N Scale Hi Rail - Retro Hollow Core Door Layout

[OldEastRR]

So what's in store for the last bit of Upsidaisium-tie track? Massive stone arch trestle? Big fill with a huge culvert? Long steel arch?

[wm3798]

The last bit is the leads to the coal mine.  I have to work out how the stream is going to pass under that, I think it will be above a waterfall behind the wood trestle, so I will probably just do some sort of improvised bridge.  I might use old hopper car sides as bridge plates, complete with the original lettering on it.  It will never be more than a back drop to photos on the other bridges, but I want it to at least be a conversation piece.
I have one of Kisatchie's old weathered N&W hoppers that would be just right for the job.

Lee

[OldEastRR]

The tracks are separated so will it be only really wide bridge or two separate? You could make a steel plate center bridge on timber trestle end supports, as a variation. What would be really neat is a big forked timber trestle, two separate bridge decks on one wide trestle, even have support beams and wooden planking between the decks for workers to move around as they cut and uncouple cars and set brake lines. That decking idea would also help with the fact the diverging legs of the switch are hanging off the cliff edge, decking would make it look more secure.
And the main line only gets a wooden trestle but the mine spur steel bridges? Mining company got lots of bucks to throw around! 
However, not sure what constitutes "realistic" or "toylike" on this layout, so ...

[wm3798]

Cutting up a used hopper or gondola is hardly a big budget bridge!!  I like the idea of a timber deck, though, it would look more sturdy, as well as conceal the need for any kind of interior detail on the bridge structure...
Better scan ebay for a good deal on Round Tuits.  I'm going to need a few to get that project underway!
Lee

[wm3798]

Tiny Steam Night

[Ed Kapuscinski]

The fact that you got them all to run reliably enough to not drive you crazy is a real accomplishment.

[milw12]

Similar to Ed, I did find myself idly wondering how many uninterrupted laps you could get before one stalled. 

I've been enjoying the scenic progress lately!

Lucas

[CRL]

He didn’t post video... just a still photo... so...

[wm3798]

There ya go!  Plastic turnout frogs and all!

The 4-4-0 is a bit of a cheater... it's the newer Atlas model... great runner.  And the 0-4-0 on the lower loop is a Bachmann white box that I added some weight and tender pickups.  Really smoothed that one out.  The two running on the upper deck are original equipment, a Rivarossi 0-4-0 on the outer loop, and a Rivarossi 0-6-0 on the inner.  I did shim the back of the 0-6-0's motor to get the worm to mesh more reliably, but otherwise, it's an unmodified model.

Naturally, running them a little fast helps keep things going.

Lee

[wm3798]

If you visit my N Scale Hi Rail group over on the Facetoobs, you'll see I post a lot of video of my old dinosaurs rambling about.  There's a growing library of them on my YouTube channel as well.

Meanwhile, since it's the season for political conventions, I figured I better start working on my platform...


Depending on the direction you're coming from, it's either going hard to the right or wide to the left...

Lee

[CRL]

    Slot Car racing on rails.

I have one of those old Rivarossi 0-4-0’s and it’s a sweet little runner. But when I convert to DCC, I’ll probably let it go to a good 4th home. It looks really good running s-l-o-w too when the side rods aren’t a blur, even though it takes it a long time to get anywhere.

[DKS]

 

I'll bring the marinara sauce. Who will supply the meatballs?

[Doug G.]

The Atlas 0-6-0 is a RoCo.

Doug

[wm3798]

I stand corrected!

@DKS You're just jealous because I don't have any rotating barber poles, fire flies, or ceiling fans to distract me from JFRTM!

Lee

[peteski]

@DKS You're just jealous because I don't have any rotating barber poles, fire flies, or ceiling fans to distract me from JFRTM!

He says that with a smile on his face.