Monadnock

[garethashenden]

My club is having a layout building challenge. By November, build a working layout in 4'x1'. Any scale/gauge combination is allowed. Obviously anything more than switching is unrealistic. I've come up with a track plan for an EM gauge layout but I would rather like to do something in N, all my stock just sits in boxes.

In the rules of the challenge, you are allowed to have external staging at home but not when you bring it to the club. Unfortunately I don't really have room for any more than 4x1. The only definite things so far is that it will be Boston & Maine, probably in the late '40s, although the early '70s are a possibility and handlaid code 40. I've got plenty of rail and ties and a limited budget.
 I've had three ideas so far.
1) Peterboro NH. Small compact branchline terminus, could be modelled to scale in about 8'x1.5', there's a nice obvious break at about the 4' mark. Trouble is that operationally it really needs the whole 8' plus 3' or 4' staging...
2) North Walpole NH. Roundhouse and yard, hemmed in by the river and the mountain. Could be incorporated latter into my plan to model Bellows Falls in its entirety.
3) Something generic and built for the challenge. Could be designed to be satisfying in the space, probably an inglenook trackplan, although I'm open to suggestions.

Any thoughts or ideas?

[SSW7771]

My current layout is 1' x 5' with a cassette for switching. You can see photos here https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=29673.0 It is fun to operate even though it does not look like it. I do recommend against the timesavers/inglenooks as they are more puzzles than actual switching. Good luck.

[garethashenden]

My current layout is 1' x 5' with a cassette for switching. You can see photos here https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=29673.0 It is fun to operate even though it does not look like it. I do recommend against the timesavers/inglenooks as they are more puzzles than actual switching. Good luck.

I remember that thread. I like the cat. I'll play around with some ideas for that sort of layout.

[Bsklarski]

Walpole. I love running up there!

[garethashenden]

So I'm definitely leaning towards something Mogul Country ish. Branchline terminus with an industry, fuel dealer, team track, small passenger station. I don't think I'll model a specific place but take inspiration from several southern New Hampshire towns. I've drawn up a first look at a trackplan:


The station will be inside the runaround loop, with the team track/freight station to the front (bellow). The short track in the middle is the fuel dealer, the long one is the industry. I have one of these kits mostly built. https://www.republiclocomotiveworks.com/show_item.php?Item=RLW%2028225N It will take the place a larger lumbermill, at least in my head.

I will use a cassette of some sort to make operation more interesting.

Any thoughts?

[timgill]

The station will be inside the runaround loop

Are you certain you can fit a station in that space? It looks a little tight to me.

Any thoughts?

The spur for the oil dealer feels like it should parallel the runaround tail or the larger spur...

[garethashenden]

I've redrawn it. The station is now on the outside.

[garethashenden]

Thought about the second track plan a bit more, didn't hear anything here, and decided I liked it enough that it was worth printing out and playing around with. I've laid it out on the floor and placed some stock and buildings on it. I'll describe the scenes I envisage as I go through the pictures.

It's called Monadnock after the Monadnock Railroad which was the company which originally built the Boston & Maine's Peterboro Branch. I've taken too many liberties with the layout of Peterboro to actually call it that, but it was the inspiration, along with Hillsboro and Greenville, other nearby branchline termini.

Looking into town, the RDC sits at the station, just clear of the road crossing inbetween us and it.


A bird's eye view from the south.


Looking down the road, station on the left.


Fuel dealer (oil and coal)


Lumber shipments originate here. I may decided to replace this with something more realistic for the area, small factory or something. But I have it already.


Boxcar on the team track/freight house next to the station.


From above again.


What does everyone think? Is this worth pursuing or are there major changes needed?

[Erik PRR]

Really nice way to get an impression of how big/small things will turn out. Thanks for sharing!

I think the overall track plan is good, except for where you have placed the RDC. It looks really squeezed in. We all have to live with selective compression, but this rather long car should have more space where it's supposed to stop, I think. Could you shorten and straighten the track where the boxcar sits? Or maybe locate the depot and the platform at the far left - the tail of the runaround track?

[garethashenden]

Really nice way to get an impression of how big/small things will turn out. Thanks for sharing!

I think the overall track plan is good, except for where you have placed the RDC. It looks really squeezed in. We all have to live with selective compression, but this rather long car should have more space where it's supposed to stop, I think. Could you shorten and straighten the track where the boxcar sits? Or maybe locate the depot and the platform at the far left - the tail of the runaround track?

I can shorten that track. I agree it seems too long and gives the the passenger platform too little space. I may straighten it a bit too for the same reason. Before the RDC this would probably have been served by a 2-6-0, a coach, and a combine. I'll adjust things so they fit.

Looks fine on the computer but putting stock on it does change how it looks.

[OldEastRR]

Build it on a diagonal across the space. That gives you the longest "mainline" run you can get. And it makes the scenes look bigger since they don't parallel the edges of the layout.

[garethashenden]

This?


I'm not sure.

[OldEastRR]

Think about branching the fuel dealer off the same spur as the big industry. A wye switch or something. It would remove the fuel dealer spur from the mainline and give that section of track a cleaner look - just two tracks running parallel. this would also give a clear space for a center passenger platform if you wanted.

[garethashenden]

I've redrawn the plan again, for some strange reason it gave me two side by side. New on the left.

[garethashenden]

Shifted everything to the left a little bit and added another small industrial track. Unfortunately it's reached by a kick back.