Palmerton, PA: An N Scale Collaborative Micro-Layout

[ChristianJDavis1]

Very nice track plan and execution, Christian.  Performance was flawless.

I feel like that was a happy accident; the secret to it running well is me not doing anything to it and just letting it run (after arranging the cars in a fashion that they don't derail or get stuck on a trip pin). None of those cars were mine before I committed to then out of the collection, so I didn't know what cars would work before-hand. Engines and cabin were mine, though.

For the sake of reference I found the original article in the July 2000 issue of model railroader "the San Jose central"

I'll have to see if I have that issue; would like to know more about "my" track plan. See how they intended it, and see where my ideas differed from their's.

[Point353]

I'll have to see if I have that issue; would like to know more about "my" track plan. See how they intended it, and see where my ideas differed from their's.

http://mrv.trains.com/-/media/Files/PDF/Marketing/5easytrackplans.pdf

[Missaberoad]

I'll have to see if I have that issue; would like to know more about "my" track plan. See how they intended it, and see where my ideas differed from their's.

If you don't have it PM me your email.

[ChristianJDavis1]

http://mrv.trains.com/-/media/Files/PDF/Marketing/5easytrackplans.pdf

Thank you! Should have figured by the name it was Western-themed. Seems my ideas follow their's pretty closely, obviously with differences in prototypes and industries. Also, no station on my layout.

If you don't have it PM me your email.

Thank you. I will send it, but if it's the same thing as posted above I won't trouble you.

Being at Altoona, I got lot more inspiration for what I want on the layout. Instead of a boxcar ramp at the lower left, I started thinking a small coal trestle would be better; keep new freight car types off of the layout and focus on the important commodities (coal and concrete). I think this is by far more interesting, anyway. Also, a common question at the show was "are these tracks going to go anywhere," so maybe designing how another module would attach would be something good to think about. Nothing to start building yet, though, lest I get ahead of myself. Just fun ideas for the future.
 

[wm3798]

With the several vintage trains I was able to acquire over the weekend, I'm thinking about building micro layouts to accommodate the trains rather than building trains to run on a layout!  Thanks for the inspiration!
Lee

[Missaberoad]

Thank you. I will send it, but if it's the same thing as posted above I won't trouble you.

That's the article!

[ChristianJDavis1]

With the several vintage trains I was able to acquire over the weekend, I'm thinking about building micro layouts to accommodate the trains rather than building trains to run on a layout!  Thanks for the inspiration!
Lee

No problem. Remember, this is (almost) all vintage track, so that itch can definitely be scratched with minimal effort. The problem is you start one and your brain starts to wander to "but what if I add this?"

[dem34]

No problem. Remember, this is (almost) all vintage track, so that itch can definitely be scratched with minimal effort. The problem is you start one and your brain starts to wander to "but what if I add this?"

And thats how you end up with oddball layouts with fun but unorthodox track plans.

[ChristianJDavis1]

And thats how you end up with oddball layouts with fun but unorthodox track plans.

You think that's odd? Originally we were going to replace all of the crossovers with double-slips for the sole reason that we could, but as it looked more and more like we were building an actual layout, we settled on making it a little more practical. Also designed; a big circle made of switches, and an N track module that looked more like interlocking and would be like rolling the dice for where your train ended up.

[dem34]

You think that's odd? Originally we were going to replace all of the crossovers with double-slips for the sole reason that we could, but as it looked more and more like we were building an actual layout, we settled on making it a little more practical. Also designed; a big circle made of switches, and an N track module that looked more like interlocking and would be like rolling the dice for where your train ended up.

huh, guess you got a point there. How are those old double slips btw, the radii looks a bit extreme.

[ChristianJDavis1]

huh, guess you got a point there. How are those old double slips btw, the radii looks a bit extreme.

Surprisingly, the few light engines I've run through them seemed to go through okay, but they do seem to develop a hump in the middle as they warp with age. We used super glue to hold this one down to the cork. Maybe I can do some more tests next time I am at the DKS compound. I believe they are the same radius as the majority of the curves on the layout, so 7_3/4". If I am wrong, someone please correct me.

[ChristianJDavis1]

Long time, no post! Sorry about that, all. Last week I started doings some earth-shaping on one corner of the layout (and didn't take pictures, so it might as well not have happened), and while I still plan on what I want to do on that corner, one thing has been *really* bothering me; even though not represented on the layout, the NJ Zinc plant and the Chestnut Ridge Railway are so ingrained in the Palmerton scene that I decided that I needed at least one locomotive to represent it, even if just to put around once and a while.

In my usual "doing it the easy way is boring" fashion, using an Atlas or Arnold S2 to represent one of the switchers, or even a Bachmann S4 to represent their single S4, just doesn't seem that fun. And as a brass collector, you can probably see where this is going... The Key brass S2's and S4's seem to be rather sparce, but that's okay for the because I can't afford one at the moment, anyway. But, never-the-less, I still want to do some research on the NJZ and Chestnut Ridge rosters so when that day comes, I can be prepared. This is what I can sort of find on my own as far as a roster:

Chestnut Ridge  10 (S1?) Looks to be an S2 from the one picture I found of it.
Chestnut Ridge   11 (S2)
New Jersey Zinc   20 (S2)
New Jersey Zinc   21 (S2)
New Jersey Zinc   22 (S2)
New Jersey Zinc   23 (S4)

As usual, photos are hard to find. I think I've seen a picture of all but numbers 10 and 20. If number 10 really is an S1, then I actually have a source for one of those from a buddy of mine, and that gives me time to come up with the cash for it. (Edit: I found a picture of #10 and it definitely looks to be an S2; bummer). Otherwise, I have to save up and be patient for a good-looking and decently-priced S2 or S4 as they show up. If anybody has or could point me in the right direction for roster photos of these locomotives, it would be greatly appreciated. Best lead I could find was a quote from another forum:

"(3rd Quarter 2015; Issue #3) of Trains & Railroads of the Past.  This still appears under the "TRP" logo and is the remaking of The Railroad Press from White River Productions.  It is on newstands now.

Four photos of Chestnut Ridge right-of-way (and S1 #10) are on pages 34/35, and then there is a photo of S2 #11 on page 59 that is a different paint scheme than #10... and on a very nifty concrete trestle at the zinc plant."

What I'm looking for is two-fold; proof of #10 being an S1, and how I should be painting/decaling any of the units.

So hopefully while I plan some more on the layout, some more pictures turn up to help me scratch this particular itch. I promise to take more photos this week, as I do plan on working some more.

[Point353]

[Point353]

http://www.thedieselshop.us/Alco_S2.HTML
http://www.thedieselshop.us/Alco_S4.HTML

[ChristianJDavis1]

That photo of #22 is one I have never seen before.

And thank you for more confirmation on the rosters; seems to match what I have found so far. Bummer my lead for an engine dried up that quickly, but hey, that's the name of the game.