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Host Gerry Leone continues to plan and build out a switching area for his all-new Bona Vista HO scale model railroad. This time, Gerry shares how he uses actual model structures and track remnants to visualize and plot his plans, and then adjust them to suit layout realities.
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James — Go up to the “Search” bar and type in “Back on Track.” It’ll show you all the episodes that are here…and they’re all here!
Also, Episode 12 is the latest one that’s been uploaded.
Why are some of the previous episodes missing in Trains.com?
Specifically #’s 3,4,6,8, and 11. Maybe more? Last episode I see is #12 from September 2021.
Ron — MicroEngineering sells transition rail joiners that go from 83 to 70, and I bought and used some. I hate ‘em. Instead, I use an age-old model railroading trick: I put half of a Code 83 joiner on one piece of track, then FLATTEN the other half using a good pair of pliers. The Code 70 rail gets put ON TOP of the flattened part and gets soldered there. If you flatten it well, it’s the perfect height and works just great.
Gerry; I am curious are you using different codes of track, say code 83 and code 70 if so how do you transition between these codes. I have found a piece of transition track on Walthers web site that will handle a code 100 to 83 but couldn’t find one for 83 to 70 what is your advice for this
Thanks Gerry!
If you don’t have a bunch of already-constructed buildings, then foamboard or cardboard stand-ins can be a real help. Walthers thoughtfully includes the dimensions of each of their structure’s footprints in their catalogs, so you can tell if such-and-such a building will fit your space. Don’t forget the vertical dimensions– they are very important too! I use ground throws for controlling turnouts, and found out ahead of time that certain building locations would not work because they made ground throws behind them inaccessible. Not something you would generally notice with a paper or computer track plan.
Gerry
Some time ago I made a comment on one of Cody’s office shows, where is Gerry’s Back on Track? Seems like it had been a long time since episode 9. Was sure hoping you hadn’t fallen off track!
My only problem with having industry and buildings in front of the track is seeing the track that goes behind the buildings. It is something that would happen normally though. But try to do switching where you have to move around to keep track of where the switching is happening!
Bill
Can’t wait for the DVD to come out! You have given me a lot of ideas.
Your “3 spurs up front” version reminds me a lot of the set up in the town we live in when we first moved here. A main and siding with a 3 track “staging” yard and several spurs. Right at the beginning of town were 4 spurs arranged much like your 3. Barely room for the industries that were the classic “not big enough for the boxcar” businesses. First was a commercial grocer that received box and reefers; next was a warehouse that no longer used it’s spur; followed by a propane dealer right out of a Walter’s kit that was still in service; and finally a tannery that also no longer used rail. None use rail anymore, but the spurs are still in place.