Another Possible idea for Free-moN?

[ednadolski]

Another thought exercise (featuring Tehachapi, of course). Upper Tunnels on a four modules, drawn at 100% scale.

Grade change is about 5 inches, tho it also could be made w/adjustable leg lengths and used in a level configuration.  It would also need a short adapter section at each end, to level out for adjacent modules.   This set at least could fit in my car.

Proto pic: https://www.railpictures.net/images/d2/6/5/3/8653.1567964174.jpg?fbclid=IwAR1EzZDnD6Ubu5tQDXv15tqnVOkpiRRRCRTyCT5I9M9BNZqZ7hfU4D9jYBE





(I still have to fill in the topo lines.)

Ed

[James Costello]

I've always thought the Bealville road crossing or Woodford sidings would be contenders too.....

[ednadolski]

I've always thought the Bealville road crossing or Woodford sidings would be contenders too.....

Bealville, eh? Hm, what would that look like....




Lemme see: No grades (yes prototype is on a grade, tho it does not look like it in person), no tunnels/hidden track, no elaborate structures, interesting scene for details and to display MOW and other vehicles (or another train/helper set waiting in the hole), and could be done with SP era signals.  Buildable to 100% scale as two 48"x20"modules (simple to transport), and usable as part of a (future) home layout (or standalone with some staging. Also easily extensible with future modules.

Seems to be a lot to like here.   Thanks @James Costello !

Ed



 

[Tristan Ashcroft]

Bealville, eh? Hm, what would that look like....

[img width=1024 height=476]https://i.imgur.com/h3FUk5w.jpg[/img
[img width=1024 height=480]https://i.imgur.com/h6vmDzT.jpg[/img

Lemme see: No grades (yes prototype is on a grade, tho it does not look like it in person), no tunnels/hidden track, no elaborate structures, interesting scene for details and to display MOW and other vehicles (or another train/helper set waiting in the hole), and could be done with SP era signals.  Buildable to 100% scale as two 48"x20"modules (simple to transport), and usable as part of a (future) home layout (or standalone with some staging. Also easily extensible with future modules.

Seems to be a lot to like here.   Thanks @James Costello !

Ed

Thread drift alert:  I'm curious why the airphotos overlap.  (does some data provider make them available that way?)

[ednadolski]

I'm curious why the airphotos overlap.

I overlapped a couple of screen shots in Anyrail, that way overall they can have a higher resolution than if I tried to enlarge just one image.  For these I turned up the transparency so that it's easier to see the track, etc.   If the transparency were set to zero then there would be no visible difference in the images.

Ed

[vermonter_railfan]

Bealville, eh? Hm, what would that look like....

Lemme see: No grades (yes prototype is on a grade, tho it does not look like it in person), no tunnels/hidden track, no elaborate structures, interesting scene for details and to display MOW and other vehicles (or another train/helper set waiting in the hole), and could be done with SP era signals.  Buildable to 100% scale as two 48"x20"modules (simple to transport), and usable as part of a (future) home layout (or standalone with some staging. Also easily extensible with future modules.

Seems to be a lot to like here.   Thanks @James Costello !

Ed

One concern for that set would be the double-track spacing. The standard for section to section (module to module that not yours) is 1.125" and that appears to be wider than that. Now granted it's not a problem if you plan to build 2 additional modules to either bring the track back to a single track or the standardized 1.125". Otherwise, with your expertise in making stuff extremely prototypical and realistic from what I've seen that module set would be a great starter set of modules for Free-moN....though we need more curves in the world lol. 

[ednadolski]

... build 2 additional modules to either bring the track back to a single track or the standardized 1.125".

...we need more curves in the world lol.

The proto location can readily accommodate doing both.  Tehachapi certainly has no lack of curves

(If I go this route then definitely I will need to get myself a truck )


https://www.google.com/maps/place/Bealville,+CA+93518/@35.2727699,-118.6272884,17.69z/data=!4m6!3m5!1s0x80c1e255549848bf:0xfb8ecfdbbc31950d!8m2!3d35.272522!4d-118.626579!16s%2Fm%2F048pgg2?entry=ttu

Ed

[John]

Well, my Freemo-N is 4; straight .. the protoype is straight, and this module will fit into my around the wall planned layout .. so that's one reason I'm going with a straight one ..

[ednadolski]

Bealville, eh? Hm, what would that look like....

Well, I drew that with a #12 turnout, but after taking a closer look I think it actually should be a #14.    Probably all the mainline turnouts on Tehachapi are at least that.

Ed

[vermonter_railfan]

The proto location can readily accommodate doing both.  Tehachapi certainly has no lack of curves

(If I go this route then definitely I will need to get myself a truck )


https://www.google.com/maps/place/Bealville,+CA+93518/@35.2727699,-118.6272884,17.69z/data=!4m6!3m5!1s0x80c1e255549848bf:0xfb8ecfdbbc31950d!8m2!3d35.272522!4d-118.626579!16s%2Fm%2F048pgg2?entry=ttu

Ed

That is exactly what free-moN is all about! I'm currently working on Wickenburg Canyon along the Hasayampa River and BNSF Phoenix Subdivision just outside of Phoenix. As much as I'd love to create a 1:1 scale (well 1:160 lol) you gotta make some sacrifices in some ways.

[ednadolski]

^ very true.   One of the things I'd really want to do is use at least some of the modules from a (hypothetical that this point    ) set in an at-home setup, with some kind of staging (hidden/return loops at either end, or such.)

For Bealville I guess the operating scheme would consist of fleeting and coordinating meets between uphill and downhill trains.  So a bit more to do than with the Upper Tunnels idea, which is purely train-watching.

Ed

[mdltrn]

This is a great idea. @ednadolski would the staging and/or return loops be separate modules or would it be incorporated in thmodules shown above?

I've toyed with the idea of incorporating staging below the scenic portion of the modules, accessed by a 2-3 turn helix return loop at either end of the main modules. Another thought might be to incorporate the staging on the back side of the main modules, connected with a return loop on both ends, and separated by a backdrop. Even just a couple of tracks in staging would give some flexibility to run more than one train.

[vermonter_railfan]

^ very true.   One of the things I'd really want to do is use at least some of the modules from a (hypothetical that this point    ) set in an at-home setup, with some kind of staging (hidden/return loops at either end, or such.)

For Bealville I guess the operating scheme would consist of fleeting and coordinating meets between uphill and downhill trains.  So a bit more to do than with the Upper Tunnels idea, which is purely train-watching.

Ed

There is a gentleman somewhere in either Oregon or Washington who is using Free-moN as his standard at home and then can remove the modules off of wall brackets to take to shows.

Long sidings are always a plus, im helping coordinate the Amherst Hobby Show Free-moN layout for next January and our current issue is the lack of curves and passing sidings. We will probably have similar issues for the National N Scale Convention Free-moN layout as well. Everyone likes to run long trains and short sidings don't work for that.

[ednadolski]

Long sidings are always a plus

If modeled completely and at 100% scale, Bealville siding would be 82' long

Ed

[ednadolski]

would the staging and/or return loops be separate modules or would it be incorporated in thmodules shown above?

Probably separate, to keep things easy to transport.   Not sire about a helix tho... takes nearly as much space as a return loop, and also a long time for a train to climb from one level to the next.

Since Bealville is on a grade, my thought is to build two sets of legs, one for use in a level configuration at shows, and the other for at-home use with the prototype grade.  The height difference at the ends would allow the return loops to be vertically stacked.

Ed