Awesome! I appreciate how much work you put into this. It's not often that you can fit all the action on one overhead camera, so I'm glad you took the opportunity to do so.
Thanks for this. It shows how even a small layout can deliver fun switching possibilities. The camera made it fun to watch. I feel better about my small, dining table layout.
I love all the screens - easier for me to follow what’s going on and connect switch list with actions. Labels on overhead view with pointing actions are particularly nice. Maybe train view isn’t strictly necessary, but I enjoy it too.
Great layout for a fun little operating session. I like the idea of having two distinct spots in a single siding.... it's a great way to add more complexity in the limited space.
Yep it is. I’m going to try out one of your controllers the next time I start a N or HO project. Maybe later this year or next. I’m going to finish up some existing projects this year and start my O gauge layout. But those controllers are really nice looking and will be fun to try out.
The middle level where I was doing the switching operations has a mix of 8.5” and 9 3/4” radius curves. 8 full and 1/3 9 3/4” pieces and 7 full and 1/3 8.5” radius pieces. If you make it slightly wider you could keep it a 9 3/4” radius minimum. I just couldn’t quite do that in the space. In the lower level the inner loop has a 9 3/4” radius and the outer loop an 11” radius. The little top section has a 4.5” radius or thereabouts.
Oh, I just have a the bottom of a box car with the camera mounted on it. The actual lens is attached to a ribbon cable that extends to the front of the locomotive.
Ah, I remember visiting a guy with a big N scale layout, and he was very boastful that N scale uncouplers work flawlessly, but now I realise he was in an early stage of building the layout and no switching was taking place yet. So I guess I should take his remarks with a grain of salt....
You can get them to work really well but you have to convert every piece of rolling stock to the same coupler type and make sure all of them are exactly the same height, etc. it just takes more work and it is easy for the trip pins to get bent wonky in N scale to where they don’t uncouple correctly.
I’m new and I’m sorry to ask something simple but I’m trying to play games like this and I can’t seem to uncouple without derailing something. Do you have a video that shows the technique?
The biggest thing is that I overweight every car. I add those stick on wheel weights to the inside of each car, adding a couple of ounces. This dramatically improves coupling and uncoupling, but does significantly reduce how many cars you can pull. Then, I use a small Philips head screwdriver in between the couplers. Insert it between the couplers and give it a twirl and they pop open. A small flat head screw driver may work better for you. You have to try different sizes as ones too small won’t work nor will ones too large.
Probably about $2500 not including the trains. You could build it cheaper but because of YT it was more important to build it quickly than cheaply (which would take longer).
Awesome! I appreciate how much work you put into this. It's not often that you can fit all the action on one overhead camera, so I'm glad you took the opportunity to do so.
Thanks for this. It shows how even a small layout can deliver fun switching possibilities. The camera made it fun to watch. I feel better about my small, dining table layout.
I love all the screens - easier for me to follow what’s going on and connect switch list with actions. Labels on overhead view with pointing actions are particularly nice. Maybe train view isn’t strictly necessary, but I enjoy it too.
Great layout for a fun little operating session. I like the idea of having two distinct spots in a single siding.... it's a great way to add more complexity in the limited space.
Very cool, great to see the layout in action!
Cool! Always like to see operations especially in N scale.
Great video and a great layout for operating.
Lots of possibilities in a small space. A lot of fun.
Yep it is. I’m going to try out one of your controllers the next time I start a N or HO project. Maybe later this year or next. I’m going to finish up some existing projects this year and start my O gauge layout. But those controllers are really nice looking and will be fun to try out.
Your pretty good at uncoupling those tiny cars. I knew someone that always knocked the cars over all the time, then he went to HO scale lol
Very cool, have a great day 👍🏻
It's an awesome setup for viewing the session
Great stuff!
Very nice. Thanks.
Nice Steve. I would love to have a scale hump yard.
Those take a LOT of space
In the UK we call them Shunting Puzzles.
Steve is there a build series on this? I love the layout?
Start to finish build here: Building a 2'x4' N Scale Layout From Start to Finish: Series Compilation
th-cam.com/video/zpVwNNDh4PY/w-d-xo.html
Very nice video and layout. Thanks for sharing.
One question. What camera are you using onboard the train?
It is a ChooChoo Vision cam: www.choochoovision.com
Good session. What is the radius of the inside turn? Thanks
The middle level where I was doing the switching operations has a mix of 8.5” and 9 3/4” radius curves. 8 full and 1/3 9 3/4” pieces and 7 full and 1/3 8.5” radius pieces. If you make it slightly wider you could keep it a 9 3/4” radius minimum. I just couldn’t quite do that in the space. In the lower level the inner loop has a 9 3/4” radius and the outer loop an 11” radius. The little top section has a 4.5” radius or thereabouts.
@@StevesTrains Thank you Steve for that Info.
What is directly behind the locomotive, don't think you ever mentioned it? I am curious.
Oh, I just have a the bottom of a box car with the camera mounted on it. The actual lens is attached to a ribbon cable that extends to the front of the locomotive.
Can you use paper mache to make mountains? I’m looking for a budget alternative to plaster cloth or sculptamold
Sure, you can. In fact, sculptamold is just a mix of paper mache and plaster. Not sure of the exact ratio, but I’ve seen people make it themselves.
@@StevesTrains so what if I mixed paper shredder bits with paper mache plaster?
Do you regret at all not having automatic uncouplers installed?
Not really. I’ve used them in the past successfully but more times than not it is janky to get them to work consistently in N scale.
Ah, I remember visiting a guy with a big N scale layout, and he was very boastful that N scale uncouplers work flawlessly, but now I realise he was in an early stage of building the layout and no switching was taking place yet. So I guess I should take his remarks with a grain of salt....
You can get them to work really well but you have to convert every piece of rolling stock to the same coupler type and make sure all of them are exactly the same height, etc. it just takes more work and it is easy for the trip pins to get bent wonky in N scale to where they don’t uncouple correctly.
I’m new and I’m sorry to ask something simple but I’m trying to play games like this and I can’t seem to uncouple without derailing something. Do you have a video that shows the technique?
The biggest thing is that I overweight every car. I add those stick on wheel weights to the inside of each car, adding a couple of ounces. This dramatically improves coupling and uncoupling, but does significantly reduce how many cars you can pull. Then, I use a small Philips head screwdriver in between the couplers. Insert it between the couplers and give it a twirl and they pop open. A small flat head screw driver may work better for you. You have to try different sizes as ones too small won’t work nor will ones too large.
@@StevesTrains thank you I’m going to play with that now!
🚂🚂🚂🚂🚂 🚂🚂🚂🚂🚂
How much does it cost to build that? I’m thinking about building a small layout for my desktop
Probably about $2500 not including the trains. You could build it cheaper but because of YT it was more important to build it quickly than cheaply (which would take longer).
Nice "trigger warning" ! 😄😄😄😄😄
I’m shitting to this 🎉🎉
There are too many screens to keep attention viewing.
You can watch it three times and watch one each time. ;) lol