Garratt plans

The Garratt locomotive is an interesting one, which combines two locomotive chassis, and puts one large boiler on top of the now combined sets of wheels.  This type was highly successful, and I will follow soon with an in depth post.  For now though, I have provided a set of photos of my own design for a future project.  These, if printed so that they take up the whole page, should be the same scale as 1:20.  However, if slightly smaller, should come out to about 1:24.  Two images have a scale on them, so they can be sized correctly.  I recommend printing these images after combining them to a pdf as these images are slightly out of line with each other.

These images are for everyone's personal use.  However, no one may sell copies, nor display them publicly without prior consent from the owner on this blog.  Thank you, and enjoy

New Improvements

Although I liked the old color scheme, I think this new look give the blog a better, cleaner, less cluttered feeling.  The blog itself is still about the same, with everything where is was before.  But this time the color scheme gives the blog a little more professional style.  Also, check out the new "Sites I follow" page.  This page is dedicated to other modelers and historians who contribute information to the hobby of model railroading.  This page is also a list of websites that I think are the cream of the crop.  So feel free to explore the new page full of helpful links.

Note** With the new look, the web links are in a gray that can't be seen well.  I am currently working on the problem**

Micro layouts

Okay, I haven't explained The Micro Layout extensively for a while so I am re-posting an older article, rewritten.

What is a micro layout?
Micro layouts are a special classification of layouts that are of extremely small size.  Depending on the gauge of the track used, a micro layout can be really small.  For instance, a small standard gauge G scale layout can still be almost 32 square feet, but a narrow Gauge G scale such as Gn15 (G scale on HO scale track) a layout can be built in only 2 square feet.

History of micro layouts.
The idea of a small layout for a small space has been around since the dawn of the hobby.  In the early days when manufacturer like Marx, American Flyer, and Lionel produced larger scaled trains, a small layout was really pretty big by today's standards.  From the very beginning though, people have been looking for ways to make the most out of least space.  After WWII, when HO scale had it's first runs, it became common to see layouts that went under a bed, or folded up into a counter or desk.  Despite this, the most common way to start in the hobby was the 4X8 table.  Those less than 4X8 were considered small layouts, those larger were considered medium layouts.  Medium layouts were between the sheet of plywood and bedroom sized.

In the 60's, 70's, and 80's, the Micro layout took it's major leaps towards the micro we know today.  The Gumstump and Snowshoe, the Timesaver, and Inglenook Sidings were three of the first to come onto the scene.  All three were less than 8 square feet in the HO scale.  It was during this time that HO scale also became the standard scale of the hobby, followed by O scale, standard gauge, and G scale.  By the mid 90's, N scale had also come onto the scene, allowing layouts to be built even smaller.  N scale during this time became the number two, behind HO scale in popularity.

In 2001-02, the Micro layout took it's latest shape.  A man named Carl Arendt promoted a new scale, Gn15 (G scale trains running on HO scale track) which was able to handle extremely sharp curves. The Squarefoot Estate Railway (SFER) was one of the first to railroads to be built under a square foot.  It was an instant hit.  Although Carl Arendt has now passed away, his website, carendt.com is still around.  It has arguably the largest collection of layouts under 32 square feet in size on the Internet.  Here is the link:
carendt.com

The modern definition of a micro layout today, or "Arendtian micro layouts" is any layout that is under four square feet in size.  Today, competitions, imagination, and the genius of previous designs fuel the latest trends in the minimal modeling hobby.

Types of micro layouts.

Micro layouts can be divided into three main categories: the pizza, the continuous, and the switching layout.

The pizza layout is a round or almost round layout that has few switches on it.  It is used for displays and centerpieces. The continuous layout has more switches, and is most often designed for actually switching.  The switching layout is a layout that does not go in a circuit, but rather has a maximum of switches for the space, and usually dense track.  This type also follows the "phantom layout" design, where the train enters, then leaves the stage.

Of course, there is a large overlap in these categories, occasionally a circuit railroad designed specifically as a switching layout comes by, a pizza isn't always round, and the switching layout isn't always a matrix of track, challenging the operator to the fullest extent.

What scales are used in micro railroads?

Anyone who spends more than 5 minutes on a Google search about micro layouts sees that there is almost every scale imaginable that has been made to fit a micro layout design.  Most commonly though, HO, N, OO, On30, and Gn15 designs are seen.

One thing that has helped micro layouts is the wildfire of new narrow gauge equipment.  Narrow gauge has traditionally been used for tight spaces and for small scale operations.  Micro layouts are a natural fit to those kinds of prototypes.  There for HOn3, On30, OO7, OO9, O18, On30, On3, and Gn15 have grown very popular in today's world of Micro Layouts.  Of all the layouts on carendt.com/ over half of them feature narrow gauge trains.

However, standard gauge still has it's place. In the micro layout world.  Although narrow gauge is cool and popular, in today's prototype world, narrow gauge is seldom used, at least in the U.S. Standard gauge provides many prototype oppritunities for modelers.  Hence, there is a relentless effort to make prototype standard gauge fit where ever it can.

Where can I find out more?

