[upnick]

Hi All,

After almost three years and a house move a start in earnest has been made on my N gauge layout 'MORGANTH', the boards having been ready for some time used for a workbench whilst chipping my British and American loco collection, some still remain to be converted to be entrusted to Chris at Digitrains in the near future as i am not confident enough to do them (Minitrix bits are hard to find and cost the earth) if get it wrong.
.

The plan came from a search on the net for a layout to fit the size of board i have ...... living in a one bedroom flat the layout lives in a corner of the bedroom in an L shape its dimensions are 6ft X 2FT6'' to the left of the door leading on to another board at right angles 6ft X 2 ft an extension in line will make it also 2ft 6'' wide where the boards meet being removable if needs be in the future.

'MORGANTH' Boards

The 60's toward the end of steam the era no particular region has been chosen for it, although i would like to incorporate some stone built buildings reminded of Yorkshire and an inspirational layout combined i saw some years ago in a Modelrail issue (Tetley Mills) i believe ......... would like to find the issue it was in for reference and inspiration lots of cobbled streets and scratchbuilt buildings as i remember.

'MORGANTH' base level plan

This being the lower level a loco shed in the bottom right with a motorised turntable several lines leading to it,a two lines containing a scrap/maintenance yard alongside,the point at the bottom of the plan is to have a spur off to lead up to an upper level running round towards the backboard then dividing with a small station in between the two lines the line at the rear giving interest to the station area a subway set into the platform will allow passengers away and lead to more interest ........... on viaduct type walling, one of the viaducts cut out to provide a road leading to a crossing and signal box on the base level.
The upper lines then join back together to come round the back of the shed back down to the base board.

So this is the basis for 'MORGANTH' i will try to photograph it as i progress.

Any comments and ideas most welcome.

 

[Chinahand]

Hi Upnick,

Your baseboards look good - nice and solid looking - and the track plan should give plenty of operational interest, particularly with the addition of an upper level. You obviously have a lot of the scenics worked out in your head already and I look forward to seeing your progress.

Happy modelling,

Expat.

 

[upnick]

QUOTE (Expat @ 13 Aug 2008, 16:08) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Hi Upnick,

Your baseboards look good - nice and solid looking - and the track plan should give plenty of operational interest, particularly with the addition of an upper level. You obviously have a lot of the scenics worked out in your head already and I look forward to seeing your progress.

Happy modelling,

Expat.

Hi Expat,

Yes the scenics are taking shape mentally at least for the moment

the upper level has now been completed structurally, the paper shredder proved useful to make a start building up the inside edge with PVA.

Iv'e had thoughts of a tunnel leading off to the left into the curve emerging on the upper level, with an access flap fitted in the end board in the event of a derailment i know the track is perfectly smooth with the join i made on the curve as you suggested Expat (thanks for the tip) the joiners soldered on, made smooth on the top rail with very fine wet and dry paper lightly to ensure good running.

Need more polystrene block to bulk out the footings for the track, how is it when you need packing materials it has all been discarded

incline construction
incline construction #2
walling
looking down the walling

Sorry about the glare on the walling when they are painted it should show the details.

 

[Chinahand]

Hi upnick.

Looks to be coming along nicely. Glad the rail joining tip worked.

Interesting method of constructing the incline. My preferred method is to use a plywood track bed (6mm is enough for N gauge) and then screw 12mm plywood risers (on edge) to the underside of the track bed at 200 mm centres. That way, with a bit of simple math, you can exactly calculate how much the rise should be at any given point along the incline. I have my calculator set up on a little spreadsheet.

Then you can cut the riser to the exact height before gluing it down to the baseboard and screwing the track bed to it. This keeps the gradient nice and even. It's a sort of modified version of the 'T' beam construction method.

Keep up the good work.

Expat.

 

[upnick]

QUOTE (Expat @ 14 Aug 2008, 13:17) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Hi upnick.

Looks to be coming along nicely. Glad the rail joining tip worked.

Interesting method of constructing the incline. My preferred method is to use a plywood track bed (6mm is enough for N gauge) and then screw 12mm plywood risers (on edge) to the underside of the track bed at 200 mm centres. That way, with a bit of simple math, you can exactly calculate how much the rise should be at any given point along the incline. I have my calculator set up on a little spreadsheet.

