Friday 25 December 2015

Micro Maine sees the track plan is complete

With Christmas day bringing the remaining track needed for Micro Maine to see its track plan completed, I've been able to complete the Loco Depot track. Due to a minor muck up, I've got extra money to play with so I might be adding a extra siding to the Goods yard which may be converted into a small Carriage shed if I go ahead with the extra siding.

The proposed track plan showing the extra siding

The whole trackplan at the moment

The Engine Depot with both the tender engines on shed

The Station area showing the new shed spur

The two tender engines up close

With the Forney due early next week, that should bring the roster up to 3 engines. I'm not sure what the next engine will be as it depends on funds although hopefully a second Forney (this time outside framed) may follow in a month or two.

Cheers,

Jon

Thursday 24 December 2015

Going up a scale - A exercise in On30

After a long time contemplating and a chance purchase of 2 engines and 3 coaches, I've started a small project in On30. As I'm quite interested in the rolling stock and practices of the Maine Two footers in the USA, that's what I'm basing my layout around although some other stock will run mainly because I like it. Its designed to have plenty of shunting room with track power being provided by DCC. All rolling stock will be using knuckle couplings with Magnetic uncoupling.

Stock is mainly Bachmann Spectrum although there will be a small number of Mount Blue Model Company coaches. So far, the stock consists of:-

Motive Power

A Bachmann inside framed Forney (On its way from the USA)
A Bachmann 2-8-0 Tender Engine
A Bachmann 4-6-0 Tender Engine
A 3D printed Monson No.3 Forney type (Being designed for 3D printing)

Planned additions to the Motive Power lineup

A Bachmann Outside Framed Forney
A 2nd Bachmann Inside Framed Forney (for conversion into WF&FR No.9)

Rolling Stock

5 Bachmann Passenger Coaches (3 in Grey and 2 for conversion into Excursion stock using Mount Blue Model Company Kits)
1 Bachmann Sandy River and Rangley Lakes Caboose (On its way from the USA)
1 Mount Blue Model Company Sandy River and Rangley Lakes Caboose
2 Bachmann 18ft Freight Cars  (On their way from the USA)

Planned additions to the Rolling Stock lineup

2-4 Bachmann 18ft Freight Cars (either Box vans, Gondolas or flat cars)
1-2 Bachmann SR&RL Flat/Pulpwood Cars

The layout could be described as a enlarged Inglehook layout with extra sidings added for a small motive power depot which should have room for the 2 large tender engines or 3 smaller Forney type engines.

Track Plan with planned scenic layout

Layout so far (I ran out of track to continue with the track plan annoyingly)

Fan of sidings - Engine Headshunt on the far left, Good siding, Platforms 1 and 2 of the station on the right

Current motive Power - The 2-8-0 on the left and the 4-6-0 on the right (Forney's still mid atlantic at this point in time)

It should be a good little project in all. Just need to get hold of some other bits and pieces (the rest of the track being the key bit at the moment) before I can look into any form of scenery.

Cheers,

Jon