MOC: Trainlayout of Panda

[BillytheKid]

I wanted a bridge in my layout. That means I've to design almost a new layout. Well here it is:

Blue 12v tracks indicates that the train leaves the ground. Green baseplates represent buildings. On the top (3 green baseplates) will be 10190, 10182 & 10185.

I'm not very sure about the monorail, but i think the place where it's now would be a great place for it. The trainshed (10027) will be at the left of the layout, you can see at the blue 4,5v track. In the top left, there will be a station so harry potter can go to hogwarts by train.

If there any ideas, please tell me.

[BillytheKid]

No comments at all ........

[Freddie]

Well, it's certainly huge. Five loops, right?

Judging by the dominating amount of 12V track, I'd say you're into those trains. Actually, judging by the pictures of the earlier layout, I'd say you're into the nostalgic sets in general.

I'd advise you to at least try to get rid of the power lines, if possible. The new layout suggests that it's possible to keep it down to two "hubs" where most of the cables are concentrated, keep it free from clutter. And if you do use power lines, use panels to sort them, again avoid clutter. And if you can't, bundle them together more agressively.

[Lockt]

Just a reply for the sake of replying on your beautiful lay-out. I mean, it is very nice to see you city, and you certainly have one worth seeing :D

I always find it difficult to judge your new lay-out just on the planning picture, but I am certain it will be most impressive! Keep up the good job and thnx for sharing

[skinkfem]

just for the sake of replying

its rather hard to see that ldraw/mcad picture as a town due to the lack of buildings.

even with the knowledge that the majority of the buildings are on roadplates.

personaly i´m more intrested in a picture (or list) better showing your hp collection,

call it an ego thing.

[BillytheKid]

Freddie:

I know those powerlines are not very beautifil sight. It was a rough design which was more functional then goodlooking. When the new layout is finished and I've cleaned it up, then I concentrate to make goodlooking powerlines-poles. Any susgestions are always welcome. They have to be strong, those lines can pull those poles to the ground.

Lockt:

It's difficult to see what real results are, but you have to be a plan to make something like this. Here you can see the start of the new layout for real. Keep an eye here, I place pic's so now and then

Now I start cleaning up all the parts and separate/disconnecting the wires. I know it looks like a battlefield.

skinkfem:

If you're in the potter sets, keep an close eye on the pic's and try to guess which sets I have. I got some parts this week, when all mine hp-sets (I have) are finished I place a pic of it and you can starting to gues .

[BillytheKid]

Time for a little update.

Slowly it's getting there. My cat like to sleep here, well at least there will be no mice at my attic .

Here you can see my modified station 7822:

And the controlpanel for this layout. A huge job to connect everything.

[BillytheKid]

Are people who are watching this? Or does no-one cares about this layout?

If not, then I won't place any pic's anymore of the progress.

[Cwetqo]

Of course we would like to see some new pictures!

[legotrainfan]

I definitely love looking at pictures of your layout! Do you never get confused with the control panels? Isn't it hard to say which control panel is for this and that switch/level crossing?

[Captain Zuloo]

Isn't it hard to say which control panel is for this and that switch/level crossing?

That's exactly why I'm a 9v bloke.

[djo]

awesome layout.

really nice tracks you have there.

is it completed 100% yet?

two thumbs up. :thumbup:

[kees]

Give us more pictures please, this is quality stuff.

[BillytheKid]

At this moment it's a little mess at my attic, cause some problems with the roofwindow. This should be solved tomorrow. I will make some new pic's shortly on how the status it's now.

I give each switch his own color with 1x2 plates and matching color flags. You've to keep alert when controling all the trains, when there're running.

[djo]

hope your problems will be solved ASAP.

how about some video to show all your trains running when it is finished.

[Captain Zuloo]

Yes! Video is a fantastic idea! Any chance of that?

[BillytheKid]

The parts are arrived for my elec poles. I've build a few already and took some pic's how my layout now is.

