Atlas Big Layout Book, HO 35, Berkshire Valley Route


Smaller Photos

Before you can post the photos you must to make their digital content smaller. If you don't have such reducing software, it is a free download from Microsoft; I have been using it for years. I've attached a link, when you go to it, scroll down the right side of window to "ImageResizer.exe."
After this software is installed, when ever you right-click any photo (Windows XP), you will have a new option to "Resize" that photo. The default smallest size is perfect for the Internet Forums AND Email.
After you resize your photos, you will have two; the original and one with "(smaller)" after the file name.
When your ready to post, open the reply window. Below the reply window you will see a link to "Manage Attachments." Open that link and you will be able to "Browse" for the photos in your computer's file system; you can upload 4 photo per post. After you fill the 4 Browse windows, make sure to hit the "upload" link to attach the photos to your reply.
It is going to be very interesting for me to see the same layout with ANY scenery, as I haven't gotten that far yet. After the last track modification I wrote of, I will probably solder the tracks and then finally be ready for the scenery part of the layout.

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/Downloads/powertoys/Xppowertoys.mspx
 
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Beautiful, you have talent!

kbaker329 said:
Here are a few pics of my layout. I hope you like!

Keith Baker
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Cool, what a difference looking at the layout I build so long ago with scenery; it took me a little time to recognize it. Your's looks professional, no different than any I've seen in Model Railroader magazine.
I can see what you mean by your a scenery guy, where as I'm more of an operations guy. After looking at yours, mine will probably be more of a city scene, something without the beautiful mountains and gorge.
I'm researching now, I want "working" industries, ones that do more than just sit and look nice.
We are leaving Monday in our RV for the summer months. If Fallon, MO wasn't so far, I would be tempted to stop by and get a first hand look at your handy work.

Bruce
 
Final track addition to Berkshire Valley Route

After another wonderful summer aboard our RV, we are back in San Antonio, Florida and I am anxious to get back into my Model Railroad layout.
The last track refinement I plan to make is to connect the theoretical WEST end of the yard to the mainline. Last year I added an "arrivals & depart" track to the yard. In addition, I added a second "reverse" track. This second reverse track gave me so many more routes to take, for when I get into the operations of the layout. According to my research, this second connection to the yard is almost mandatory for a working layout.
This last addition will require an approximate two foot extension, to the four foot WEST end of the layout. In photo one and two, you can see I added a turnout from the outer Mainline. It will go out "into" the new two foot section and down to the West end of the yard.
In photo three, thanks to the small size of the new DCC decoders, I had enough room inside the shell of this Atlas RS 3 to change the constant front/rear headlights, to separate directional working headlights. When I made this modification previously to one of my older, favorite Atlas RS 11 locomotives, I used the new "super-white" 5MM LEDs; you can see the much brighter "whiteness" of the locomotive's headlight in photo four.
 
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BN, good to see you back. I hope you had a great summer RV'ing. That my goal over the next few years.

Adding the second reverse route is a good idea. I'm a little nevrous with how close the new switch is to the end of the layout board though. Unless the new addition will add some extra space to the side, I'd put up a thin plexiglass barrier, since a switch is the likey place to have your train take a dive to the floor. I still have an RS-11 in pieces that I need to repair because of a similar issue.
 
Glad to be back!

Thanks for the welcome Jim, I not too concerned about the track being too close to the edge, because its that way all around the layout. After a prolonged absence from this hobby, my first priority was to correct all of the track deficiencies. With that addressed, one of my last additions to this layout will be a backdrop on that side of the layout.
The thing that made this RV season so successful, was the addition of a "new toy" to my arsenal - check out the four attached photos for a complete understanding of what I'm talking about!
 
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Nice little Zodiac type IRB you have there. Looks like it did its intended job. :) What kind of rig do you have. I have a 26' Safari Trek that's just right for a couple and very comfortable for full-timing.

I have some track that's very close to the layout edge too. That's why I have that RS-11 in abag and some barriers along the edge fo the layout now. :D
 
Tiffin Allegro FRED Open Road 32L

UP2CSX said:
Nice little Zodiac type IRB you have there. Looks like it did its intended job. :) What kind of rig do you have. I have a 26' Safari Trek that's just right for a couple and very comfortable for full-timing.

