BNSF Oregon Trunk Subdivision in N Scale

[dkerber123]

I want to start a post here to document my “Oregon Trunk Sub” N Scale layout which is under construction. I like this community of N Scalers, welcome your feedback, and want you all to hold me accountable and help hone my modeling skills.

My goal for this layout is was to keep it fairly portable, ability to stage 4 or 5 long trains, maintain less than 2.2% grades and a minimum of 18” radius curves. I also wanted to test and hone my scenery skills with modeling this area of Eastern Oregon. The area modeled is the Tunnel 5 area (which is the southern most tunnel on the subdivision) to the city of Madras, Oregon. It is roughly 6’X10’ with the possibility of future expansion to the Madras industrial area as an L shaped shelf style. The industrial area will double as an expansion to this layout or a standalone layout for a spare bedroom or other space. The layout has 4 double ended through staging tracks which are roughly 20’ each with a 5th stub ended staging track for the local.

Picture of basic track configuration and benchwork…

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[dkerber123]

I’m using Peco Code 55 track, both in concrete tie and wood tie versions. The large radius turnouts required modification to make them DCC friendly and all frogs are powered through the Tortoise switch machines. For staging, I’m using Atlas Code 80 flex track and #6 turnouts. I prefer ME code 55 and Atlas turnouts, but trying to find the ME Code 55 concrete flex track has proven to be a challenge. I have about 21’ of ME code 55 concrete tie with weathered rail stashed away, but wanted to save it for the big layout someday (hopefully ME will produce it again!). The Madras section will be done with ME code 55 and Atlas turnouts. I’m actually pretty impressed with the Peco track, but I wish they would make it with North American tie spacing!
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[BruceStikkers]

Welcome to The Railwire and I look forward to seeing more about your planned layout. Your general plan sounds very interesting. I know I have learned many things that have helped me over the years to model better.

Bruce Stikkers
St. Joseph, IL

[dkerber123]

The benchwork was constructed with mostly 1x3 dimensional lumber for the frame and 3/4” plywood for the roadbed. Legs were made from 2x3s with adjustable feet I sourced from Amazon.
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[dkerber123]

Welcome to The Railwire and I look forward to seeing more about your planned layout. Your general plan sounds very interesting. I know I have learned many things that have helped me over the years to model better.

Bruce Stikkers
St. Joseph, IL

Thanks Bruce! I’ve been a member here for a little over 6 years but I guess with my introverted nature I just haven’t had much to say yet. Hahaha! 

[dkerber123]

All the turnouts are or will be powered by Tortoise switch machines. For the mainline, I wired up isolated blocks into the diverging tracks and routed power from the tortoises to the isolated rails. This is to prevent a locomotive from rolling through a closed switch. With the Peco turnouts having powered frogs, I learned this was probably unnecessary due to the locomotives shorting out over the powered frogs anyway. For the staging tracks where I used the Atlas code 80 turnouts, this works really well. I wired the staging yard ladders in series to route the power only to open turnouts and everything has to be lined up correctly before an individual track gets power. I hope I’m making sense here…

[dkerber123]

Speaking of electrical, the layout is powered by an old Digitrax DCS 100 command station with a radio and duplex throttle. I didn’t wire separate blocks, I figured it was small enough to have everything on one block for now. The Madras extension will likely be on another block, though. I do want to explore occupancy block detection with indicator lights for the staging tracks, and I’m hoping the community here can help with that. 

[dkerber123]

For the roadbed, I used one of Grant Eastman’s methods and ordered a large roll of 1/8” cork then cut 3/4” strips from that. I glued the roadbed down with Titebond wood glue. About half of the track was also glued down with the wood glue, but I found a couple small sections that had buckled from expansion/contraction after about a month of sitting in the hot garage. I switched to another technique, I think I picked up from Boomer, using CA glue in smaller sections on the track. I have ballasted a small section in the tunnel district and used ARM UP gray glued in place with thinned matte medium. After cutting expansion gaps in the buckled areas, all the track has been holding pretty well throughout the summer!
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[dkerber123]

I built a backdrop and valance frame using mostly 2x2 maple supports which extend above the bench work about 25”. I used 1x2s to make a frame which the valance attached to and the lighting is hung on. I will eventually enclose the top with something lighter weight to reflect the light and as dust mitigation. From the bottom of the facia to the top of the valance measures about 29”, which would allow it to be moved through a 32” door frame if tilted on the side.

[dkerber123]

My scenery base is constructed using a variety of methods; including carving polystyrene foam, plaster cloth over a cardboard lattice covered with masking tape, and paper mache. The technique used for each area is really decided on what type of terrain I’m trying to accomplish or what the situation calls for.
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[dkerber123]

The basalt rock work is carved out of polystyrene foam and I’m using Liquitex coarse modeling paste to fill in voids and add a bit of texture. The basic colors for the basalt rock are burnt umber, with chestnut and kahki acrylics dry brushed over.
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[dkerber123]

Eastern Oregon is full of grass, and I want to model late summer/early fall, so I’m using a blend of WS wild honey and harvest gold with a bit of Silfor golden grass to get the right look. The low lying areas where water collects will get a blend with green added to it.
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[dkerber123]

I hadn’t painted a backdrop in 7 or 8 years and wasn’t quite ready to tackle that just yet, but there’s a section that I’m trying to tie up soon and it needed a backdrop painted before moving forward with the scenery. Sooooo, here’s My attempt at that!
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[chuck geiger]

TITE

[Sokramiketes]

Nice.  Looking forward to progress, and your color pallete for what I remember of the area is spot on.