@mjtunstall1976 Track is laid on cork strips, and held in place with track pins which are like very fine flat head nails, Peco make them. Track is the ballasted with fine rock or n-scale ballast and a 50-50 or so mix of white woodworking glue and water with a drop of washing up detergent is used, applied with an eye dropper to hold it all in place.
@mjtunstall1976 Hi, both the base board and the base for all raised track was MDF, roughly 12" for the main board and 1/4" for the raised track bed. MDF is typically not the best material, a good ply being better but having said that I haven't had any problems with it.
The base board is 1200mm x 600mm, and there is roughly eight or so metres of track used for the complete run, with extra for the sidings on the inside. Track is a mixture of flex, 9-3/4" and 11" radius Atlas set track.
Hi. The styrene is light and strong and last forever and it's not carrying any real weight so I can't see any reason to use anything heavier. Some people use the styrene sheets as baseboards these days as well.
I'm not sure if there would be quite enough room. The base board sits 100mm or just under 4 inches below the glass top. So basically you've got 50mm to play with to then lay a cork base and track, and whatever is left is the height you have for rolling stock.
Of course, that's 50mm per track level, so you have 50mm between base board the bottom of the next level, which is your clearance amount. I'd say any rolling stock that is more than 42mm above rail height would be too tall, assuming the cork road bed and tack amount to no more than 8mm.
It's got NW written in big white letters on the side if that helps? It was just a cheapie off ebay so I wasn't too worried what railroad it was from, especially as I'm not really into the US scene.
You can easily run two loco's under normal DC control, however the one engine seems to handle it all with no dramas at all. It was running for about 40 minutes the other day non stop with no trouble so although it looks like a load it's well within the engines limits.
I just guess it was my imagination thinking it was struggling a bit I know if you ran HO like that it would struggle a little bit maybe the cars are relatively heavier. With HO they always recommended buying engines that where paired so one engines wheels weren't spinning faster then the others, less ware I guess. Figured N would have the same conclusion. Cool setup anyways always wanted to get some N no brands I like make N.
"if you could it be could" lol what the hell was I on yesterday.
Not to familiar with N, You can run DCC right? if you could it be could to run a two locomotive one train setup, ease a little of the work on your engines.
Clever design. Within the confines of a small layout, grades and curves almost always end up steeper and tighter than what's "real"- just the cost of doing business in the world of railroad modeling. Overall, it's a great little route.
The grade is not anywhere near 8%, it is over 2% but less than 3%. The height of lift of track is 2" (inches)where it crosses over each other, and figure the circumference of 11" (inches). The formula is 2"/ (22" X pie 3.1416), in other words, height divided by length of track necessary to achieve the height change. Circumference equals 2 X radius X 3.1416.
I think the actual grade is steeper than that. It's a 9-3/4" radius on the inside where the grade is, and it reaches it's full height in less than 2/3rds of a turn. So for the 247.65mm radius we get a 495.3 dia x 3.14159 is 1566 / .66 is 1027mm to gain 50mm, or 1 in 20, or about 5%. At the other end, with the trains running in the opposite direction (see my other vid) it gains it's full height in about 1/2 a turn, so it's closer to 6-7% at that end.
It's nothing more than a cheap Bachmann GP50, but it seems to have plenty of pulling power. As you can see the controller is only set to about 1/4 throttle as well so it's got plenty left in reserve.
dang man! what kinda locomotive is pulling all those cars up the curved grade all by itself? I use three Atlas EMD SD60's to pull 25 Atlas cars up a decent sized grade and curb, and they are working pretty hard!
Nice job. Did a similar try with spiraling track with altitude but got a lot of derails. After seeing yours I think about giving it another try.
t44florida 6 months ago
just a pop question, how do you hold the track with? glue or what? cheers
mjtunstall1976 10 months ago
@mjtunstall1976 Track is laid on cork strips, and held in place with track pins which are like very fine flat head nails, Peco make them. Track is the ballasted with fine rock or n-scale ballast and a 50-50 or so mix of white woodworking glue and water with a drop of washing up detergent is used, applied with an eye dropper to hold it all in place.
Derrwint 10 months ago
@Derrwint one more thing which board did you use i use a light ply board as train tracks thanks
mjtunstall1976 10 months ago
@mjtunstall1976 Hi, both the base board and the base for all raised track was MDF, roughly 12" for the main board and 1/4" for the raised track bed. MDF is typically not the best material, a good ply being better but having said that I haven't had any problems with it.
Derrwint 10 months ago
The base board is 1200mm x 600mm, and there is roughly eight or so metres of track used for the complete run, with extra for the sidings on the inside. Track is a mixture of flex, 9-3/4" and 11" radius Atlas set track.
Derrwint 1 year ago
@Derrwint
A little less than 4' X 2' for those of us in the US.
