# N Scale L shape project.



## Steel Ribbons (Apr 27, 2012)

I've been thinking of starting this hobby for a while now. Well, I finally started.
First section a 1200mm X 2400mm layout. With a backing of 500mm, not up yet. Next step is the over half of the L shape.
I am a beginner, I welcome any comments or opinions. 
Cheers


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Welcome to the site.

Are you going to leave it up against the door and wall? It might be hard to get into the corner to work?
Make it on wheels so you can pull it out to work on?
What scale? N?
Are you going to add foam so you can dig out a river or something?

What is the height as it sits? I am tall and it looks like my back would be strained working at your height. It might be the picture?
Cross bracing for the table? Depends on the scale and weight it will carry.

Just a few questions for you to think about.


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## joed2323 (Oct 17, 2010)

cool. looks like you may have reach issues unless you pull the layout away from the wall and the garage door. I dont think you would want to open the garage door everytime you want to work on layout or run trains, right?

Maybe you can rotate your layout so the backdrop is against the wall not the garage door, but your gonna have problems again, with reach issues unless you make hatches to pop up from then you can access different parts of your layout.

Most people that run 4x8s or 5x9s leave access room to walk around the layout so the have access room around the whole layout. Yes backdrops are cool but i dont think you can get that backdrop on your layout and have room to reach locos, or do scenery, you may have to take it off...

How hard would it be to cut that layout down the middle and make a around room style layout or even a dogbone style layout?

Im not trying to be harsh in anyway, im just suggesting problems you may have doing your layout that way, again its your layout so as long as you have fun with it then thats all that matters, but if you are willing, i would change it up a bit, or move it to the middle of garage


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## Steel Ribbons (Apr 27, 2012)

Thank you very much for the info. Well, I've come to terms that I've made my first mistake. I will disasemble the rear and shorten the table to 850mm. 
*Question: Whats the smallest radius a N scale track can be?*
I have made the table a height of 850mm. I was thinking of wheels on the bottom. The L shape table will be in this corner of my shed. Which is a double roller door. Shortening the table is a good idea, so thank you. 

I plan for my layout to have a mountain in the corner, which will follow this table. The other half will be a lower valley.


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## joed2323 (Oct 17, 2010)

Good to hear you are fixing your reach issues. Believe me its no when you cant reach for doing work on the layout, you are making a good decision fixing your benchwork now before you get to far ahead and realize you made a big mistake...


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Put it on wheels with a removable backdrop so you can wheel it out if you need to get back in the corner and you can keep it that size then.
The bigger the better I say.

Radius? That depends on what trains your going to run on it.

I think the 18 is the minimum 22 better.
As with any scale the wider the curve, the better.
Someone correct me if I am wrong.


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## Xnats (Dec 5, 2010)

Steel Ribbons said:


> *Question: Whats the smallest radius a N scale track can be?*


hope my math was righthwell:
You can bend Atlas flex down to a 7" / 175mm radius. You will have a very limited selection on what will handle something so tight. 

You are working with with almost 3 feet/ .9 m of depth, You should try and keep a main line using all of it. The larger your radius the more proto-typical things will look. I would try to stay larger then a 11" or 275 mm. This will handle most 2 axle engines and 50 foot/ 15.2m rolling stock. Things will look funny though, bigger is always better in the turns. If that is all that fits, then so be it, because something is better then nothing


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Xnats said:


> hope my math was righthwell:
> You can bend Atlas flex down to a 7" / 175mm radius. You will have a very limited selection on what will handle something so tight.
> 
> You are working with with almost 3 feet/ .9 m of depth, You should try and keep a main line using all of it. The larger your radius the more proto-typical things will look. I would try to stay larger then a 11" or 275 mm. This will handle most 2 axle engines and 50 foot/ 15.2m rolling stock. Things will look funny though, bigger is always better in the turns. If that is all that fits, then so be it, because something is better then nothing


So 18.....22 is good?
What would the minimum you would suggest, something that can handle the bigger trains?
I never worked with N track. What I have my sister did, then I got it
I just added the mountain.


