N Scale Hi Rail - Retro Hollow Core Door Layout

[CRL]

And why call it "Hi-rail" when using the most widely accepted standard N scale code 80 track?!

Just bustin' your chops Lee.  You have your "logical" reason.

Was there ever any n-scale track that was taller than Code 80?

[nkalanaga]

One piece, about 9 inches long, that I laid, years ago, with code 100.  The rail came from a piece of HO sectional track, and I spiked the rails to a piece of 2x4, as a cheap "surface plate".  It was flatter than the usual sectional track nailed to a board, so served the purpose.  I only used it for one job!

[peteski]

Was there ever any n-scale track that was taller than Code 80?

I would have to dig up the old Arnold blackened steel rail, and also the original PIKO sheet metal upside-down "U" shaped  track to see if they are taller than c80.

[wm3798]

You do that, @peteski !!  I'll be over here throttling up my 0-8-0 and that great MRC FA you fixed up for me!




Lee

[peteski]

You do that, @peteski !!  I'll be over here throttling up my 0-8-0 and that great MRC FA you fixed up for me!



Lee

Nice!  Good to see you getting some good use out of the super-flux turbo FA!  I also spotted a sure sign or retroism (is that a real word?):  Unpainted black plastic  roofwalk and brakewheel on that Pennsy boxcar.  I never understood why they didn't just install those before painting - it would have made huge difference in realism. 

[wm3798]

Progress!

[wm3798]

The fun part of running this retro stuff is keeping it alive, and reviving engines that have been given up for dead...

Spent the evening in surgery...  Freshly arrived in the mailbox today, two C-liners, one with an E8 front truck, complete with pilot, glommed on the back, and one said to be dead on arrival.  I already had one in stock that was also suspect.  After about a half hour of swapping parts and fixing motors, I ended up with one that runs very solidly, and enough parts to fix another one, although I'll need to glean some fresher brushes from another junk box.




Brushes from the burned out C liner went into the motor of my beloved Mike, which has been laid up for a couple of weeks.  It was good to have her back on the road again.



The final project was supposed to be a quick gear swap in an Atlas/Roco GP30.  @randgust graciously dipped into his vintage parts department and supplied me with a new red gear.  Well, as usual, one thing led to another, and about an hour and a half later, I had swapped out the entire truck from a carcass that I had held onto since the 1980s (It had already been mostly parted out to keep two other Rocos in my fleet alive all those years ago) 



When I received this particular example, its original equipment handrails were damaged.  Fortunately, I had this old set remaining from the first Laurel Valley locomotive I painted in the now familiar green and yellow scheme.  (the rest of it has been lost to the ages).  I'm thinking I may have to reprise that scheme on this one...

All the best!
Lee

[wm3798]

Stepdaughter the science nerd set up the 3D printer last night.  The layout was the first beneficiary of newfangled technology.



The bed leveling test made a nice security gate in the sketchy side of town!
Lee

[davefoxx]

You're using 3D printed items on the retro layout now?  Maybe you should recaption this thread as "N Scale Hi Rail- Now with modern technology." 

DFF

[jpec]

Or the Retro Nuevo Line.

Jeff

You're using 3D printed items on the retro layout now?  Maybe you should recaption this thread as "N Scale Hi Rail- Now with modern technology." 

DFF

[nkalanaga]

That security gate is well within the "retro" philosophy.  Back them we used anything that looked usable, regardless of what it actually was, or was intended to be.  The use of "trash" from another job was common.

[wm3798]

More work on the Old Town Trestle...


It's starting to look like a thing!
I'm wondering if you can really consider yourself a model Railroader if you've never built a wood trestle...



Lee

[OldEastRR]

Glad to see the upsidaisium tracks are finally getting support. (retro cartoons for a retro railroad)

[Summit]

I started reading this thread from the first post yesterday morning. What a great layout you have built and it took me back to 1979 when I was in Junior High and discovered the hobby.  One of my friends had the Atlas big book of track plans which everyone always wanted to borrow.
I'm really glad to have found this thread as it was a pleasure to read through.

[wm3798]

Thanks so much.  It's been a lot of fun.  Happy to share It!
Lee