Well, I ordered a 132.5mm Radius track set from TrainAidsA last week. It arrived on Wednesday this week, and I've been spending the lsat couple of days entertaining the cats with it. My wife found it very amusing as well. Having the track and power pack set enables me to give my KiHa40 a workout. I have noticed that the KiHa tends to run better powered truck forward (which is to be expected). I'm hoping on getting a Pulse controller from one ot Talking T Gauge's members, nug. This will enable smoother operation than the current Eishindo power box. The next purchase, in addition to the pulse controller, will be a loop of 145mm radius curves. The 145mm curves are going to be the minimum radius on the main line.
My benchwork is still waiting to be assembled, and will consist of a 24" X 36" piece of plywood topped by 3/4" blue foam. The foam will allow me to make scenic features below the track grade with much more ease than a conventional cookie cutter design. The branch supports will probably be laminated foamcore with blue foam supports. For access to the main line loop, the mountain scenery is planned to be removable. This will allow me to work on the layout and get it running while I'm waiting for the announced 157.5mm radius curves.
Still thinking like a showman, I'm now thinking of having the branch line diverge from the station on the left side of the layout in both straight and curved options. This will allow me to extend the line along the other wall in my small space as well as allow the line to extend straight for shows and displays. The left hand side is planned to to extend along a rocky seashore, ending at a stub end station next to an amusement park. The mountain line will probably continue through mountain scenery, possibly ending at a Hot Spring. As before, the main focus of the layout is to be the branch line, but the mainline loop will offer through running as well as be a showcase for my future roster.
More as it develops.
Friday, June 18, 2010
Sunday, June 13, 2010
I Got it One Piece at a Time...
I apologize for the lack of updates. There hasn't really been much to report over the last few weeks. This however is about to change.
A couple of weeks ago, I got my first bit of T Gauge. My first purchase consisted of a grade crossing kit and an unpowered 103 KuHa car from TrainAidsA. The other members of the London Model Railroad Group, the local 'O' Scale club to which I belong, thought I was absolutely nuts. After admiring the sheer size of the car (or lack thereof), and trying to assemble a couple of 1:450 scale paper houses from Pokara Paper Craft, I planned out my next purchase. The second arrival was a KiHa40 as well as a package of 200mm Flex Track and joiners. This is what I currently have right now, but I also have a 132.5mm track set on the way from TrainAidsA. I also purchased some lumber in the hopes of beginning layout construction in the coming weeks.
The layout plan has changed over the last few weeks and a rough approximation of the current design is below (Not to scale). The sectional idea offered alot for expandability, but didn't have the cohiesiveness of a single table. I was inspired by some pictures in Carl Arendt's "Small Layout Scrapbook" and in particular, an older issue showing some small Japanese themed 'N' Scale layouts from The Diorama Shop. The overall layout design is 24" X 36" with expansion possible from the upper right. I plan to possibly extend this into a nintey degree curve to fit my current room and allow the branchline to continue into the mountains. Another possibility is to extend the branchline below the main line somehow, also to the right.
The single track mainline is designed with 145mm radius curves in mind. I also plan on adding a second outside track once Eishindo releases the new 157.5mm radius track. The main is electrified, as the previous layout was intended, with the branchline diesel powered. The current design doesn't use turnouts, but may very well include them in the final plan. The branchline will be designed for point-to-point automatic operation with mainline trains continuously looping. The back half of the layout is going to feature mountains with the branchline winding up it to a small Shinto Shrine complete with Torii Gate above the lower level town.
Construction on the benchwork will be beginning this week. I'll post progress as it develops. The track plan sketch is below with generalized locations of what's planned. A more detailed plan using Anyrail is planned in the near future.
A couple of weeks ago, I got my first bit of T Gauge. My first purchase consisted of a grade crossing kit and an unpowered 103 KuHa car from TrainAidsA. The other members of the London Model Railroad Group, the local 'O' Scale club to which I belong, thought I was absolutely nuts. After admiring the sheer size of the car (or lack thereof), and trying to assemble a couple of 1:450 scale paper houses from Pokara Paper Craft, I planned out my next purchase. The second arrival was a KiHa40 as well as a package of 200mm Flex Track and joiners. This is what I currently have right now, but I also have a 132.5mm track set on the way from TrainAidsA. I also purchased some lumber in the hopes of beginning layout construction in the coming weeks.
The layout plan has changed over the last few weeks and a rough approximation of the current design is below (Not to scale). The sectional idea offered alot for expandability, but didn't have the cohiesiveness of a single table. I was inspired by some pictures in Carl Arendt's "Small Layout Scrapbook" and in particular, an older issue showing some small Japanese themed 'N' Scale layouts from The Diorama Shop. The overall layout design is 24" X 36" with expansion possible from the upper right. I plan to possibly extend this into a nintey degree curve to fit my current room and allow the branchline to continue into the mountains. Another possibility is to extend the branchline below the main line somehow, also to the right.
The single track mainline is designed with 145mm radius curves in mind. I also plan on adding a second outside track once Eishindo releases the new 157.5mm radius track. The main is electrified, as the previous layout was intended, with the branchline diesel powered. The current design doesn't use turnouts, but may very well include them in the final plan. The branchline will be designed for point-to-point automatic operation with mainline trains continuously looping. The back half of the layout is going to feature mountains with the branchline winding up it to a small Shinto Shrine complete with Torii Gate above the lower level town.
Construction on the benchwork will be beginning this week. I'll post progress as it develops. The track plan sketch is below with generalized locations of what's planned. A more detailed plan using Anyrail is planned in the near future.
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