I'm just trying to give the "thirty" board a little boost. I am also interested in what others are doing in this hobby.
1. What is your On30 display? Mining, or logging operations, Christmas village, Mfg. ops., or a circle around Christmas tree?
2 What do you have for Buildings on your layout? Scratch built, Plasticville,
Dept. 56?
3. What era does your layout represent? Civil war, turn of century, modern,
or let us know the exact date.
4. What size and type is your layout? Shelf type , table top, walk around, 4x8, ping pong table, Etc...
Just try to have fun and let others enjoy your efforts also.
Barry
1. What is your On30 display? Louisiana common carier. Point-to-point from port (landing) to major city and normal gauge mainline (with transfer).
2 What do you have for Buildings on your layout? Scratch built. Most industries in LA and in this era are not commercially available. However, they can be easily built "board by board" from coffee stirrers and stripwood: salt mine, sugar mill, rice mill, etc.
3. What era does your layout represent? 1880 - 1890's. That's the reason I'm still hoping for a 4-4-0......
4. What size and type is your layout? Shelf type, appr. 20 x 13.
Richard, Austria
1. What is your On30 display? Mining, or logging operations, Christmas village, Mfg. ops., or a circle around Christmas tree?
Sort of a what-if ... the Chili Line (D&RGW) operating as a branch line from Espanola, New Mexico into the Valle Grande to exploit timber.
2 What do you have for Buildings on your layout? Scratch built, Plasticville,
Dept. 56?
About half are scratchbuilt, lots of adobe buildings, and the remainder are wood, resin, etc., craftsman-type kits.
3. What era does your layout represent? Civil war, turn of century, modern,
or let us know the exact date.
The layout depicts the end of operations on the line in 1949 (Fall). Lots of borrowed equipment from the D&RGW, RGS, and others, re-gauged from three-feet to 30 inches.
4. What size and type is your layout? Shelf type , table top, walk around, 4x8, ping pong table, Etc...
Fills about 3/4 of a two-car garage. Around the wall with two peninsuals. Approximately, 12' x 18',
1. What - Mixed industry Colorado narrow gauge -
2. Structures - none
3. Depression era
4. Currently 2' x 8' timesaver - moving to a space that will allow a 10 x 10 footprint.
Right now this is a toy train layout using ez-track which I use to entertain my grandchildren. I want them to participate in the construction of the new layaout and we'll see what evolves.
1. What is your On30 display? Mining, or logging operations, Christmas village, Mfg. ops., or a circle around Christmas tree?
So. Cal. Desert, Mining and some Logging in mtns, w/Interchange to Major Carrier (ATSF).
2 What do you have for Buildings on your layout? Scratch built, Plasticville,
Dept. 56?
50/50 Craftsman kits and Scratchbuilts.
3. What era does your layout represent? Civil war, turn of century, modern,
or let us know the exact date. Mostly late 1940's
4. What size and type is your layout? Shelf type , table top, walk around, 4x8, ping pong table, Etc...
#1, Lg. Oval w/spur for the Tree, #2 Shelf w/Peniinsula in 'The Room', #1 starting a Modular Group in My Town.
1. My layout is in Northwestern California, originally a logging line left to rust in the 50s and brought back when local enviromentalists passed an ordinance prohibiting large trucks on county road to prevent mining and logging.
2. Modified Ho buildings, some Atlas, some Plasticville and many craftsman kits.
3. My layout represents the 1990s with recovered vintage narrow gauge equipment being used
4. My layout is a table type with a folded dogbone 15 x 9 feet.
1. Colorado narrow gage, with no specific prototype, I like many different Colorado railroads. Mining, livestock, and mixed freight.
2. None yet; all will be scratch built as Oscale kits are way out of my price range.
3. 1930's and 40's.
4.Shelf type with peninsula, 13' by 26'.
I was at a point of ready to start my 4th new HO, HOn3 layout when I went to a MRR show and On30 hooked me. I love the On30 stuff, especially Bachmann, and I think DCC and sound is the single greatest thing ever to happen to model railroading, it just came alive. I am waiting patiently for Bachmann to produce their 2-6-0 mogul as DCC ready or onboard.
1. What is your On30 display? Mining, or logging operations, Christmas village, Mfg. ops., or a circle around Christmas tree?
