Brooklyn Cross Hudson

[Chris333]

Oh well it was just an idea. And I drew it all freehand so it might not really fit.

[S Class]

If nothing else your idea shows the potential in a 3' X 3' space and is something that could be put together very quickly if funds/time were tight. I actually quite like it for that.

[S Class]

So I've started laying track down and I've discovered that I can do this in the back corner (top right on my plan)
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And that gives me a second inner loop at the expense of a separated industry spur but a tail track long enough for a loco and 1 car.

Or I can do this
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which gives two tracks very close to each other that looks stupid now but may not look as stupid when I do the covering scenery

Given that ether way there will probably be some form of industry covering that curve from view, what are the thoughts of the assembled as to the route I should take?

[OldEastRR]

Maybe I'm too old-fashioned, but wondering why you are drawing paper plans when you have almost all the track you need in hand? Isn't it just easier to assemble the track into various configurations as you look at them and then make adjustments and changes of the actual track? We can offer advice but it's your gut feeling that will make the decision for you. In other words, you got a big box of building blocks you can assemble into things until you find one you like. Back when I had Atlas sectional track (way long time ago) that's what I did. Of course no computers then and hand drawing to scale on paper was a huge effort, so I chose the easiest way. I doodled general sketches of layouts then tried to build those versions.
I wish there'd been Unitrack back then. 

[S Class]

Update time!

Progress has been slow but better than some due to a number of factors, chief among these the chemicals in my brain going off the reservation and the associated fun that comes with it. But for better or worse the outer loop and some of the siding work is now done and I can move on a bit further towards wiring and scenery.

Following my shameless groveling at the alter of DKS I ultilised artists foamcore over the frames of the re-used old layout and I'm impressed with how easy this stuff is to use and screw up, I would be more impressed if the stuff available wasn't pre crushed by the only arts supply store that carries it I can find. I did screw up and go 5 mm over the 3 mm which means more work in making the unitrack rails "street level but I can work around that with some judicious landscaping.


Looking out and east by MetricModels, on Flickr

Looking towards the ramp on the bottom right of my plan from last page this shows the foam cut out for the unitrack, the fact that the availability of parts has led to the re-use of some spare atlas sectional track to get the result I want and the ramp itself which will take off here for the eventual upper level when I can be arsed building it. I am a bit worried about doing the ramp as I was thinking masonry/brick for the base easement and then on ironwork or similar once it gets above the first story level. you can also see the cardboard sub bed I used which lowers the back loop 10 mm down in total before the ramp even starts so I have more clearance available at the back of the layout for the connecting line and less obscene a gradient.


20140517_211157 by MetricModels, on Flickr

Joys of having trouble getting unitrack I made the rookie mistake of only getting one of the 90 degree crossings I needed at a local show, well, ok I confess $30 a pop didn't fill me with joy ether, so stuffing about I went to a new LHS (well, new to me) who just happened to have the atlas equivalent as his only bit of atlas stock (He's a Peco/Fleishman store), some screwing around and it now fits with some final trimming to go. As an added bonus you can see the stillborn remains at my attempt of building a crossover before I said "nuts to this" and shelled out $15 shekels for the Atlas crossing.

Finally something that may inspire a bit more progress on my part

20140517_211230 by MetricModels, on Flickr

Something that I hope will look like an industrial canyon when done, forward unto dawn we go.

Now I just need to find my insulated rail joiners or bite the bullet and head down to yet another LHS tomorrow for some more. Lots to do!

[OldEastRR]

What is the final plan you decided on?

[Chris333]

You said you used foam board, but David uses Gatorboard. Gatorboard is waterproof. With the foam board I would suggest putting a few coats of paint on it so it doesn't warp later when you do scenery.

[S Class]

You said you used foam board, but David uses Gatorboard. Gatorboard is waterproof. With the foam board I would suggest putting a few coats of paint on it so it doesn't warp later when you do scenery.

Funny you should say that, I went with some acrylic from a sample pot to seal the foam against crazing if I use enamel without realising and the top board bowed a bit. Fortunately I have a lot of former liquor bottle that now filled with water act as weights to hold it down when the second run of glue dried. Thanks for jinxing me! 

Unfortunately Gator board, much like the blue foam you guys love, is not common in this country and when it is available it's dirty expensive according to my sources.

What is the final plan you decided on?

The final plan from page 1 with a few alterations based on real world mock ups.

I'm currently taking a breaks as I'm home all week with head issues so all my track feeders are soldered and I gave most of the track a once over with brown paint to weather it. frankly I should have gone with urban grey rather than rural brown but ce le vie as they say.

[S Class]

Also one more thing, for a name, what do you guys think

Brooklyn Cross Hudson (Like the New York Cross Harbour of the 1980's) or,

Brooklyn Trans Hudson?

Other ideas are welcome.

[S Class]

To show that I haven't been slacking


Still stuffing about in the middle, but with the help of a Chris333's 6" turnout drawing I'm working on a better solution to that scenicly speaking.

Edit, It would appear Flickr have changed their sharing code set up.

[garethashenden]

Any chance of a bigger picture?

[Chris333]

Sweet! I could have e-mailed you a better file, didn't know you were using just the photo.

[S Class]

Yeah, but the less you see of the image the prettier they look, mine will never be DKS pretty, but they work! well the tracks are in gauge, so I go that going for me which is nice.

I'm now re-wiring the layout as none of the wiring worked and I realised that I hate wiring so for now I will ditch my short sighted idea to run multiple locomotives and go solo or "DCC" when the time comes. Great thing about small layouts is the ability to move the whole thing to do work like the backing boards. I want the track finished though so I can turn my work bench over to scenery and structures

[Flagler]

I would plan a point to point vs a loop.I would have a hidden stage yard behind a backdrop that is 4"wide and model one very large Industry.Papermills have a lot of traffic

[S Class]

The back of the layout will be behind a backdrop to hide the loop of track and break up the scene.

Chris do you have a method for rolling your track into curves, I just do it the no scientific way which plays havoc with track gauge.