Happy New Year! Yes, short notice, but we will be working on the railroad today. If you can come by, please let me know at 310-344-9145. We've been working on...
Sorry for the late reply, but I just joined the group after being invited by Kevin Barnett to join. There is a very good clinic on making modern billboards on...
For my next layout project I'm considering using an uncompensated 4% grade with 30-inch radius curves to connect two levels of the layout. This transition...
Bob, I don't consider 4% to be an extreme grade at all. I have always run 6 car trains and they work well on 7% grades. Your 4 percent should be fine. But...
Try a test section. I have never had much luck getting any more than 2% grades on straight track. The wheels slip more on curves than they do on straight and...
... Thanks for the update guys. When I lived in Redondo beach I used to wander down there every weekend just to find an excuse to buy something. They really...
My layout has 30 inch curves with maximum 2 percent grades. I designed it (siding length) for typical 30 car trains. Once it was built, I found that I had...
Such steep grades work okay in O scale. The only problem I have run into is a tendency for slack to run in and out using Kaydees couplers -- a problem I am ...
Bob, The grade on my layout is roughly 86' long. The first 24' is 3%. The grade levels out to 1.25% for 20' and then goes up to 2.5% for the remainder. The...
Bob, I think a 4 percent grade, 30" radius, 7 cars per 4-axle loco is borderline OK, but may have some slippage & curve pulloffs with heavy equipment. You may...
Paul- Thanks for the input. I appreciate it. Bob Paul Catapano <pc66ot@...> wrote: Bob, The grade on my layout is roughly 86' long. The first 24' is...
Folks, I realize this isn't a layout planning group per se, but I'd still love your input on the layout I've planned, and I live in SoCal. Here is a link to...
Galen, In looking at you plan I assume that your modeling the end of a branchline, as I see the trains moving in a counter-clockwise direction. Unless you can...
Hi Galen... Your layout plan looks fun to build. Here is some input: 1. 2 industry tracks are pretty minimal. 2. Why the wye? Diesels don't need it. Big...
I agree with the most common observation that guys have made on Galen's preliminary design, that it needs more places to spot cars, especially if the focus is...
The Great Western & Atlantic Trainshows (GWATS) is having a show this Saturday and Sunday. It is at the Anaheim Convention Center, in the city of Anaheim,...
For those of you who are going to this show on Saturday, please stop by and say "Hello" or to chat about our group. I'll be with the Orange County Module...
John Bruce makes a point about staging. Layouts in the UK use the "Fiddle Yard" concept a lot, and in the USA, Lee Nicholas and Gary Siegel to name a couple,...
I hadn't thought of the distinction Paul makes between fiddle or active staging and staging as we normally think of it over here, but it's a point relative to...
I agree with John, and disagree with him. I would totally lose the staging, and add more of a small to medium yard, that could be used for staging if you...
Jim, if you agree & disagree with John, can I disagree & agree with you? IMHO, staging represents much more that "a place to hide trains". It's the place...
Something that can be very useful with a layout this size -- can't be done easily with anything much bigger -- is to blow the drawing up as much as you can on...
My layout currently has eight staging tracks - six are loops and two are stub-ended. One of the loops can hold two fairly long trains. My intent is to...
I have to much staging for what I do. I originally built the staging yard to support a railroad that 's traffic was controlled by CTC. I then discovered how...
I guess I fall in the pro-staging category, but with some reservations. While most every layout can operationally benefit from some type off-layout ("the rest...
One of the really good layouts in Orange County soon will be dismantled. Juan Carlos' HOn3 Dy N Glory layout will become history sometime in the next thirty...
Hello All, First, thanks for all the great replies regarding my layout sketch. You all have discussed it more than the ldsig or the trackplansandsketches...
Our first group Layout Tour is all set. This will be self-guided and free. The tour is scheduled for Saturday, February 11, in the South Orange County area...
Hello All, Just had to mention a couple other thoughts about this plan and layout construction. Maybe y'all have had similar thoughts. I'm using gorilla rack...
Bob, I wish I had known you were there. After I posted my message I left and went right to the show to set up. Did not see your reply until Saturday night. I...