Small point-to-point general merchandise and daily train passenger service. Main industries are ice service and coal from standard guage interchange to local towns.
2 What do you have for Buildings on your layout? Scratch built, Plasticville,
Dept. 56?
Mostly kits, some scratchbuilt, lots of kits and parts in closet awaiting lazy construction crew.
3. What era does your layout represent? Civil war, turn of century, modern,
or let us know the exact date.
1940-1959 depending on what point of time my feeble and aged mind has receded to on a given day. Er, is Eisenhower still the president? :-\
4. What size and type is your layout? Shelf type , table top, walk around, 4x8, ping pong table, Etc...
Point to point, some open frame, some shelving with much styrofoam (Woodland Scenics reportedly has my picture hanging over the desk of their Chief Financial Officer) - turntable reversing at interchange town to wye at other end of line. 30 feet long, width varies from two feet to about four feet. Height is 36" and up due to attic knee wall.
Quote from: rgsniles on April 28, 2007, 05:38:15 PM
I love the On30 stuff, especially Bachmann, and I think DCC and sound is the single greatest thing ever to happen to model railroading, it just came alive. I am waiting patiently for Bachmann to produce their 2-6-0 mogul as DCC ready or onboard.
I agree wholeheartedly with that comment. Sound is really what makes visitor's eyes bulge, not the amount of rivets on the locos. More Soundtraxx Tsunami-equpped Bachmann locos, please. Or at least DCC ready.
1. The Milwaukee Road's narrow gauge branch from Bellevue to Cascade, Iowa. Point to point operation.
2. Mostly scratch built with some modified kits.
3. 1930's
4. Shelf layout, doulbe decked, 30 x 28.
1) Northern California - at home, and with modules.
2) Mostly kits.
3) 1900 - 1940
4) Mostly light weight modules. Just retired semi-permanent 1x4 framed home layout. Home was (and will be) about 10x10. Away from home and combined with others, layout is about 24 x36.
-John
Good Morning All,
My On30 railroad is a work in progress. While it has a heavy influence from the EBT, thus coal hoppers make up a majority of the rolling stock, the railroad is there to move oil, general merchandise, and a small amount of livestock. The buildings are a combination of laser kits from American Model Builders, Banta, and Raggs to Riches. It is an open grid benchwork set up at one end of an 26x40 basement and extends along the front wall of the house, over the HO railroad for about 18 feet. Time frame is
10:35am, October 20, 1959......no, just kidding, there is no real time frame though most of the vehicles would suggest the mid to late 50s and is set in the fall of the year to take advantage of the various colors on the trees. The railroad is controlled by a Digitrax Chief and most of the engines have sound. The rolling stock is 100% Bachmann and the engines are 99% Bachmann, with one BLI 2-8-0 and 2 MMI K27s.
Bob
1. What is your On30 display? Mining, or logging operations, Christmas village, Mfg. ops., or a circle around Christmas tree?
I havent started the layout yet, but I plan to start this winter.
I will be using Bachmann On30 equipment, regauged to On2.
here are my layout ideas so far:
http://gold.mylargescale.com/Scottychaos/On2layout/index.html
2 What do you have for Buildings on your layout? Scratch built, Plasticville,
Dept. 56?
Some scratchbuilt, and some from wood laser-cut kits.
3. What era does your layout represent? Civil war, turn of century, modern,
or let us know the exact date.
1890-1920 Maine.
4. What size and type is your layout? Shelf type , table top, walk around, 4x8, ping pong table, Etc...
14X12 feet.
Scot
Quote from: ebtbob on May 01, 2007, 07:00:49 AM
The rolling stock is 100% Bachmann and the engines are 99% Bachmann, with one BLI 2-8-0 and 2 MMI K27s.
Bob
So, you have 99% Bachmann engines, plus three others... does this mean you have 297 Bachmann engines :o ... they must LOVE you ;D
Back on subjuct:
1. Maine Two foot, based on the proposed but never built Skowhegan & Athens.
2. Laser cut wood kits IF I can get them, and scratch built otherwise.
3. 1930's (probably)
4. Well, it all depends on which room I get, but I plan on having models of Skowhegan (terminus and interchange with the MeC) and Athens (HQ, and start point of the northern extensions...)