IstvanN1961 1 year ago
How much track is that and whats the dementions of the table?
Please and thank you i wanna build one as a table my self =)
rootbear31 1 year ago
do you have a pet cocateal
pops51201 1 year ago
@pops51201
Yes that is a cockatiel in the background.
Derrwint 1 year ago
i am surprise that you use styrene foam as risers does it work well? as i am building a 3 level train set? cheers
mjtunstall1976 1 year ago
Hi. The styrene is light and strong and last forever and it's not carrying any real weight so I can't see any reason to use anything heavier. Some people use the styrene sheets as baseboards these days as well.
Derrwint 1 year ago
@Derrwint thanks i thought of using balsa wood but it didn't work very well cheers
mjtunstall1976 1 year ago
is the height of the bridgough to accomodate high enough to accommodate double stack and autoracks?
TheBlaringWDP4 1 year ago
I'm not sure if there would be quite enough room. The base board sits 100mm or just under 4 inches below the glass top. So basically you've got 50mm to play with to then lay a cork base and track, and whatever is left is the height you have for rolling stock.
Derrwint 1 year ago
Of course, that's 50mm per track level, so you have 50mm between base board the bottom of the next level, which is your clearance amount. I'd say any rolling stock that is more than 42mm above rail height would be too tall, assuming the cork road bed and tack amount to no more than 8mm.
Derrwint 1 year ago
WOW! THAT is one amazing spiral! :-)
1viva 1 year ago
lol.. nice. I persoonaly enjoy creating the scenery.. however everone likes different things
Sharpslade 1 year ago
double 8 layout
afterthefox7 2 years ago
Nice layout. What railway is your engine?
naruto1732 2 years ago
It's got NW written in big white letters on the side if that helps? It was just a cheapie off ebay so I wasn't too worried what railroad it was from, especially as I'm not really into the US scene.
Derrwint 2 years ago
Cool
naruto1732 2 years ago
A Bachmann is doing all the work? I'm impressed. Neat layout.
arrowguy173 2 years ago
You can easily run two loco's under normal DC control, however the one engine seems to handle it all with no dramas at all. It was running for about 40 minutes the other day non stop with no trouble so although it looks like a load it's well within the engines limits.
Derrwint 2 years ago
I just guess it was my imagination thinking it was struggling a bit I know if you ran HO like that it would struggle a little bit maybe the cars are relatively heavier. With HO they always recommended buying engines that where paired so one engines wheels weren't spinning faster then the others, less ware I guess. Figured N would have the same conclusion. Cool setup anyways always wanted to get some N no brands I like make N.
"if you could it be could" lol what the hell was I on yesterday.
ASpatha 2 years ago
Not to familiar with N, You can run DCC right? if you could it be could to run a two locomotive one train setup, ease a little of the work on your engines.
ASpatha 2 years ago
Clever design. Within the confines of a small layout, grades and curves almost always end up steeper and tighter than what's "real"- just the cost of doing business in the world of railroad modeling. Overall, it's a great little route.
paterovski 3 years ago
The grade is not anywhere near 8%, it is over 2% but less than 3%. The height of lift of track is 2" (inches)where it crosses over each other, and figure the circumference of 11" (inches). The formula is 2"/ (22" X pie 3.1416), in other words, height divided by length of track necessary to achieve the height change. Circumference equals 2 X radius X 3.1416.
bobngauge 3 years ago
I think the actual grade is steeper than that. It's a 9-3/4" radius on the inside where the grade is, and it reaches it's full height in less than 2/3rds of a turn. So for the 247.65mm radius we get a 495.3 dia x 3.14159 is 1566 / .66 is 1027mm to gain 50mm, or 1 in 20, or about 5%. At the other end, with the trains running in the opposite direction (see my other vid) it gains it's full height in about 1/2 a turn, so it's closer to 6-7% at that end.
Derrwint 3 years ago
Darren: Did you make the wooden coffee table or did you have someone else make it for you? I would like to obtain plans for the table if possible?
Bob Miller
bobngauge 3 years ago
cool layout! it kinda made me dizy looking at it but im cool with it!
trainlover479 3 years ago
Great idea, I'd love to see the finished layout.
ejnkrzykwa 3 years ago
is that a cockatiel in the background........nice layout!
bigboyblue99 3 years ago
my engine can only pull like 10 cars at full speed...
trooperx666 3 years ago
It's nothing more than a cheap Bachmann GP50, but it seems to have plenty of pulling power. As you can see the controller is only set to about 1/4 throttle as well so it's got plenty left in reserve.
Derrwint 3 years ago
dang man! what kinda locomotive is pulling all those cars up the curved grade all by itself? I use three Atlas EMD SD60's to pull 25 Atlas cars up a decent sized grade and curb, and they are working pretty hard!
BurningBerlin 3 years ago