Micro layout idea's

[dem34]

Well, a GP40-2 (I could not locate the GP40 manual, but it has to be similar) coupled to a 50' car has a 302' minimum radius, which is about 22.65" radius. 

However, uncoupled the manual says 140' minimum, which would be 10.5" radius in N. Not too far off! 

From personal experience, a GP40-2 with a 50ft can go tighter than that. Just make sure you cover those ears because the flanges really don't like it.

[jpec]

I ran a GP15 and 50 foot cars around some of the super tight (7"R?) Kato Unitrak. Wasn't pretty but it worked...
Jeff

From personal experience, a GP40-2 with a 50ft can go tighter than that. Just make sure you cover those ears because the flanges really don't like it.

[jpec]

@DKS... I have this round glass-topped lamp table...13" diameter but alas, only 2-1/4" deep. As Dorothy asked The Wizard, "do you have anything in your bag for me?" I like that brewery scene and the open-roofed building idea. If Tomix Wide Tram track only had a turnout in their range...

Jeff

[johnb]

@DKS... I have this round glass-topped lamp table...13" diameter but alas, only 2-1/4" deep. As Dorothy asked The Wizard, "do you have anything in your bag for me?" I like that brewery scene and the open-roofed building idea. If Tomix Wide Tram track only had a turnout in their range...

Jeff

they do...

http://www.trainweb.org/tomix/track/tomix_track.htm

[DKS]

@DKS... I have this round glass-topped lamp table...13" diameter but alas, only 2-1/4" deep. As Dorothy asked The Wizard, "do you have anything in your bag for me?" I like that brewery scene and the open-roofed building idea. If Tomix Wide Tram track only had a turnout in their range...

The problem is that a turnout forces the curved track to an even tighter radius. Whereas you could have 5.5" radius track making a simple circle, adding a turnout drops it down to 4", and looks something like this:



You could run a Davenport or whatever will run on 4" radius track with a couple of the Atlas Trainman short covered hoppers and a bobber, with another freight car parked on the siding. I doubt switching would be possible at all without longer straight sections. The plan above uses standard Tomix Fine Track, not the tram track, in their smallest radius curves with their smallest turnout. (Tram track won't work because the turnout is not available in "tram" form, and it would take a lot of modification to connect curved tram track to the turnout.)

Ingredients:

1024, N Tomix Fine Track 1024(S70). Straight 2.76".   2
1099A, N Tomix Fine Track 1099A(S33). Straight 1.3".   1
1111A, N Tomix Fine Track 1111A(C103-30). Curve radius 4.06", angle 30º   2
1111B, N Tomix Fine Track 1111B(C103-60). Curve radius 4.06", angle 60º   4
1112B, N Tomix Fine Track 1112B(C140-60). Curve radius 5.51", angle 60º   2
1231, N Tomix Fine Track 1231(PR140-30). Right turnout 2.76".   1

Plaza Japan has everything you need. Unfortunately you'll end up with unused pieces since most track comes in multi-packs.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Tomix-1231-Mini-Electric-Turnout-N-PR140-30-F-N-scale/353083881852
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Tomix-1111-Super-mini-Rail-Curve-Track-C103-N-scale/363001011915
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Tomix-1112-Super-mini-Rail-Curve-Track-C140-F-N-scale/353083881825
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Tomix-1099-18-5mm-33mm-Straight-Track-S18-5-F-S33-F-2-pcs-Each-N-scale/353119300314
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Tomix-1804-70mm-Straight-Track-S70-F-4-Pieces-N-scale/353083881930

You can save five bucks by making the 1.3" straight section on the siding by cutting down a leftover 2.76" piece.

[daniel_leavitt2000]

Anyone know how that switch in the roadway works? Is there a hidden wrench fitting inside the roadway like there is to turn off water at the street?

[jpec]

On some street running branches, like in Baltimore, they carried something to tap the cover before you opened it to give the rats a wake-up call. Perhaps @Ed Kapuscinski could add that sound effect to his duties on his sound board.

Jeff

Anyone know how that switch in the roadway works? Is there a hidden wrench fitting inside the roadway like there is to turn off water at the street?

[DKS]

Anyone know how that switch in the roadway works? Is there a hidden wrench fitting inside the roadway like there is to turn off water at the street?

There were numerous configurations. This is a damaged Peerless model. You can see how the switch lever flips up and over. There would ordinarily be steel plates covering the slots in the street.

[Point353]

The straight section on the turnout could be cut shorter:

[DKS]

Here's a couple more:

[DKS]

And here's one being operated:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/39092860@N06/49611076216/

[GonzoCRFan]

https://www.google.com/maps/@43.1040879,-75.2466293,3a,48.4y,59.24h,82.27t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1srtg47yX23rqs0uekRneGyg!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

The spur goes through the building and out the back:
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Utica,+NY/@43.1030566,-75.2456546,104a,35y,45.01t/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x89d93751356a7629:0x111a362618edfc86!8m2!3d43.100903!4d-75.232664

Fascinating example of how industries grow over time and deal with space constraints.

Also, I haven't had it since college, but I recall Saranac's stuff being pretty damn good.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Fascinating example of how industries grow over time and deal with space constraints.

Also, I haven't had it since college, but I recall Saranac's stuff being pretty damn good.

Yep. It was my college gateway to good beer too. The Saranac Sampler was a game changer back in the day when I didn't know anything about beer.