Miles
Miles,
I can only dream of having a place big enough to have model railroad with 300 engines. But then, when thinking of the maintence....naw....
Bob
1.Logging and mining
2.Primarily scratch built
3. the 1930's
4.45'x16'x24' L girder with a 3% grade all hand laid track.
1. What is your On30 display? Mining, or logging operations, Christmas village, Mfg. ops., or a circle around Christmas tree?
Passenger and farm supplyer to the feild workers.
2 What do you have for Buildings on your layout? Scratch built, Plasticville.
Not any yet but planning own getting a part time job during the summer,to buy some.
3. What era does your layout represent? Civil war, turn of century, modern,
or let us know the exact date.
My layout is the Black River & Southern RR is in present day and is based on a 15 year old kid who has built a steam powerd model's that run on coal and water in On30 and has got a assembley line going and has built a small railroad going from county to county in north carolina hauling feild supplies to the farmers and taking cotton and tobbaco to the gins and barns I also run a 5 car passenger trains through to the towns near Dunn and Fayettvill . by the way the kid is me and i do have the scale drawings to make a real On30 steam train. 1 of my attempts blew the bake head of the boiler aftre 1/2 pound of psi.
4. What size and type is your layout? Shelf type , table top, walk around, 4x8, ping pong table, Etc...
It is two 4x8s and a connecting 2x12.
1. Christmas Village.
2. Department 56
3. Fantasy Dickens Era
4. 7' x 14' Boards set up on top of my pool table each November through January
1. What is your On30 display? logging and mining operations along w/ narrow gauge shortline operations.
2 What do you have for Buildings on your layout? K-Line operating sawmill, billboard and Starlight Diner, Woodlands Scenic pre-fab station, Plasticville water tower and switch tower, two Bachmann trolley houses (from the point-to-point sets), Disney Haunted Mansion, hilltop X-mas town w/ operating fountain, lots of cheap trees, most still w/ snow on them.
3. What era does your layout represent? turn of century/ early 20th century.
4. What size and type is your layout? two 30"X 8' folding tables side by side...so 8' X 5'
(http://members.aol.com/jeffholm/layout1.jpg)
Time for the originator to post.
My On30 display/ layout is a Christmas village. and surrounding country.
With farms and rivers. I also have some logging , the logging of Cristmas trees. Double loop 1 for Passenger service, & 1 for freight.
My buildings are mostly Lemax, some Dept. 56 & others. Almost 50 total.
It took 8 years to get there, but now I can be more particular with what I
purchase.
I have an Idea for scratch-built water towers to service my steamers, just gathering the pieces now though.
Era I am working in is late 1800-early 1900 no autombiles just trains & trolleys. Many horse drawn carts, buggies,& a stage coach at the terminal.
Rich, I feel your pain, I also NEED a 4-4-0 to help make things complete.
My alotted space is 5x8 country setting w/ double loop & 3 ft upper level city along 2 sides, w/ trolley. this is a complete walk around layout/display.
Jeff, I love what your doing with EZ-track. You could get the snow effect with a white sheet, or I use Quilt batting. If snow is an effect you would be looking for.
this years expansion was the logging & sale of Cristmas trees. Next year
I'll have a stock yard w/ a siding to that. Just to justify the purshase of flat cars & Stock cars. (not nascar).
Please continue to share your layouts, & Enjoy,
Barry
Quote from: BIG BEAR on May 03, 2007, 01:22:24 AM
Jeff, I love what your doing with EZ-track. You could get the snow effect with a white sheet, or I use Quilt batting. If snow is an effect you would be looking for.
Barry
Thanks, I designed the layout using the RR Track design software, then purchased the track and began the set-up.
I'm actually planning on repainting the trees various greens and adding some non-evergreen trees in autumn colors. Then I'd cover the snowy rooftops, figure bases, etc, that are on the layout w/ a cover of leaves.
I'll leave the table top as-is since I sometimes like to change the whole track set-up around.
My future railroad isn't based on any known prototype, but it's an uncommon carrier transporting supplies and personnel from the port of Chryse Station, winding through Tarsis Montes until it reaches the mining operations at Tempe Terra. Along the way, tourists have a breathtaking view of Valles Marineris, and can board the Olympus Mons Funicular Railway.
