N Scale in Home Decorating?

[narrowminded]

Especially in light of a recent thread about support for our hobby from family, wives, etc, I thought this deserved a post.  This is my lady friend's glass topped kitchen table with a shelf under the top for trinkets and such.  For several years now during the Christmas season there's been a typical Christmas style train board there in N scale.  This year a few weeks after it had been taken down and put away my friend decided she missed the train and wanted to have just a simple loop, not a layout, and as year round decoration.   This is what I did (under her direction, of course).  A simple oval with 9 1/2" radius turns using Atlas Code 80 on Woodland Scenics dark gray foam road bed.  She selected the train and all rolling stock after thoroughly scrutinizing the extensive choices, vintages of equipment, styles, road names, etc.  After weighing all of the important details she arrived at this based entirely on colors.   I'm good with it.

[ Guests cannot view attachments ]

[ Guests cannot view attachments ]

[ Guests cannot view attachments ]

[peteski]

Very nice!  But you didn't use Unitrak?!  That looks like cork roadbed!

 

[narrowminded]

Very nice!  But you didn't use Unitrak?!  That looks like cork roadbed!

 

Even worse.   It's Woodland Scenics foam.

[peteski]

Even worse.   It's Woodland Scenics foam.

OMG, OMG! 

On a serious note, I really dislike that stuff when used on "real" layouts.

[narrowminded]

On a serious note, I really dislike that stuff when used on "real" layouts.

It's not very stable and the cushioning that might seem like it would afford some benefit is actually troublesome because it doesn't give good support.  That results in loose or bent and kinked joints wherever they exist.  And every turnout has three of them.   But for a black, metal framed kitchen table application the dark gray color is just what the decorator ordered.

[nkalanaga]

On the bright side. there shouldn't be much stress on the track or roadbed, since nobody will be handling it, or laying things on it, or (hopefully) doing any trackwork. 

[narrowminded]

It actually worked out good and used up some materials that were laying around.  The foam bed is down with just double sided cellophane tape with the track glued to it with tacky glue.  It was not a tough project (an hour?) and can be easily removed.  And what you pointed out is true.  I am aware of the problem so handled it accordingly during installation and once down it sees no handling whatsoever.  A gentle alcohol wipe will be done once in a while but that's about it.  And something we discovered with the Xmas layout is that the glass top actually cuts way down on dust and dirt even though it's open sided.

One side note is that the radius is 9 1/2" accomplished by clipping the outer tie bed three places on each piece of 9 3/4" Atlas curved track and so was a seldom seen opportunity to see just what a few bigger steamers would handle.  The Bachmann 2-6-6-2 and 2-8-8-4 both went right around, no problem, 9 1/2" radius.   The one that she chose to use and is running around, often all day, is a Bachmann 4-8-2 Light Mountain that I recently picked up from John Moore.  Also negotiates the 9 1/2" with no problem.  I was a little surprised at that.

[peteski]

It's not very stable and the cushioning that might seem like it would afford some benefit is actually troublesome because it doesn't give good support.  That results in loose or bent and kinked joints wherever they exist.  And every turnout has three of them.   But for a black, metal framed kitchen table application the dark gray color is just what the decorator ordered.

Sounds like you have experience with this roadbed.  Not only kinked joints but crumbling ballast due to the flexing and also due to white glue used for ballasting not adhering very well to the slippery plastic.

But I agree that in your application it will work well.

[central.vermont]

That's pretty neat!! So where is the power connection and power suply hiding?

Jon

[Catt]

Not exactly my cup of tea (so to speak ),but if the lady is happy with it >Isn't that all that really matters ?

Also on the plus side it seems you have learned about just how tight a radius those steamers can handle.

[narrowminded]

Sounds like you have experience with this roadbed.  Not only kinked joints but crumbling ballast due to the flexing and also due to white glue used for ballasting not adhering very well to the slippery plastic.

Yes.  When I saw it it seemed like it would be nice to work with so I picked up a box.  Once in hand I was a little surprised at how soft it was but didn't yet dismiss it. And then just one joint in, a switch, I saw the potential for trouble.  It never went further than that so I didn't get to discover the trouble with ballasting and such.  But that makes sense and for all of the same reasons the potential for joint troubles exists.

That's pretty neat!! So where is the power connection and power suply hiding?

Jon

From our experience with the Christmas layout we had a tried and proven method.  Soldered wires to the bottom rail joiners, dropped straight down through the roadbed and drilled holes in the opaque textured shelf insert setting on the latticed metal strips that make the shelf support.  That opaque insert is no more than a plastic florescent light fixture insert for dropped ceiling installations, trimmed to fit, so is very inexpensive and easily replaced if she decides she'd rather have a moat with motor boats some day. Can't have holes drilled in your moat!  I've always said THAT.  

Those wires have a miniature plug within a couple of inches of the drilled hole exit. and are tied under the lattice and follow the inside of the shelf frame to a leg where they are tied inside and drop down the leg to a small, low table sitting next to that leg.  Because it's in a corner with no traffic and not unsightly it was decided to just leave it at that.  I considered a swing out small shelf attached to the leg and tucked up close under the shelf and that could be done with a small effort but thankfully it was deemed not necessary for this setup. 

With the track being on a plug I can readily swap in various power supplies, DCC, etc and will use it for endurance test running of various power chassis' being developed.  That wasn't the intent but as soon as she expressed that desire I saw the possibilities.

Not exactly my cup of tea (so to speak ),but if the lady is happy with it >Isn't that all that really matters ?

Also on the plus side it seems you have learned about just how tight a radius those steamers can handle.

Yes.  She is a very sweet woman who would at least be accommodating whatever I was doing but it's always just a notch above tolerating when there's at least some enjoyment in it for her.  I really was surprised when she suggested it.

And as far as radius testing, the Christmas layout is actually bigger than this, setting on the frame and extending to the inside of the legs so affords the space for 12" (or so) radius.  The steam stuff all ran OK on that.  With all of the talk about what radius various locos can handle but seldom having an example to conveniently test one, I quickly saw that 9 1/2" radius as an opportunity.  I was sure that we had some diesels that would handle it but honestly was very skeptical that any steam we had would work at all.  The Light Mountain is probably at its very limit evidenced in the bends with some very slight side to side wobble evident on a close look.  Being rigid I suspect it's running up against the wheels' inside flange radius but it isn't real bad and has given zero trouble running hour after hour.  The two articulateds actually seem they could handle more.   Or is that "less"?

[mmagliaro]

I think it looks cool.  Who cares what's in the consist?    In this application, the idea is for the train to be pleasant decor, and it certainly is.   I'm just glad it's a steam locomotive   

Hat's off to this idea.  People will come over, see the train and say things like "Wow, it's so TINY.  I didn't know they made trains that small!  It runs well for such a small train!", and things like that. 

That's all good for model railroading and for N Scale.

[daniel_leavitt2000]

Hahaha

Joy walked in when I was looking at these photos.

"NOPE"

[peteski]

sweet woman who would at least be accommodating whatever I was doing but it's always just a notch above tolerating when there's at least some enjoyment in it for her.  I really was surprised when she suggested it.

Sounds like she is a keeper! 

[OldEastRR]

Looks like the table train is mostly Bachmann equipment. Not that there's anything wrong with that ...