Baton Rouge Southern 3.0 - a Design discussion

[wazzou]

Tell me more about that dome and what it's purpose was.

[wcfn100]

Not a valid vimeo URL
Jason

[Philip H]

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Jason

I own this on dvd.

[Mark W]

I'm certainly not going to say there's no place for modular construction in a personal, mostly stationary layout, because I had to consider that notion in the very beginnings of the GC&W. I like @Mark W 's approach - high-quality module build-out with an emphasis on getting it running first, not necessarily completing the whole scene on each module before starting the next. In other words, there is no shame in showing folks a little pink foam if the trains run well. In your case I think modular is good in general, but IMO, TOMA gets in the way of running trains. TOMA would be a total fail for me since my weak area at the moment happens to be scenery, and it would further hang-up the already poor progress on full operability.

Late to the party, but wanted to share.
It's not so much "getting the trains running" as it is that the track plan and operations are part of the focus. 
This is my first time hearing about this "TOMA", but have to agree with @C855B , it sounds like a very narrow method that misses the bigger advantages of modular/sectional, even for permanent home layouts.

-Modular/Sectional undermines term "Under layout work".  Just pull the trouble section out and flip it on side, no more crouching, crawling, knocking your head, soldering upside down, ect.
-Expansion/Contraction?  Built in gaps, especially if you 'float' rail ends.  The rail joiner is soldered to PC Ties, which are glued to the endplate, the rail itself is allowed to expand/contract through the joiner. 
-Easy Access.  Don't reach across everything to get at the back, just pull the module out and you have immediate access all around.
-Change it up.  Ever get bored with a particular spot?  Either pull the module out and rework it (with all around easy access), or just throw it out and replace it from scratch.  Much easier said and done when it's a smaller tangible chunk than part of huge single unit layout.

[sirenwerks]

I started to watch the TOMA videos and came away with the impression that it is less an exercise in a new modeling concept and more someone trying to rebrand the module concept.

[Philip H]

Dear Friends,
Its been a year since we last met to discuss our possibilities.  Since then @wm3798 has visited, and in discussions with the domestic COO, managed to get agreement on interior, conditioned space that would allow for a layout set-up.



however, as is often the case, one has to make a few compromises.

To wit: The final, and now being occupied space, is 12ish by 6, and is essentially one side of our front living room.  Its separated from the rest of the space by some GSA surplus cubicle walls (what else is a Fed to do to make movable walls?).  The Elkins/Baton Rouge Yard section is already up and running, proving tha NCE is really da bomb (after almost 2 years of storage.  Pics of the space:





Since I really liked Bernie's L shaped plan, I think I'll just cut it like so:



And see about working part of the dome and its trackage into the open space thats left to be filled.  I have not asked him for a redraw yet, what with his running the Mid Atlantic RPM next weekend.

And yes, I've been switching train in the yard.  Helps knock the corrosion off the rails.

Thoughts?

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Hell yeah!

[Bendtracker1]

Hell yeah!

Ditto!
Just fill in the open space on the left.  That should give you a bit more running and space for another industry.

[wm3798]

So this is in the Family/Living room and not in the Phil's Office area left of the stairway?

Nice adaptive reuse of the partitions...  Are they structural enough to hang the shelf on?

L

[jpec]

So this is in the Family/Living room and not in the Phil's Office area left of the stairway?

Nice adaptive reuse of the partitions...  Are they structural enough to hang the shelf on?

L

If they're like the ones at work they're suitable enough to be a blast shield.

[jpec]

This works because:
It's simple.
It offers big operations in a compact space.
You can have a detailed, completed layout in a short time.
It's portable if you move.

Connecting those sections with a building-free scenery section will give you the feeling of traveling somewhere.

Jeff

[Philip H]

So this is in the Family/Living room and not in the Phil's Office area left of the stairway?

The office does now have office furniture, but was deemed too small by the COO. SO I'm taking part of the kid's craft space.

Nice adaptive reuse of the partitions...  Are they structural enough to hang the shelf on?

As @jpec points out they should be good for that. A little light weight foam topped bench work will not overload them. My GSA sources are looking for shelf brackets now.

This works because:
It's simple.
It offers big operations in a compact space.
You can have a detailed, completed layout in a short time.
It's portable if you move.

Connecting those sections with a building-free scenery section will give you the feeling of traveling somewhere.

Jeff

Yep - you got it.

[Philip H]

Noodling on the picture at lunch:



The UTLX Dome doesn't really fit in that left corner in any shape that's gives it justice, but its there.  The Baton Rouge Yard part would need a curve back to use as a yard. but if its removable it could live under the "lower" section when its not in use for ops.  I can't easily incorporate it permanently into this space as its 5 feet long, crosses a window, and severely limits the width of the entrance to my area.

[Bendtracker1]

Just throwing this out Philip.
If the yard could fit back into that corner, could you build a small triangular section and attach it to one or the other sections, then rework your turnout on the the right end of the siding so when the yard is slid into place things could line up?

[AlkemScaleModels]

Phil,

We can discuss this at MARPM this weekend.
I'd be happy to make revisions as required/desired.
Bernard Kempinski