And my train 7722 is finally in his full glory. The battery wagon was broken and had the blue wagon form set 7720.

It can take time before everything is wired and running. I have also other plans, like another kitchen and rims for my car . I will make in time a movie when a few trains are running.

[legotrainfan]

Since I'm a 9V addict, I've always wanted to ask you the following: How many of your trains are equipped with a 9V motor? Most of your stuff is 12V as everyone can see.

[BillytheKid]

I'm guessing right now, but I think around 10 9v motors. Why you wanna know?

[legotrainfan]

I'm guessing right now, but I think around 10 9v motors. Why you wanna know?

Just out of curiosity. I have fourteen 9V motors in use though I'm also guessing right now.

[Wout]

I like the pic with your sleeping cat. Can he/she carefully walk by your town or is it then a big disaster movie?

[BillytheKid]

When you don't scare the cat, almost everything will be in place as I put it. It's very nice to look at it.

[Brickthus]

Just out of curiosity. I have fourteen 9V motors in use though I'm also guessing right now.

I was more curious as to how many 12V motors there are in the layout. It's more 12V than I have seen in one place before. It takes me back to many hours of wishful thinking in front of the 12V train catalogue!

When I began exhibiting at model railway shows I had 10 12V motors of which 1 failed. I had 9 trains, so I could not make any more trains as the motors were obsolete . That's why I converted my conventional trains to 9V. However, I kept the 12V train stuff for making a London Underground layout in the future (I have a draft plan and have prototyped an LU train carriage). The conductor rails are more appropriate for an electric train with extra rails.

This is the track plan of the fourth, and last, 12V layout that I exhibited (in April 2001): 12V Layout

The straights at the top went through a small station ath the front from the public's point of view.

The yard has a run-round loop (2 points) with crossovers (6 points) to the 2 main lines. The other 2 points are for sidings and there is one level crossing next to the point at the top of the parallel diagonal sidings. I ran a gantry crane over those sidings. 10 points and 1 level crossing was as far as I got. I never managed to get any signals because it was not till 1996 that I had enough money to buy them and by then the reserve stocks had run out.

As for 9V, after converting in 2001 I quickly grew both the fleet of trains and the size of the layout. I learnt the lesson on obsolescence - always have at least as much train equipment as you will need for the life of the layout. I now have 59 9V train motors as well as 21 pairs of points, 4 train sets, 2 level crossings, 6 extra packs of curves and 89 extra packs of straights. Some of the 9V motors are kept spare to sustain the fleet in the obsolescence market. Most of the large engines have 2 motors. About 37 are in use, with a few used for testing concepts and plans for several more locos that will use at least ten of the remainder. Some of the trains need up to 4 motors - the Pendolino does already and the Hogwarts Express is heading that way. The layout is a 16ftx12ft double track looped eight with fiddle yard, which I hope will look as good as layouts of other scales. This is the first 1/6 of the layout.

Of course 12V motors are twice as powerful as 9V ones - 8W rather than 3W. In 1996 I used this arrangement to get the power from a 12V train motor onto a Technic axle and built a roving robot with one motor geared to each of 4 wheels. The robot would easily climb a pillow at over 45 degrees. I used a 9V pole reverser to switch the power from a 12V 6 Amp computer supply to the four motors and it melted the switch That tought me to use LEGO switches only for low power applications. I use proper toggle switches to switch the track power from a dual 30V 3A power supply to the main lines of my railway layouts. The same arrangement is good for 12V and 9V. I always turn the voltage to zero before switching too.

Nice to see 12V alive and well.

Mark

[BillytheKid]

Time for a little update and a few pictures. Here you can see the first elec poles are build. In future there will be a lot of elec wires for all the switches and etc. And monorail station 6399, you can see I made the poles a little higher. This way I have more space for the hanging wire above the monorail. And offcourse my building inspector checks if all the building is going as planned .

[djo]

yeah, nice electric poles, can make your town more realistic and neater. great job.