Hi all
I am considering redoing my current layout from a 4x12 to a bigger layout say something about 2 or 3’ by 30’. HO scale, free lance transition era, based loosely on the N&W . What I am looking for is a company to produce a scaled drawing of the layout with a wiring diagram in DC. I have talked to a couple of venders and I am looking for either a fixed price or not to exceed price or even an hourly rate. Who have you used ? What was your experience? Rates etc. ??
Is there some reason why you can’t do it yourself? That would be my recommendation. Maybe even make a cardboard mock up to test your drawing in the 3D world.
N&W of the 1950s is a great prototype.
Not enough time. Wife having passed away a year and a half ago I finds myself the father of two little girls with school, activities and church. I just don’t have the time for the research and design. Plus I eventually want this to be a word class layout. And to be frank about it. My electrical design skills rate right up there with my singing skills. Which is like the old Red Skeleton line." I sing so good my neighbor threw a brick threw the window so he could hear me better." I don’t want to burn down the railroad in the process.
Sorry to hear about the passing of your wife! How old are your girls. You can get them to help you, and teach them drawing and electricity at the same time. It is good that you are active in your church. You will surely find some people there who will be happy to help you with your layout.
Wiring a large layout is not all that complicated, and to be honest, LION just does it and does little on paper. Yes! Him did use paper and pencils to figure out the relays for the signal system but DC is not all that hard.
How many engines will you run at one time. On DC you need one throttle for each engine, and you will need a way to isolate them from each other. This becomes complicated. DCC might be easier, but of course LIONS do not use DCC.
If your plan is simple, one engine at a time, using turnouts to isolate engines not in use, yeah, it is easy.
According to LION: you built a layout from one end to the other. you get each track working as you build them, and you will quickly see where you will want to put gaps, secondary feeders, controls and all of that stuff. It really does fall into place.
ROAR
Take a look at Anyrail www.anyrail.com It is a good program to use, the free trial may even meet your needs and it will print off a list of what you need after you have come up with a plan. Or look through teh layout database here. No one may fit your need but take ideas from plenty and merge them together. Unless you have a large fleet of locos, going DCC would make wiring easier. Run two main (bus) wires under the layout and connect feeder wires from the main wire at one end and the other to the track. Having a nice layout is great but the fun part for me has been building along and along. 3 years later I still a ways to go and I still see things I would like to change.
You didn’t say where you live but I would visit a local hobby shop or club. Someone there cou ld help design and build as well as electrical advice.
Private message sent,
Sheldon
There are a few people here that will rise to the challenge, just for the fun of it. If you can post a diagram of your space, somebody might pick up on it. At the very least, you’ll get some suggestions, and some thoughtful questions that will help you think about the layout you really want.
If you are terrified of wiring, I’d suggest looking through the Kalmbach collection to find one or two that will guide you through it. It’s really not that difficult, and sooner or later, you’ll need to learn the basics yourself anyway.
DCC will simplify your wiring, by the way, particularly if you plan on running this layout with others or with multiple engines running together.
If DC cab control wiring is what is making you a little nervous, I would be surprised if there are not local guys who would just DO the wiring for a fee for about the same cost as making a scale drawing of your layout with the wiring indicated. At the least, someone who could take a quick look and leave a series of site-specific post-it notes telling you exactly what to do in the way of gaps, feeders, multiple cabs and the like.
For the guys who are good at it, DC cab control wiring is such second nature that it is faster and easier for them to just do it than to actually have to think it through enough to diagram it and explain it to a novice.
Someone mentioned a LHS as a resource to find such a person. Another possibility is the nearest NMRA Division which might have a “modeler’s aid” team.
While DC cab control is described as easy in various books (Linn Westcott’s long out of print one, Andy Sperandeo’s excellent book which for some reason Kalmbach has let lapse, Atlas’s old books which are surprisingly helpful even if you do not use their track or components) I agree that it can be just daunting enough to keep someone from just getting started with it. It does help to have a friend (even a hired friend) nearby to give you confidence.
Maybe I don’t need Andy Sperandeo to do my wiring for me but I sure wouldn’t mind if he was in the room to prevent me from making blunders! I am somehow reminded of the Woody Allen quip that when he lived in a bad neighborhood he went to the local Vic Tanney Gym so he could beef up and take on attackers, only to realize it would be far cheaper to hire Vic Tanney to walk him home at night.
Dave Nelson
Thanks all but I really want to hire a professional model railroad team. My dream is to have a railroad that is able to run two or three trains at a time, control system, cars that travel the roads (something like the faller systems etc… That is a bit daunting , if I have a plan I can read and follow that . Has anyone used one the services that is advertised in the magazines ?
Well if you change your mind and want to talk to a “semi professional” with a strong background in track planning and DC control, you know how to contact me.
Sheldon
Did you really mean to say that the layout will be 2 or 3 ft. wide? Doesn’t look as though we are much help on your original request, most of us do it ourselves, some with the aid of a computer program.
I also fall into the do it yourself crowd. For me, the journey is the fun part.
BUT to each his own, I also hear you and understand your challenges of raising two girls by yourself.
To actually answer your question, I would suggest you check out two people.
One is one of our own forum members Byron Henderson who can be found here,
http://www.layoutvision.com/index.html
Two is Lance Mindheim who has had several articles published in MRR and I believe has an article in the next ish.
Good luck, Derek
Just call a few of those professionals advertised in MRR, and get some quotes from them. I’m sure most of them are reputable places, and you can ask for references of customers who have used them.