We have a winner!

[chuck geiger]

David K. has worked on a few plans for me and with the help of
a Trainboard member that models that same railroad. Work starts
this holiday weekend and I am pumped. Been two years since I
have had the joy of modeling and I can't wait to get started. Only
negative, I will have to go C-80. I might have enough C-55 left
for sidings and spurs. It will be about 50 some inches high with
workspaces built underneath. Shelfs and cabinets. I got that
order from the foreman (woman). ? what kind of lighting and how
do you light a HCD layout?

[Philip H]

Well, if you follow Ed's lead, you go to Lowes or Home depot on 26 December and clean them out of white Christmas lights at 50% off . . . .

[DKS]

You realize there's a curved switch in that plan. Not sure how you can do that in C 80.

[Blazeman]

PECO makes curved turnouts. Don't know if the radius of the curves works for this though.

[Sokramiketes]

You realize there's a curved switch in that plan. Not sure how you can do that in C 80.

Peco makes some, but if it was designed for C55 the geometry is going to be different on Peco.

Maybe curve the skyboard so most of the wye is on the El Centro side?  Could curve on both ends since the river and US 80 both make a good backdrop transition.  

[DKS]

PECO makes curved turnouts. Don't know if the radius of the curves works for this though.

Yes, but it was originally designed for C 55, and I'm not sure if Chuck really wants to buy one Peco just to finish the layout. It's easy enough to just re-work the plan to eliminate the curved TO. This is now all Atlas C 80 geometry.



I'd also end the backdrop short of the track, and place large buildings at the edges, where practical--it looks better IMO than trying to disguise the holes the track passes through.

[chuck geiger]

Phillip, so you would have to build a valance around the door box and how do you
suspend it w/out getting in the way of the layout, remember this has to be viewed
from both sides?

[chuck geiger]

Looks like converting from 55-80, we picked up some more yard space.
On my blog, a reader suggested doing a Dave Vollmer and going with
a yard extension to Niland.

[DKS]

Looks like converting from 55-80, we picked up some more yard space.
On my blog, a reader suggested doing a Dave Vollmer and going with
a yard extension to Niland.

It wasn't due to changing track; I just made the yard bigger because I thought it was too small on the original "Tom" version. A "Dave Vollmer" extension would sure get you more yard, plus if the wye were finished off you'd get an out-and-back plan.

[Pomperaugrr]

Peco makes some, but if it was designed for C55 the geometry is going to be different on Peco.

Maybe curve the skyboard so most of the wye is on the El Centro side?  Could curve on both ends since the river and US 80 both make a good backdrop transition.  

Funny you should mention the skyboard.  I made a similar suggestion on the A-board. 
 

Eric

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I agree about the skyboard, and the yard extension.

That short track in El Centro is really only what, 6-8"? That's not much of a yard at all.

I think you're also going to find that that citrus packing siding is a bit tighter than you're going to be able to really accomplish.

Otherwise, the plan seems sound, but be ready for some shock when you actually try and scenic it.

[DKS]

The thing that really bothered me the most about this version was how all the tracks ran parallel with the door edges. I think the plan can be given a more interesting angle, especially if Plaster City is mirrored. The packing plant lost a lot of real estate, so it got relocated. That allowed the yard to be reconfigured to be much larger.

[93cram]

Chuck,

If you contemplate to include this project layout into a larger one someday, as a middle of the room peninsula, you could end the backdrop
on the left hand side with a 'Bellina drop', and locate a turnout to connect with a future extension on the New River side.
Are you really 'sure' you want to go the C80 route ? 

Marc

[Dave V]

Chuck,

I would second the caution regarding going code 80.  Sure it works, and it's cheap (especially if you have it on hand)...  From a distance IRL it's not offensive, but once you start seeing it in your own close-up photos, it's hard to like.  Take it from me.  I have both c55 and c80 on my layout, and I plan to go all c55 at some point.  The code 55 works just as well as code 80.

[Philip H]

Chuck,
I was sort of kidding about the christmas tree lights . . . it all depends on the room you will have it in.  Easiest thing would be track lighting mounted on the ceiling overhead, wired to the wall switch. 



With 4 or 6 track lights in the track, you could aim them to different parts of the layout.  Or, depending on how you build the backdrop, you could even add a couple of these from Ikea to the top of the backdrop:




This would be a supplimental approach.  If you wanted to go with Ed's light string idea you would need a valance - and if the lighting is that light (!) you could suspend the whole thing from chains run up to hooks in the ceiling joists.