Rebuilding a 4x6 layout..

[gnufe]

Hi everyone,

I want to rebuild my 4x6 layout. It's basically a triple oval, but it needs help. I want to minimize derailment, redo some scenery and add a couple spurs. Eventually I'll go to dcc, but dc is fine right now. I've attached a couple pictures. I bought it off Craigslist because I have twin 4yo boys that love trains and their train table with wooden tracks was becoming to small. We made room in the den for this and have had a good time with it, but it can be frustrating. I have a couple spots that consistently have derailments, the pilot on my decapod hits the switch machine, the grades are uneven, so cars uncouple occasionally and a couple other minor things like the 70's houses... These are some of the things that frustrate me and since i'm on a budget would like to fix or make better a little at a time without destroying the whole layout. I've been looking at foam risers, bridge piers, etc, but don't have a good way to approach this. Suggestions would be nice and I'll keep you posted as I do some repair to it...

One source of frustration are both mountain corners... Trains jump the track here more often than anything...

The switches are another source of frustration as one is manual and the other powered. I'd like both to be powered and my loco's pilot to not hit and also minimize splitting the points...

Overall it's fun to run and the kids have fun with it, I'd just like to make it better. Suggestions?

Thanks,

Stuart

 

[Trucula]

Hello Stuart,
You have alot going on there in a 4X6!..Am sure that keeps the little guys busy!
You have most your problems figured out already like with grades and switches. Other things I see are the risers, your on the right track to go with foam risers and I can relate about being on a budget, but you can use cheaper alternatives for the risers. Just be sure to support whole track area so you dont get the sag as it travels across the gaps.
I also see alot of Tyco cars..Maybe all three trains made of Tyco rolling stock with a couple engine upgrades? Some train sets come with the basics of cars(plastic cheap wheels/horn-hook couplers)..These can be upgraded to better wheels and couplers and add weight to make them run flawless.
I am guessing since you plan on DCC you are getting into it alot more. I would look into adding more board or if this is not an option, search track plans for your layout size and maybe move to all 40-50' cars and smaller engine, add some switching and factories so you can have some operating sessions and switch cars and drop off/pick up loads.
Your off to a great start and have alot more to work with than many of us started with!..Just remember, It's your world, You control it, You make it the way YOU want it and ignore the rivet counters!
Keeps us updated with your changes and ask away if you need anything, plenty guys here to help!

 

[trailrider]

The problem with the pilot on your decapod hitting the switch machine may be solved if you can find an extension to the mounting of the switch machine. Atlas used to (not sure if they still come with the powered turnouts or not, as mine are quite old) include them, along with extra nuts and bolts. If not, you could probably make one from styrene. You'd just need a lap-joint piece _= with four holes drilled to match those in the switch machine and the turnout. The Atlas turnouts have two horizontal holes in the throwbar into which the throw rod on the switch machine goes. Mounted close to the track, the rod goes in the hole closest to the turnout. The plastic extension needs to have the holes drilled so the throw rod goes in the horizontal hole furthest from the track. (Easier to do than explain.)

As to uncoupling at various places, you need to make easy vertical transitions in grade. The best thing is to NOT have the grade start right at the joint in the track. But you can get away with it by having a gently tapering support where the rise or descent starts. You might want to consider using some plywood subroadbed cut out to match the track, and placed on top of the supports. You could trace over the top of your track with newspaper and then place it on a sheet of at least 1/4" thick plywood, transfer the pattern to the plywood and then cut the wood with a saber saw. Use that to bridge over the piers or, if you go to foam board under some portions of the track, over that. The other thing you might want to do is lay the pieces of sectional track on a flat surface (like the plywood) and solder the joints together rigidly. That will help the uneveness problem somewhat.

I'd consider removing any truck-mounted couplers and replacing them with body-mounted Kaydee couplers. Some work required, but the couplers themselves aren't all that expensive.

As to the '70's houses, do you want more modern ones, or earlier ones? I'd look for books on the subject, and see if there aren't ways to up- or backdate structures.

Hope this helps.

 

[gnufe]

Howdy,

Thanks for the suggestions...

The cars are older tyco and some life-like. They are what the kids play with and therefore not in the greatest shape, but I try to keep a set in good enough shape to run together. I'm running a spectrum gp30 and a blue box gp35. I have a tyco 2-6-2 and the spectrum decapod that get run occasionally. I have some better freight cars but won't get them out till they are older. I'm working on a front range gp9, too.

I didn't know about the extensions, I'll have to look and see if I can find some or make some. I saw atlas has some switch machines that mount under the table... Has anyone used these? I wonder if they could be recessed in the roadbed...

If I go with risers in spots, what would the best way to blend them in with scenery be? I want to add a little realism to it or st least make it look more like a railroad would.

Eventually I want to replace the houses with a town and depot and add a couple spurs for small industry... Not to much because there is a lot going on, but just to change it up some and to add a little more realism. The center oval is considered the branch line and the outer double oval is the mainline...

Stuart

 

[trailrider]

Atlas does make an under-the-table switch machine or rather an adaptor to allow the standard machines to be mounted underneath.

Depending on how much room you have between tracks, you might make retaining walls from the elevated track to the ground level. If you had more room in an area, you can make a berm that the track runs on. Problem there is how much slope there is to the berm. If the berm simulates solid rock, you can get away with much steeper slope than if the berm is a grass-covered surface.

 

[gnufe]

Howdy,

Just an update. I've been working on my layout some as time permits. I layed foam roadbed across the back bridge and over the mountains. This fixed a couple issues but created a couple more. I straightened the brisge across the front as I had a locomotive that wouldn't run over an s curve. I plan to buy a few sections of flex track and better support the track on that bridge. I'm going to have to buy some grass mat too, to patch holes from moving risers.... I acquired a spectrum CSX and a front range gp9 and gp30. I'm sticking to small diesels and steam. I'd like to use buildings that are appropriate to the 40's and modern so I can run in either time frame.

Anyway, that's a little progress...

Stuart

 

[gnufe]

Howdy,

Just an update on the layout. Since my last post, I replaced the sections of track over the mountains with flex, replaced the bridge section with flex also. I found the extensions mentioned in an earlier post and added a switch machine for the second switch. I had bought a used bachmann ez command dcc system with extra throttle, so I converted to dcc. I also bought a new bachmann gp-9 for $25.... Its a great running loco. I converted a spectrum gp-30 to dcc using an NCE bachmann replacement decoder. This required some modifications since the loco wasn't dcc ready. It runs great, but the front headlight doesn't work. It might be something I did or could be a cv. So, I can run two trains reliably over the outer double loop and sometimes can run on the inner loop. The biggest issue I have right now is trains splitting the points when trying to switch to the inner loop. I haven't really done anything to the cars. I have enough to run two trains without to many issues, so that's what we run. I haven't done anything with scenery either. The kids love being able to run their own trains and I'm happy that I don't have to deal with many derailments....

Stuart