;)
Currently in planning after I move. SR&RL 30 incher instead of 2 footer...LOL. hopefully about spare bedroom size 12 by 14 ish...
Mostly adapted Bach freight cars with Low Profile arch bar trucks and lowered. Forneys rule, but have one 2-8-0 semi freelanced based on an order that never was but proposed for a sister maine 2 foot line. Have brass passenger cars adapted with On30 trucks.
No buildings yet, but will mostly have craftmann and custom built.
Vince
1. scenes from the WW&F and SR&RL
2. a few special run kits, will kitbash others in the future
3. 1920s
4. 12x12 L grid
As of now I have only just begun benchwork. I have had my eye on 0n30 for some 5 years or so but when Bachmann announced the forneys I could no longer resist.
Wade
This is still partly at the dreaming stage, though locos, some wagons and coaches exist, mostly severely hacked Bachmann.
1. The Moonshine, Mine and Logging Co Ltd. Note the ',' which makes it a list of products in order of importance. Mining operation is Gold, but not having water on site, the quartz ore has to be moved to the stamp mill.
2. Some kit built where there is something suitable/affordable, but I'll scratchbuild or modify when necessary.
3. Prohibition! Hence Moonshine...I can play cops and robbers as well as trains.
4. I have a room about 28 ft by 15 ft, but it is a toss up as to whether it houses On30 or Welsh narrow gauge. For On30 at the moment I have a few buildings, and I'm on with a timber trestle, 6ft long, 2ft 6 inch deep, on a gradient and an S bend, which as I've never attempted one before is 'interesting'.
One of the benefits of starting messing with On30 has been a reawakening of the pleasure of working with wood.
Frank
Hi,
1. Logging, Coal mining, general freight
2. Many Korber, Trackmun, Design Preservation, Downtown Deco, some Walters, Ameritowne. other easy kits--craftsman kits NO (not enough skill or patience).
3. 20's to 1949 (coal) - Bachmann - 2 shays, 2 climaxes, 1 porter----4 MMI - 2 K27's and 2 K28's. 50 autos, 20 pickups, 15 trucks. 8 passenger cars, not many freight cars (waiting for Bachmann to provide sets with different car numbers and lower trucks) Track- Old Pullman (code 83), hidden track- Atlas.
4. 12x36 walkaround folded dogbone (along the walls). 40 switches - one yard, one town, 3 continuous double loops (12 tracks that cross at different elevations and disappear here and there) for 1 passenger, 2 freight trains, will be DDC. The three trains run contiuously, never crossing or sharing same track.
Thanx, bob
Bump
1. Fairly simple logging line, point to point with switchback to the upper deck. !920's - 30's with a Davenport time traveller and its engineer, Dr Who. ;)
2, Whatever works - plastic, craftsman, etc
3. Around the walls, 14' x 24'
Some pics of the layout are in my photo folder on the On30 conspiracy Yahoo group.
1. What is your On30 display? Mining, or logging operations, Christmas village, Mfg. ops., or a circle around Christmas tree?
Mining, Mfg. ops., passenger traffic, harbour, all in a fictional area
2 What do you have for Buildings on your layout? Scratch built, Plasticville,
Dept. 56?
Some craftsman kits , rest scratchbuilt.
3. What era does your layout represent? Civil war, turn of century, modern,
or let us know the exact date.
1960 -1970
4. What size and type is your layout? Shelf type , table top, walk around, 4x8, ping pong table, Etc...
Around the walls with a lift out section at the doorway, Size of the room: 20' x 7.5'
More info on my website: http://home.planet.nl/~wijs0822/ (http://home.planet.nl/~wijs0822/)
Our current On30 is purely Christmas, with mostly Hawthorne Village decorated Bachmann 2-6-0 and passenger cars with one low side gon and a Gramps tanker. Buildings are Hawthorne Village and a few other similar ones. My wife apparently wants to run the Christmas train on the VT&P, but I don't think the loco can get through all the bridges.
Gene
1. What is your On30 display? Mining, or logging operations, Christmas village, Mfg. ops., or a circle around Christmas tree?
Based on the Maine two footers. [As if they had lasted a little longer.]
Mfg. ops., passenger traffic, harbour, all in a fictional area of Maine.
Lots of pulpwood.
