# My unnamed railroad... the beginnings... (Can't think of a name yet...lol)



## Pitt-Trolley (Dec 11, 2017)

I have recently broken ground, so to speak on my layout. I don't have a name for it yet, but it will be both a train and trolley operation...

Here's the basic design...










Everything in red, yellow and green are for trains, the blue is dedicated trolley. I am planning on DCC for everything. Layout size is about 21'X8'. Scale is now HO, was going to be N.










Ceiling is going up, with dimmable LED lights for night running...Lots of people didnt like insulation just hanging there, and neither did I.










This was during platform construction... I do regret making those cutouts, but I couldn't think of any other way to work on things if needed.

I need to figure out how to install DCC chips in some older Athern and Tyco locos, namely trolleys... Now to begin trackwork...

If anyone at all has any input on changes, or other ideas, I'd greatly appreciate them!

Shawn


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## Pitt-Trolley (Dec 11, 2017)

Here's some of the items I plan on running... If I can get DCC installed in them... I haven't quite got soldering down yet...lol The Bowser PCC is already DCC.




































All to be controlled by this...


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## Pitt-Trolley (Dec 11, 2017)

Lastly, for now, I plan on using this old PC power supply for powering lights and whatever else that needs DC power... 450 watts ought to do it...


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## Lemonhawk (Sep 24, 2013)

You might reconsider the PC power supply. They output lots of 3.3 volts and 5 volts, not to good on 12volts. The PC supply does have one advantage, You can use the aux 5v output to power an Arduino computer that can then turn on the main power of the PC power supply. This would allow you to use a SPST push button switch to turn it all on or some other signal to the Arduino to power up everything. You have to do this or use a latching toggle switch to get the PC power supply to work anyway.


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

So good to see another traction modeler come on board.
You have a nice collection of streetcars to run on your
dedicated route. With DCC you can control them individually
or let 'em run while you do other railroad operations.

Will you be installing overhead? It takes some patience, especially
with any overhead frogs. I once had a 2 line DC street car layout
based on downtown St. Louis...it was tricky to operate the merging of
the two lines using 2 power packs, the several turnouts
and a number of switches. 

Keep us posted as you get more of your layout copleted.

Don


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## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

Pitt-Trolley said:


> I have recently broken ground, so to speak on my layout. I don't have a name for it yet, but it will be both a train and trolley operation...
> 
> Here's the basic design...
> 
> ...


Shawn;

Welcome to the forum! Please don't be offended by this, but your layout looks like many first layouts. Big, overbuilt, very heavy, benchwork with no provision for moving it. It's not just you, we have all been down that road at least once. My own first layout had all the same characteristics. 😄 

Your track plan will work fine, but it has all the track of the loops in plain sight. That's not "wrong" any more than your platform is. The only problem with loops is that sometimes some people get tired of watching trains go around and around without getting anywhere. That's not true for everyone, and may not be true for you. Right now, seeing them run will look pretty darn great! Maybe that will change for you over time, or maybe not. In any case it's your railroad so you can build it any darn way you please.

As for the cutouts, you are wise to make some provision for access to the back side of your layout. 
Murphy's law dictates that things will go wrong wherever it's hardest to reach. 😄
There are other ways to get access. Would you be able to move the table out enough so that you could have an aisle along the back? Some modelers have installed heavy-duty casters on the legs of their layouts so they can be pulled out. Others make the platform narrower, with aisles in the middle so they can walk into their layouts. The attached file "3 & 4 How to build a better first Layout" has sketches showing this type of benchwork.

DCC decoders are not too difficult to install. One problem you might run into is the motors in those old locomotives and trolleys. Some of them draw a lot more current than todays locomotives. Running multiple older HO locomotives at the same time might draw more current than your NCE powercab can handle. That is "might".
Do you plan on installing sound decoders, and speakers, in your locomotives? Sound adds more current draw.

Just measure the current that each locomotive, or trolley, draws with a multimeter. If you don't have a meter, the one in the photo, which is fine for model railroad use, is available for only $5 from www.harborfreight.com 
Make sure that the decoder you buy has a bit more current capacity than what your loco draws when it's on full power, and held back from moving. This is the maximum "stall current" the loco will draw. The decoder should be rated for 10-20% more current than the stall current to be safe. Likewise, the total current draw of all the locos and trolleys you will run at once, should not exceed the current available from your NCE Powercab. That's a nice unit by the way. I use it too.

I like your ceiling and blue walls. They add a lot to the looks of your layout area.
The files below are some I wrote to help new modelers building their first layout. Look through them if you like.

Good Luck & Have Fun;

Traction Fan 🙂


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