Got to start somewhere

[mjrennie]

Morning,

I've been out of the hobby for 3 years having totally dismantled and sold an enormous 00 layout. I lost my mojo and couldn't get the layout to look the way I imagined it. I had and still have about 25ft of length to play with. I just hate tight layout curves, but it is the obvious limitation of modelling, I know.

I am thinking hard about doing a 25ft x 2ft shelf layout with a helix at either end. This will give me the straight and sweep effect I want and then some. N Gauge has this enormous advantage, obviously. It'll be DCC and I am very confident in most aspects of modelling. may I ask a few questions, please?

1. Control. Are 00 and N controllers the same? I used the Prodigy before it was sold. Liked it.

2. Point control. I used Cobalts and rated them highly. Are these compatible with N Gauge?

I made a few You Tube videos before I sold up.

https://youtu.be/QOcG-Q8Iheo

[Bigmet]

DCC controllers are just the same. Before you purchase, make sure that the system offers adjustable track voltage. It is advantageous to be able to adjust below the normal rail voltage for OO. Something like 9 to 10V at the motor terminals is good for motor longevity in N.

I would check directly with DCC Supplies about the Cobalts. I believe the answer is yes, but Richard Johnson will be able to tell you for sure.

All the best with it.

[mjrennie]

Thanks.

I'm messing around with Any Rail to get the concept. It is thus far 25ft x 2ft in a converted loft with a 1 loop helix at either end of 3rd and 4th radius. I'm going with Code 55. My plans are garbage so far, however, utter garbage. Spoilt for space, a dream as a kid, I just cannot plan a decent railway...exactly the reason I canned it 3 years ago!

[Ironduke]

I've used Cobalt motors with Peco N scale points. No problems.

[Bigmet]

... My plans are garbage so far, however, utter garbage. Spoilt for space, a dream as a kid, I just cannot plan a decent railway...exactly the reason I canned it 3 years ago!

Are there some stretches of the real railway that you enjoy? Nothing like attempting a representative model of something real, you don't have to invent the basic scene; just adjust to fit in what you want, in the usable length that should amount to about a two-thirds of a mile run in N gauge. A very slight curve to the line throughout - think of a radius of about two scale miles - is very effective in making the scene more engaging.

[Mountain]

Maybe a plan of something different will help. A freelance model with your own company with a railway winding its way through scenery?

[glencairn]

Hi mjrennie. Why not make a list of what you must have on the layout. A Terminus station? A junction station? Goods Yard? Countryside? Certain things that remind you of time gone?

Which area of the country are you wanting the layout to represent?
What buildings etc. must be included?

Once the list is made where on the layout do you want things?

Surprisingly the layout builds itself in your mind.

Then build it.

Glencairn

[fourtytwo]

Morning,
I am thinking hard about doing a 25ft x 2ft shelf layout with a helix at either end. This will give me the straight and sweep effect I want and then some. N Gauge has this enormous advantage
https://youtu.be/QOcG-Q8Iheo

I hate to pour any cold water but I pretty much did this same thing 35 years ago, sold up my huge 00 & switched to N attracted by the landscape possibilities, to cut a long story short I have STRUGGLED with N for 35 years and am now throwing the towel in! maybe back to OO, or larger but I am sick and tired of cleaning track every running session IMOP it doesn't matter what you control it with the simple physics get you in the end and of course having taken full advantage of the landscape possibilities there is even more track to clean!!

Having read you have already sold your OO my warning is probably to late and after all everybody is entitled to there own experience but just beware it really does need a hell of a lot of cleaning compared to OO so for gods sake make sure its accessible. Please remember those amazing exhibition layouts you see have many willing volunteers armed with track rubbers and the like before opening time

[Dad-1]

I wasn't going to say anything - I hate being negative.
Then I read fortytwo's comments and have to agree. I love countryside scenery
and thought I'd try 'N' so began making a small layout. I just couldn't handle the
small scale.
Many do well though, just not for me. I'd suggest a small tester layout first.

The best fun I have is using a small shunting puzzle. A place where you HAVE to drive
and concentrate on what you're doing. True you can't just relax and watch trains
go by, unless like me you have a roundy - roundy alongside with a freight rolling around
at 6 - 10 mph while you work the best solution to a puzzle.

Geoff T.