Model railroad layouts plans

Bruce been in touch with a very helpful post on building model train inclines.

Here’s a thorny issue that comes up quite a lot in my inbox.

Now on to Bruce and his piece on building model train inclines.

(His curve clearance post is here.)

“Al,

Some time ago, I sent a graphic with explanation on selecting the minimum radius for two parallel sets of rails. Some appreciative comments were added.

I have noted that in several viewer responses that there may be some difficulty determining rail length for various %slopes.

I thought perhaps that some users might have an easier solution by using a graph. Therefore, I am providing the following with example of usage for building a model train incline.

Rise and Run

%slope (percent slope) is determined by using the formula

RISE X 100 = %slope
RUN

The graph is graduated in UNITs. One unit may be any length measure base.

This would be determined by the measure the user decides to use; mm (millimeters), cm (centimeters) or inches.

Of course one could use Yards, Miles, Light Years or any other.

On the graph are lines representing typical %slopes plotted for determining either RISE or RUN.

Or, knowing the RISE and RUN, the %slope may be found.

Assume the user is into HO scale. Then on both the vertical (RISE) and horizontal (RUN), the Unit 1, 2, 50, 100, etc, might be labeled as cm (centimeters).

First one must determine the minimum height to be used for clearances of one track over or under another.

Select the tallest Locomotive or Car and measure its height in the cm.

Add additional measure for assurance of clearance.

I.e., tallest item might be 5.0 cm.

Then add to this using this measure, the height of roadbed and rails; 0.5 cm is assumed for example.

Then 5.5 cm would represent the minimum amount of RISE to be used with the desired %slope to determine the amount of RUN required.

Now one can determine whether he has enough real estate to accomplish the desired %slope.

Example referring to the accompanying graph.

Note that the RISE graph values range from 0 – 2.0 and the RUN values range from 0 – 100 UNITs.

Note also that the graph is linear for both RISE and RUN.

Minimum clearance height of 5.5 cm. This value is then equal to 1 UNIT on both RISE and RUN.

Example #1: Determine amount of RISE for given RUN and any %slope.

Select the desired RUN based of available real estate.

Assume RUN available to be 440 cm.

440 cm divided by 5.5 cm equals 80 UNITs.

Assume maximum clearance RISE allowed to be 11 cm or 2 UNITs.

Then search RISE value for each crossing value on the %slope values vertical to the 80 cm RUN value.

For this example, the 1.5 %slope provides a 1.2 UNIT RISE for the 80 UNIT RUN., or 5.5 X 1.2 = 6.6 cm minimum.

Also, using the 80 UNITs RUN, find the %slope value using the 11 cm RISE line. The crossing is found to be the 2.5 %slope line. One might consider this to be the steepest grade for his train to successfully climb with a desired number of cars coupled.

Example #2, the 3 %slope is desired for the 80 UNIT RUN. Find the required RISE (height) for this %slope.

The graph is linear; thus, the 3 %slope RISE would equal 2 X 1.5% RISE = 2.4 UNIT RISE or 2.4 UNITs X 5.5 cm = 13.2 cm.

Example #2: Determine amount of RUN for given RISE and SLOPE.

Assume RISE = 1.2 UNITs and SLOPE = 2%.

Search the 1.2 UNIT RISE value horizontal to the intersection of the 2% SLOPE line.

The RUN would be down from this intersect to the value of 60 UNITs.

The amount real estate required would be 60 UNIT RUN X 5.5 cm = 330 cm.

In like manner, one could determine %sLOPE by locating the intersect of the given RISE versus the given RUN.

Of course not all measurements will coincide with any graph interest, but the use can then eyeball the desired value between any two intersects.

Al, I certainly hope this is of value to your viewers. I certainly, enjoy all the posts and comments. I also have gained some insight from many of the posts as I continue my future layout. I have a lot of work ahead. Many comments have assisted to reduce some of the work load.

Bruce”

A big thanks to Bruce – it reminded me of Chris’s post: How to make inclines.

And Dean’s: Model train inclines.

Now on to Bob – he sent me this in but it fell through the cracks.

Fortunatley he gave me a gentle prompt, and I’m glad he did too, I enjoyed his vid.

“Al,

Thanks for all your emails, I find them quite inspiring. This video explains all the features of my layout.

Regards,

Bob”

A huge thanks to Bruce and Bob. What a clever lot you all are.

And if you like this tip, don’t forget the Beginner’s Guide is jam packed with more just like it.

That’s all this time folks.

Please do keep ’em coming.

Best

Al

PS Have you had a look at the new ebay cheat sheet yet?

Dean’s been back in touch with a video of pics on his N scale turnouts:

This is the third part in his series (you can see the last one here).

“Al, here is the third video on my construction of the Scenic Ridge railroad layout.

This video deals with switches (turnouts or points) and switch (turnout or point) machines.