2 What do you have for Buildings on your layout? Scratch built, Plasticville,
Dept. 56?
Kit bashed IHC, Plasticville, Lionel, some craftsman kits .
3. What era does your layout represent? Civil war, turn of century, modern,
or let us know the exact date.
1940s
4. What size and type is your layout? Shelf type , table top, walk around, 4x8, ping pong table, Etc...
Shelf type, walk around. Around three walls in the basement, with one table at each end.
1. Have got two Layouts: one is mainly a Logging RR somewhere in the
Eastern States with all types of geared Engines plus some of the
great Consolidations (thanks Bachmann for these Beauties!!!!)
The other is located on my O-scale Standard Gauge Layout and picks up
some kind of DRGW/RGS Narrow Gauge to allow me to operate the really
big Engines (please Bachmann, get into this job too, there are some
Models which would be worth to be built by someone)
2. I´m scratchbuilding from Wood and Paper (by using PaperCreek) plus
using Plastic Kits (Walthers) which I´m going to weather and paint, plus
Paper Creeks O-Scale Buildings and some Resin Cast Houses which
improve great when beeing correctly painted.
3. Layouts represent the 40ies and 50ies, so mostly post-war.
4. The Logging Layout is a U-shaped Shelf Type Layout, the other fits into a
bigger Standard Gauge Layout of approx. 18ft x 20ft
---> On30 is getting more and more common over here in Germany, but
O-Scale Standard Gauge is a rare find, especially if one looks for
an American Layout Theme... But I never did regret to change over
from HO Scale to O. In fact, Bachmann did the trick: Infected me with
0n30, later on I dismantled the HO and built a new O-Scale Layout.
Its true what once could be read in the Model Railroader: Changing
to another theme and/or Scale could give you a complete restart in
this Hobby. It really did...
Kind regards, Tom
To add to the ongoing On30 layout survey, I am in the process of building a freelanced common carrier shortline that is located in the western half of Oregon, where I live. By operating both steam and diesel/gas locos, this pretty much fixes the era as late 1940's/early 1950's.
While my favorite narrow gauge experiences were in Newfoundland (both the ex-Newfoundland Railway during CN and TerraTransport eras and on the Grand Falls Central), I've also ridden the White Pass & Yukon (Whitehorse to Skagway and return) and Mexico's FUS (Sureste) routes out of Merida, Yucatan, (daylong roundtrip to Tizimin in 1981). In fact, the corporate family tree for my On30 shortline may include subsidiary status under the imaginary YyY (Yukon y Yucatan) empire extending from Carcross to Compeche (previously known as the CyC). I have spent very little time on the Colorado narrow gauge, probably due to over-exposure.
But I digress. Structures on the layout are a mix of plastic, resin, laser-cut wood and hydrocal kits, kit-mingled projects and scratchbuilding. I have many Chooch (now Berkshire Valley) and Yorke kits from the early 1980's as well as the latest Mainstreet Heritage and Schomberg Models structures.
The layout is being built on two-foot by four-foot "domino" tables that will be connected in a twisting point-to-point configuration. The railroad headquarters, enginehouse and yard will be at one end and an interchange yard at the other. I invite other, local, On30 modelers to build their own railroads off the same central yard.
I picture the central yard, which will have a train-length traverser or transfer table, as a "starter double" in a game of dominoes. My shortline, which will probably end up with 14-to-18 four-foot tables, wanders out from the central yard in one direction. Two or three other shortlines could head other directions. I just don't want anyone to build a tail-chasing loop that is the basis of most modular club layouts.
Ideally my shortline will have one industrial or station spur per table, although I'm now thinking that four feet of open countryside between each switching location may be preferrable. Most "stations" will just be wayside flagstops. The principal town will be built on three-foot wide tables to allow both sides of the main street to be modeled, likely with the railroad running down the center (with curbed, private right-of-way rather than in-the-pavement street running).
My favorite locomotive will probably be a 14-ton Climax, built from Bachmann's HO Climax and Boulder Valley's On30 conversion kit. I plan to operate primarily Boulder Valley and Foothills Models 20-foot length freight cars, as well as others that I shorten.
