Quote from: tlnibert on July 30, 2008, 08:44:06 AM
I'm looking for a plan to fit a 5 by 12 area, any suggestions?
tom

A lot of free time on airlplanes to doodle! 
Seriously, I fly alot and have quiet time in hotels too. 
As a child (I'm 43) I memorized Kalmbach's 101 Trackplans, so as mentioned by Gene, those books are a great place to start.  Every model railroader should own a pad of quad ruled paper, mechanical pencils, compass, and a very large eraser, if not get over to the store.

Quote from: Santa Fe buff on July 28, 2008, 05:06:00 PM
Awesome layout, but you need some more ground cover, and some more finishing touches. You can use real dirt, just filter it first for some 'HO' 'rocks' for your railroad beding.

I think you may be looking at the dark brown area(s) in the distance.  That is just a brown latex base color and unfinished.  I actually use dirt sifted through window screen for my ballast. 

Check here for updates.  I just created a 155 tree forest.
San Dimas Southern RR

I thought I had read a review somewhere that it was 9" and would work down to 8".  Anyone have a recent issue of MR?  I think it was in the reveiw.

I have enough to keep me happy yet not be grounds for divorce.

I would think wiring a roundhouse for DCC would be easier than DC block in that you could just run a bus then multiple feeders soldered as necessary.  Of course I'm the guy who has 16 sets of feeders on 72 feet of track...

Picked up my new Shay on Thursday afternoon and finally got a chance to break it in a bit.  Front truck is still a bit tight but I'll get that taken care of.  Detail and sound are great.  In a week or two I'll get it lettered and weathered.  Really doesn't fit with my theme, but you folks can relate to the "gotta have one."  The 2-8-0 is one of two with DCC/sound.  Those guys run flawlessly all the time, every time and on a couple of 15" radius turns too.

OK, on 3, breath in through the nose and out through the mouth.  Drop your shoulders.  Proceed to the blender.

That engine will work just fine with Digitrax.  I do it all the time.

I'm thinking I need more space!  Nice work.  Cool website too.

Just wrap yourself in 3" foam padding so when the throttle sticks you can bail off.

That would be cool.

Original drawing


In 3rd PlanIt with adjustments

1) 20 amp breaker.  Whole playhouse is wired the same as a house off the main panel. 
2) Has insulation.
3) Bugs?  None to really speak of although I did have one of those gigantic black bumble bees come in on Sunday.  It was a battle, but in the end I won.

The hard part is getting out of there quickly.  I'm 5'11" 190lbs and the ceiling is 5'6", not to mention the door is only 24" wide.  Very comfortable while on a small stool, but standing up and getting out is interesting.  But...it is a layout room so no complaints here!

Thanks gang.

I live in San Dimas, CA (Southern California).  Foothills.  No real weather extremes, but I did have to break out the heater when it got real cold and the temp bottomed at 52!!! 
I will add a small window a/c unit by popping out the North (mountain) facing window sometime this spring.
I plan on two rows of track lighting, one with standard bulbs, and one with low wattage blue bulbs for night.  I operated my old layout in "night mode" almost all the time as it added a level of mystery for visitors.

thanks again, MM

I have a .jpg of the plan on my laptop at the office.  No photobucket at work, so I'll send home and post up tomorrow.