More Ramblings of a mad bloke!

What to do next?

Having thought about stuff for a couple of days I have decided the following:

Photo by D.Jackson

1. Peco code 75 track is the way to go. Why? because it is close enough to scale height and I have a fair bit of it!
2. Double track mainline, with as I have already said Maximum grade of 2% or 1 in 50. This makes it nearly as heavy as the real S.A.R. Hills line, but still easy to haul a scaled down train of say 15 cars maximum with 1 or 2 locomotives.
3. Maximum train length to be 3.6 meters, may go to 4, but that is long enough.
4. 4 The "fiddle yard " to be 5 tracks with a short return road or turnback road in the middle, say 1 meter long.The other tracks to be at least 4 meters clear.
5. Have just one "Overland" set 9 cars max, as well as 14 other typical S.A.R. passenger cars.
6. One "jet" , 1 "Stoney", 1 fast goods, 1 local / pick up, 1 branch goods and enough for the occasional Grain train and stock special.
7.  Suburban types to mainly terminate at the main station- I have decided to call "GILLS" after a now deceased friend, Fred Gill MMR etc.
8. Branch passenger train to be a Brill model 55 or 2, similar to what did Semaphore runs in Adelaide or locals, occasionally a Loco hauled passenger also on the branch.
9. A mix of common type 4 wheel and bogie stock, most of which I already have.
10. Run to a rough timetable, but using Car Cards, I have 2 types and may modify them to be common !



Photo by unknown

11. DCC operation, I have an N C E System with 3 throttles including a radio one, may get a 2nd Radio Cab .

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The Begiinings

Where do I Start?

Millions of ideas after a stunted start, plus having to make my "grand Design" schemes smaller and more practical. I decided that it shall be in metric: 5.6 x 3.5 Meters in total. An L shape basically !

The impending move to a new house makes this a possibility in a single car garage or part of a 2 car garage. Hopefully when we find a new spot, there may be room for a longer or wider layout.

As Vice President of the HILLS MODEL RAIL SOCIETY ( HMRS)

http://www.hmrs.org.au/   I am usually busy with club affairs. I also do the Bring and Buy at our exhibition. 

Now to layout parameters.

 The layout is MODULAR using my years of experience and many previous mistakes. Each basic module will be 1.6 by .75 Meters. There shall be grades no greater than 1 in 50. Module base height is 950mm and using a variety of styles, I have decided on CAPRIL framework with 25mm Blue Heavy density foam, held by good old 2 x 1 wood ( nowadays 50 x 20 ) !!!.  This will keep the modules rigid, light and easy to carry. The mainline will be double trak, spaced 51mm apart as per NMRA modular standards. There will be a small hidden fiddle yard as well as a back scene with a branch terminus on it. 
I have so much rolling stock, kits and Locos, that I do not need any more for some time, Am actually looking at paring down the list, so may get busy on E BAY and photograph a few Locos and bits of excess stock.
Do I really need all 4 Commonwealth Railways GOXs that while magnificent and are a credit to Auscision, may be a bit too many? 
 The layout , as I said will be portable and I may exhibit it at shows, but more of that in later posts. 
I will misquote the Beattitudes of Jesus Christ here" How blessed are the flexible, for they will not get out of shape!". This means that there may well be quite a few changes to the layout before it is finished ( is a layout ever finished???) 

Now to what the Americans Term: " Givens and Druthers".
Mainly SA, with some Victorian, 
Era- late 60s to 1975.
Minimum Radius- main line 725mm and on branch 625 mm.
Main station to have a smallish loco depot, with a 85 foot turntable plus steam facilities and a small diesel fuel point.  4 stall roundhouse plus 3 extra roads.
Yard at Main to have a gods shed, 1 or 2 private sidings and a fuel company like say Shell or BP etc. Yard to be at least 3 tracks wide.
Branch terminus to have a silo - SA type say 3 cell, plus a stock siding and small Barrel roof goods shed. ( love em ) similar to Fords or Farrell Flat had.
 There will also be a 2nd station on the main line, something like in the Hills like Corromandel or similar with a road overbridge hiding the back scene and fiddle yard.  This  Sation will be on a side of the layout.