There are many places to find out more about micro layouts, and so I present a list of good links to follow:

carendt.com Carl Arendt's world renown website is full of thousands of examples of layouts less than 24 square feet.

 
gn15.info  this sight provides plenty of examples of the unique Gn15 scale.  There is also a forum which is helpful to finding out even more information about Gn15 railroads.

wymann.info/ShuntingPuzzles  This sight focuses of switching puzzles.  Great for those interested in a challenge.

freerails.com This link takes the reader to a very helpful forum which centers around micro modeling.  However, a variety of scales and interests about model railroading can be found here.

New Videos

Okay, the First two of four long awaited videos have been completed.  They got stuck on the back burner, and so were not created until recently.  Below are the videos:

If the sound is annoying, go ahead and mute it.  A better version of both will come out in the near future.

The first video featured in this post is the Famous Royal Gorge Route through the Royal Gorge Canyon.  Located west of Cañon City, Colorado, the train heads through to the top of the canyon.  Features in the video include footage of the High Bridge over the top of the canyon at 1,200 feet high, 1950's motive power and coaches, and of course excellent scenery.  Unfortunately from the train there is no way to see the famous bridge that was designed specifically to fit a narrow point in the canyon.  Later on a post will be made about it.

Next we have the Pikes Peak Cog Railroad.  This railroad is around a century old, it is also one of the few railroads in Colorado to be built as a tourist line, and stay that way through it's history.  The climb starts at Manitou Springs, Colorado.  From there, the train climbs up very steep grades for a 12 mile run to the top.  Old Hotels and a small ghost town are along the way.  The first half of the journey is through a steep canyon with creeks and towering mountains.  The second half of the trip goes through some of the most spectacular scenery in Colorado.  From the top, visitors can look down a nearly 8,000 foot drop to Colorado Springs, although the mountain peak is 14,110 feet above sea level.  On clear days, people can see parts of Colroado, Kansas, Nebraska and Wyoming:  there is also a panoramic view of the great continental divide, separating the state into two pieces.

A little more closer to home is my own video of the Lonewell Logging Company, a Garden railroad in my yard.  More information can be found about this short line at smokeytimberlogging.blogspot.com

Well, there is the first two videos of My trip to Colorado.  On top of the videos, there was a lot of picture taking, this necessitates a new page about Colroado's Tourist Railroads.  The four that will be featured when done will be the Cog Railroad, Royal Gorge, the South Park, and the Georgetown loop.  I will also have a post dedicated to each's history in the future.

Until then, feel free to look around the site, and check in often as this blog is still growing.

Helpful Things, Strange Things

In the hobby of model railroading, there are many things that are helpful, that people don't usually associate with model trains.  Below I've included a list of items I have used, or saw being used by someone else.  Why would I post this?  Simply for kicks I guess, but someone reading this might pick up a good idea or two.

1. Drafting equipment:  Drafting equipment such as squares, T squares, pencils, and a ruler are very helpful for creating a design for track arrangements, wiring, lighting, bench work, and structure design.
2. National Geographic magazines:  Besides providing the occasional inspiration from photographs, these thick magazines make great tools for constructing a model railroad.  They can be used for holding down something to a surface, or for keeping something smooth.  When tore up and crumpled, the pages provide a good scenery support.
3. Glass:  Glass is a somewhat difficult material to work with as it is fragile.  But for large, home railroads, nothing works better to make quick ware than a textured piece of glass.  I've seen this done in O and G scale before with good results.  The glass can't be flat, but must be textured in a wave pattern.  An added bonus is that the glass can be cleaned to be clear of dust.
4. Rubber bands:  As long as we're talking about items in larger scales, rubber bands work well for holding things together that are sturdy enough to take the pressure exerted on it by the rubber band.  In G scale, I use a rubber band to hold a  coupler together.
5. Spray cans:  Pray paint is great tool when used correctly.  I have achieved good looking models with nothing more than 5 dollars of spray paint.  Spray paint can also be used for creating backdrops.  Things like wispy clouds and a hazy horizon look best when done with a spray can (at least in my opinion).
6. Iron rail:  I'm not talking about the model sized rail, but rather a short section of 85 pound per yard iron rail.  This actual piece of rail can be used to shape plastic and metals for modeling.  Not to mention it makes a good paper weight!
7. The computer:  okay, the computers' usefulness to a modeler depends on many things.  But the right person with the right computer can do amazing things in the modeling world.  Basic things like modeled signs and track planning can be done on a computer, as can decals, photographic backdrops, mapping, research, and many other things be done with a computer.
8. A head lamp:  This no-hands flashlight is great in modeling when needing both hands, and an extra light.
9. Automotive Transmission Fluid (ATF):  ATF gives metals a little extra edge in electrical contact.  Smaller scales benefit from the oil on the tracks as the electrical contact is improved immensely.  That N scale locomotive will never stall again.
10. Signs:  Okay, we all love to have a sign or two about anything we like, whether it be motorcycles, cars, gasoline, a favorite seed producer, or our political candidates. Modelers also have many railroad related signs to choose from to brighten up the train room. 

I hope this post was on the interesting side, and maybe something here was helpful to you.  THank you for reading.