I have posted this here as I don't know where else is suitable seeing as I don't propose to do a build thread and anyway it is probably better if all fades into obscurity - less derision.
Okay switch your imagination on and here we go:
First off a general overview, please remember this not a garden even though it is green and the whole board is 4.0m x 0.50m / 1.25m. Also note the full width of the track with a chasm for things to fall off on the right and a cliff to bump into on the left, otherwise nothing would fit and I would have had a single dead straight line. Between the two ends a no-no S bend for further derailments and destruction.
Now the left end - the one that is easy to get to. The two sidings on the right will be the station with one central platform, the left siding is for goods, obviously there will be a goods shed and against the wall low relief houses. These sidings will all take two trains and for good reason, I have way more rolling stock than space.
Next the right end where I pray nothing falls off or conks out once the scenery is in place. To the left an exact copy of the left end station even down to the Proses illuminated buffer stops.
Bearing off to the right is a loooong loop leading to three sidings. The end of the one that starts at right and curves round to the front may look a little too long and too close to the curve at the end, it is, but whilst testing I found out the original length was too short for anything useful and as this siding and the two to the left of it are industrial areas I think I can get away with it. The other two sidings at the end of that loop - again with a no-no S bend - will have two industrial buildings with one at left and one at right. Once again these sidings are a bit short but there was no other choice.
All the track is Roco with the curves being R2 and R3, fortunately they do not make R1. The sharp eyed may have noticed the plethora of power feed tracks, in my opinion better than droppers especially as I can't solder to save my life, there will be no dead spots mysteriosly appearing I hope. SWMBO thinks I have some track left over, I do but hid half of it from her
.As far as scenery goes I again have too much to fit on but I think that with some judicious variations I will be able to break up and disguise the length and width of the board and at the same time look more like a real railway and not a baseboard stuffed full of track. Okay maybe it is and something I intensely dislike but still beggars etc.
For operation there will obviously be passenger trains between the two stations, with the possibility to put two trains on one platform and not run two daftly long ones I can avoid running just one or two back and forth thus having something approaching a reasonable timetable.
For freight the left hand siding at the left end also holds two trains with the possibility of having some extra trucks on there. As the three right end sidings are substantially shorter the shunting and making up of trains destined for the left end will be amusing for when I get bored wih the passenger services (!) and the single line between the two ends will add to the logistical nightmare.
The next thing is installing the wiring board which will be at the right end mounted vertically where the the Z21 is on the floor. Once that is in place I can fit the twenty-four uncoupling ramps - did I mention some shunting? - then once again break out the trusty multimeter to find where I got my wires crossed. After that comes the ballasting and then in the afternoon...
