Update - May 2023

I have finally completed the design for the new space. I have a 16x30 area, with 16x24 available for the layout, and the rest for a crew lounge and workspace. The space is clear, the lounge and work area is set up, and the materials are on-hand to begin construction of the modules. The idea is to construct modules 4-feet long by anywhere from 12 to 30 inches wide. These will bolt together and to the walls, allowing me to deal with smaller sections. The modules have to come from the shop, through the upstairs kitchen and down to the basement. I do not have direct access to the basement from outside.

Each module will have a 5mm plywood top skin, with layers of 1 or 2-inch insulation foam board to build up the landscape. Track sits on 3 or 6 mm thick cork sheet. Mainline track is code 83 ME flex-track with a mix of mostly Walthers, a few Peco, and some CV "semi" hand laid turnouts. I'm using Central Valley tie strips and turnout kits for some detailed foreground scenes with ME weathered rail. LCC modules are used to drive servos to control the turnouts from either a local panel or J/MRI. The servos use a custom "linear" drive system that I designed.

The layout is a twice-around point to point design, surrounding the walls with a center peninsula that hosts a "shared" engine terminal and the yards at each end of the district. There's a hidden cutoff to allow continuous running. I was going to try to use "vertical staging" with three 2-track shelves on a panel that slides vertically, but being located at the back of an already 30" deep shelf made maintenance impractical. I opted for a 4-track traditional design instead. I might also procure some trackage rights under the stairs for additional stub-end storage, which is along side the SP&S interchange line and could be accessed via the tunnel under the SP&S trackage.

Update January 2025

Benchwork is complete, wiring is in from the DCC power panel to distribution points around the layout. Block wires will pass through current detectors and connect to the track feeders. I started using LCC as well. DCC will be used for controlling trains, while LCC will manage and control turnouts, detection, and signaling.

New Website!

I (re) launched my www.rrcraftsman.com website this past Fall. There's lots of good reference materials, links to clubs and historical societies, and my primary blogging efforts for model railroading will be done there.

Click on the images below to open a full-size image of the layout and module design. I'll post photos once construction gets underway. Alongside the layout diagrams is a photo of the Crew Lounge. I built the lighted engine display cases to fit the space in the built-in bookshelves.

Loco Roster

My currently active loco roster.