I will have 14 to 15 months to get this layout built and running for the 2008 National Narrow Gauge Convention in Portland, Oregon. In the meantime, I will be giving a prototype clinic at Portland, Maine, this year.
gmhtrains
Hello all,
Just starting to get back working on my On30 Crystal River Southern Layout after about 7 months!
Too many other things taking my time. I have an open house in early September by our train club and would like to get the middle island completed by them.
And thanks to all of you who have viewed my layout in the photo gallery. It has over 10,000 views as of this date! Thanks to all!
1. What is my On30 layout?
Freelance mining, operations, Livestock, Small industry, Passenger traffic.
Based on the Colorado narrow gauge lines.
2 What do I have for buildings on my layout?
Scratch built, Kits, and kit bashed structures.
3. What era does does my layout represent?
late 1930's
4. What size and type is my layout?
Shelf type, walk around. Around three walls in the basement, with and
island.
5. Motive power:
2-6-0's
2-8-0's
K-27
shays
Mack Center cab
rail trucks/buses
gmhtrains
May need to talk, to aquire trackage right's on the Yukon & Yucatan
for my Northern Division (Dolly Varden/Kaslo&Slocan to connect with
the Mexicano and point's South for my RR<BG>
Making plans to attend Portland in 2008
Ken
GWN
1. What is your On30 display? Mining, or logging operations, Christmas village, Mfg. ops., or a circle around Christmas tree?
My layout is a fictional "museum/tourist" attraction set in the eastern applacian hills of what used to be a lively logging industry. The logging camp has turned into a tourist display attraction at the end of the branch line. The mainline now runs past a small ghost town, over several tall trestles and deck bridges through the forrested route to the small town and base of operation.
2 What do you have for Buildings on your layout? Scratch built, Plasticville,
Dept. 56?
All my structures are craftsman type wood kits by Bar Mills and others and a few scratch built ones as well.
3. What era does your layout represent? Civil war, turn of century, modern,
or let us know the exact date.
Time stopped on this road when the logging died out, about 1935.
4. What size and type is your layout? Shelf type , table top, walk around, 4x8, ping pong table, Etc...
The Shiloh Valley Museum Railroad is in my very cold 18' x 23' basement taking up the walls on shelves and a center island. Everything is DCC using an NCE system with Bachmann, Precision Scale and BLI locomotives, all sound equipped.
TheGinzokid
My current layout plan started as a module in HO, but after laying a little test track, I decided to make it ON30. I assumed HO would require less room, but most of my HO locomotives are large & therefore require long trains. ON30 being narrow gauge appears fine on this size Layout.
1/. When complete, it will have a small harbour for general goods & coal. A coal mine in the second scene. Finally a logging scene & below a freight siding.
2/. Buildings will be mixed.
3/. Era is debatable, so is the Road.
4/. 10x5, with three distinct "views" containing a total of six differing scenes.
Unfortunately, some delusional person laid some unused EZ Track & a Magnum controller for a little weekend fun, that has lasted for a couple of months. Thanx to this thread, hostile takeover plans have been exercised & the ad-hoc railroad is being removed, so building can continue.
Mark,
I hope you went through the proper channels, and filed for abandonment and received non-use status. before pulling up track.
Have fun,
Barry
1. What is your On30 display? Mining, or logging operations, Christmas village, Mfg. ops., or a circle around Christmas tree?
End to end shuttle line, about five feet long on the window-ledge in front of my work-station, with a Shay, Climax or Porter beebling from one end to the other. Very simple track with a spur at each end, to give me some eye-candy while I'm working
2 What do you have for Buildings on your layout? Scratch built, Plasticville,
Dept. 56?
Three non-descript buildings and a water tower.
3. What era does your layout represent? Civil war, turn of century, modern,
or let us know the exact date.
Sometime in the '20's from the only two vehicles on the layout.
4. What size and type is your layout? Shelf type , table top, walk around, 4x8, ping pong table, Etc...
Five feet, three inches long and eight inches wide.
tac
www.ovgrs.org
Here's the beginning of my newest On30 layout. It'll be smaller than my last one, but it'll have much more scenery...
(http://members.aol.com/jeffholm/new1.jpg)
1. there is nothing yet, but the plans are for a log hauling yet a common carrier operation
2. Still browsing but those plastic kits from Walthers look promising. The SOO LINE depot llooks different enough to look right.
