N Scale Hi Rail - Retro Hollow Core Door Layout

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I wish Kato would release the Concrete line of track with black ties to 'match' the single track line.. (At least the super elevated curves)

I picked up a set to try out my steady hand with a black paint pen..

Paint the whole thing raw umber, do the rail brownish, and ballast. It is my way.

[wm3798]

I'm continuing to work on my TTrak flavored yard shelf, extended from the Hi Rail Hollow Core Door via two wyes, upper and lower.


Tonight I carved out enough space for a modest engine terminal.
The turntable is long enough to handle my fleet of Rivarossi Mike's and Pacific's, and one F unit at a time.

The engine house you may recognize as the old Pola Foundry kit.  I had modified it back in the late 80s for my original Laurel Valley layout, but it has lingered in Structure Limbo since about 1991.  The small footprint makes it a perfect shelter for a couple of locomotives.

The stub tracks can accommodate a switcher or two.

I believe the turntable is a vintage Pola or Faller model.  I picked it up in a lot purchase at N Scale Weekend last year.  I plan to motorized it some kind of way.  I have a couple of geared motors floating around so I'm sure something can be cobbled together.
I've also started affixing the approach and yard tracks on the lower level, and the beginnings of a control panel are starting to emerge from the mist.



Onward and upward in the tar pits of N scale.

Speaking of dinosaurs, I popped in to Main Line today to engage in a modest swap meet with Adam, and received this diamond in the rough...



An Arnold Rapido GP9.  It was in a million pieces... he offered it to me for the hand rails (See my inquiry on the Trading Post) but it was mostly complete, save for the vital fuel tank weight, which holds the thing together so it can run.  After a short dumpster dive into my parts inventory, I was able to produce one, and after a shot of contact cleaner and some gear oil, it's now on the active Hi Rail roster... although it too needs some handrails.

The quest continues..

Lee

[wm3798]

All wired up and functional.


Next to sort out the engine house tracks.

Then on to the upper yard.
Lee

[sizemore]

All wired up and functional.


Next to sort out the engine house tracks.

Then on to the upper yard.
Lee

I know that little guy!

The S.

[wm3798]

A bit more progress in the lower fiddle yard.  The little turntable needed a minor adjustment to improve clearances.  Things were hanging up on the handrails, so I uninstalled them and reinstalled them outboard of the walkways.  This widened the gap between them enough that longer equipment wouldn't nudge the bridge out of alignment as it rolls on and off the turntable.  It also lowered the railing to a more reasonable height.  They're still plump as sausages, but it's classic authentic vintage, right?



I also picked up another switch to build the second approach track, which will also have some servicing facilities along its length when I get around to scenery.


And here's where they all hit the pit.  I did some fine tuning to the electrical pick ups in the turntable bridge, and trimmed the Unitrak bits to length to keep  the next module free to be removed.



A few more bits of track around the engine house, and then I can commence with the finish wiring.
Lee

[wm3798]

Just burning a little daylight.


When the sun pops over the 1800 foot Ridge across the river, it floods light through the patio door and across part of the layout.

Naturally, this makes me smile.

For @Ed Kapuscinski , here's my version of the Parkton Local.  Grab your coffee and get to work!

Lee

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Just burning a little daylight.


When the sun pops over the 1800 foot Ridge across the river, it floods light through the patio door and across part of the layout.

Naturally, this makes me smile.

For @Ed Kapuscinski , here's my version of the Parkton Local.  Grab your coffee and get to work!

Lee

Love it!

All it needs now is a single rider in it, lol.

Also, who are Harbeck and Sons? I know that's not a random name.

[Tristan Ashcroft]

Love it!


Also, who are Harbeck and Sons? I know that's not a random name.

Wait, Lee, don't answer that, let us go with Wrong Answers Only for a while.

So far, I've got a Harbeck who was a filmmaker who was working for the Canadian Pacific - who died on the Titanic along with a 22 year old French woman who was "not his wife".

[Howard1975]

Hello everyone, I have been enjoying reading this long 123 page topic. So far I have read about 100 pages, I have not finished reading the entire 123 pages so far. I really like your style of model railroading, and your layout Lee Weldon. I'm also a member at the Facebook group "N Scale Hi-Rail", and I have enjoying watching your YouTube channel about your retro hollow core door N scale layout.  I have a few questions for you, and anyone else that has the same experience.

Do you have any problems with overhang, running your long equipment on your 9.75 inch and 11 inch curves, on your lower level? I ask because I sometimes see you using long locomotives like the Minitrix U28C, big steam locomotives, long vintage passenger cars, vintage autoracks, etc.  Yes I'm aware many of those vintage models made in the 1960's and 1970's with the truck mounted rapido couplers, can handle the 8 inch curves that both Minitrix and Arnold Rapido made. Do you have any problems with the overhang, clearance issues, derailments, coupler issues, etc?

I'm planning on building (later this year) a vintage N scale layout on a 30 inch wide by 72 inch long folding table. I'm living in an apartment, it's all the space I have available for N scale. I'm in the planning stages of building a N scale layout, I will be doing something generic so I can run various trains from the 1950s to the 1970s or 1980s. Including North American and European trains. But the majority will be vintage N scale locomotives and rolling stock, of North American type equipment. Using mostly Atlas code 80 track, Atlas and Peco turnouts, MRC brand DC power packs, mostly truck mounted Rapido couplers, and inexpensive kitbashed structures. Mostly vintage locomotives made by Kato, Minitrix and Arnold Rapido, but some of the other brands too such as Like-Like, Atlas, Bachmann, Rivarossi, etc. I want a fun, budget friendly and dependable layout.

