Hoboken Manufacturers Railroad Micro-Layout

[DKS]

...the tail track on the switch-back to the upper level seems frustratingly short.  Might you extend that a bit?

I'd have to lengthen the layout to do that, and I've already started cutting the base materials. As it is, it's long enough for three 40-foot cars and a small loco at the runaround switch, and two cars plus loco at the siding switch. The capacity of the sidings is two cars each, so I think it's all good.

What I have done since posting the plan is adjust the geometry of the tracks at the top runaround switch so as to lengthen the short stub siding at the top right corner of the layout, so I can squeeze in one car (could not have done that before).

[davefoxx]

How well does Unitrack handle vertical curves to transition to the 5% grades.  I think burying the track in snow solves any esthetic issues of Unitrack, but are you looking at awkward rail joints to create the differing slopes and transitions?  Can you heat and bend Unitrack to minimize the rail joints having to absorb all of the transitions?

Just a thought,
DFF

[DKS]

I plan to pre-bend the end two sections to create the transitions. Heating may work, or I may need to kerf the roadbed, but I don't think it'll be a problem (I've done it to Z scale roadbed track with no issues).

[davefoxx]

I plan to pre-bend the end two sections to create the transitions. Heating may work, or I may need to kerf the roadbed, but I don't think it'll be a problem (I've done it to Z scale roadbed track with no issues).

I figured you might already have a plan in place.  Sweet.

DFF

[packers#1]

Those boxcabs the prototype had are sweet; I like 600 better than 500 myself

[Dave V]

I plan to pre-bend the end two sections to create the transitions. Heating may work, or I may need to kerf the roadbed, but I don't think it'll be a problem (I've done it to Z scale roadbed track with no issues).

Mike Fifer did the kerf thing for adding horizontal curvature.  Seems like it might work for vertical curves too (although that rail is pretty thick in the vertical coordinate!).

Can't seem to embed the video, so here's the link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXXLdEv_dqY

[wcfn100]

Sometimes you can change 'https' to 'http' and get it to work.


Jason

[DKS]

Dave... I had just fixed it for you, but then... And yes, all you need to do is change https to http.

[Chris333]

I've never even held a piece of unitrack so I don't know for sure, but I've heard of #4 turnouts having problems. Here is a way to notch the stock rails:
http://www.pbase.com/atsf_arizona/kato_4_turnout_tuning&page=all

[Noah Lane]

I modified twelve #4 turnouts on my newb attempt at a layout.  Prior to the mod, I had frequent derailments. Post-mod, derailments almost never occur at turnouts.

Even though I'm less than a year back into the hobby, I spent so much garsh dang time researching the best way to fix #4 turnouts. I was just scared screw up $300+ worth of turnouts. 

This is the method that worked best for me:
1) use a Sharpie to mark where the points sit on the outside rails
2) carefully pop/slide the rails out one at a time using needle nose pliers
3) slide the rails out so that the Sharpie mark is beyond the roadbed
4) file using flat-square file, and periodically do the fingernail test for smoothness
5) re-seat rail that has been filed. you'll feel a small click when the rail is re-seated
6) sharpen points using a file, on both the X and Y.

And if you care to do so, it's really easy to add feeders to #4 turnouts using the power routing screws.

BTW- David, I'm very stoked to see this project move forward!

[DKS]

Thanks, all, for the words of wisdom on Unitrack #4s. My track has arrived and I've assembled it all. Then I started running a few tests, and it appears the ones I have are quite well behaved. So perhaps Kato has improved them; or perhaps I'm just lucky.

Anyway, with the track on hand there will be some progress to report shortly.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Also, FYI, there's a Trainz version of the line too, in pretty much its entirety.

[Noah Lane]

Thanks, all, for the words of wisdom on Unitrack #4s. My track has arrived and I've assembled it all. Then I started running a few tests, and it appears the ones I have are quite well behaved. So perhaps Kato has improved them; or perhaps I'm just lucky.

Anyway, with the track on hand there will be some progress to report shortly.

If you get a chance, I'd like to see photos of the [potentially updated] turnouts.  With the ones I have, you could clearly see/feel the bluntness of the points.

I'm curious, are you going to use NZT switch machines on the layout?  That's a detail I've wanted to add to my layout, but there are a few spots where space is an issue. Of course, I'd have to have the them on all or none of the turnouts.

Glad to hear things are rolling forward.

Noah

[DKS]

Also, FYI, there's a Trainz version of the line too, in pretty much its entirety.

To be perfectly honest, the only thing this layout has in common with the HMR is the name. The track plan came long before the layout and its setting--the HMR has no tunnels or grades (that I know of), and so I'm just using the railroad's name to establish a locale--albeit one of pure fantasy. I may in fact change the name of the railroad to something vaguely similar, as I'd done with the JCIR.

If you get a chance, I'd like to see photos of the [potentially updated] turnouts.

Will do.

I'm curious, are you going to use NZT switch machines on the layout?

Yes, but I may have to contract someone to assemble them for me! My hands have become so unsteady that I'm not able to handle the targets.

Will you model ice floating in the harbor?

I've since filled in the "harbor" with dry land so I can add more buildings. Mostly I did this to improve the sea of track created by the four concentric lines, the idea being to break up the view and sort of "bury" the track in a brick canyon as much as possible.

Here's an updated version of the plan--

[mr_mike_m]

Ahhhh... Just flipping channels, and come across "On the Waterfront", filmed entirely in Hoboken. Some decent scenes with track, freight cars and locomotives.