3. Somewhere in 20-50.s backwoods operation where the time have stand still a bit.
4. Much is depending how large everythiing is to look. Either a deep shelf type of switching layout or a double decker with easy access staging and by helix at each end up to the sceniced portion. Size either 2x15 feet or 10x15 feet depending on the configuration.
Layout is currently in the planning stages
1. It will be a Colorado narrow gauge style layout with mining/logging operations, although a New England seaport terminal is very tempting.
2 The buildings will be mostly laser kits with some scratch building as needed.
3. The time period will be an undefined early 20th century setting in a vaguely defined location. Town names will either be pulled randomly from a map of the area, or made up based on other typical town names. There will be Model A's, some wagons, and mostly wood buildings. No diesels or oil fired locos. There will probably be some woodburners, even though that's a stretch for the early 20th century. I'm going more for a general feel than a prototype.
4. It's going to be a shelf based layout, hopefully with continuous running. The 26 inch minimum radius of the MMI K27 is putting me off a little bit, but I'll figure something out.
Hey Rich19,
Our 4-4-0's are soon to be here. They will feel right at home.
I will have him pulling my new Gramps Tanker, a Fathers day gift, and the new livestock cars. I just need to figure out were to put a siding to make a stockyard.
Enjoy,
Barry
In reply to survey
Im in the prosses of building a freelance 30inch commen carrier in the mountainous area of Victoria ( Australia ) with a sea port at on end.
Victoria is noted for 30inch railways ( Ie Puffing billy near Melbourne )
My fleet of freight wagons compries of it bashed Bachmann stock to look like local products.
the current list is
12 box cars , 2 tankers 4 wooden gons ( converted to 4 board with doors ) , 7 bulk head flats , 2 flats , 4 cattle , 3 modified cabooses, 3 combines , 2 coaches , 1 Obsevation car .
3 2-8-0s 2 shays and 1 0-4-2 porter. I also have a Bachmann branchline 08 which i am using for a diesel hydraulic loco.
I have an area of 20 x 20 and am planning to have L girder around the walls with a peninsula in the middle. Built to be end to end operation, but with the option of continuous running.
aussie30inch
geoff
Hi Big Bear!
When I wrote my entry, there was nothing. Now there are two 4-4-0's announced! Due to the common carier character of my rr, the management of my RR will prefer the MMI Rio Grande 4-4-0 in a Russia Iron livery. I asked them for the minimum radius and hope that they will make it thrhough my 24" curves....
When I started to plan my layout I also thought about tank cars. Then I read that the first oil wells around the LA-TX border were erected not earlier than 1893 or so. That will require quite some modellers' license.
I guess I will stick with the salt mine (compressing the Avery Island structure) and a sulphur mine. With a sugar mill, maybe a cotton gin (although not particularly characteristic for the Atchafalya basin area) as the larger industries, this will suffice to keep the RR profitable.
I read a nice article in the German MIBA, where they built a stock car cleaning site. Takes up only little space, but adds tremendously to the operational fun.
Greetings from Austria,
Richard
Here's my new 4' X 6' layout...almost completed.
(http://members.aol.com/jeffholm/Trees1.jpg)
(http://members.aol.com/jeffholm/Trees2.jpg)
(http://members.aol.com/jeffholm/Trees3.jpg)
(http://members.aol.com/jeffholm/Trees4.jpg)
(http://members.aol.com/jeffholm/Trees5.jpg)
(http://members.aol.com/jeffholm/Trees6.jpg)
(http://members.aol.com/jeffholm/Trees7.jpg)
It's actually 44" X 72". The base is 1 1/2" thick, 2' X 8' tongue-and-groove foam board. The mountains are built up using foam board and spray foam. The smaller hills are spray foam. It's been built in two 22" X 72" sections that can separate for transport (not that it's going anywhere).
