Category: Layout Planning

Benchwork, Layout Planning, Planning Book1 Comment

Tilt Table Layouts in Action

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It is good to know that there are people who have tilt table layouts. In Nscale.net and Nscale.org, the forumers referred me to their fellow members who have tilt-table layout – Gene (aka epumph in Nscale.net) and the late Suzan (aka steamedup in Nscale.org). With Gene’s permission and in loving memory of Suzan, who passed away sometime ago, I would like to share with you their construction of a tilt-table layout and how you could adopt them for yours. Gene (aka epumph) Gene from New Jersey, USA models a fictional Turtle Creek Industrial RR in N-scale on a 4ft 4in x 8ft 6in … Continue reading Tilt Table Layouts in Action

Benchwork, Layout Planning, Planning BookLeave a comment

Visualising My Layout – Peeling the Onion

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In my previous blog, I have showed how the prototype benchwork will look once it has been constructed. While waiting for comments and the quotation, I will explain how the layout will be built on top of the base frame. Remember that I am adopting and adapting Oliver Bachmeier’s Neustadt H0-scale layout in N-scale. Oliver’s original layout is 3.3m x 1.5m. My original intention was to scale that to 70%, to fit to the IKEA IVAR frames which when combined, will be 2.3m x 1.0m. If I follow truly to the scaling from HO- to N-scale, the same 3.3m x … Continue reading Visualising My Layout – Peeling the Onion

Benchwork, Layout Planning, Planning BookLeave a comment

Visualising My Layout – The Benchwork

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Call me crazy or mad but I believe in conceptualisation and visualisation. During my high-school days, we were taught a subject called “Industrial Arts (IA)”. In this subject, over a period of 3 years, we were taught metal works, wood works, electrical and mechanical works. I must thank my IA teachers for imparting to me the knowledge of drafting. So, instead of creating a physical prototype, I put them on papers. Here is how I envisioned my layout, starting with the benchwork. As I mentioned earlier, real estate space is a premium to me. I measured the space I could … Continue reading Visualising My Layout – The Benchwork

Introduction, Layout PlanningLeave a comment

All Aboard!

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Finally, I got the green signal to proceed, just like the engineer on this Deltic diesel loco. Well, I won’t be charging ahead at full throttle but at least I could pick up some speed – something to do over the autumn and winter seasons and to get my mind off work during the weekends. The drawings for my tilt-table layout, which has been gathering dust for the last few months, are now out of my file and are being fine-tuned. Oliver Bachmeier’s Neustadt layout – at least with some modifications – will come alive in N-scale on a 2.5m x 1.2m 2-level layout. I have a couple … Continue reading All Aboard!

Layout Planning, Product Review2 Comments

Turnouts Jigsaw Puzzle

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I have convinced myself that I would go with Peco code 55 Universal Fine Streamline turnouts and tracks for my layout. Although code 55 is actually code 80 rails embedded onto the ties, Peco is the only manufacturer that makes flex tracks with concrete sleepers for N-scale. It is a pity that other such as Minitrix, Fleischmann, Piko and even Atlas have not being able to convince themselves to offer flex tracks with concrete sleeps. For the US model railroad manufacturer Atlas, it is understandable as most US tracks do not have concrete sleepers. But for the European/German manufacturers, hmm ….. … Continue reading Turnouts Jigsaw Puzzle

Benchwork, Layout Planning, Product ReviewLeave a comment

More than Just Tiger Woods

traiNmaster

As you can see, I am progressing on my first layout. The track plan is ready with some modifications once I get the frame done. My track work will be based on Oliver Bachmeier’s HO-scale track plan. The other structures and landscapes will be entirely different. I do not intend to replicate Oliver’s layout in N-scale. However, I do find his track work interesting as it incorporated a helix (or to be precise, nolix – a stretched version of helix), turnaround track and fiddle yard underneath the top visible level but within the same 2,3m by 1,0m frame. I do … Continue reading More than Just Tiger Woods

Benchwork, Layout Planning6 Comments

Eureka! Tilt-Table Layout Contruction!

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Another challenge that I faced is how to construct my layout that can be easily stored and transported. Most people have a basement, room or even an attic to spare, even for a 4 by 8 foot layout. Yet, I will be constructing a 100cm by 226cm layout using IKEA IVAR frames (equivalent to 3,3 by 7,4 feet for those using the non-metric unit of measurements). I could not put my layout on a flat (normal) position due to lack of space in living room or even any other room. With the remodelling of my apartment living room, some spare … Continue reading Eureka! Tilt-Table Layout Contruction!

Layout Planning, Product Review2 Comments

American vs European N-scale Passenger Cars

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Now that I have my ICE 2 trainset and Amtrak Superliner Phase II cars unboxed, I could make comparisons between the two. Earlier I had compared the American Dash 8-32  and European Class BR 185, both in HO-scale. While this comparison of N-scale passenger cars is not a like-for-like but it makes an interesting note. The Amtrak Superliner dining car is a bi-level car with a height of 31mm above the rail (or 4,96m scale height) while the ICE 2 intermediate coach/wagon is 24mm above rail (or 3,84m scale height); a difference of 7mm (or nearly 1,0m scale height) Lengthwise, … Continue reading American vs European N-scale Passenger Cars

Exhibitions/Fairs, Layout Planning, Planning BookLeave a comment

The Fun of Model Railroad Planning

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I could not think of any other hobby that is so multi-disciplinary and multi-facet. Could you? Come to think of it, even at the most basic level, this hobby involves some conceptualization and design work, carpentry, electrical and electronics, mechanical works, landscaping and painting and etc. I have quite some reference books from my earlier days of planning for a US-based layout but have since acquired some German railway books (it also helped me to improve my Deutsch). With my new Billy shelf, I have now a proper place for my books and within easy reach. As I am also … Continue reading The Fun of Model Railroad Planning