If you could manage a little bit bigger space, John Armstrong had an interesting switching layout in the June, 1954 Model Railroader. It was for a space 22-1/2 inches by 12 feet in O scale, so it ought to be adaptable to S. Features includes at least 5 industry spots and some purposeful operation. It could be done on two tables. If anyone is interested, I'll scan it and upload it or email it.
Charles Weston --- On Sat, 8/21/10, Darrell <[email protected]> wrote: From: Darrell <[email protected]> Subject: {S-Scale List} Re: "S"ome questions To: [email protected] Date: Saturday, August 21, 2010, 11:43 AM Jeff, This looks like a variation of the "Timesaver" theme. Lots of turnouts and crossings in a minimum space. I can tell you that you are not going to be able to get much elevation change on the central section that has all the turnouts and crossings. Elevation changes will mostly be restricted to the stub-end tracks, and I wouldn't advise that much if you expect your rolling stock to stay in place when parked. You are also going to have a problem with the two short stubs on each end, as there is only room for one loco or one car. You'll have to spot a car at one end and run to the other with the loco to move any cars from the upper tracks to the lower and visa vis. Perhaps this is intentional on your part to make switching more difficult? A couple thoughts on roadbed: If you are hand-laying the track, then homasote is the preferred roadbed. It does need additional support and will sag on it's own over time. I disagree with Bill about absorbing water like a sponge. One of the first products homasote was used for was sewer pipe. It has water repellent built in. It does, however, absorb SOME moisture and is not dimensionally stable. For the size and purpose of this layout, I wonder if a door slab would provide a suitable base. You can usually pick up a damaged hollow-core door slab at the lumber yard pretty cheap. They are light weight, and dimensionally stable, and would provide a good support for the homasote roadbed. Yes, a door slab would be about a foot shorter than your layout. Cut it in half, spread it out, and screw aluminum angles on the front and back. You can mount your legs to the angles, or to plywood gussets glued on the bottom of the door slab. I would suggest not mounting your homasote directly to the slab. You will have scrap homasote which you can use to form a grid on the slab over which you screw the main homasote slab. That way the roadbed board is removable and there is room for wires, and access to switch motors or linkage under the homasote. Just make sure to support as much of the track area as possible. This method does open the possibility of cookie-cutter elevation changes, as long as you properly shim your support pieces, but I think you really need the track on a level for your switching. Have fun with this layout! You may decide you'll want to make some changes down the road, but that's one reason why a layout is never finished. Darrell S. --- In [email protected], "Jeff Ngowe" <chocolatte...@...> wrote: > > All, > My Friday Fun has consisted of continuing benchwork on a switching layout > I've been planning. However I' have run into a roadblock. Since I have not > decided on terrain, and would prefer something that isn't flat. Track will be > handlaid I considered using homasote for a layout base, but I am not certain > if it will be strong enough. I have considered spline roadbed from homasote, > but am not sure with the large number of turnouts involved (8) if this would > be feasible. Another possibility would be a cookie cutter type roadbed made > from homasote. To keep cost down I am trying to do without subroadbed. > Another question is roadbed width? Finally I would appreciate it if judgment > was passed on the 3 variation of the layout. > http://i940.photobucket.com/albums/ad248/jfrydom/SwitchingLayoutvariation3.jpg > http://i940.photobucket.com/albums/ad248/jfrydom/SwitchingLayoutvariation2.jpg > http://i940.photobucket.com/albums/ad248/jfrydom/SwitchingLayoutvariation1.jpg > Also I think I've caught a di"S"ea"S"e I'm starting to put quotation marks > around the letter "S". > Jeffrey Ngowe > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/S-Scale/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/S-Scale/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: [email protected] [email protected] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [email protected] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
