Layout Goals - 2016

Discussion in 'General' started by yardmaster, Jan 7, 2016.

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  1. yardmaster

    yardmaster Administrator Staff Member Administrator Frisco.org Supporter

    Folks -
    As we start a new year, for those with layouts, what goals are you setting in your role as superintendent?

    Admittedly, I've always modeled at a glacial pace. However, I'll list my modest goals for starters:

    • Run a formal Operating Session in "Olathe" by end of the first quarter, with 3 total sessions by end of year.
    • Finish two outstanding rolling stock projects.
    • Complete basic ground cover scenery - have completed approximately 75% thus far.
    • Finish adding telegraph line poles to SL-SF Northern Division.
    • Begin construction on Wallingford Grain Co and Champlin Oil Depot in Olathe.
    • Fix the "dead spot" that keeps reoccurring at the crossover just "north" of MP 21.
    I'll look forward to seeing the 2016 goals of others.

    Best Regards,
     
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  2. William Jackson

    William Jackson Bill Jackson

    Well I will be moving, so for me, I want to get a, area started.
    1) try to design the layout.
    2) decide on a continuous type or operating
    3) Build a layout with grades, curves and bridges.
    4) Have more industries.
    5) Thinking about the Ft Smith line toward Fayetteville.
    6) Some consideration for the Dixon line and maybe the River Division.
    That's all Folks !!!!!!
     
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  3. yardmaster

    yardmaster Administrator Staff Member Administrator Frisco.org Supporter

    Bill, not sure what's included on your full list of "givens and druthers" for a layout, but I'll advocate for the River Division.

    The Chaffee Sub between Chaffee and Turrell, AR is a good choice if you want a water level route with not much in the way of tree modeling and ample opportunity for interchange traffic via MoP and SSW; north toward Jefferson County on the St. Louis Sub is good if you want a minimal-grade route but with scenic bluffs and trees with undergrowth as a "west" side backdrop.

    Best Regards,
     
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  4. Jim James

    Jim James Staff Member Staff Member

    You two have some good solid goals. I'm more hit and miss with my efforts and I'm pretty sure I have Adult Attention Deficit disorder.
    1) I need to add a 3' extension at Brownwood to allow for more operational opportunities ( this might become a diorama of 1915 Cape Girardeau riverfront including the old depot).
    2) I need to build many more scratchbuilt structures for all four of my towns.
    3) I need to finish scenery chores to get the rest of the pink foam board covered up.
    4) I need to finish adding the valance and fascia to the layout.
    It'll be interesting to see how much of this gets accomplished this year.
     
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  5. FriscoCharlie

    FriscoCharlie Administrator Staff Member Administrator Frisco.org Supporter

    Good thread Chris.

    Although I have collected various pieces of G, HO, N, and Z scale items, I have no model railroading activities going on (for several reasons).

    In early December my wife offered me a shelf in a bookcase for use as a small Z Scale layout. I was excited at first as I have two Frisco locomotives, two boxcars, and six hoppers in Z Scale. (We need a caboose!)

    To my surprise, the shelf was slightly too small for the minimum radius, as demonstrated here:

    001_work.jpg

    The square represents the space I have available, which demonstrates the problem. :(

    So, I have talked her into an HO around-the-ceiling layout. This will involve a double track (Kato Unitrack) around the perimeter of a room. My goal for 2016 is to get it going. It shouldn't be that hard but the way my luck goes.... we'll see what can get started. If a train moves in my house in 2016 it will be a major victory.

    The future is an N scale 4 X 16 layout but probably not a lot to happen this year.

    Charlie
     
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  6. William Jackson

    William Jackson Bill Jackson

    Took a couple of photo's today, just so I remember, this tear down won't be fun.
    image.jpeg
     
  7. Joe Lovett

    Joe Lovett Member

    My goal for the year is to continue work on my N scale shelf layout. The steps will be:

    1. Buy a half sheet of plywood to finish the shelf part. Will have it cut at the store to the basic size. I already have enough wood to build four modules.

    2. Find my skill saw so I can do any fine cutting or odd shaping to the modules. We had a move about a year ago. Of course I haven't really looked much but I will now.

    3. Finish the new model of the Ft Smith depot with columns and a single story on the south side of depot.

    4. Start two more buildings yet to be determined.

    I hope everyone will be able to achieve their goals this year. Please post your progress throughout the year and with photos if you can.

    Joe
     
  8. gjslsffan

    gjslsffan Staff Member Staff Member

    Hhhmmm, well I dont really know about this year.. There may be big changes in store for me and Vicki. I would like to get my hands on a grade chart for the QA&P, but I cant say if there ever was one made. Thinking of asking my employer if there was such a thing. After building this MRR monstrosity, I am not so sure it is at all what I want.
    Been studying older Arial photos, and can report that the QA&P back in the day is a modelers dream. A railroad that was 113 miles. Had at one time 3 different interlockings/crossings at grade with the FW&D/CB&Q/BN in seven miles. Had much more bridge traffic than it could generate between the outer mile posts of it's own physical plant. Which is major kudos to the marketing agents and allows many modeling liberties, but will necessitate a great down sizing of the current operation, and my letting go of many pieces of rolling stock and locomotives... I have many of those under the bed boxes of stuff that hasn't seen the light of day for years. When I built this I had an idea, but no direction. The QA&P depot begs to be modeled, if not 3D but however it can be done, there were many other structures that beg to be modeled as well.
    Yea, I dont know, there may be some major changes taking place out this way.
     
