I built a around the room,20x20ft. -mostly 30’“deep layout,about 56” off the floor.I placed much of the track to the rear of the layout with scenery and structures in the foreground.I now have a hard time seeing my train when switching industries, cleaning track is a bear and CARFULLY reaching over the scenery is difficult.I can’t reach ground throws so I had to go with switch machines.
I learned that clean track,correct weight , quality trucks &metal wheelsets and using the same brand of couplers(I use all Kadee) go a long way towards trouble free operation…What can I learn from your experiences?
If you have a cat, keep it OUT of your train room or near your layout. After letting him sit next to layout, I always found he would somehow manage to jump on the table somehow when I’m not looking. He will derail the train, walk on the scenery, knock over the telephone poles, etc.[:(!][:(!][:(]
Amen to cats. Love 'em, but boy, can they find the darnedst times to decide to get affectionate when you’re running the train. I have a 23lb Maine Coon cat that thinks the cabooses on my trains are her own private hockey pucks. And Mike, as to those places you ‘just can’t get to’, don’t think you’re alone. Almost all of my model RR buddies (and myself included) have one or two spots on the layout that you have to use a step-ladder to get to for maintanence. That’s why God invented the track-cleaning car, I suppose. And of course, the spot that you can’t get to is ALWAYS too small to cut an access hole in the scenery for a duck-under. One thing I’ve done–and my layout is similar to yours by your description–is to make sure that the track is pretty much TOWARD the front of the layout, with the scenery as a backdrop. But I’m modeling mountainous territory, so the track is continually weaving in and out of the scenery on various levels. But I try and make sure that access to much or most of the main line is within arm’s reach. However, I admit that one accessory that I have come to rely on is that little 3-tier kitchen stepladder. It’s a lifesaver, I’ve kidnapped it permanently to the layout room.
Tom
Don’t:
A: install a helix encroaching on a doorway, need to be a contortionist to get by,
B: make a low duckunder when you are young forgetting that someday it will be a bear to duckunder!
I built some areas of my layout 5 feet wide thinking that I wouldn’t have any problem reaching 2.5 feet on both sides. What I didn’t think about was having high buildings or scenery between the center and the edge. This makes it very difficult to reach over to do any repair or touching up.
It is also a pain for detail landscaping because you have to work from the center outwards meaning the center must be complete before you can do anything to the outer edge.
Not impossible, but very much a pain in the …back. [B)][:D]
REX
I started modeling in the late 40’s. What have I learned since then? W-E-L-L , lets see, there’s---- yep, and then there’s----------- [(-D][(-D][(-D][%-)][%-)]
I have had similar experiences with my cat, though I don’t have any scenery or anything that is majorly breakable on the layout, yet. My cat seems to be learning that she is not allowed to sleep there. I have also learned to thoroughly soak the ballast with “wet” water (1:2 ratio rubbing alcohol to water) until the water is starting to seep out the bottom of the ballast before applying the glue mixture. I have also learned to keep track centerlines at least 3", preferably 5" from the edge of the layout if I plan to use the Caboose Industries ground throws on them.
Reed
Hidden staging yards!!! They seemed like a good idea at the time, but boy did they cause me headaches. Never again!
Jim
Get a height gauge (if you’re using Kadees or similar). One of the first pieces of advice I was given on starting modelling in HO, and very good advice. Couplers set at the wrong height cause chaos and annoyance when operating - cars and locos derailing when the trip pins hit switch tracks, or when they hit between the rails magnets. You’ll also get problems with unplanned uncoupling and cars that won’t couple. Considering how little a Kadee gauge costs, and the fact that it can be used to help with mounting uncoupling magnets as well, it’s one of the best investments for a beginner.
ALWAYS wear long pants when soldering underneath the table!
Tom
TOM
That does smart,does’nt it?
DON’T solder turnouts. They are the only trackwork with moving parts, so if anything is ever going to give you a problem, it will be a turnout. I always leave them unsoldered so they can be easily replaced by sliding the rail joiners off. I leave two or three crossties off of the ends of the track that butts up to the turnouts specifically for this purpose, and then fill the gap with filed-down ties.
I have learned:
DON’T:
- Build a layout that everytime you want to operate it you squeeze through the bottom
- Don’t build a narrow around the walls layout if you are modeling the '50’s because there is no room for the diner, route 66, union station.[:(]
Trackwork, trackwork, trackwork. If you don’t have agood basis, then everything else is junk.
Offical tunnel inspector
bill
Hi Rex,
I hope I’m not insulting your intelligence but I had the same problem with a 2 1/2’ reach to the middle of my 5’ wide penninsulas. What I found is a great help is to use one of those toolboxes that double as a step stool. Believe it or not, with the small stepstool, I can easily reach 2-3 feet into my scenes. I got mine at Home Depot some time ago but I’m sure you can still find one.
Hope this helps.
Mondo
Well,
One thing I have learned is that all those “books” that say you should plan everything at the beginning, including industries and every siding, are junk. I did plan the mainline for my layout and set down all the track pretty much as planned. I needed a plan to insure I got the double-track mainline I wanted and placed the cross-overs in the correct places, based on the length of trains I anticipated running. However, I’ve let the sidings and industries “evolve”. For example, my warf was originally going to have only one siding and some small building flats across the back but then I built a great looking kitbashed Seafood Processing Plant for the end of the warf, and once it was in place, it looked like a good idea to place a Walther’s Wearhouse next to it. Thus, I needed a second siding on my warf, which was easily added. Then, as I moved westward from there, it became obvious that the little town I thought would look good in the middle of this particular penninsula was scrapped and I continued creating a very industrial area for the next several feet of the layout. And, having had so much fun kitbashing the seafood plant, I kitbashed the Heljan Brewery into a building twice the size per the instructions and added Walther’s Electric Company as an additional part of the brewery. Now, I have a plant and a bottling building, requiring a wye turnout once you’re off the mainline.
I guess that what I’m really saying is that it’s difficult to get the real feel of the layout on paper. The evolution I’m describing is so much fun and you’d be surprised how things can change for the better. Recently, my friend was over and he switched two industries from one siding to another because as he pointed out, the taller one was blocking the view of a great hillside I had modeled. Switching the shorter building for the larger opened up the view. Believe it or not, those two buildings were in place for over 2 years and he just came up with the idea for improvement.
Well, enough of
Don’t let your 12 year old son bring his buddy over to look at your layout while you are waiting for the glue to dry on your scenery.Kids don’t point, THEY TOUCH.
Next GER, wider curves and easier grades for steam. original GER built for diesel powered trains, two diesels plus 16 cars. Grades were built so that this combo would work. Unfortunately, now that the GER operates mainly steam, the grades are now too steep.
Definitely don’t build the layout under the Propane wall heater so the 300 Lb. serviceman can’t squeeze in. We actually had to cut out part so we could have heat again. Thank god it was a hidden area and we could just reroute the track.
Jesse
Install all the background and plaster work to the rear of each scene first! I got caught up in modeling the foreground and forgot to fini***he rear of the scene. I nearly destroyed all my handiwork trying to complete the back section! [banghead]
Moral of the story: Start with the background and work forward!
Other mistakes I’ve discovered:
*Layout is to high! It’s great to have it near eye level, but my arms and sleeves catch on the buildings, cars and scenery. [oops]
*Never put a large building in front of a critical turnout! [tdn]
*I didn’t pay close attention to how long my wires were when I installed them under the layout and did a lot of splicing, often with the wrong color!
*I didn’t run my trains enough before nailing down my track. I found many kinks and bumps too late…[V]
Good luck!