Jersey City Industrial Railroad Micro-Layout

[DKS]

OK, by popular demand, here is an advance report on a layout that is currently nothing more than an idea. I've been threatening to get into Nn3 for some time, and now I've finally decided to pull the trigger, using the WR&N brand as I have since 1973. In a way, it brings the original layout closer to what I'd envisioned, but lacked the skill and materials to realize it back then. The plan has already seen many drafts, all vastly different in configuration. I'd originally wanted to return to a round layout, but found it felt too much like a retread. So I took elements of the WR&N I and blended them with John Allen's original G&D (which I'd built in Z scale) and came up with this two-by-four-foot beastie:



At this point, nothing is set in stone; the plan could look totally different tomorrow, and even more different in a week. That said, I'm warming up to this version, although it has flaws to address. Time will tell.

[davefoxx]

OK, by popular demand, here is an advance report on a layout that is currently nothing more than an idea. I've been threatening to get into Nn3, and now I've finally decided to pull the trigger . . .

WOO HOO!

[Philip H]

David,
I'm not sure what you think the flaws are, but I think this is a good, uncluttered compromise between WR&N I and the G&D. You've drawn a good roundy for rail fanning along with just enough switching to keep to busy for an hour or so in the evening. It might do with a fiddle yard for that purpose if you needed one, though the hidden tracks could serve as that purpose if youbran it right. You've also got Z place for another signature bridge which seems to be a favorite based on the G&D and James River Branch.

[davefoxx]

I realize that this is a narrow gauge railroad, so grades can be stiffer and curves sharper, but do you think you can get the required elevation change west of the bridge where the industry lead climbs and the mainline drops into the tunnel?  It might be difficult to scenic that area where the line crosses the tunnel portal, but, if anyone can pull it off, you can.

DFF

[DKS]

I realize that this is a narrow gauge railroad, so grades can be stiffer and curves sharper, but do you think you can get the required elevation change west of the bridge where the industry lead climbs and the mainline drops into the tunnel?  It might be difficult to scenic that area where the line crosses the tunnel portal, but, if anyone can pull it off, you can.

DFF

See below...

David,
I'm not sure what you think the flaws are...

Thanks for the kind words. The principal flaw I see is the way the long upper siding arcs back across the main: its too tight, requiring brutal grades to make clearances. I'll simply straighten the siding out a bit to ease the grades. I may also realign other track as well to make life a little easier in the clearance department.

[Dave V]

What's your inspiration?  Eastern logger/coal hauler?  Colorado?  Tweetsie would rock...

[Scottl]

I like! 

[DKS]

Tweetsie...

Bingo.

I neglected to mention this in the opening post. It's a Tweetsie-like freelanced railroad set in the Smokies. One bit of fantasy is having a 2-6-6-2 in the roster (which the Tweetsie had toyed with getting, but it never came to pass). Another aspect of the layout is that I plan to design all of the structures for laser-cutting and possibly release them as kits--that's a big maybe, however. More anon.

[Chris333]

Nn3  sounds like a winner to me   

I know one loco you are working on. Any others?

[DKS]

I know one loco you are working on. Any others?

I hate revealing this, as it always seems to jinx things, but my plan is to build a Climax or Heisler to keep the articulated company.

[packers#1]

Bingo.

I neglected to mention this in the opening post. It's a Tweetsie-like freelanced railroad set in the Smokies. One bit of fantasy is having a 2-6-6-2 in the roster (which the Tweetsie had toyed with getting, but it never came to pass). Another aspect of the layout is that I plan to design all of the structures for laser-cutting and possibly release them as kits--that's a big maybe, however. More anon.

I've got some film taken in Tweetsie, as well as a bunch of pictures of the surrounding area. Tweetsie is one of my favorite vacation RRs; I was actually able to get a cab ride the last time I was there (didn't take any video though).
Really looking forward to seeing this come together; any way to add a bit more space and do a walk-around? That could add a bit more to the Smoky Mountains, especially with some spots where the trains duck behind pines on the back.

[davefoxx]

Tweetsie would rock...

It's the East Tennessee & Western North Carolina RR or the ET&WNC or even the ET.  But, please, don't call it Tweetsie.   

DFF

[DKS]

I've tweaked the plan a bit to correct some of the flaws, in particular the upper siding. I also flipped the yard so that the freight and industry tracks faced the mainline opposite to that of the upper siding to ramp up the switching challenge just a tad. I re-uploaded it to replace the original file, so the first post shows the revisions.

[avel]

Right on David!  Hand laying track this time too? Using your stock of code 25?, going with code 30 from RLW?

[DKS]

Hand laying track this time too? Using your stock of code 25?

I hope so. It'll be tough going with these hands, so I'll probably be making myself a bunch of jigs.