Got there at Last.

Well I am pretty happy with the track plan and layout as it currently is.  I got there at last!  It was a long journey.  How many times I built up and ripped up the layout, never satisifed or happy with what I had achieved.

Another modification I made last month was to move staging to now be behind and near the side wall rather than the front.  I thought why waste such a large area with a generous curve to staging and instead make this area a smallish town with its appropriately sized yard and station area such as Buangor in Western Victoria.  The added benefit with this is that I have another crossing loop which takes the number of loops to two.  The loss is the smaller alise space near the side wall - that will keep me motiviated to keep an eye on the waist line!

I still have the "main" town with shunting opportunities however since I have had this layout, I have simply enjoyed seeing trains run and crossing them and haven't really been inclined to shunt at all!
As I told you in an earlier post, this layout gives me a nice main line run.  I can even have distant / automatice signals at an accepatable range between the crossing loops and station areas.  It also gives me the enjoyment of different viewpoints and angles on the subject from dead straight on to 45Degrees to concave and convex.  This is a major departure from that straight side-on viewpoint I use to have.

Now I can work on this layout adding the extra details such as the station buildings, houses, track weathering, scenery etc, etc rather than rip up and rebuild yet another layout.
Some shots show the changes that were made during last month.

Above: Initially this was going to be staging

But staging now moved to the side/back - A waist check will be performed before entry to this area -  better watch the waist line! 

Below: Goods Shed moved to make way for a couple of industries shown lower.

Before we had staging :

and now with staging:

Some industries - still seems little too crowded?

Below: Branch Line on the right - forms the upper loop to watch them roll round:

Below: Former staging area now and previously:

Foam added to get away from that plywood flat look - playing with the idea

Below: previously staging here.

Status Update

I have been quite busy tweaking the layout.  Originally I had a duck under which got me into the loop of track and staging was under the benchwork.  I also wanted to have an island layout where I could walk-around it so I had to bring one part of the layout away from the walls.  This change had me thinking of where to put staging as the idea of having staging under the benchwork proved to be an unwise choice as it was just too difficult to get to the inner tracks.  I had to re-think the current design and eventually decided to place staging at the front of the layout.  This is at 900mm height and began a climb to complete the loop and to join the rest of the layout at the upper level.  However I then had wagons rolling away and the gradient to get to the upper level was just too great.  Again I had to rethink the design.  I abondened trying to complete the loop from the lower level and now the layout is a simple point to point one with the upper level forming a continuous loop for when I just like to watch trains roll by.

I also divided the back of the layout having two scenes, one shows the line leaving staging at the bottom and climbing up and the scene behind it is part of the towns' industries mainly a siding for grain and one for VLX wagons at this stage.  I also wanted to try and stick with the prototype and not have industries coming off the main and being able to operate outside of the convex allows easy reach to shunt industries near the edge of the layout.  Having no industries to foul the main allows trains to run unimpeded in the loop.  The things I had to give up for this plan was the continuous run from staging and then back to staging and the possibility of having crosses and passes.  However having a train pull in and then shunt the industries for the next 30 or so minutes is enough to keep me engaged of an evening.

Some photos of the layout.

Visit to Darren's Place

Yesterday a group of us had the pleasure of visiting Darren's place to see the updates on his layout.  All I can say is that his modelling work is just incredible!  The part of the layout he has worked on looks absolutely beautiful and it's just a pleasure to look it.  He has some real talent!  The non-scenic and scenic parts are like night and day!  His layout is going to be a ripper when its done and will be a pleasure to operate on or to just walk round and admire.

I took a passenger from the branch to the mainline and back again.  Initially a steamer was on the pointy end, but being typical of a steam engine, one of the wheels fell off ! ( I think it was a 32 class) and a more reliable form of power was called for (diesel off course!)



Here is some footage, which unfortunately does not do any justice to Darren's modelling work.

Drop Cows

VR T333 on Trials

Thanks for Bob from SouthCoastRail fame, I was able to purchase a Flat Top T class and some RY wagons as well as some other VR wagons.  Here is a small video of the T doing some rounds on my layout (on DC), with the RYs.  The video will also show you what the layout looks like now, warts and all.

Unfortunately I don't ever remember seeing a Flat Top T all those days I was train spotting at Sunshine Railway Station back in the mid 80s, even though traffic was nice and frequent.

Initially I didn't like the look of them, but now their unique flat hood has grown on me.

NSWGR Passenger Cars

Anyone know what these passenger cars were used for?  I photographed them near Gunnedah back in January.  Click on photos to increase size.

Plan of Layout

Here is a very rough sketch of what I ended up with and I am very happy with it.
As I was saying previously, I now can enjoy a nice long mainline run and also do some shunting.  The major breakthroughs were 1.  Reducing the height of the layout 2.  Incorporating the concept of the line bending back onto itself, 3.  Convex and Concave curves rather than a layout doing laps 4.  Departing from a strictly prototypical VR plan 5 Investing in a JizSaw to get away from the flat look and 6, Placing Staging under the bench-work.

This has resulted in a layout which is both scenic and operational.

Unfortunately I couldn't incorporate a reverse loop as it was just not possible, however I have staging underneath and could only have three tracks which are easy to get too - at arms length.

How do I intend to operate the layout?

Since 99% of the time, I will be working the layout, I intend to run a train from staging, to the main station, then break up the train, shunt the required industries, replace engines, make up a new train and then depart back to staging.  This could take up to 45 mins.  All train lengths are a maximum of 13 wagons (Bogie wagons are calculated as two wagons) plus the guards van at the rear.   Some wagons are purposely left in the yard as Melbourne Yard have not called for them as yet.  Priority traffic gets made up on the train (max 13 wagons as mentioned).  Some wagons sitting in the yard get going on the next service.

 Since I have three trains ready at staging, the industries don't always get worked every-time.  I do have an extra which is the wheat train which is currently using the track marked in Blue - this allows me to have a continuous run if I feel like it, however most of the time I intend to operate point to point.

I even managed to shoe-horn a turntable which I really wanted so I can turn such locos like the S Class or even a X.

I enjoyed a session this afternoon, and having a seat whilst shunting makes for a really relaxing and a very enjoyable experience.  Note the operators chair on the diagram.  Not only can i reach most things, some of the view points I get from that angle makes for some very delightful rail-fanning!