Subject:
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Re: Home layouts
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.trains
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Date:
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Tue, 8 Feb 2000 03:48:01 GMT
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Viewed:
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1963 times
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> John/Jim,
>
> Just picked up on this one.
> Like you, I have started on my own permanent layout which is based in the
> loft. Constrution is 6mm ply onto timber braces which are themselves fixed to
> the internal roof trusses. The layout is in a large L shape approx. 15' along
> each leg and on two levels, and this is where I decided to 'play safe' with
> the inclines. Instead of providing spirals I opted for a more prototypical
> appearance using long straight inclines to minimise the effect on performance.
> As the track base is ply and has been fixed at an incline it was quite a
> simple task to build the gradients and heights to suit. As a guide, I used
> Matthew Bates' Train Depot geometry etc. and with underpass headroom of 14-15
> bricks and inclines equivelent to 2 plates/length of track.
>
> Although the layout is unfinished I have managed to build a lengthy test track
> including two inclines to link the upper and lower sections in a sort of
> convoluted figure 8 and there are no problems pulling 8+ double bogie cars
> uphill (with a suitably heavy loco like 4565). As the majority of each incline
> is on the straight, I feel I could have gone steeper but it's all cut and
> carved now.
>
> The finished article is some way off- I, too, need to paint backscenes and
> bases and put in a few hills/tunnel mouths using (look away from the screen)
> non-lego modelling materials. My aim is to produce something in between
> the 'toy-like' average Lego circular layouts and a detailed prototypical
> system with working signals etc (flexible track please, Mr. Lego)
>
> Your experinces all sound very familiar - I sold most of my '00' scale model
> trains to move up to a more solid '0' scale. Needless to say, now that I have
> rediscovered Lego trains the regular model railway stuff just sleeps in it's
> boxes and my two girls (4 and 6) can 'touch' the trains. This last point is
> the main reason why traditional railway modelling, at least in Britain, has an
> aging following.
>
> Jon
>
> Ps - loft is a good choice, you can even get a small beer fridge through the
> hatch!
Jon,
My theoretical helix has not been made reality yet. The Lego budget has been
used for acquiring parts from Todd's AucZILLA auction to make copies of Larry's
hopper car among other things. The theoretical helix is really a rounded off
rectangle, 22-24 sections per level, 16 curved and 6-8 straight (13+ bricks
from track to overpass). This conforms to Matt's rule of inclines but, it
remains to be seen how long a train can be pulled up a 2/3 brick per section
incline with curves and all. (I generally build my locos with two motors each
and I use MRC throttles which aren't bothered by multiple motors.) The "helix"
will be inside a mountain of mixed foam board (gasp!) and lego design. Level 1
of my layout has a 2 foot high backdrop made from 1/8 masonite (bends nice in
corners) painted sky blue (color matched to a sky blue found on a Duplo box)
then spray painted in spots with flat white to make clouds. This is a very
pleasing backdrop making the layout appear larger than the 11x11 foot room it
fills and the sky blue complements the other lego colors nicely. My ground
color is lego light tan, a more common color here on the plains than lego
green. You have encouraged me to move the helix project up on the priority
list.
happy building,
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Message has 2 Replies:
 | | Re: Home layouts
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| (...) The theoretical helix is really a rounded off (...) The "helix" (...) 1 (...) INSIDE a mountain! That's a big mountain - I hope you have built in a hatch for access (were you inspired by 'Close Encounters' ?). There are alternatives to raising (...) (25 years ago, 8-Feb-00, to lugnet.trains)
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Message is in Reply To:
| | Re: Home layouts
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| (...) and (...) ran, (...) more (...) planned complete with a helix-in-a-mountain (...) is an (...) the (...) you (...) get (...) mountain (...) John/Jim, Just picked up on this one. Like you, I have started on my own permanent layout which is based (...) (25 years ago, 8-Feb-00, to lugnet.trains)
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