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 Posted - May 02 2012 : 02:40:18 AM
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Yep, my model trains will be traveling about 285 miles in early August, and I'll be going with them!
You see, I'm finishing up my 2nd year of community college, and this August I'll be transferring to Washington State University to finish up my last two years. Of course, Seattle to Pullman, WA, is a long commute, so I'll be living in a dorm on campus.
However, my trains won't be trackless. If everything goes the way it is now, I'll have a single dorm at Wazu, so I'm bringing a small layout to fit underneath the loft bed. The new layout will be built on thick insulation styrofoam, and will measure about 3 feet by 5 feet. It will consist of a 15" radius loop for continuous running, plus a two track branch/yard for switching and storage. There will be a roundhouse and turntable in the center of the loop for displaying locomotives. I will be building another Walkman-powered cable car setup to parallel the yard/branch.
The theme of the layout will be a train museum, so I can run short trains with a variety of equipment on a small line. The track plan is influenced by the full size track plans of the Camp 6 Logging Museum (now closed) and the Nevada State Railroad Museum.
The layout will be constructed in 4 sections so that I can transport it, along with my clothes, electronics, school books, etc., in a small vehicle.
Here's a few photos of the test setup. Let me know what you think of the track plan. 
https://skydrive.live.com/#cid=435D8EBE69DC9A06&id=435D8EBE69DC9A06%214156
Note that I have not cut the styrofoam board down to size yet. Eventually, the space between the branch/yard and the loop will be cut out, forming a walk-in area where I will likely mount the transformer and other controls.
My Youtube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/weekendrailroader?blend=1&ob=video-mustangbase
Edited by - weekendrailroader on May 02 2012 02:43:07 AM
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Posted - May 02 2012 : 09:46:20 AM
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Going away to college and bringing the trains... now that's alright.
Nice layout plan. Didn't think a turntable would fit. That's a good idea, gives a little more action to work with and it's practical for turning locomotives. Instead of lifting them by hand.
(0-5-0 switcher)
Unspoken expectations are premeditated failures.
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Posted - May 02 2012 : 10:38:46 AM
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That is just awesome!
I never had the chance to do that, but then again, I never thought of it! I hope it works out for the best for you!
Sean
"If everything seems under control, you're not going fast enough!" - Mario Andretti!
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Posted - May 02 2012 : 2:37:58 PM
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I'd do that but my train board that I've had since a kid is being used as a shelf in the garage 
Real cool you are taking it to college  Look for trains at LHS, antique & 2nd hand stores when you get time off 
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Posted - May 02 2012 : 6:14:00 PM
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| Nice design,as a kid my parents and i lived in a mobile home,no room for a layout so my dad made me one that pulled out from under the couch,after i was done playing i simply took the trains off the track and slid it back under till next time.
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Posted - June 16 2012 : 01:25:39 AM
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Well, time for an update:
The styrofoam layout idea wasn't going to work. There's just not enough room in our vehicle to bring all of my clothes, electronics, bedding, etc. AND four big pieces of styrofoam. Fortunately, a good friend of mine gave me an old cardtable that had some HO track and a turntable nailed to it. I relaid the track so that now I have a loop with a siding hat leads to the turntable in the center of the loop. The widest curve on the line is 15" radius, the others are "flange squealers". 
My little junk box critter was having trouble, so I ordered a brand new Model Power 0-4-0 for to handle the sharp curves. I'm considering ordering another 4 wheel locomotive. Any suggestions?
I did all of the ballasting and scenery today.
Here's the link to the photos: https://skydrive.live.com/#cid=435D8EBE69DC9A06&id=435D8EBE69DC9A06%214161
My Youtube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/weekendrailroader?blend=1&ob=video-mustangbase
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Posted - June 16 2012 : 8:38:22 PM
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Nice job, Andrew. That will be cool to have in a dorm.
A Dockside would certainly take those curves in stride, or maybe a Bachmann MDT (you could remove the center wheelset if it didn't). Might also keep be fun to have an Athearn Hustler on hand to see how far you could launch it.
I'd keep the whole thing out of sight during keg parties, though. 
The Tyco Depot
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