I have been involved with model trains since my dad built the typical 4'x8' plywood table in HO scale, around 1985 when I was 10 years old, using train set quality HO scale model trains. I believe most of the track was Atlas code 100, might have been some other brands mixed in. Locomotives and freight cars were mostly AHM, Life-Like, Bachmann, Model Power, Tyco, etc. Many of them bought used at train shows. I had a lot of fun with those trains. Later I would upgrade to Athearn Blue Box locomotives and freight cars, MDC Roundhouse freight cars, and a couple MRC Tech 2 power packs.

I first got involved with N scale trains in the middle 1990s. I have a bunch of model railroading books and magazines, I have been a member of various model railroad Internet forums for the past 15 to 20 years, and I have a small but growing collection of N scale equipment. Currently have about 6 working locomotives and about 70 pieces of rolling stock. I have more equipment coming in the mail. And I already have plenty of Atlas code 80 track to make a layout on my 30 inch wide by 72 inch long table. Just need to finalize on a track plan, and purchase some buildings and other scenery items. Most of my track is the 9.75, 11 and 19 inch radius curves, and lots of 5 inch straights from Atlas. I have about 10 Atlas turnouts (Italy and Austria), and about 10 turnouts from Cassido (Italy). And I have 6 smooth turnouts from Peco. I have a few 8 inch radius curves from AHM, and about 11 of the 7-5/8 inch turnouts  from Aurora Postage Stamp Trains (made by Minitrix). And I have a decent amount of the steel alloy track from Arnold Rapido, lots of various straights, about 10 turnouts (17 inch radius), and a large amount of the 8 inch and 17 inch radius curves. Most of my equipment doesn't like those Arnold Rapido turnouts, they cause too many derailments with my trains. I don't really like the 7-5/8 inch radius turnouts from Minitrix either, they are very rough.

 I also have a decent amount of Kato Unitrack I use currently, to build temporary layouts. Lot's of straights, some 718mm (28-1/4 inch) curves, about 5 of the #6 turnouts, and mostly 315mm (12-3/8 inch) radius and tighter curves.

For my permanent layout, I plan on using mostly the Atlas sectional track 9.75 and 11 inch radius curves, and their regular turnouts (19 inch radius), and some #6 medium Peco turnouts (which are 18 inch radius). I can also mix in some of my other brands of track, it's all code 80 anyway.

I have always heard it's best to keep to 4 axle locomotives and 50 foot or shorter freight cars, when using those sharp 9.75 and 11 inch curves. But I see you and other people using 6 axle locomotives, vintage 80 foot passenger cars, and vintage intermodal and auto racks on 9.75 and 11 inch radius curves. I'm assuming the truck mounted rapido couplers help with the sharp curves? What about body overhang and side-swiping other trains on parallel curves, or hitting tunnel portals and bridges, which are next to the curves?

My longest rolling stock are currently 50 to 60 foot freight cars, and a few 73 foot Aurora Postage Stamp passenger cars, made by Minitrix. I have a couple vintage Minitrix U28C locomotives (coming in the mail), and I already have two Con-Cor PA locomotives made by Kato, a vintage Bachmann F9-A with the brass metal gears (not later plastic gear versions), a vintage European 6 axle Arnold Rapido electric locomotive, a vintage Minitrix F9-A locomotive, a vintage 1970's or 1980's diesel from Piko of East Germany, and a couple of year 2000 vintage Life-Like FA-1 with body mounted rapido couplers. All of my freight and passenger cars have truck mounted couplers, about 50 are Rapido couplers, and 19 with knuckle couplers (Micro-Trains and Atlas Accumates). My cabooses are a combination of body mounted and truck mounted couplers, both knuckle and Rapido types. I'm also currently bidding at eBay on two vintage Arnold Rapido locomotives, a FA-1 with metal body shell, and a FP9-A diesel locomotive.

I have never owned anything longer, such as 80 to 90 feet long passenger, auto racks or intermodal freight cars.

[wm3798]

Hopefully you saw my replies on the Facetoobs.
When I get a chance I'll repeat them here, because your questions are good ones, and it will be helpful for those among us who wisely avoid social media 

Lee

[Howard1975]

Yes, I saw your reply at Facebook, thank you for the information, and the pictures, and the video of your layout. You have answered all of my questions, thank you. 

[OldEastRR]

How do I access your Facetoobs video about this topic?

[wm3798]

@OldEastRR I have a series of videos on my YouTube channel from the Covid era, when I started to amass my Hi Rail Empire.  I've posted them previously in this thread.
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCp6NjJELGbkc8r07DvdBiLKfaqaKbvuh&si=0TErEoXfnat85cne

Lee

[wm3798]

In other news, I picked up 47.25 Sq. Ft of sky at Michael's this afternoon for $10.
That's going to make a lot of module backer boards!

At 12" tall, that works out to 48 feet of sky!

Lee

[Philip H]

I’m using the same thing for my layout.