The first photo shows the control panel with four Atlas controllers mounted on a Masonite sheet drilled to fit the three-gang electrical box which holds it.

The second photo shows the electrical box which has been cut down to 1 inch deep.

In the next photo I show the box glued into the front support panel of the layout with Liquid Nails adhesive. You can also see some of the telephone wire and connectors I use to interface the control board to the switch machines.

Finally, here is an overall view of the layout under construction as of this video.

I appreciate all the comments and viewings I get from your readers.

Dean”

“For the ones who wanted know how I made the cactus, I bought the arms at Hobby Lobby. Carved the trunks out of balsa wood and painted them from desert pictures.

More to come about the T&SRR.

JW”

(You can see JW’s post here.)

Now on to Dave:

“Hi

Moved to France 3 years ago and had to start my layout all over again!

It’s 00 with an upper level 009 circuit for some added interest.

Still a lot of wiring to do but got trains moving so feels like it’s all coming together.

Here are some shots for you.. keep up the good work.

Dave”

A big thanks to JW, Dave and Dean.

That’s all for today folks.

Please do keep ’em coming because it’s awfully thin on the fround this end.

And don’t forget the Beginner’s Guide if you want to stop dreaming and start doing.

Best

Al

Click here for the latest ‘ebay cheat sheet‘. You’ll be glad you looked…

Roger has been in touch with a ‘how to’ on making your own model train signs.

“Hello Al

Dave asked about the signs on my little garage – and the interior detail.

Those who have seem my previous posts have probably noticed that I like to spend virtually nothing on modelling so that I can bankrupt myself buying locos and rolling stock. What follows is cost free.

HOW TO MAKE MODEL TRAIN SIGNS

There are some out there who would like to sell us these. Yet all we have to do is search the web for them. Try googling the following: –

ENAMEL SIGNS and/or

VINTAGE ADVERTISING SIGNS

On the left of the screen, click IMAGES. Pages of little reproductions will appear.

Print off a page or two. Put them on the scanner and shrink or enlarge – depending on your scale and intended use. In OO/HO reduce by 50-75% according to taste – for display on buildings, that is.

For advertising hoardings (and there are those who would sell us these too) increase size a little on the scanner and cut them out. Make the hoardings from pieces of plastic food packaging (see photo). This material will bend, crease and hold the fold. So you can bend to form a base. I stuck the posters on them with ordinary UHU general purpose glue.

After something specific? Google it and bring up IMAGES.

You’ll notice when you glue that (depending on the paper you print with and the type of glue) they fade a little. Fantastic. In fact I like to distress mine further by wiping over a little dilute matt black with a bit of sponge.

The Shell Tankers (see photo) were bought for a few pounds each – new. I think they were cheap because, though red and yellow, they were not signed. The Shell emblem was found on a site called SWEET AND NOSTALGIC! There are plenty of trucks and vans available in OO unsigned – pretty cheaply – so you can personalise them with a little internet investigation.

INTERIORS

I guess these are important when you have large open doors on a building – garages, petrol stations, fire stations, bus stations and factory doors. I reckon these look more interesting with the doors open. This is my approach.

– Paint the interior matt black. Viewed from a standard distance – or even close up – this will make the contents stand out.

– Make up shelf units with strips of our old friend – food packaging (see photo). Glue with superglue. Add tiny objects to the shelves. These can be modelled in plasticine and dipped in glue to harden. Or little chips of plastic – tiny offcuts do equally well (see photo).

– Never chuck away used ballpoints. Take them to bits and keep the pieces. I used some in the demo-photo. The interior ink tube is perfect for lots of things – loads, piping – also the metal writing section – and particularly the plug to the outer tube.

– The shelf items are very small and will be inside the building so vague shapes will suffice. Paint in suitable colours to represent stacks of cans, oil containers, batteries, exhausts – whatever is suitable. Invest in tinlets of silver and gold paint. You’ll get good use out of them for this and for all sorts of things in the future.

– Attach to an interior wall. Easier to do this before you assemble the walls of the kit.

– Add some signs and posters. Mounted inside, detail will not be seen – so content is relatively unimportant unless they’re hung near the door.

– The use of mini-cams, mounted on trucks, travelling the line make work on interiors well worth while. Folks will marvel at your attention to detail – when in fact you have spent very little time and not a penny on it!

– If you light your buildings this could look amazing – all the detail picked out. Shadows too.

– The oil can is simply a tiny blob of plasticine – little piece of wire pushed through – curled for the handle – smeared in glue to harden – painted red.

Hope this is of interest, Dave.

Best wishes.

Roger.”

A big thanks to Roger for sharing how he makes his model train signs.

That’s all for today, folks.

Please do keep ’em coming.

And don’t forget the Beginner’s Guide if you want to get going on your very own layout.

Best

Al

PS Seen the latest ebay cheat sheet yet?