it’s design and execution.
I still have those articulateds and a recently vacated 11 X 12 spare bedroom. If I were to update and build anew, lack of high ceilings would probably restrict the number of levels, elevation changes and grades calculations would also be determined in advance!
Dave
Close but no cigar. … I’m sure that John Armstrong’s To Hardscrabble the hard way was not expressing originality by any means … – he was just elaborating on a theme of fitting a layout into a room that had to do double-duty. …RMC ran an article in the early '60s highlighting an outside third rail O-Scale(?) layout that represented the CNJ running from the coal fields of eastern Pennsylvania down – that is a key word here – to dockside at Joisy City. It descended about 4 times around the room. The layout was purely operational; scenery was absolutely minimal but at two or three places he had small yards and a turntable allowing him to change motive power enroute. I’ve never come to a conclusion as to whether the layout was interesting or not but I will admit that I would have liked to have seen it if for no other reason than that it was somewhat unique in its design. … Now, this layout was obviously multi-deck and being outside third rail it had to have had its genesis back in the stone age. I have related here on the forum about a trip to Connecticut in 1965 to view an outside third rail HO-Scale layout that was really anachronistic for that era.
That’s really one heck of a duckunder! As you get older. you may need a hoist and call it a “Drop into”
I call it a crawl/roll under. Not difficult when you’re 18-20 years old.
