Planning a layout for my son

[Dave V]

That would work...  That's now a straight in the bottom left going from the number 6 into the 9 3/4" curve?  If so, that's probably good.

[DKS]

That would work...  That's now a straight in the bottom left going from the number 6 into the 9 3/4" curve?  If so, that's probably good.

It has been for a while. I thought you were referring to the arrangement at top right. Have a look at the changes there, and see if you spot any potential trouble. There are two different arrangements offered.

[One of One-Sixty]

If you do go DCC, i would recommended the DS51 K1 by Digitrax, simple install even for a non-techie like me, plus they are small enough that they fit under the roadbed very easily.

[Dave V]

@DKS, I should have specified, I was worried about the bottom left and not the top right.  I think the next-to-last iteration, since you used a straight coming out of the inside number 6 in the bottom left, is the winner of the chicken dinner.  Sweet!

[DKS]

@DKS, I should have specified, I was worried about the bottom left and not the top right.  I think the next-to-last iteration, since you used a straight coming out of the inside number 6 in the bottom left, is the winner of the chicken dinner.  Sweet!

Cool. As for the upper right, note there are two versions, which affect the parts list.

Looking forward to watching this puppy being built. (No idea why--simple pleasures, I suppose.)

[Dave V]

I'm really looking forward to getting started.  I think it's worth the extra $$$ to go with the simple crossovers...  I think it gives us more interesting and realistic operations.

I'm also grateful to DKS for all the great trackplanning assistance.

[Dave V]

So today I picked up a pair of right-hand #4s...  There's quite a bit of track in that pack; a plain short straight, two short straights each with cut-away roadbed at an angle to accommodate the diverging track, and a return curve.  You can select either power routing or not.  You can even install a decoder directly into the turnout.  So I feel better about spending $26 a pop.

Overall there's just something about Unitrack.  I would not use it for my PRR/CR layout because of the tie spacing and rail profile (hence why I switched to code 55 for my Enola Yard extension).  But if you just look at a layout made with Unitrack there's something kind of neat about it.  Looks very Japanese; it's so clean and efficient.  There is great play value in snapping the pieces around to come up with a plan.  Add to it that it's rugged as hell and totally reliable, and it's the perfect track for a kid's layout.  It'll probably be a few years before Jacob starts to get a case of the a$$hat over the rail profile.

The plan is to mix some of my Woodland Scenics fine gray blend ballast with just a pinch of fine cinder and use that between parallel tracks.  I'm not a real fan of paying through the nose for a dime bag of Kato (that's KAH-toe!!!) ballast.

I'm debating getting those rail paint pens from Floquil.  Even if not I'll probably hit the tracks with a light dose of grime from an airbrush after it's all laid.

[wm3798]

REMINDER>>>  This is your son's layout, Dad.  Ballasting the track and weathering is important to YOU.  He won't care.  You should step back, and let Junior take on as much of this project as possible.  It's hard to do, I know, but he won't feel ownership of the layout unless you step back and let him play with it on his terms.

You should dump the bag of Unitrack on the table, and show him the plan, then let him take the lead on building the trackwork.  Obviously some guidance will be helpful, but let him set the pace.  Once the track is down, he's going to want to run trains on it, not fuss over whether the rails are the right color.

Small boys can be very possessive of their toys, and if you go messing his all up with rocks and glue, he may abdicate the whole layout to you, and be annoyed that you took over.

Model railroading is a very "hands on" activity, and if the hands are yours, the hobby won't have much of an impact on the boy...

Lee

[Dave V]

I know, I know... ;D

He is actually pretty conscious of things you might not expect of an 8-year-old.  And certainly I hope the layout lasts for many years.  Painting track is certainly something that can be done later.

The plan is, in fact, for him to head up the track laying and as much of the scenicking as possible.  I'll probably build the key structures, but will let him try a hand at a few buildings too.

[Bsklarski]

Dave,

Would Kato kit #23-130 help your sons layout at all?



I have one that I will not use, as I use code 55 track. Its yours if you want it.

Brian

[wm3798]

I know it runs totally counter to your approach, but you might try getting a couple of Lego Building sets, and see how his imagination makes the trains a part of his world (assuming that as an 8 year old boy, that Legos are an integral part of his world...)

Andy, now 14, went from putting robot monsters on my layout, to legions of Lego storm troopers.  Now that he's in high school and is studying US history, he'll come in, pull the Sherman tanks off of my flatcar, and create the Battle of the Bulge on the ridges surrounding Maryland Jct...  Interesting cat, that Andy is...

Lee

[John]

he'll come in, pull the Sherman tanks off of my flatcar, and create the Battle of the Bulge on the ridges surrounding Maryland Jct...

I am still finding M1A1's stashed in my tunnel

[Dave V]

Dave,

Would Kato kit #23-130 help your sons layout at all?



I have one that I will not use, as I use code 55 track. Its yours if you want it.

Brian

Brian,

Thanks for the offer, but the town of Apex no longer has any platforms.  A big part of this whole project is recreating Jacob's favorite duty station (of mine) so far, as we knew it from 2005 to 2008.  As a family we all fell in love with North Carolina, and Apex in particular.  There are actually a few jobs doing weather modeling for the Army Research Lab in the Research Triangle, and that's one of my top post-Air Force job picks (outside of Pennsylvania, of course).

Lee,

Along similar lines, there are any number of IMEX buildings that would work for Apex, and I can have him set them up that way.

[Dave V]

Making more progress toward my son's N scale layout.  I took him step-by-step through building the Walthers Pella Depot (painted as the Apex, NC depot).  He even helped with gluing windows into the walls.  Also, for Christmas, I gave him a CSX GP15-1.  Re-creating Apex in 2007-ish is ongoing.  We now have most of the Kato track we'll need for the layout, including the four #4 turnouts for the crossovers.



The prototype:

http://durhamsouthern.com/images/ApexSouth.jpg

[chuck geiger]

Ballasted and weathered uni-track
http://www.trainboard.com/grapevine/picture.php?albumid=1234&pictureid=16837