Last updated 03-23-2002
Yep, I am a model railroader too. I have been a model train enthusiast since before I can remember (and I have memories back as far as 2 1/2), which makes it well over 40 years.
I am hopefully going to start building a layout based on the Pacific Coast RailRoad. Now, if you are a narrow gauge fan, don't get too excited. This is going to be a free lance based on what might have been if the PCRR had converted to standard gauge instead of going out of business. I am going to do two periods, late transition era, (1955-1960) and modern. The railroad is going to have an interchange yard at Guadalupe (like the Santa Maria RailRoad does now), and it will go basically to all the same places, plus a couple more, that the PCRR did in it's hey day.
So, when the railroad is ready for operation, the Southern Pacific (Union Pacific depending on era) will drop off and pick up revenue cars at guadalupe. From there, cars will be moved to Santa Maria where trains will be sent out to various parts of the rail road. Even though I don't have room, the Union Sugar Plant is going to modeled as large as I can make it. I have 40 (groan) of the Detail Associates beat cars so that there will be a thriving sugar beat traffic.
I don't know when I will be
able to get pictures up. Right now, there is nothing to take a picture
of. Anyway, stay tuned.
This was something I decided
to build to keep my 5 year old nephew entertained. Well, me too until
my big layout is far enough along to operate.
This layout is basically plan number 29 from the Kalmbach 101 Track Plans for Model Railroads. I have made some minor modifications, but the mainline is basically the same. This was all I had done 3 hours before our Thanksgiving Diner. I only started it the Saturday before, and this represents 44 hours of work. This layout would be classified as an advanced beginners layout. I even found it a little challenging myself. Last time I built a layout, Atlas flex track was still using fiber tie strips.
The layout is constructed using L-Girders made from 1x3's and 1x2's. Joists are 1x3's. The legs are 2x2's with 1x2 cross braces and 1x3 diagonal braces. The sub-roadbed was cut out cookie cutter style from a single 4x8x1/2" plywood. Additional filer peieces were cut out of the same peice of plywood. For the most part, the sub-roadbed is 3" wide for single track. The risers are 1x3's.
Roadbed is Homabed roadbed. I probably didn't have to use homabed, but I like homabed. It is a very good product. I am using this stuff on my real layout. The track is just regular Atlas track, the turnouts are #4.5 (Atlas calls them #4), the flex track is just the regular atlas flex track. There is also 1 25 degree crossing and a 90 crossing..
Switch controllers are going to Bear Valley Quick Switch controllers. These are purely mechanical controllers. I still have yet to use one, but I have 100 of the suckers. Guess I had better like them.