Overall I would say it is a very good plan. I am curious about the purpose of the small inside loop. Operationally, it does nothing but add a roundabout way of getting back to the same place on the mainline. I think a better use of this space would be to eliminate the continuous loop and instead have industrial spur tracks in both directions. You could create a small branch with numerous industrial tracks off of it. You could even keep the continuous loop as an industrial beltway. I don’t know of any prototype that uses such a loop but it wouldn’t surprise me to find out there are some. I think an industrial branch or beltway would provide more operational possibilities than using the loop as an alternate mainline route.
The inner loop will eventually serve an Amtrak station and it sort of acts like a passing siding. But other than that it really does nothing except add operational intrest. I thought about using the loop for the Walthers Coal Flood Loader but passenger trains wouldn’t look right going through it. The original track plan from Atlas had a spur coming off the loop but I had to remove it to make room for a river.
Micheal,
Thanks for the post. I don’t think it’s going to be finished anytime soon, so don’t hold your breath. [:)]
LOL… yah mine too… you can see my layout at
http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/view?p=999&gid=8558777&uid=3764347&members=1
i don’t have much on there and i just added an other brach to go to a coal mine…
tell me what you think about it if you want too… it is dc run and has 18 in curves… it is driving me crazy to do something on it but there isn’t anything left i can do on it besides run trains… it agrivates the heck out of me… well hope to haer from you…
michael
P.S.- do you know of anyways to make a lot of cheap trees? there is going to be a forest in the center and i need to make some trees… thanks
i use mainly the 2nd track on my mainly for passenger service and my station is in a inner loops as well…great mines think alike
Micheal,
Model Railroader magazine has a lot of info on how to make trees, thats a good start. Woodland Scenics has a kit that will make 36 trees for $15. Sorry I can’t be more help, I’m not up to that point yet. You could add some hills and stuff using foam insulation. Its really easy to do and it makes the layout seem more realistic.
Conrail92,
Would it be possible for you (or anyone else) to post a picture or two of your amtrak trains? I’m thinking about buying a few of the athearn passenger cars but I can’t find any decent photos of them. Thanks in advance.
thanks for the help… i have tried a few ways to make trees but i just cann’t get it right… i just found a easy way that is cheap and you can get the stuff from walmart… if you need the instructions click here http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?page=1&TOPIC_ID=26674
thanks again and if you need anything you can email me At yahoo… qwe can try and help each other other and see how each of our tables come out…
michael
CSXFAN How many 18" curves did you have? I still doing this plan obvious with some alterations. Hopefully workig out in Atlas Track software soon.
Csxfan: give me you email adress and i can send you some pics, my enginges are old bluebox engines and my cars are rather new atheran ones. They run well only prob was it wasnt dcc ready and i have yet to find the time or money to get it to be dcc compatible. and just curious what paintt fase you where interested in
Almost all the turns are 18" except for a few which are only a tiny bit bigger. I used flex track without a guage so I’m not exactly sure which curves are 18". Its a good idea to use some kind of software so you don’t end up having to fix the track later, like I had to do. I tore up the inner loop and made the turnig radius bigger along with the single track leading out of the yard, so the pictures probably aren’t correct anymore.
Conrail92,
I don’t have my own e-mail address so I don’t know if I can give it out, I’ll ask though. Could you post the pictures on this forum? I’m looking for the phase IV paint scheme, or the newest one I can find.
k ill post here
Here are some images of my amtrak locomotives and cars the cars are phase IV and the engines are phase III tell me if you want anymore info
Conrail92,
Thanks a lot for the pics, the cars look great behind those engines. I think I’m gonna get the athearn phase IV cars and run them behind a phase V P42.
Does anyone (that has experience with them) have any comments on the athearn cars? I’m trying to decide if they’er the best way to go (not like I have a choice). Any input would be appreciated.
there great cars run smooth only problem is the wheel flange is it a bit small and unless you running on real smooth surface it has a tendacy to jump so i just replaced them with deeper flange wheels
PS im sry bout poor pictuer quality i cant find my good cameras computer cord
Again thanks for the pics. The quality is fine, they’er better than anything else I could find on the web. Hows the detail on the cars. Is there an interior, or any underbody detailing? Thanks in advance.
the inerior is empty but you can by seating for them if you wish, and the underbody is plane as well
I have several different Amtrak trains i run (one is a 5 engine, led by a Phase V P42, superliner) so if i can figure out how to upload pics i’ll post them.
Hotshott,
That would be great! If you can get them onto your computer there are several forums on how to post them, thanks!
Kool i would like to see pictures of that. i want too get a phase v p42 after i finish my layout cause my older p42 isnt rly dcc compatible witch is a bit annoying
What is the “white stuff” you used for the basic table top? I’ve been trying to find 4x8 foam board insulation but no one seems to have it any more. Anybody with suggestions?
The “white stuff” came from a 4x8 sheet of packing foam I got from Menards. I got it about three years ago so I don’t know if its still around, most home improvement stores or large hardware stores had it.
If I could start over again I’d use some insulation board. When I carve this foam thousands of little balls fly everywhere, and because of static electricity they stick to everything making them a real pain to clean up.