Then you can cut the riser to the exact height before gluing it down to the baseboard and screwing the track bed to it. This keeps the gradient nice and even. It's a sort of modified version of the 'T' beam construction method.

Keep up the good work.

Expat.

Sounds good advice there,

mine is more trial and see if it works i tested several locos up and down before i was happy with the incline.

I had the risers from woodland scenics for another project planned shelved for the winter months now, they are easy to work with being polystrene moulded with cuts in at regular intervals so a nice curve results i would reccomend them for ease of construction if anybody is considering them.
The scatter and foliage materials from the same company i find more natural and pleasing to the eye though i still have to conquer the construction of trees.

 

[john woodall]

There is one really simple rule for trees.

The taller the better. If you are modelling in N, I would suggest that you use HO scale trees.

Cheers

John

 

[upnick]

I have been attaching the droppers and have a question for you all, i tin and bend at a right angle the wire up to the rail underside this of course leaves the wire open to any moisture when ballasting, any tips on how to seal the wire before using PVA and ballast

JOHN

Yes a hunt for good trees in OO is a good suggestion no harm in mixing scales to achieve the desired effect, i have some OO Busch pine trees that came in a pack purchased a while ago .... good value at £15.00 for about 40 trees if i recall correctly.

 

[Richard Johnson]

QUOTE (upnick @ 15 Aug 2008, 05:49) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>I have been attaching the droppers and have a question for you all, i tin and bend at a right angle the wire up to the rail underside this of course leaves the wire open to any moisture when ballasting, any tips on how to seal the wire before using PVA and ballast

***No Need - the bare part is already coated (its tinned) and the plastic tends to shrink to the wire when heated by soldering... Plus the PVA will leave a vinyl coating on it.... but if it bothers you, use a dab of brushed on paint or nail polish as the easiest answer.

Richard
DCCconcepts

 

[harkins77]

Hi Nick,

The layout is finally coming along a treat. I love the arches and inclines and the inclines will be good if you find anything struggling to get up them with a banker loco parked in a sidings loop area at the bottom of the bank waiting to be called upon to help any stricken loco that has got into trouble going up the bank.

Just another thought for you to think about.

Regards

Kain.

 

[john woodall]

Ahhhhhhhh Richard,

Nail polish, had never thought of that.

My train room has huge amounts of SMBO's stuff, Blusher brush for dusting, food processor, kitchen sissors, eye makeup for weathering the odd bread board etc

Might have to accidentally buy her some black nail polish!

I don't know which is more expensive, SWMBO or the trains.

John

On holiday and very relaxed!

 

[Chinahand]

QUOTE (john woodall @ 15 Aug 2008, 08:54) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>I don't know which is more expensive, SWMBO or the trains.

In my experience they work out at exactly the same. She seems to keep a careful mental note of my expenditure which she then translates into the equivalent numbers of hand bags, pairs of shoes, jewellry etc. knowing full well that I dare not raise an eye brow. Oh the wiles of women !!!!

Expat.

 

[upnick]

Thank you Richard it set my mind at rest to know the moisture will not ingress into the wire leading to the smoke signals .....
the nail varnish sounds a good idea although not having the 'wiles' of SWMBO in my life it will only be used for the wiring

i know the railway cost me less than my ex

 

[upnick]

Weekend off here and the 'housework' done out came the jigsaw to cut down lengthways a board that was earmarked for another project (shunting yard) to provide an extension on the left main board widening it to 34" to create more space for the turntable and shed leaving the main board to accomodate the town and industries there.
34" wide an odd number, though now it is in line with the front of the wardrobe more aesethetically pleasing and practical

Another idea intitially was a traverser to hold some stock off the board if it can be fitted the right hand end will be the spot only having around an area 1ft X 2ft 6 to play with it could be tricky ....... a line at the front serving a duel purpose as a feed to it and programme track isolated from the main line on a centre off DPDT switch at the moment used with the procab as after a call to the supplier of my powercab it seems returning for checking is the best solution to it ........ an on off DPDT switch will be fitted once the powercab is back.

