Here's a video of my Z-scale (1/220) layout which I'm currently making, prior to any scenery being added other than the basic detail of the trestle bridge. This was a few weeks ago when I was testing it to make sure all the points and curves would not derail anything. I've designed it to fit in a 4'x2'  box which will have a lid so it can be stored away easily. The twin outer loops will be concealed by cliffs, trees and a building, which should hopefully create the impression that trains are disappearing rather than going around a loop. In the far left corner their is an access point with a trap door that will allow it to connect to addition track/layouts via a tunnel.

Below it appears with the scenery beginning to be added. There is still a ton of work to do, such as adding all the lighting and making several buildings and such, but it's progressing quite well. You can see some of the buildings I've made on the video, but there are a lot more I need to construct.

Edited March 13, 20224 yr by Chock

@Chock Nice! Brings back great memories of my train days! Super loop layout especially with the option for expansion!

Looks good Chock and brings back some meories.

Noel

15 hours ago, Chock said:

Here's a video of my Z-scale (1/220) layout which I'm currently making, prior to any scenery being added other than the basic detail of the trestle bridge. This was a few weeks ago when I was testing it to make sure all the points and curves would not derail anything. I've designed it to fit in a 4'x2'  box which will have a lid so it can be stored away easily. The twin outer loops will be concealed by cliffs, trees and a building, which should hopefully create the impression that trains are disappearing rather than going around a loop. In the far left corner their is an access point with a trap door that will allow it to connect to addition track/layouts via a tunnel.

Below it appears with the scenery beginning to be added. There is still a ton of work to do, such as adding all the lighting and making several buildings and such, but it's progressing quite well. You can see some of the buildings I've made on the video, but there are a lot more I need to construct.

Sweet! That is gonna be a nice little layout. We have a great European model train shop in Elburn, IL only 20 minutes from my home. What brand of Z scale do you run?

Cheers, Pete

Marvelous layout Pete.  I once contemplated Z gauge but even N was getting difficult for me.

When I was a young boy I always wanted an S gauge American Flyer set.

Except for a tomboy I know who posts here from time to time it seems girls are drawn to dollies and toy houses and toy baby buggies.  Boys are drawn to cars and airplanes and trains and baseballs and yoyos.  Is it cultural or natural? 

Noel    

35 minutes ago, PilotPete99 said:

What brand of Z scale do you run?

Cheers, Pete

All of the straight and curved track is Peco Streamline flex-track, three of the turnouts are powered Marklin ones, but the majority of them are Atlas manual turnouts which will be operated with push rods and may possibly get powered if I can be bothered. The rolling stock is from a few different manufacturers, but mostly AZL and Micro Trains. Most of the motive power is GP-type locos rather than SDs because of the tight curves in some places, and most of the rolling stock is freight-related rather than passenger, although there are some passenger rail diesel cars.

The gist of the scenario for layout is that it is a small valley in the North East of the US, with steel and coal industrial traffic serving some small industries there, such as a small foundry and a manufacturing warehouse, as well as there being a small fuel storage depot. There is also a remote coal tipple which runs off conveyer from a mine that would be in the hills at the edge of the layout; this will depicted as still getting some minor use because of the local businesses. A local rail diesel car will also run to a small station where there is a bit of a town with a few small stores. This is because I wanted to model a section of street-running track going along a high street. It is set somewhere around the mid-1980s when there was a lot of swapping over and buyouts of various railroad companies, such as Conrail and oddities such as Pan Am Railways, i.e. a period where there were a lot of companies running rolling stock in either the former owner's liveries prior to repainting them, or with hybrid liveries for a short time, for example ex-Conrail stuff with Norfolk Southern. It's also when there were some smaller boxcars with roof walkways still operational on main lines.

All this is purely so I can run several of my favourite railroad liveries and some more interesting older locomotives such as Norfolk Southern high hoods and U23s etc, and run relatively short trains, but still be reasonably prototypical.

Edited March 14, 20224 yr by Chock

On 3/12/2022 at 4:00 PM, Fielder said:

Problems with N gauge (or Z which half scale of N): turnout switches must be exact or trains will derail over the switch points.

I found that Kato switches work pretty well.  Atlas switches do need rework to make them function properly.  My last 'N' layout was exclusively Kato track with 19" radius curves.  on the main line. No problems with switches.  And they have curve sections from 9" radius to 28" radius.

Noel

Edited March 14, 20224 yr by birdguy

41 minutes ago, birdguy said:

I found that Kato switches work pretty well.  Atlas switches do need rework to make them function properly.  My last 'N' layout was exclusively Kato track with 19" radius curves.  on the main line. No problems with switches.  And they have curve sections from 9" radius to 28" radius.

Noel

I run all Kato Unitrack and I love it.

Cheers, Pete

1 hour ago, Chock said:

The gist of the scenario for layout is that it is a small valley in the North East of the US, with steel and coal industrial traffic serving some small industries there, such as a small foundry and a manufacturing warehouse, as well as there being a small fuel storage depot. There is also a remote coal tipple

You really have a great imagination!  and the ability to put it into reality.  All of my layouts were just whatever was aesthetically pleasing but you've actually developed a back story.  Well done, Chock.

Looks good Alan, the advantage of that scale is its apartment size, and can be moved easily. I could easily get sucked into that hobby

Just prior to packing... and a it earlier

 

 

Edited March 15, 20224 yr by Penzoil3

Nice layout, Sue!  Good luck on the move! 😀🚄

'The devil is in the details' was my motto in modeling. These photo's must be around 30 to 40 years old. Relics of my once beloved modeltrain hobby. Times when a telephone hung on the wall or stood at your desk. And you certainly couldn't shoot any photo's with it !  🙂. 

  

 

Cheers,
Jan

Edited March 16, 20224 yr by Javiz

Looks great,  what kind of graphics cards do you use to get such good screenshots of your train program/

 

Something about "Model Railroading" you don't understand Harrry?