Greetings! It's been quite a while since I posted here. Then again, life is what happens after you've made your plans. The layout room is nearly finished (just a bit of painting left). It's funny how when you have the time, you don't have the money for supplies, and when you have the money, you don't have the time. As some of you may recall from my last thread on the subject http://www.trainboard.com/grapevine/showthread.php?118267-Kiskiminetas-Railroad-Help&highlight= I have quite a large room in the basement for a layout: I nearly went crazy trying to design something that would take up most of the space. However, after further negotiation with the Bureau of Land Management ("she who must be obeyed"), I decided to reduce the amount of space I want for a layout: There are several reasons for this. First, I'm no spring chicken, and I would like to build something that I can finish (even though I know none of us is ever finished). Second, I love around the walls shadowbox style, which is why I will next build two "false walls" to attach the layout to (while using Jamie's technique from the CSXDixieLine to build the peninsula). Third, with limited resources, I would like to have the shelves 16-18" deep and about 18" tall...less scenery to worry about that way. Fourth, shelves will be made from 1/4" plywood with 2" pink foam mounted with brackets to the walls. What brought about this change of heart? Once I decided to reduce the space I would use, I started going through train magazines, track plan internet sites, etc. I finally stumbled upon the Midland Continental from the November 2007 Model Railroader (and reprinted as #98 in "102 Realistic Track Plans"): http://mrr.trains.com/-/media/import/files/pdf/7/a/0/mrr-i1107_a.pdf Since my free-lanced road will follow the Kiskiminetas River and be a water level road (no grade), the Midland Continental seemed to fit the bill. Trains can leave the yard and travel to West Leechburg, Vandergrift, and Apollo. The beauty of it all is that there actually was a "Y" in Apollo for trains to turn. So once I saw this particular layout, the lightbulb began to glow. (I can also do a "round and round" at Christmas with this plan.) Of course, I will not use this track plan as is. This is N-scale and I model in HO, but the yard and the "Y" are keepers for me. Now I need to settle on what industries will be represented so I can begin to develop a track plan.
Yet another of Murphy's Laws! Fifteen feet by twenty two is a nice amount of space. The "bureau of land management" was generous! Please keep us posted on your progress.
