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Layouts - Construction and Operations

My O Scale Urban Railroad

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Srenchin
Big Boy

Status: offline

Posted - July 14 2020 : 5:15:14 PM

Hello All..

Many of you are well aware of my activities with HO scale model railroading, what you may not know is that for the past 12 years I have also been dabbling in Hi-Rail O scale as well. I haven't written or posted anything about my O scale endeavors because I felt it fell outside of this forums scope, but on the eve of my O scale layout's dismantling I feel that this is as good a forum as any to document my Urban Railroad for posterity on the internet.

Theme

The layout features a fictitious urban area during the late 1960's. I wanted the railroad to look like it was running through a part of town that is definitely not "family friendly". Urban decay, smog, vandalism, and petty crime are the order of the day and any business establishments left in the neighborhood provide the kinds of goods and services that would not be welcome on main street.

Infrastructure
Railroad infrastructure includes a locomotive servicing facility, a commuter station, multiple interlocking towers, bridges, and a partially completed working signal system.

Track Plan
The layout's track plan includes two reversing loops, an elevated High Line, a three track yard, one passing siding, and two railroad crossings at grade. The layout was originally laid with MTH Real Tracks which I soon replaced with Atlas O scale switches and flex track.

Contol l
The trains can be operated using Lionel's TMCC command control system or by conventional 3-rail using electronic reversing units inside each of the locomotives. Turnouts and electrical blocks are controlled by analog toggle switches on control panels located at multiple locations around the layout.

Bench Work
The layout is 16 feet long by eight feet wide "table" composed of four 4x8 stand alone tables bolted together. One side is pushed up against the back wall decorated with a backdrop. Three 2 foot diameter access holes provide access to the trains, track, and scenery that can't be reached from the perimeter of the layout.

Rolling Stock
Most of my locomotives are Lionel products, but I also have an MTH Union Pacific Big Boy and an Atlas GP 9. Cars were made by Intermountain, Weaver, Lionel, Walthers, Atlas, MTH and others. As I stated earlier I was originally aiming for a late 1960's look for this layout. However I found a few nice steam locomotives that I could not resist adding to my roster. The UP Big Boy for example was an impulse purchase because it was being sold half off the listed price because it came in a damaged box.

Signals
One of the interlockings has fully functional automatic signals all controlled by track circuits tripping banks of electro-magnetic relays. The signals will display "proceed" indications only when the switches are lined properly and the track ahead is not occupied.

Buildings
Buildings on this layout were produced by multiple manufactures, Ameritown, Walthers, Atlas, Downtown Deco, and MTH account for most of them. A couple buildings are kitbashes or completely scratch built.

Videos

Below are some videos of my O scale Urban Layout in action!!!!

Proudly keeping Tyco Pluggers out of landfills since 2016

Edited by - Srenchin on July 15 2020 11:02:24 PM

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USA ~ Posts: 818 ~ Member Since: December 26 2009 ~ Last Visit: April 24 2024