Seaboard Central 2.0

[Noah Lane]

Dave- the layout continues to be on of my favorites!  When you get a chance, can we see a wide shot of the entire layout?

Keep it up!

[davefoxx]

Hi, Noah, and thank you!

Not great pics, but here's a few wide angle shots for you:






DFF

[davefoxx]

In the interest of adding interest to my streets, I painted this parking lot a darker gray to represent a more recent paving.  Once I weather the streets (especially the lighter gray portion as I have done on previous sections), I think that this will blend together nicely, but still provide some variety as you would see in the real world.  As you can see, I still have to mask and paint the concrete sidewalk and gutters.  I ran out of masking tape, so that will be a project for another day:



DFF

[davefoxx]

We called it a day a couple of hours early today due to weather, so I took the opportunity to pick up some masking tape on the way home.  I masked off and painted the sidewalks in Aberdeen:





DFF

[John]

Hi, Noah, and thank you!

Not great pics, but here's a few wide angle shots for you:






DFF

you know Dave .. my layout in the basement started as a 4x8

[davefoxx]

I find that hard to believe, John, but I guess that the layout does have to start somewhere.  This is just about as big as my layout is going to get, though, with the exception of sorely needed staging on the A&R on the other side of the water heater.  The cool thing about that plan is that I need to interchange between the SBD and the A&R to keep the Seaboard line from jamming up.   

That brings up an interesting question: How do I figure out the appropriate number of cars to put on the layout at any one time?

DFF

[John]

I find that hard to believe, John, but I guess that the layout does have to start somewhere.

I would not tell a lie ..

[davefoxx]

Haha!  Nice!

[John]

That brings up an interesting question: How do I figure out the appropriate number of cars to put on the layout at any one time?

DFF

I would say no more than your staging can handle at one time ..

[davefoxx]

Then I better get building that staging, because this layout, as it currently exists, becomes logjammed without much effort.

DFF

[davefoxx]

This thing is friggin' sweet!



It was a bear to get the shell off and especially back on, but, that accomplished, this little MP15 runs really well.  I like the detailing, and the appearance of an open cab is a pleasant surprise, especially considering that it still has lights at both ends.

The only significant problem that I encountered, once I decoderized it, was that it was stalling occasionally.  That problem was easily addressed, because I quickly figured out that one of the brass wipers over the truck was snagged on the frame (Atlas actually modeled the MP15's frame under there.  Nice touch!).  I popped the wiper free, and this locomotive is running like a champ.  It pulled ten to twelve cars on level track (which includes some sharp radius curves).  This is easily going to become one of my favorite locomotives.  I regret that it will be mostly relegated to yard duty in Hamlet, and I'm really sorry that I waited so long to buy this MP15.  Thank you, Atlas!

Hopefully, sometime soon, I'll patch it for the Seaboard System, as the prototype did, and, just for Ed, I'll chrome that horn.

DFF

[John]

Doesn't look chromed to me ..

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=443023

[Bendtracker1]

That brings up an interesting question: How do I figure out the appropriate number of cars to put on the layout at any one time?

Dave, what I did was to figure the max capacity of each industry, then added those numbers up and doubled it.  Then weed out or add to it as you see fit, it's good starting point.
My yard is way bigger than what I needed, so eight tracks were assigned for open staging, the other 8 tracks were split in half.  Four were for the 4 manifest staging, the remaining four works as I my fiddle yard.  It's still bigger than what I would need, and there is way more cars than needed for each session, but it just allows me a bigger pool to grab from so I'm not seeing the same cars each time.

[davefoxx]

Doesn't look chromed to me ..
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=443023

You found it, John!  Ed noticed the "chrome."  This will be really easy, if the horn is not glued in.  I'll just hit it with a shot of silver.

DFF

[davefoxx]

Dave, what I did was to figure the max capacity of each industry, then added those numbers up and doubled it.  Then weed out or add to it as you see fit, it's good starting point.
My yard is way bigger than what I needed, so eight tracks were assigned for open staging, the other 8 tracks were split in half.  Four were for the 4 manifest staging, the remaining four works as I my fiddle yard.  It's still bigger than what I would need, and there is way more cars than needed for each session, but it just allows me a bigger pool to grab from so I'm not seeing the same cars each time.

Thanks, Allen.  I'll try that and see how the math works out on my layout.  The trouble is that Hamlet Yard is not nearly as big as I would like, so I won't have the problem that you have: excess capacity.   

DFF