Introduction:
I
never really had a train set as a kid. May be the odd toy train,
but nothing that would amount to much of a "set", let alone a "model railway".
I started when I was about 30, with a Hornby set from Toys-R-Us! There
were lots of try-out set ups, in OO and in N, both with and without scenery,
and constantly "under construction". There are a couple of
photos on this page. However, "The Big One" is now underway.
It will eventually fill half a large room although so far it's just unfurnished
track on whitewashed boards. One day it will be the St. Elmo and Cloverdale
Railway! Also underway is "The Little One". It fits into two 2x4 foot sections
that fit together and fold up into a 2x4 foot box.
| The Big One
|
The Little One
|
 |
 |
| Above: A section of scenery from an early 3x2 foot n-scale layout. |
Above: Bits from that old layout now up on a shelf awaiting
redeployment. |
Planning
the Big One: "must-have" features
Continuous loops for watching 'em go by
Double-track mainline look
Potential for complex station operations
Easy-peasy electrics
Realistic traffic flow (if trains set off heading west, I don't want
to see them reappearing from the east!!)
The Big One:
The Model
Occupies 29 foot of benching along 3 walls of
a room. Arranged a double-track dogbone, pinched at the main station with
cross-track connections and independently powered sidings etc, giving the
impression of a 4-track station. Map and details to follow...
The
Little One: The Model
 |
Here are the two separate trays fixed together for running. They fit
together like a box with the railway inside for storage.
The front tray will eventually be the "scenic" section, and represents
the Cloverdale Station area. The back tray allows trains to run round loops
so that they re-appear "on stage" from the "correct" direction after they
have left Cloverdale, gone to the end of their line and come back. Eventually
there will also be storage sidings in the back tray. |
|
