Since getting back into the hobby last year, I've been debating whether or not I wanted to go with proto:87 standards. I'm not planning on modeling steam, although it will take some work to convert the diesel locomotives.
There are several potential downsides:
No commercial turnouts, etc.;
Nobody can run their equipment on my layout (or vice versa);
Nobody (that I'm aware of) has built a large layout with proto:87 standards.
The fact that nobody has built a large layout to proto:87 standards is actually a kind of incentive to me, to prove it can be done.
I'm not sure if I'm really concerned about operating equipment on multiple layouts. Except for locomotives, all I'd have to do is swap wheelsets anyway. In addition, I'm using Sergent couplers, and I don't know anybody else who is.
The only real concern then is using commecrial turnouts. I will be "handlaying" my track and turnouts with Central Valley products. But I'm planning on using commercial turnouts in the hidden staging areas. If my handlaid turnouts work as well as they should, then this isn't an issue. So we'll see what I end up with when I start laying track.
If I don't go with proto:87 standards, then I will use HO:Fine standards, with .088" wheelsets, etc.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Plan Number What?
Well, I really don't know what plan number I'm up to now, but I just thought of a new way to squeeze this into the room. It's the same basic benchwork, but a somewhat dramatically shifted placement of the major elements of the layout.
I know, I don't even have a picture up of the last plan. I need to redraw them, because what I currently have are sketches that are too hard to decipher if I'm not there to explain it.
If my concept works geometrically, then everything on the lower section of that sketch (the station and arcade) will be in the center of the layout, across the peninsula. This will allow access to both sides of the Commercial Street Yard, and it won't be situated directly above the Whiting Street Yard. It also allows the geometry of the junction to be a little more prototypical. The downside is that it shortens the space available for the Stanley Works.
I might decide to run the Stanley Works behind the mainline east of the station. I didn't want to run one scene behind another like this, but it would lengthen the run considerably. It also depends on how much shelf space I can devote to that side as well.
We'll see.
Also, I just announced the URL on Joe Fugate's site so I might get some traffic. Not sure I'm ready for it...
I know, I don't even have a picture up of the last plan. I need to redraw them, because what I currently have are sketches that are too hard to decipher if I'm not there to explain it.
If my concept works geometrically, then everything on the lower section of that sketch (the station and arcade) will be in the center of the layout, across the peninsula. This will allow access to both sides of the Commercial Street Yard, and it won't be situated directly above the Whiting Street Yard. It also allows the geometry of the junction to be a little more prototypical. The downside is that it shortens the space available for the Stanley Works.
I might decide to run the Stanley Works behind the mainline east of the station. I didn't want to run one scene behind another like this, but it would lengthen the run considerably. It also depends on how much shelf space I can devote to that side as well.
We'll see.
Also, I just announced the URL on Joe Fugate's site so I might get some traffic. Not sure I'm ready for it...
Friday, November 2, 2007
Rambling Along
This blog will be where I can just ramble about my thoughts about model railroading. This is frequently for my own benefit, so I can go back and look at ideas I've had, things I've found elsewhere, etc. I have no idea whether anybody else will care about what I think.
But, initially, this will be where others can let me know what they think with their comments. I'm still undecided about creating a forum on the site. I visit three pretty regularly: Joe Fugate's (http://siskiyou-railfan.net), the New Haven Railroad Historical and Technical Association (http://nhrhta.org), and less frequently, Model Railroader (http://www.modelrailroader.com). I'm also a member of several Yahoo forums. These are all well established forums, and I don't think I really need to duplicate them. So I'll wait to see what others think.
But, initially, this will be where others can let me know what they think with their comments. I'm still undecided about creating a forum on the site. I visit three pretty regularly: Joe Fugate's (http://siskiyou-railfan.net), the New Haven Railroad Historical and Technical Association (http://nhrhta.org), and less frequently, Model Railroader (http://www.modelrailroader.com). I'm also a member of several Yahoo forums. These are all well established forums, and I don't think I really need to duplicate them. So I'll wait to see what others think.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)