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## Xnats (Dec 5, 2010)

Ed I would say 15" / 380mm as a good general number. Steel has 33 inches to work with so the 18" and 24" won't work.


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## Brakeman Jake (Mar 8, 2009)

Minimum curves radiuses are dictated by the locos/rolling stocks you wish to operate on your layout.The smallest radius Atlas makes in N scale is 9 3/4 in. to be used for highly space restricted layouts.And then you're restricted to four axle diesels,very short steamers like 0-6-0's or even smaller.Only the smaller cars can also be used on such curves in limited numbers,long strings of cars will have a tendency to derail for no apparent reason.

Then Atlas sells 11" rad. curves wich will allow most six axle locos and slightly bigger steamers like 2-6-2's and may be some 0-8-0's.

Although Athearn say their Big Boy's and Challengers can handle 12" rad. curves...they look awkward negociating them.If you wish to run these big engines,they'll look much better on 16"+ rad. curves.Long passenger cars (85 footers) will also look more natural on such curves.

Then if you can afford larger curves go for it,you won't regret it.


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## Steel Ribbons (Apr 27, 2012)

I finished the L shape table. I stuck with 1200mm on the first part. But the other half, I made 900mm. I'm going to make a upper level on the bigger table. 
Getting into it. While waiting for track, I got a design from a vendor on this forum. 
Made it from balsa. First one. I painted it and tried weathering it. 









Now for the rest of the layout.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

I wish I grew up learning millimeter, instead of the old Feet & Inches.

Out with the calculator.


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## Steel Ribbons (Apr 27, 2012)

Ha ha. Yeah Ed. I'm the same. But with inches. 25mm is one inch.


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## xrunner (Jul 29, 2011)

big ed said:


> I wish I grew up learning millimeter, instead of the old Feet & Inches.
> 
> Out with the calculator.


Since I used Kato track on my layout, I got used to metric system over the last few months. I now prefer it actually. What the key is, is getting a few "standard" markers in your head, such as road width, or the height of a scale person in your scale of choice, or things like that. Once you have a few of these set in your mind, it's a lot easier.


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## Steel Ribbons (Apr 27, 2012)

While I'm waiting for me funds to replenish. Lol! I purchased a second hand lot from eBay. The engine needed a rebuild and a grease up. So while I was at it I gave it a make over.
The paint up is of a new south wales, Australian loco. From the 1960's. 









The original body. 









Then the progress of painting. 

































As soon as I can get to the foamworx's for the base. I'll start planning the layout.


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## xrunner (Jul 29, 2011)

Impressive - most impressive!


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Wow ... very nice custom paint work to match the old Aussie loco!

TJ


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## Ranger (Mar 4, 2012)

you did a nice paint job. I especially like the weathering.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

To bad you can't hide the wiring in the cab some, maybe paint them black?

Nice job.:thumbsup:


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## Steel Ribbons (Apr 27, 2012)

Bit more of an update on my layout. I have been watching BIGE61 on youtube. With his clouds. So I tried airbrushing them. You can see my progress in the pictures.

























Also on youtube, I followed "mcfujiwara925" and his way to make trees. Only at the stump and branches stage. Need to buy more supplies.

















Hopefully I can get to the foamworx next friday. So I can start planning and laying track.
Please enjoy the build.
Cheers
Orin


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## joed2323 (Oct 17, 2010)

wow.. everything looks good, your layout is coming together..

I like the paint job you did on your loco... big ed/uncle ed has a good idea about painting the wires black in the cab of loco

Ive watched alot of bige61 videos, he does a fantastic job, i need to paint clouds onto my backdrop like you did. You did a good job with that airbrush... How long have you been airbrushing???

Nice trees, i need to check out those videos

Keep the pictures coming, everything you are doing looks great


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## sawgunner (Mar 3, 2012)

Very nice job so far!!


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