Our layout was started in 2002 and has about 300 feet of track
with three loops and one point to point. Track powered. The theme
is early 20th century western U.S.
The Badwater & Western Railroad consists of 500 ft. of track. The
upper level of the layout is in a raised area bounded by 27 inch
stone and timber walls. The period modeled is early to mid
1900’s, western mountains with mining and logging. On the raised
area the train passes through a tunnel and by a pond with a flume
to transport water. The railyard is in a shed and is connected to
the raised area by a 30 ft. trestle with bridges. The raised area
has 780 ft. of track and returns to the main line on a 60 ft.
trestle with bridges. All track in the upper areas consist of an
inner and an outer loop. There is a ground level loop that passes
through a short tunnel under the raised area. The rolling stock
and locomotives are Bachmann, LGB and USA and it is all track
powered using DCC. All of the structures are scratch built from
redwood.
Rolling over an elevated, kidney-shaped 120 ft. railroad bed, the
battery powered train is on the J & S Railroad that is maturing
weekly after hosting its inaugural run on Sat., July 20, 2013.
The front part of the lawn is about 16 in. lower than the back
part so the front part of the track and sides are elevated. There
is no more than a 2% grade change throughout the track. After the
initial track was laid, two planters that flank a new pond at the
front of the lawn were added. Water from a new waterfall and
stream from the upper pond now drops into the lower pond. A
switch was included in the initial design to allow for expansion
to a maintenance area to the side of the house at a later date.
Passing the switch on the right side curve, the train enters a
tunnel that goes underneath the front braces of a 15 ft.
trampoline. The tunnel is designed as a mountainside and serves
as steps to the trampoline entrance. The mountainside will host a
variety of dangling plants and vines. As the train leaves the
tunnel area, it runs about 20 ft. and crosses the upper pond over
a 3 ft. trestle bridge. The center section will eventually have
track connected to the main line and feature a mining operation
that may tunnel under the main line and operate behind the water
features.
Two layouts – 1 in the front yard and 1 in the side yard – follow
the signs. Started as a simple loop around a pond, stream and
waterfall we then had a car crash into the yard and rebuilt, with
expansion, twice! We are still not done. (Is anyone, ever?) We
represent fictional railroads in the 1930’s to 1950’s. The
Pyramid Lake Express plus a point to point runs on about 150 ft.
of track with bridges, tunnels and two water features. There is a
small independent loop on a hill above the PLE main line that
also goes through one side of a double tunnel and has a bridge.
One about 30 ft of track in the front yard, we have the Elevated
Light Freight (ELF) which specializes in small engines, cars and
seasonal trains. Look for the changing scene at holidays!
Buildings are an eclectic mix of commercial, scratch built and
converted bird houses. Plantings, roads and “farmland” make
interesting vignettes.
The Denver & Pacific Falls RR is located “way out west”,
sometime, somewhere. Free-lance, norminally 1:32 scale with a lot
of other scales. Equipment has Kadee #1 couplers and metal
wheels. I use Bridgeworks and other power supplies with
Aristo-Craft Train Engineer or MTH DCS throttles. There is about
200 ft. of outdoor track & 80 ft. of indoor rail yard. A water
feature, short train loop and trolley track are complimented by
ground cover of ajuga (“chocolate” and “reptans”) and micro
miniature roses from Moore Nursery, Visalia. Many buildings make
up an interesting if small layout that has overcome the removal
of a major tree changing the area from shade to sun.
Building of the layout started in April 2003 and has around 350
ft. of track. We represent the Virginia & Truckee Railroad -
Virginia City to Carson City, Nevada. In 2003 I built a full size
V & T Caboose. The garden railway on the hill was built in 2004.
Our equipment includes V & T, Rio Grand Southern Geese, Eureka &
Palisade and more. We also have a Ruby live steam engine. There
are two power packs, one for each level – two MRC train power
6200s, plus three small G gauge transformers inside the caboose.
This is a 1940’s to 1950’s era standard gauge railroad consisting
of two 200 foot loops and one 200 foot dog bone loop around the
perimeter of the backyard. It passes through a rock garden and
three water falls. A narrow gauge mining and lumber operation is
also featured.
This layout was inspired by the Swiss Alpine rail lines,
particularly the Bernina Express of the RhB. One of the model
trains is a replica of this train and all engines and rolling
stock are LGB European models. The layout is an automated three
train, track powered operation with trains alternately leaving
the main station at the front of the layout. The storage yard is
also automated, with the movement of the trains controlled by a
central control panel. This is a compact, folded over loop layout
approximately 10 by 20 feet, landscaped with small trees,
waterfall and pond. There is also an eleven track storage yard.
My railroad is Royal Crest Circle Route of the Rancho Cordova
Community Railroad (RCCR). I went to the 2003 National Convention
and got hooked! Traded in my “N” for “G”. We represent the
1940-1950 era. Did some research and decided to go battery power.
This would allow me to do reverse loops without complex wiring.
Living in a senior manufactured park, space is restricted. I can
maintain line of sight on less than one-half of the 280 feet of
track at any one time. Consequently, the operator has to stay
with the locomotive all the time. Many unique, scratch built
buildings including a multi-stored apartment building and a “rec”
center with a ballroom (complete with a “Disco Ball”) and
appropriate planting make this an unusual layout.
Our layout has changed size, location and theme several times
over the 22 yrs. since I bought my first live steam locomotive.
The electric one is towed the backyard and the live steam layout
is between our house and the electric layout. The outside loop is
124 ft. and the inside loop is 88 ft. It is raised about 21 in.
with a concrete walkway all the way around. The track is powered
by two PH510 power supplies. Anyone wishing to bring equipment to
run is welcome to do so. My steam table is 30 ft. by 23 ft. and
raised 39 in. with a bridge to access to access the inside track.
It has 2 tracks. Daylights and Cab Forwards can run on either
track. Anyone wishing to bring locomotives are welcome to do so.
I will have distilled water and steam oil available.
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