Have a look at Tim’s O Gauge track – it’s huge!
“Alastair,
I enjoy your newsletter and have been on the mail list for a few years.
I would like to share my O Gauge track layout in the attached PDF with your subscribers. The PDF includes as-built track plan and progress photos.
The Joliet and Western Railway is a dual mainline basement size layout using Lionel FasTrack.
The layout is approximately 29 feet x 34 feet with ~697 feet of track, 50 switches and 11 diamond crossings.
The mainlines are ~283 feet each, the yard with receiving tracks & etc is 79 feet, and other sidings are 151 feet. A to be add helix will add another 75 or so feet to the total.
My design philosophy was ease of access for construction and operation; ability to run multiple long trains; yard operations not interfering with mainline trains; and some interesting operational scenarios.
As seen in the progress photos the Joliet and Western is now ready for wiring, then permanent affixing the track, followed by landscaping.
I have received comments from other model railroad forums, that the Joliet & Western maybe one of the largest privately owned Lionel FasTrack model railroads that those forum members have seen. And I would like to share the J&W with your list members.
If you have any questions, feel free to ask.
Construction began in earnest 14 months ago with platform erection, but collecting and stockpiling of track, rolling stock, accessories, wiring, buildings, landscape supplies began 9 years ago with a Lionel Starter Set gift: “Neil Young’s Greendale Theme Train”.
What’s a Budget?
I have been a savvy purchaser of FasTrack, having maintain the FasTrack Vendor’s Price List in the Yahoo Fastrack Group, thereby had a thorough knowledge of competitive pricing and shipping policies of a dozen online vendors.
Over the years, I found purchasing in bulk boxes of track is very economical when funding allowed. Also, I purchase most items when only on sale or closeout. Such as when a hobby store chain in the Chicago area discontinued carry Lionel and model railroad accessories/supplies and everything was mark-down up to 70%, I went to 9 store locations in one day using a 40% off coupon at each location on top of the 70% discount. Or several years ago when on on-line vendor had remote switches on sale for $45 each. That was the big switch buy of 2009. And I have purchased direct from China for track signaling and street lighting. Then everything went into storage for the day when enough track was stockpiled to begin construction.
Fortunately, I have been the recipient of many much appreciated train/track/building gifts over the years. Such as the past Christmas when I received several hundreds of dollars in wiring, wire connectors and terminals. That’s a start to the wiring that began last night with making up 100+ female connector track power leads.
So the Budget has not been unreasonable when spread out over nearly 10 years.
Again thanks for you comments
Tim”
Quite a project! Big thanks to Tim for sharing his O gauge track layout.
Next up, I’ve had some fun with Leo’s layout and made this:
That’s all for today folks.
Please do keep ’em coming.
And if today is the momentus day when you get started on your layout, the Beginner’s Guide is here.
Best
Al
PS More HO scale train layouts here if that’s your thing.
Need buildings for your layout? Have a look at the Silly Discount bundle.
