In 1974, MR ran a series on a small n-scale layout called the Rochester Regional RR. I was thirteen and that layout stirred my imagination. It still does, and I miss it.
Now, mostly in sentimentality, but finding the old and simple trailing-point switching tasks satisfying, I am considering building it again. Using ¼" plywood as roadbed (instead of ½"), I was able to lower the ruling grade to 1.9%. Since this is a single track layout, so to accomplish the switching tasks the inside track must be used for the climb. The outer track is just under 1.8%. On my original layout, even short trains would have to be coaxed up the original grade of 2.4%
By lengthening the layout by 12" and widening it by 6", I was able to use transition curves and keep the minimum radius above 10.5". In fact, all but one curve are above 11". This also helped in the grade issue.
The original plan had a short industry track branching off on the right edge. This I changed to allow for connections to additional modules (one being built now)-two tiny yard puzzle layouts, a Time Saver and an Inglenook.
Perhaps for fancy, but perhaps something I may one day be able to do, I added a 16 5/8" radius helix dead center of the layout (not shown) at a 1.8% grade. It is accessed by the short track in the tunnel just before the track emerges out into the lower level yard. The helix will descend to place a track at an appropriate height for seated work. That extension is for my “dream layout” modeling the early days of the T&P in Fort Worth.
Part of my dream is to have a layout which I can enjoy by myself, as well as allow for
Since the Rochester Regional is a great first layout with easy switching tasks plus t
Very nice starter layout! And the changes you’ve made tie right in with your future plans for extensions.
The only thing I would do is arrange for a runaround somewhere. The spur off the yard loop at bottom dead center is effectively inaccessible without it. (Of course, there will be a runaround on the timesaver module.)
When I built the original, I stalled out on scenery, but from the series, that track was apparently for access to a coal tipple and I ran it as such, using an 0-8-0 as the yard engine. It was also the place where I got the road engine out of the way while the incoming cars were shoved into the yard and the outgoing cars attached before running the yard engine back out of the way into the yard.
A run around is needed but there is so little room, and I like the limitation. Already, these are #3.8 frogs all around except for the long-ish passenger track at right. To use #6 all around made it a 4-by-8 which I am unwilling to do for this, the only non-shelf piece I intend to have.
That one #6 has to do with the original article which noted that the incoming passenger train from another railroad backed into that track. For that reason, I’ll be using a connection to some as yet unimagined to head in from the extension I added to the lower right (I will eventually work something out for a better cross-over using paired #6 turnouts there and try to increase that 10.5" curve a bit which lies between the crossover and passenger track. The passenger train can then continue heading against the regular flow and disappear down the helix and reappear in Lancaster Yard. This will be a time table and train order operation-- no signals-- Casey Jones type stuff.
In a picture of the February 1974 installment, the passenger train is seen running agai
