The Layouts Are Further Down This Very Page
The Old Pillsbury Milling Plant....at Lunchtime
The layout on which the above photo was taken, my original Armadillo & Western RR, is now entertaining the children of a friend. For the past many months, I've been constructing a new layout; it models Carlsbad, NM, and the surrounding potash mining industry. The railroad is, of course, the Santa Fe. If you don't know about Carlsbad and the importance of potash, take a look at the ATSF DIESELS page -- it has a short article you should find entertaining and informative. Meanwhile, although I'm behind in posting photos of the new layout, here are a few relevant facts which -- when taken together -- make this layout a bit different:
- Open grid construction, using 3/4" AC plywood ripped into 1x4 equivalents and assembled with drywall screws (and glued where appropriate)
- 21.5 x 2.5 feet, attached to the wall
- 1/2" plywood sub-roadbed, sealed with surplus paint to improve adhesion of roadbed
- AMI Instant Roadbed
- PECO code 55 track and Electrofrog turnouts (Medium radius on mains, some Small in yards)
- Digitrax Chief DCC, fed thru a PM4 to facilitate auto-reversing, bus-wired with #14 solid Romex (house wire)
- Tortoise turnout motors, their auxiliary contacts providing power-routing to the frogs
- Extensive display of turnout position on the control panel using bi-color LEDs on each leg of each turnout plus railside signals at some turnouts
- Lighting valance conceals both florescent tubes (for uniform "daytime" lighting), and dimmable incandescent lamps to allow early morning, late afternoon and evening effects
- A complete roll-out hobby bench is stored beneath the layout; it's usable in position
- Several potash mines and a refinery are featured; in town, the river, dam, and power plant are faithfully recreated
I've had requests for layouts to appear on this site. At long last, I've come up with a reliable means of translating Abracadata 3D Railroad Concept & Design (3DRCD) files into standard file formats (in this case, .gif). Therefore, I'm now able to upload a few of my mound of layouts for others to view.
I'm going to avoid large layouts, as I have no doubt that my work doesn't even come close to that of truly talented designers...and I don't want to embarrass myself (unnecessarily). What I WILL do, however, is to reveal some N-scale layouts that may fill "special" needs: switching layouts, layouts for 2-car garages that must still contain 2 cars, HO conversions, etc.
THE N-SCALE "LILLIPUT LOGGER" -- Lots of Action in a 3'x6' Space
6 TRACK, DOUBLE-ENDED YARDS -- In a Space Only 9-12" Wide (N-scale)
Like to see a Logging Layout in HO-scale? Then by all means visit Paul Templar's site. The Badger Creek Lumber Company is quite similar to the "Lilliput Logger," and beautifully done. Paul has numerous well-designed layouts in both N and HO. Definitely worth a look.
Can't find room for a layout? Do you have a garage but your cars (and other stuff) have to live in it? Do you model in N-scale? Then you may be interested in some "special shapes" layouts: these have a 2.5 foot by 22 foot outline (with a recess for a car door), and are intended to fit along one long wall of your garage while still allowing for two vehicles. You can view an example of these by looking at the New A&WRR layout. If this interests you, send me an Email, and I'll be happy to share.
Do YOU have a layout you'd like to make available to others?
If you'll Email Me and attach a file of your
favorite (I can read most file formats), I'll strive to get it posted and give
you full credit. Include any descriptive commentary you'd like to have included. If it doesn't "attach" easily, send me an Email and we'll work out something (FAX, snailmail...whatever).
No, this isn't a scene on my layout (I tried, but I simply couldn't find a correctly detailed N-scale dead possum)....it was just too good to pass up!
. It was photographed on a Texas state highway, and is appropriately entitled "Not My Job."
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.