  9. mike_newton

    mike_newton Member

    1. Place pictures of my version of the OA&P on the website.
    2. Install facia around the layout.
    3. Setup Digitrax DS-64s to control all of the mainline switches
    4. Metal wheels for all of the rolling stock....
     
  10. klrwhizkid

    klrwhizkid Administrator Staff Member Administrator Frisco.org Supporter

    Two major goals for me are:
    One; to get the ceiling grid and lighting installed.
    Second; get a good portion (if not all) of benchwork and track installed in the north end of the layout.
     
  11. Coonskin

    Coonskin Member

    My goal is a bit more modest than the above: Find a contractor willing to finish the interior of my out building. Thus far that has proven to be nigh impossible. They all want to build houses, but not finish out a room.
     
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  12. meteor910

    meteor910 2009 Engineer of the Year Staff Member Frisco.org Supporter

    My "layout goals" for 2016 are a bit different ..... to make continued progress resulting in the elimination of the vast plethora of backlog unfinished kits, modifications, scratch builds, painting jobs, decal jobs, and tune up projects I have sitting on the shelves around here, plus to build a few untouched, but very neat, kits that have been sitting here for years. I made terrific progress on this personal goal in 2015, and want to continue to the end of it in 2016!

    Ken
     
  13. U-3-b

    U-3-b Member Frisco.org Supporter

    Get off my butt and doing something, anything. I got a semi nice space, plenty of engines and cars and I have analysis paralysis.

    Steve
     
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  14. rjthomas909

    rjthomas909 Member Frisco.org Supporter

    My yearly goals are highly dependent on time at home (vs travel for work). The Crawford and Cherokee has ballasted track down, is wired for DCC, and has some rudimentary scenery. This building season (cool weather in San Antonio) I hope to:

    -- Complete the weathering of rolling stock. About 80% complete to-date.
    -- Get some additional static grass down, and more trees (turns out this takes a bunch)
    -- Complete the AMB wood caboose (needs decals and some grab irons)...pretty close on this one.
    -- Build a coal mine (SE Kansas needs those in 195x).

    I hope you all have a productive year.

    -Bob T.
     
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  15. Ozarktraveler

    Ozarktraveler Member

    I reckon I need to settle down and at least plan to make a plan. Renting for the time being, but that doesn't mean I can't keep working on continued acquisitions, completing at least 1 rolling stock kit (thanks again, Ken W.), to convert rolling stock to metal wheels and update the roster details to include the work done (mostly coupler upgrades) since last year.

    This weekend is the Train Show in St Charles MO. I should get a list together.
     
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  16. w3hodoug (Doug Hughes RIP 03/24/2021)

    w3hodoug (Doug Hughes RIP 03/24/2021) 2008 Engineer of the Year Frisco.org Supporter

    2016 is to be decision year for building another home layout or not. This Knoxville condo has a nice 14 X 20 spare room with a corner-door entry. However, it lacks heating and air conditioning. I'm really enjoying the Knoxville Area Model Railroaders and their eight layouts, so the decision will be if to build at home in addition to club running. About half the 75 members have home layouts. I've sketched a one-blob out-and-back track plan for the upstairs room with Dixon, Crocker, Lebanon, Springburg (joint yard), Bundy Junction, and Ft. Wood. Curve radius for the blob (west Dixon) is the major design choice. I'll probably do a single-deck design if this progresses. No more helices. I'm almost 75 with decreasing eye sight, so a home layout needs to get started if it's ever gonna' happen.
     
    Last edited: Feb 3, 2016
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  17. klrwhizkid

    klrwhizkid Administrator Staff Member Administrator Frisco.org Supporter

    Doug, I don't know how "married" you are to Knoxville, but I know we would like to have another great Frisco aficionado join us in the KC area. We have layout builders ready and willing to make things happen here, myself included.
     
  18. w3hodoug (Doug Hughes RIP 03/24/2021)

    w3hodoug (Doug Hughes RIP 03/24/2021) 2008 Engineer of the Year Frisco.org Supporter

    I'm in Knoxville "for the duration."
     
  19. yardmaster

    yardmaster Administrator Staff Member Administrator Frisco.org Supporter

    Keith, maybe someone in the KC group has a large enough Econoline van with a small trailer to have a road trip east. I think I once made the trip between here and Knoxville in 12 hours years ago, and that included stops in at least 6 locations for coffee along the way.

    I forget what issue, but an old back issue of Model Railroad Planning had a John Armstrong layout plan. An early version of the plan had two side-by-side helices. Later revisions removed them both, so in fine Armstrongian fashion, he named the location "Nolix."

    Doug, however it pans out, I look forward to seeing/hearing any further layout planning and progress thoughts you have. I've gotten a lot out of your previous work both on this site and in the newsletters.

    Best Regards,
     
  20. Boomer John

    Boomer John Member

    It has been a long year on the West Bottoms. Putting in track in streets between the freight house running north to MOPAC Crossing, building the Brokers Building with DPM parts along with Crooks warehouse and Weber Paper across the street. Just about there, will post pictures. For 2016 have not made up my mind.
    1) Options 1-Finish street trackage from MOPAC north to left hand turn into Armour along with Sunshine and Rudy Patrick
    or
    2) Do the industries in the alley track that breaks off around Rudy Patrick heading west; Universal, Schooler Gorman Chemical, etc. Much less ambitious project.
    3) Continue to weather freight cars.
    4) Build a couple of kits I have been putting off, including one LaserKit caboose.
    5)Have an operating session.

    or

    Can the whole project and start something else. A continuing battle.

    John
     

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