Arnold D. Cribari posted:decoynh posted:Arnold D. Cribari posted:Tom and I use the same kind of track and switches, though he has wider radius switches than mine which are almost all 031 curves.It's interesting to compare Tom's clean approach, and my intentional filthy approach, which includes a lot of real dirt, dust, ballast consisting of dirty asphalt fragments from a local road, and insects and spiders along the right of way that died because they couldn't take all the dirt and dust.
Tom's trains will require a lot less maintenance and have higher resale value than mine because of the layouts they run on.
My switches are 072 except for the mini yard behind the Holy Grail Brewery & Pub. In the main yard I cut down 3 manual 042 prewar switches. to accommodate modern locomotives. I wanted to use Atlas track 3 years ago when we moved & I started a new layout. In a way, I'm glad that I stayed with tubular, the bad side is that there are so many more options with modern Ross, Gargraves, switches. I'm 74 and I still think that my next layout will use modern hi rail trackage. My wife told me that I can use the finished 14X24 half of the basement for the next layout. If I do that, it will be a modular system. No more crawl under layouts for me. I still have a few more dreams for this one , though.
Matt:
You put me to shame! I'm only 66 and at the moment cannot imagine tearing down my layout and starting over with new modern track.
I love your ambition, energy and passion!
Matt, The Pan Am train looks and sounds great!!
At 61, I'm already thinking about how to make my new layout as "crawl under free" as possible. No climbing onto either. I don't know if I will want to start over in a few years, so I'll do what I can now. I was going to work on a little staging in the new train room today, but my dad, who along with Mum are in the personal care home, called and wanted me to check on something at his house. Since he has anxiety issues, I did as he asked. At 87, this is the first winter he hasn't been living in and maintaining that house except for the two years he was in the Army. Hopefully we can get things worked out for our older daughter and her husband to move in (they have to sell their house which isn't in great shape) Then a young man can take care of all those things a 19th century house needs, and I can build a layout!!! Oh, I forgot, I still have my mother-in-law and 92-year old aunt I need to do stuff for.