Time period is early 1900's shortline operations, including logging, mining, general freight and passenger service.
i am building a two level shelf layout in a two car garage,with a branch into the garden. thats right on30 in the garden. class one rail roading which allows me to run all my bachmann equipment,all steam with pass & freight turns. end a..the brewery,3 heljan ho kits bashed into one complex. end b the barge.. to points off the layout. end c the mine. end d the saw mill.
b,c & d are scratchbuilt with interiors where required.this is an operational switching layout. am starting to play with dcc,now it comes onboard.
there is a switchback between levels.each shelf is 20 foot long.the branch,up to 25 feet,keep you posted. photos to come
I don't quite have an On30 layout, but I do have a double loop of HO scale track running on top of a bar in the basement that is really more of a display than a model:
(http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/markoles/Basement%20Layout.jpg)
I do have one On30 Trolley that gets quite a bit of use on the outer loop. The inner loop is for running the Hornby Live steam mallard (OO scale). I built this layout as a direct result of purchasing an HO scale New Haven I-4 Pacific last fall. The bar was built using 2x4s, 2x6s, plywood, and some hollow core doors I found in the attic. The railroad was rested on top of 3/8" plywood and cork roadbed. In retrospect, better joint sections need to be made to ease transitions. Hey, it was my first major building project, and it turned out pretty well. The top of the bar is covered with some counter top laminate sheet. The front of the bar has some 1/4" paneling, with molding along the edge.
So far, I have only had one or two major mishaps with trains crashing to the floor! I would like to get one of the new sound forneys and some low sided gon cars (for shot glass service...)
Mark
Blue Ridge Logging Co.
1. What is your On30 display? Mining, or logging operations, Christmas village, Mfg. ops., or a circle around Christmas tree?
Logging Operations
2 What do you have for Buildings on your layout? Scratch built, Plasticville,
Dept. 56?
I have none. I would like to have some Plasticville and scratch built buildings if i have the time.
3. What era does your layout represent? Civil war, turn of century, modern,
or let us know the exact date.
Undesided. Someware between 1910 and 1940.
4. What size and type is your layout? Shelf type , table top, walk around, 4x8, ping pong table, Etc...
Sort of a table top. I think its about 5x2.
The layout is about a mounth old now and no progeress has been made for a long time. Not to shure what i could do besides laying more track (with help of my dad).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdDuuSYimHI here is a video of progress so far.
Max, an EXCELLENT production. Choo-choos, Johnny Cash and all... You sure you are not infected with American blood, perhaps derived from someone in your family's shady past?
Ken
I think I'll revive this posting in hopes of catching any new comers & any new layouts.
I my self am starting a new Christmas village layout. Got a late start this year, bench work still in progress, & hoping to accomplish much on this long weekend.
Barry
1.Mountain mining prototype, original was a "paper" railway that was incorporated but never built.
2. Select laser cut and scratch buildings & tents in O, HO, & N in forced perspective; for 2 mining "boom" towns.
3. Colorado 1877-1895, using B'mann 2-6-0s, 0-6-0 Porter Bells, and B'mann passenger and freight cars.
4. In 8' x 10' shelf in basement, soon to be in 12' x 20' shelf in room.
#1.Colorado into the plains of Kansas. Logging, coal, oil, & Bison some passenger service The what if "Kansas & Pacific " didn't falter and was 30" narrow gauge and not standard gauge.
#2.90% scratch built ,10% laser kits.
#3. Era? mid to late 1930's depression era.
#4. 34' x 18' L girder construction W/DCC somewhat of a "dog bone" with a 4%grade loop winding up a mountain. Working it's way down into somewhat of a rolling hill's & flat lands with limestone outcroppings where the bulk of the town is being located. Another small town is to be on the mountain's plateau.
The layout has two passes through deep rock bluffs and 1 tunnel then passing over itself on two scratch built wooden bridges.
Quote from: kendoitall on September 11, 2007, 02:19:36 PM
Max, an EXCELLENT production. Choo-choos, Johnny Cash and all... You sure you are not infected with American blood, perhaps derived from someone in your family's shady past?
Ken
Nope, im all British :P I think it was MS Train Sim that got me into it. I had a sumter vally route were you could drive Climax No 105 into the woods with switchbacks and everything. Then for my Birthday that year i had more money than i had seen before a total of £140 instaid of presents At our local show run by the MRC i am now a member of i bought a Backmann 30 Climax and a set of log cars. Id it took of from there.
I have been into narrow gauge railways since before i was 1 year old :D and i got into US diesels ( i have 2 GP40's and a UP F7 A+B ) so i knew this was the scale and gauge for me.
I have found the Bachmann forum very helpful at finding out that On30 was such a rare gauge as i thought it was!