# Ok, here goes . . .



## GNfan (Jun 3, 2016)

Split over 2 orders, I've now ordered enough Kato Unitrak (from M.B. Klein) to make two nested "circles" of track, with the outer being about 22½ in diameter. When my credit card cools off, I've found a 2-ft by 2-ft framed art board at Amazon; and I'll also buy a 4-pak of 12-in by 12-in x .325 in thick self-adhesive cork sheets to cover the board.

I've started to collect "shorty" rolling stock - Kato japanese prototype freight cars, I've got an unopened Bachmann 0-6-0 with tender and those 2 old Atlas Davenport switchers. I'll take pictures once I get started.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

GNfan said:


> Split over 2 orders, I've now ordered enough Kato Unitrak (from M.B. Klein) to make two nested "circles" of track, with the outer being about 22½ in diameter. When my credit card cools off, I've found a 2-ft by 2-ft framed art board at Amazon; and I'll also buy a 4-pak of 12-in by 12-in x .325 in thick self-adhesive cork sheets to cover the board.
> 
> I've started to collect "shorty" rolling stock - Kato japanese prototype freight cars, I've got an unopened Bachmann 0-6-0 with tender and those 2 old Atlas Davenport switchers. I'll take pictures once I get started.


Sounds good. 
You must have another thread going on?
What is a 2-ft by 2-ft framed art board at Amazon?


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

What is that , a framed cork board?


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## Fire21 (Mar 9, 2014)

Sounds like you're off and about to start running! Good luck.


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## GNfan (Jun 3, 2016)

Amazon.com: American Easel 24 Inch by 24 Inch by 1 5/8 Inch Deep Cradled Painting Panel

See how the underneath view shows that is a framed box. And I forgot to add I bought a 24"x24" "camping table" for it to sit on.
Amazon.com : REDCAMP Small Folding Camping Table Portable Adjustable Height Lightweight Aluminum Folding Table for Outdoor Picnic Cooking, White 2 Foot Square : Sports & Outdoors


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## JeffHurl (Apr 22, 2021)

Sounds like a fun project! Will there be a theme, or just a pair of nested circles to run around?


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## GNfan (Jun 3, 2016)

I'm going to *pretend* that a Kato double-track power feeder is a grade crossing. I already have a collection of pre-built structures (mostly Imex) plus details like vending machines, phone booths and mailboxes; and late 1950's - early 1960's vehicles (Classic Metal Works and Oxford Diecast) which is reminiscent of the mix of UK-made Matchbox and US-made Hot Wheels I had as a kid. And I'm going to pull Japanese rolling stock behind American steam even though I'm actually a "diesel guy" - but N scale NW2's and SW1200's are few and far between these days. One train might be acceptably 1930's Northern Pacific if a Bachmann 2-6-2, Atlas 40-ft reefers, and a Micro-trains caboose can deal with the tight curves.. So there's no real theme here other than "what can I fit in 4 square feet?". 😀


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## Wooky_Choo_Bacca (Nov 13, 2020)

It's your train and it's limits are only in your imagination (that's my story and I'm sticking with it). How about a few pics so we can see the madness to your method 😁


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## GNfan (Jun 3, 2016)

*Update 7/30: *I ordered my second locomotive: another of those undecorated Bachmann 0-6-0's. I seriously considered a Bachmann 2-6-2 in Northern Pacific, but I was afraid it wouldn't bend around what will be my outer loop. If I were a grandfather I think I would use the N scale "Thomas and Friends" locomotives - one is seemingly the only 0-4-0 in production and the other is an 0-6-0.


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## GNfan (Jun 3, 2016)

*Update 8/20/21:*
I "dry fit" my idea today. No, it can't do much, but it can "run trains"; and that's the point.

I have the cork sheet but haven't applied it 
I found that I could actually use a Kato double re-railer/ instead of pretending a short double-track part was a section of "team track".
I haven't decided how to power it yet. The two loops are electrically separate and I do have the two old Bachmann controllers from Plywood Prairie, but I'm inclined to figure out how to do this with Kato. 
I've got some Woodland scenery mat that looks like blonde, fine grit sandpaper that will cover the area between the frame and the outer loop, some yellow grass mat to cover the area between the two tracks, and three 7" x 5" sheets of little straw-colored bushes.
The area in the center is roughly 18" x 15". My idea is to trim a piece of wood or masonite to approximately fit; and re-build my little town of single-wide trailers, rental cabins, an ice cream stand, and general store on it. That way, I can take my town off to work on it.
I welcome comments, critiques, and suggestions.










​


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

GNfan said:


> *Update 8/20/21:*
> I "dry fit" my idea today. No, it can't do much, but it can "run trains"; and that's the point.
> 
> I have the cork sheet but haven't applied it
> ...


Larger then my N scale table. 
How about a couple switches (turnouts) to the center?
What are the big brown pieces? Re-railers?


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Mine, in transformation.
2 sidings put in. Town blew away.


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## GNfan (Jun 3, 2016)

Yes, the two "brown pieces" are Kato's version of a double track grade crossing and re-railer. I didn't really look at Kato turnouts when I decided to build this. The only Kato turnout that has a chance of fitting is one with a straight section about 5" long and a diverging section that has the same geometry as a 15-degree section of 6" radius curved track. (The curved sections of the inner loop are 7".) I can envision how I might replace those re-railers with a pair of turnouts - one creates a spur into the infield and the other a stub out to a corner. $34 for a left, $32 for a right at modeltrainstuff - or you can get one each in a "CV2" bundle for $55 - and that probably commits you to a Kato power pack.


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## Wooky_Choo_Bacca (Nov 13, 2020)

You could take the two controllers and hook one to each track loop using the connector feeders (easily made if you don't have any on hand) and run the trains in different directions


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## Mixed Freight (Aug 31, 2019)

GNfan said:


> *Update 7/30: *I ordered my second locomotive: another of those undecorated Bachmann 0-6-0's. I seriously considered a Bachmann 2-6-2 in Northern Pacific, but I was afraid it wouldn't bend around what will be my outer loop. If I were a grandfather I think I would use the N scale "Thomas and Friends" locomotives - one is seemingly the only 0-4-0 in production and the other is an 0-6-0.


Well, I'm a little late to the party. But just for your info., the Bachmann 0-6-0 and the 2-6-2 are one in the same locos. The only differences being a pilot truck and trailing truck added to the 2-6-2 (or subtracted from the 0-6-0, depending on your point of view), and different tenders between the two.

I'm pretty sure the 2-6-2 would make it just fine around your outer loop. Probably the inner loop too, for that matter. And if not, just detach the lead and trailing trucks, and have yourself another 0-6-0.


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## GNfan (Jun 3, 2016)

Wooky_Choo_Bacca said:


> You could take the two controllers and hook one to each track loop using the connector feeders (easily made if you don't have any on hand) and run the trains in different directions


I think what I'm going to try for starters is to splice (using crimp connectors) the track ends of two Kato power feed cables to the controller-end of a Bachmann cable. I probably have everything already.



Mixed Freight said:


> The only differences being a pilot truck and trailing truck added to the 2-6-2 (or subtracted from the 0-6-0, depending on your point of view), and different tenders between the two.


I don't know how far off into uncharted territory I'm going attempting to run American prototype equipment on curves as sharp as 7": so I thought it would be safer to buy the undecorated 0-6-0. I've got a photograph of a real-life NP 0-6-0 with a slopeback tender that although not identical to Bachmann's model is close enough.


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