New Layout Plan

[quakers1]

Hello all,

First off, this plan is nothing final.

After looking at pictures on various railroad photo sites, and some Google Earthing over the area, I have been taking the Rochelle-Aurora segment of BNSF's Aurora Sub into consideration. After doing a measurement in Google Earth, the route is 49 miles along the tracks. This route would be easier to compress, since between the towns, its just cropfields, cropfields, and more cropfields.

Here are some reasons I have looked into this route:

-This route is part of the Northern Transcon, so there is enough intermodal traffic to suit me any day

-There are some very, very interesting motive power combos that I have seen in pictures. On the St Paul-Chicago intermodals, I've seen pics of Executive SD70MACs, GP28Ms, and SD40-2s powering them! This just isn't your everyday BNSF.

-The route is not super long, like my originally planned route. Plans just may work out for this to fit in a 12x20 space with some compression.

-Even though I live a few hundred miles from the area of the Aurora Sub, I go to its area every year. So I have a good idea as to what it looks like in person.

That is all the prototype reasons why I like this route. Here are some ways it would be easy to model.

-At this time, there is a lot of BNSF, ATSF, and BN stuff on the market in both HO and N scale.

-Compression would not really take away popular spots since all the popular spots are in towns.

-As far as scenery goes, it is not a big scenic monster.

-It is not a trackwork monster either. The yard in Aurora is large, but I can make a compressed version of it.

So, would this 49-mile section of track take up a lot of space in N scale? I have a 12x20 room available for model railroad use. This layout would not be much of a problem at all to compress, since there is just cropfields between most of the towns.

This is my first planned prototype model railroad, but not my first model railroad in general. I have built 3 small freelances in both HO and N scale, and I decided that my available space would be better suited for N scale.

I am looking at several Kalmbach reference books right now. For track planning, I am not sure whether to use Realistic Model Railroad Design by Tony Koester, or Track Planning for Realistic Operation by John Armstrong. Which one do you guys recommend?

Thanks for any help, and thanks even more for taking the time to read this!

Best Regards,

-Skylar

 

[Motley]

Definitely get the John Armstrong book. I read it like 4 times!!

You seem to have a clear vision of what you want, and it sounds like a great plan.

You have ALOT of space for N scale. Even with HO that's alot of space available.

Have you decided DCC?, and more importantly, what system you will start with?

We'll be here waiting to see some layout plans.

Good luck, and have fun!

 

[quakers1]

Hello,

Thank you so much for your reply.

I am pretty sure I will order a copy of the John Armstrong book. He is a master track planner, and I read materials of nothing other than the experts.

And yes, I figured 12x20 would be enough for me to fit my layout in N scale.

And yes, without a doubt, I will go DCC. The cost is higher, but the higher cost is totally worth it. Its easy to wire, provides more prototypical operation to me, and even better, I will be able to teach a few of my buddies the joy of model railroading without the stress of them learning how to use conventional cab control.

As for the exact brand and system of DCC that I will use, I am still undecided. The brands I have looked at the most are Lenz and MRC. If I got MRC, I will probably use the Prodigy Express with Wireless throttles.

I am not sure what exact Lenz system I would use.

Also, I got a question on track. At this time, I am pretty much certain that I will use Code 55 track. On all my past layouts, I have used Atlas track, and I really liked it. So I will probably use Atlas Code 55 track.

For roadbed, I am going to use Woodland Scenics foam roadbed. I like cork roadbed, but I think its time to try something new.

I WILL use Tortoise Turnout Motors.

As far as signalling, I ain't quite sure on what to use. BLMA makes signals like the US&S Searchlight signals, but these are not what is used on the Aurora Sub. Are there any other good signal manufacturers?

Here is a bigtime factor on designing the layout: I wish to make it handicap-accessible. I have a good friend who is handicapped, and I wish for him to be able to enjoy running trains across the fields of Illinois just as much as others can. Could you all help me out in making the layout handicap-accessible?

Thanks for any input, advice, and for reading this message.

Oh, and one more thing. The NS C40-9W painting advice that several good people gave me WILL NOT go to waste. NS power is common on the Aurora Sub, so I will paint up a few C40-9Ws to represent this.

Best Regards,

-Skylar =)

 

[cuyama]

Daryl Kruse has built a couple of fine N scale railroads depicting much of this area. I would highly recommend a vist to his website.

I'd also suggest looking up the articles on his layouts in magazine back issues:
January 1993 Model Railroader
Great Model Railroads 2004
June/July 2006 N Scale Railroading
November 2008 Model Railroader

Back issues of magazines are available from the publishers or from Railpub.