The Carolina Sandhills Lines in HO Scale

[davefoxx]

Looking good! Soon you will want to swap out the wheel sets and move on to P87 

If it didn't require rebuilding track to P87 standards, I'd seriously consider it.  Those P87 wheelsets are hawt!

But (despite my previous post), I just want to go with commercial track at this point and think (and hope!) that it will look fine for my purposes once painted and ballasted.

DFF

[Missaberoad]

I imagine you already have all the track required for the layout, but if you haven't perhaps Micro Engineering's flex would be worth exploring the detail should be much finer.

[davefoxx]

I imagine you already have all the track required for the layout, but if you haven't perhaps Micro Engineering's flex would be worth exploring the detail should be much finer.

Yeah, I do already have all of the track purchased.  Truthfully, though, I like working with Atlas' flextrack so much better than ME.  Atlas flextrack will form to a curve smoothly as I tack it into place while waiting for the glue to dry.  I struggle with ME flex and trying to avoid kinks and uneven ties.  I know other folks are very successful with ME, but Atlas works better for me.  I can install several pieces of Atlas flex in the time it takes me to get one piece of ME flex to my satisfaction.  So, I'll live with the warts and hope that a little paint and ballast will fix it.  I like to think that I did a nice job with my N scale Code 55 track, so I should be able to make this Code 83 look okay.  We'll see.

DFF

[ednadolski]

If it didn't require rebuilding track to P87 standards, I'd seriously consider it.

FWIW, The Micro Engineering track works great for P:87.  The flextrack is fine as-is, and the ME turnouts are not hard to convert using the parts from Proto:87 Stores.  The Stores even has RTR (pre-built and tested) turnouts available in several sizes.  I've converted a couple of 6-axle diesels and they run fine thru the converted ME turnout.

You can even put fishplates on both sides of the rail every 39 scale feet

Ed

[davefoxx]

FWIW, The Micro Engineering track works great for P:87.  The flextrack is fine as-is, and the ME turnouts are not hard to convert using the parts from Proto:87 Stores.  The Stores even has RTR (pre-built and tested) turnouts available in several sizes.  I've converted a couple of 6-axle diesels and they run fine thru the converted ME turnout.

You can even put fishplates on both sides of the rail every 39 scale feet

Ed

I agree that it looks nice, but, again, ME flextrack doesn't play well with me and I'm trying to get a layout up and running.  I don't want to deal with handlaying track or even rebuilding commercial track products, because this layout's construction is going slow enough as it is.  To me, the pros of P87 are outweighed by the sheer amount of work that would be necessary to get a layout operable.  I think I can live with HO scale Atlas Code 83, just like N scale Atlas Code 55 was generally sufficient for my needs on my previous layouts.

Oh, and, as stated earlier in this thread, I've already purchased all of the track (and installed a significant portion), so I'm not sending it back now.

Thanks,
DFF

[Dave V]

Let's trust that Dave knows what he's doing as respect his track choices, okay?  Sheesh...   

[Scottl]

@davefoxx  is it Atlas code 83 or 100?  Like you, I prefer the smooth forming properties of Atlas over ME, but it sure does look "chunky" in that shot.

Kind of inspiring.  Makes be visit this page more often than not https://www.scaletrains.com/collections/rivet-counter-ho-scale-ge-tier-4-gevo/products/rivet-counter-ho-scale-ge-tier-4-gevo-canadian-national 

I need to join HO-anonymous.  "Today is another day that I did not order that GEVO T4..." 

[davefoxx]

@davefoxx  is it Atlas code 83 or 100?  Like you, I prefer the smooth forming properties of Atlas over ME, but it sure does look "chunky" in that shot.

Kind of inspiring.  Makes be visit this page more often than not https://www.scaletrains.com/collections/rivet-counter-ho-scale-ge-tier-4-gevo/products/rivet-counter-ho-scale-ge-tier-4-gevo-canadian-national 

I need to join HO-anonymous.  "Today is another day that I did not order that GEVO T4..." 

@Scottl,

It's Code 83.  I wouldn't even think of using Code 100.  It definitely looks chunky, but:
(1) it's unpainted and the shiny rail contrasting with the plastic ties and spikes doesn't help (it will get paint and ballast); and
(2) that's a seriously up close and personal picture, but from normal viewing, it's not so bad.

Whoa!  That HO scale ScaleTrains "rivers counter" GEVO is insane.  The only dead giveaway is the coupler!  Slap some Sergent Engineering couplers on that and . . . wow!

DFF

[ednadolski]

To me, the pros of P87 are outweighed by the sheer amount of work that would be necessary to get a layout operable.

Totally understand.   I'm not looking to proselytize P:87, just pointing out (since it was mentioned) that having dabbled in it I've found it's more achievable and not quite the bear that conventional wisdom seems to say.  A lot has improved over the last decade or so, but of course it will always be a niche (and there is a lot more to it than just the track).  Anyways, apologies if I have drifted too far OT.

Ed

Edit:

The only dead giveaway is the coupler!

And the code 110 wheels...   

[ski]

@davefoxx  is it Atlas code 83 or 100?  Like you, I prefer the smooth forming properties of Atlas over ME, but it sure does look "chunky" in that shot.

Kind of inspiring.  Makes be visit this page more often than not https://www.scaletrains.com/collections/rivet-counter-ho-scale-ge-tier-4-gevo/products/rivet-counter-ho-scale-ge-tier-4-gevo-canadian-national 

I need to join HO-anonymous.  "Today is another day that I did not order that GEVO T4..." 

I keep talking myself out of preordering 2 of these HO Scaletrains T4 GEVOs...I visit the page once a day and start to fill out the order, then close the window....LOL. I have to say out loud "N scale, N scale, N scale, N scale..." These things look really good.

[tappertrainman]

@davefoxx  is it Atlas code 83 or 100?  Like you, I prefer the smooth forming properties of Atlas over ME, but it sure does look "chunky" in that shot.

Kind of inspiring.  Makes be visit this page more often than not https://www.scaletrains.com/collections/rivet-counter-ho-scale-ge-tier-4-gevo/products/rivet-counter-ho-scale-ge-tier-4-gevo-canadian-national 

I need to join HO-anonymous.  "Today is another day that I did not order that GEVO T4..." 

What's the big deal?  They just took a few prototype pictures and slapped them on the web.... ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

 

[Scottl]

Must resist. As Dave points out, the couplers are terribly oversized 

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Just be patient with those. I'd bet $10 that they're what Scale Trains is going to announce in N this weekend.

[narrowminded]

  I like to think that I did a nice job with my N scale Code 55 track, so I should be able to make this Code 83 look okay.  We'll see.

DFF

I just ran in and checked.  Yep, still looking pretty good! 

[davefoxx]

I got some of the control rods kits this week to run each turnout in the yard from either side of the peninsula.  Here's the guts of the Bullfrog turnout control with a Tadpole on each side to hold the control rods from both directions:



Here's the knob that controls it on this side of the layout . . . (don't worry, the layout will eventually get a Masonite fascia):



And, meanwhile, the control knob on the other side:



Now, regardless of what side of the peninsula you're standing on, you can operate this turnout.  Two more turnouts will get this treatment.

DFF