I have some track that's very close to the layout edge too. That's why I have that RS-11 in abag and some barriers along the edge fo the layout now. :D
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Ever since I straightened out the bugs in the track, the only derailments I now get are caused by the owner/operator! As I replace more of the switches with red/green LEDs, those mistakes are disappearing.
I found that Achilles boat with Nissan motor last year on Craigslist. The previous owner used it twice in five years. The 4-stroke Nissan 9.8 Hp motor had only about 4 hours on it, I spent the first week breaking in the motor so I could go all out. I feel VERY lucky, I was at the right spot at the right time to get that boat and motor; also the nice 26 inch redfish!!
Check out this link, it has a lot more information on our rig that I can fit into this quote:


http://www.rvforum.net/SMF_forum/index.php/topic,14005.0.html
 
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Wow, nice find on the boat, especially with the four stroke engine. Nice rig too. Looks very similar to my Trek on the inside except my bed comes down from the living room ceiling, which gives the livability of a 32 footer in 26 feet. Did Tiffin survive the Great RV Meltdown? Monaco, the maker of the Trek, didn't. :(
 
UP2CSX said:
Wow, nice find on the boat, especially with the four stroke engine. Nice rig too. Looks very similar to my Trek on the inside except my bed comes down from the living room ceiling, which gives the livability of a 32 footer in 26 feet. Did Tiffin survive the Great RV Meltdown? Monaco, the maker of the Trek, didn't. :(
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Tiffin is surviving pretty well for this type of economic downturn. An individual own the company, the founder, not a corporation. I researched long and hard, Tiffin was the obvious choice for me. Now two and a half years later, I am still very glad I purchased a Tiffin. Their customer service is second to none and their quality speaks for itself.
I just made room on our Laini for the two foot extension to my train-board; tomorrow I'll go get the wood and start. It shouldn't take too long, I have most everything I need. After this last track addition the fun starts for me, making the scenery and finally railroad operations.
 
Train-board Extension temporally clamped in place

I got my wood yesterday. Today I constructed the basic fame and clamped it to the West end of the layout.
If there are any carpenters out there, I would appreciate input on the best way to brace the extension. I was thinking if not a brace to the existing table-end legs, perhaps a single leg with wheel where the ruler is camped in place; I think I would prefer braces.
Thank you in advance for any and all replies.
Bruce
 
For such a small extension, I think a 45 degree 1x2 brace running from the end of the extension to the legs of the existing layout should be more than enough.
 
Making Progress

UP2CSX said:
For such a small extension, I think a 45 degree 1x2 brace running from the end of the extension to the legs of the existing layout should be more than enough.
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Thanks Jim, I had some extra "clear" 1 X 4 pine boards laying around, some body might think it's "overkill" but the extension is rock solid.
Eight 22 inch radius tracks and a 4 inch straight track in the middle fit the width perfectly. It's going to be a lot easier than I thought because the climb is not that high. I also ordered enough 36 inch flex-track to give me another three spurs inside this mainline connection. That will give my yard a total of 9 tracks, perfect for the two new locomotives on order!
 
Probably a bit of overkill but, as long as you had the materials available, more stregth never hurts. Sounds like the yard will do the job for you.
 
Trestle OR Land Elevation

In the attached two photos I have the "Mainline to Yard track" laid out and marked.
If anyone would care to comment BEFORE I cut, I would appreciate different ideas on how to make the height transition; 2 1/8 inches over a four foot length?
 
New addition MAY be a little too short

After checking out all my trestle options I decided to cut. After installing track and roadbed I quickly realized I might need a little more room for the additional tracks, for new yard section; the problem can be seen in photo 4. In this photo, when entering the yard from the new West entrance, the yard's existing "run-around" track comes after the "arrival & depart" track. Any train entering from this direction should have the option to use this run-arround track. To correct this and place this section of track after the arrival & depart entrance, I need to move the turn-outs for the new yard section one nine inch track section back; with only a 24 inch depth this is not possible.
Having built this railroad mainly for "realistic railroad operation" sessions - YET to come. The more "avenues" I have to travel, the more satisfying these sessions will be. Before I go any further I will await a arrival of my newly ordered track, to determine how much deeper the extension must be.
 
"Room" for Improvement

After my last post a little light when off in my head, if you need more space and are short on room for the new space, "add the minimum!" Realizing this, all I needed was an additional 9 inches.
If it weren't a holiday, I would have just went and purchased the clear pine boards I needed. With all stores closed, I luckily had one piece of 1 X 4 long enough to extend each side.
Since it was going to screw to the end of the layout, all I needed were pieces to attach it, instead of the normal 4 foot section. I then secured the old 24 inch sides to the center of the 4 feet, on the new and old sections. These old pieces would "center-support" the new 9 inch by 48 inch piece of plywood.
I can now move the turn-outs back, to give any West bound freight the "option," to enter the arrival and depart track AND then the older yard's run-around track.
 
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Looks good, BT. That extra nine inches will also help ease the grade back to the main layout if you adjust the risers to give yourself a little more run.
 
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