Pennsylvania_421
Hobbyist196 Points
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Track Work - Caboose Industries Ground Throws
All the switches on my layout (for now, at least), are utilizing Caboose Industries ground throws. These ground throws are small, relatively inexpensive (in comparison to motorized switch machines) mechanisms that function similar to actual switch levers. The majority of the switches on the layout use #206S. This model features internal…
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Track Work - Switches. Lots of Switches.
Before I could finish the mainlines (at least, finish them as much as I could considering this is only half the layout), I had to lay switches. This was a pretty quick & easy process. Once I figured out where the switch needed to go, I placed two drops of glue—one at the end of the switch and another underneath the frog—and lay the…
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Track Work- Roundhouse Curve
One of the major design features of the yard is the 180-degree curve that will eventually run around the roundhouse. There is no roundhouse yet, but I have nick-named it Roundhouse curve nonetheless.
I soldered 2 full-length (30″) sections of flex track together for each of the 3 tracks going around the curve. The first piece of track, which…
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Track Work - The Mainline Crossover
One of the most important sections of track on the layout is the crossover between the double mainlines that is placed front-and-center on the layout. I toyed around with the placement of this crossover for a while before choosing this spot, since it will allow trains to come out of the reversing loop in the yard and move straight to the…
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Beginning track work...
Almost 3 weeks elapsed between the completion of the cork, and the start of laying track. This was because I had precious little time to work on hobby stuff throughout the month of November. December 1st, 2025, I finally lay the first piece of track. It was a 30″ piece of the yard lead, glued down using DAP Apex Plus siliconized caulk, clear.…
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Laying the Cork
Following the completion of the benchwork, I began laying the cork roadbed. This process began on October 29th, 2025, when I drew lines with a sharpie, indicating where the track would go. The next day, I lay the first piece of cork, and for the next dozen days, that was all I did. I am using Midwest brand N scale cork roadbed that is glued…
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Benchwork Construction (October 7th-16th)
The layout has already been under construction for 4 months, so the first posts will be making up lost time.
The first month (October 2025) started out with Benchwork construction. Lots of time on my hands, an affinity for working with tools, and ADHD-fueled hyper fixation allowed me to complete this task in just 9 days, start to finish…
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What is the PC&NP? Lore Dump
This post consists of a rather large lore drop for the fictional railroad that will occupy my layout. There is quite a bit of creative liberties taken with the lore, including some re-writing of history.
The PC&NP is a fictional North Dakota-based class 2 railroad founded in 2010 by the merging of three Class 3 railroads—The Pioneer Central and…
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My friend came to run trains today and we did this
Of course, we had to put all our BN/BNSF locomotives in a lashup and then have it run with my GN empire builder.
The F7s, SD70ACe, and ES44AC are mine. The GP30 and both C44-9Ws are my friends.
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Prototype for my 3D printed covered hoppers
I got a 3D printer for Christmas and wasted no time desiging a prototype for some N scale covered hoppers. Once I get these ready to mass prodouce, I’ll be able to pretty easily build a massive N scale grain train for pretty low cost.
Its not perfect yet. Its sloghtly too short, a little too wide, the roof needs to be rounded out more (as does…
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