The procab reverting to its purpose my intermodal American layout still in the stages of planning a distant project ....... an intermodal book arrived today from the states for more inspiration ...... probably it will take the other side of the bedroom up ....... lol

 

[upnick]

Change of plan today, after contemplating and trying several combinations over the week the added board 14 inches wide makes it harder if not near impossible to reach the corner of the layout even with my long arms

....... the turntable isnt in the best place either for the track locos having to turn in to sharply so the shed will move onto the main second board edge with a smaller 6 inch wide board as an extension to carry the track round the back of the shed and to the side

The incline has been covered in mod roc and needs final ground work before considering scenic materials.
Mind the lego bricks turned up for the building moulds, so an order for Tiranti rubber is in the offing soon.

 

[upnick]

Short update on 'MORGANTH' the track on one board is now down with points fitted and tested ready for final wiring up to the control panel, which needs planning carefully to enable ease of use but practicality as i want to be able to disconnect it from the board on D connectors (thank you for the idea wiggy )

I will try to get some pics on over the weekend.

 

[upnick]

Well after much thought and wrangling with myself i have decided a complete change of direction is required for 'MORGANTH'

To make up the layout setting in Yorkshire is not going to be as i have in mind and so it is going to be American with the incline going up to a mine and storage tracks for the facility still coming back down to the main board allowing coal trains to pass the intermodal terminal at one end and then on past the town and industrial area back up the incline again.

Passenger trains sharing the line into a possible station, the area i had planned for an intermodal layout is the same but this way its in an L shape and will merge with the industrial scene better ....... landscaping to the rear will take the form of a rockface having green areas overgrown with long grasses thoughts of a roundhouse are still in the pipeline and a water area.

Why i changed tac was determined by two factors
1.
My American locos mostly Kato running smoothly and quietly always a pleasure to run.
2.
After discussing it with a friend an idea he had was to create a fictional company who run some British steamers still in the middle of the Canadian border, the two remaining Class 66 Kato / Lemke & Soldat locos will fit in well with American stock.

Track changes on the second board will cater for the terminal with a stack of containers awaiting shipment if i had the space i would model a ship waiting to be loaded but where do you get a good N gauge container ship

So out go the British locos on the layout overall but they can be used in the overall scheme of things just in a different landscape.

My shunting yard will encompass the building i have here from Ratio with a loop of track going round to give some interest a mix of Rosegrove shed with working areas not just a servicing facility, i am looking at around 4 X 2 for it, should be a nice compact winter project.

Any suggestions/ideas on how things could be done on the layout would be gratefully appreciated

 

[upnick]

Progress on the layout has been slow but its getting there so i thought i'd put a few pics on here to let you all see
Overall view of the end of board one going towards the bridge over the board joins the formation of the rockface at the back can be seen with one casting in place soon to change to a lighter construction as suggested.

Overhead view of the incline at the rear with two lines on to the bridge the rear line having a Kadee magnet installed under the track to move cars to the back line.

Looking down into the lower level of the board the lines there to form one end of the intermodal yard none of them fixed down permanently yet as it could change formation slightly, storage can be seen on upper level in this shot.

End of the board by the door another magnet installed for locos to move stock onto a traverser the line could move further to the left in a curve maybe giving more room on the traverser all roads on it being curved (have to work out if it will store more cars yet on
curved roads on the traverser)
The road leading to the traverser serves a duel purpose being a programming track as well right at the front of the board.

Lots to do yet to get it right including a vac up after spilling some ballast

One of my latest conversions to DCC U.P. U - 50 FROM Con - Cor

Any ideas and suggestions fire away

 

[upnick]

Made up the bridge and given it an undercoat before its final colour has anyone advice how to power the twin tracks on it neatly so it can be removed easily when disassembling the boards.
I've thought of a pin/contact system of some sorts but thought maybe someone had a simple solution unobtrusive when in place.

Here is the set up drawn out.

 

[poliss]

Here's one idea that uses copper tape and braid. http://tinyurl.com/4rtkgl

 

[upnick]

Thanks poliss

gives me some ideas