A really cool, well crafted and compact layout

[John]

It could well be that the bridgeless spot is awaiting a proper bridge. Given that it is curved, it is a difficult fit. The owner would probably rather have trains running than await perfection. Thanks for the post, Lee. Good layout overall.

Frank

I agree .. I have several of those "place holders"

[Dave V]

Enough about the bridge... I would compare this shot with Dave Vollmer's work.  Dave's got his c80 rail and gigundo bulbs in his signals, and this shot has the big clunky ground throws, but overall, the effect is very good.

Lee

His grass looks better than mine.

I had a lot of the same impressions...  Overall effect good, some outstanding scenes, but the bridge actually almost made me stop looking.  But Lee brings up some points about my own work.  Let's look:



That signal head is killing me.  This guy's signals look much better.  I have the LED signals, but I've been a wuss about trying to put them together after I burned out a few LEDs on one of them.  Also, Lee never misses a chance to mention my c80 ;D!  Replacing that with c55 is actually on my METL (Mission Essential Task List) for this year.

So overall, I think this guy is most definitely on the right track, and there is quite a bit to enjoy about it.  Would love to see it in person.  I would almost gaurantee he knows about the bridge and is probably planning on addressing it.

Nice to see something between the all-too-common door and the basement monster, and all the way to scenery.   Thanks for sharing, Lee!

[Mark5]

Would love to see it in person. 

Not gonna happen!

UPDATE:11/10/02, as of 09/02, the "SP's Newberg Branch" has left the property. Needless to say, it was difficult to tear it apart, but a growing family demanded it. I hope to have a smaller shelf layout someday. Please enjoy my layout pictures

I am sure someday he'll apply the lessons learned to a new layout.

[3rdrail]

Four deck girders for those two sections could be built in a couple of hours with plastic or wood sheet, angles, and T beams, including paint and weathering. Not enough to be protypically accurate perhaps, but surely enough to get rid of the track suspended in midair fantasy. I was doing that when I was nine.

[JDouglasFisher]

Starting to sound like the A-Forum..

Play nice kids, LOL

J....

[MichaelT]

Four deck girders for those two sections could be built in a couple of hours with plastic or wood sheet, angles, and T beams, including paint and weathering. Not enough to be protypically accurate perhaps, but surely enough to get rid of the track suspended in midair fantasy. I was doing that when I was nine.

Perhaps you could post pictures of your layout so we can all take notes on how prototypical looks and how accurate we should all strive to make our layouts??

[CoalPorter]

Well, the layout has a few good shots, but overall too much stuff
crammed into a small space. Looks like the typical attempt to put as
much track as one can to squeeze space for one more loco on a layout.
in short, this layout reminds me of a typical spaghetti bowl from the 1960's or 70's. I'm surprised the op like anything about it. :'( ???

[Caleb Austin]

Seeing as were talking about a layout that does not even exist anymore, I think all this criticism is sort of pointless.

[MichaelT]

Seeing as were talking about a layout that does not even exist anymore, I think all this criticism is sort of pointless.

Agreed; if it were still up and running, I would have the same opinion, especially seeing that the builder isn't even a part of the group here at RW, and cannot answer questions about his work; but then...that's possibly why the criticism is to expansive, because there's no chance of recourse.

I won't begin to speak for others, but this would sure give me cause not to post pictures of my novice work with the thought of getting raked over the coals for oversights or mistakes that others deem important enough to lambaste on the forum.

Michael

[John]

I won't begin to speak for others, but this would sure give me cause not to post pictures of my novice work with the thought of getting raked over the coals for oversights or mistakes that others deem important enough to lambaste on the forum.

Michael, I just went back and looked at all his work .. most of it is pretty good, and his layout has a level of detail that many of us can only wish for.  What you may see as "raking over the coals" is honest feedback to others. None of us likes to have our flaws exposed, but when you put them out there on the net, you have to expect that there will be good and not so good comments.

I think the comments are valid. The bridge is just so out of place on an otherwise well done layout. Maybe it was just a placeholder, maybe not.

Cheers

[3rdrail]

Four deck girders for those two sections could be built in a couple of hours with plastic or wood sheet, angles, and T beams, including paint and weathering. Not enough to be protypically accurate perhaps, but surely enough to get rid of the track suspended in midair fantasy. I was doing that when I was nine.

Perhaps you could post pictures of your layout so we can all take notes on how prototypical looks and how accurate we should all strive to make our layouts??

You asked.

[MichaelT]

You asked.

I have seen this layout before, either on another site or someone tagged a site of pictures for it....impressive!

[Dave V]

I don't think there's really anything wrong with discussing the pros/cons of this layout, whether it still exists or not.  I didn't detect any malice in the criticisms; had there been I'd agree that it wasn't fair that this individual was not able to defend himself.  Overall there are important learning points here.

It does seem somewhat odd that so much care was taken in almost every aspect of the layout yet such a toy-like bridge was used...  but the, since it's an Atlas trackplan it's entirely possible that the track was purchased as a layout package which would include the bridge.  Or perhaps using that plan, he chose not to deviate from the bridge setup that Atlas called for (check the plan, I bet you'll find the unsupported track and risers there).

Maybe Lee or the mods want to invite this gentleman to join RW?

[wm3798]

I don't know who the guy is, but I'll see if I can find contact info and let him know about our little coffee klatch... I posted the link because I thought the work was notable for its overall feel, and the level of completeness the photos represent.  The bridge thing shouldn't stand out as anything staggeringly wrong, although I might have placed that photo a little deeper into the pile...  I attribute that to the fact that we all have jobs we like to do on our layouts, and we all have jobs that we either don't like, or that outright confound us.  Personally, I avoid electrical work whenever possible (although that's changed some since I unlocked the mysteries of decoder installations)...  I want signals, but at this point, I don't understand how the  prototype's worked, so I don't know how to scale the application down to my layout.  (Home signals?  Absolute?...might as well be in latin!)
But I'm reading up on it, so it might change.

I must admit, though, I enjoyed the moment of anticipation when MichaelT poked the stick into Gregg's cage!  I also admit that I was mildly disappointed by Gregg's merely adequate response...  I was hoping for some fireworks... Nobody steps on the 3rd Rail and gets away with it!! ;D ;D

Lee

[Chris333]

Here is another nice door layout:
http://chartiers.50webs.com/
(I checked all bridges before posting   )