Grizzly and Dilapidated Ry. Co. .........IN N SCALE!!!!!!!!!!

[kyle creel]

Hi.       .......My name is Kyle Creel; and I've been on the On30 side of the property for about.. ...well since 2012....My RR is Called the Grizzly & Dilapidated Ry. Co.; .....I have built 5 versions of the project, each one from 85 to 100% complete.....(NOT FINISHED,but COMPLETE)  .....The 100%er was for the National NMRA Convention in 2023 that was held here in DFW......I have moved three times since 2012, and each time I started over but with the same concept....

The last endeavor is at the 85% mark.   It is a true Point to point RR.  It has a TT at one end (Grizzly)-and a sector plate at the other end (Dilapidated)..... .....but alas...   I can't do any railfanning.....     ........

Way back in 1990 I built an around the room double track mainline N Scale layout - but gave it away when my wife and I married....a second time for each of us.......so I was 40 yrs. old when we married.....and the marriage came with her 11 yr. old son.....so the RR went BYE BYE     .......oh well.......

Moving forward to the presesnt day situation.....I've been retired since 2019, and doing On30.  The other day Patrice (my wife) asked me what I was doing staring at the layout from the doorway....     .....I said "in 6 months it'll be done-and then I'll have nothing to do with it....She said ..."So what can you do??...build another one you like better? ....Honey - this is YOUR room to do whatever you want with; and if a different RR is what you want ....GO FOR IT" !!!!!...                I'M NOT AN OPERATIONS GUY.....I do enjoy switching a few cars now and then and building up a train......but then I like to sit back and enjoy the relaxing 'feel' of the trains running running back and forth from Point A to point B AUTOMATICALLY without my interference or input.....           ......

Patrice asked if I could sell my current stuff (I have all the boves) and then she said (after I showed her an N Scale caboose I've had for years) OOH..."That's so cute, it's really cool"            WOW...    

So I've designed an N Scale "Loop to Loop" automatic layout that will be built on the same benchwork as the On30  layout using the same dimensions.......I've included some photos of the current layout, so ya'll can see the overall 'lay of the land'; I will be keeping and using the backdrop and scenery; (O scale pines make wonderful REDWOODS in N Scale).... ....I will lower the RR height from 56-1/2 " to 51"....so at Grizzly it's 51" increasing to 56" at Dilapidated via a 2% grade....   ........I'm so F$@#king excited to get started I can't believe it       

So here's the photos of where we are.....and in the next post I'll include a detailed track plan      ......here we go.........

Grizzly (The room entrance)...........



Woods Ridge...............



Dilapidated...............end o' the line......



That's about all for now, hope to see ya at the post below.....see ya.....     .....and HAPPY NEW YEAR......

KYLE CREEL
G&D Ry. Co.

[kyle creel]

Hi.....here's the track plan for the GRIZZLY & DILAPIDATED Ry. Co.....in N Scale..................

The bench work is 27" deep at GRizzly, 22" at Blackrock, and 18-1/2" deep at Dilapidated, the corners are 33" deep at Woods Ridge and 30" deep at Dilapidated...... the surface will be  1" thick pink foam and 1" layers added as elevations increase.  I'll use Woodland Scenics 2% grade Incline/Decline sets for sub roadbed on the grades.......ya'll let me know what 'cha think         thanx for stoppin' by......ya'll come back now.......see ya.....      

KYLE CREEL
G&D Ry. Co.
In N Scale...... 

[elwoodblues]

Kyle,

Well I didn't see that coming.  

I'm going to miss your work in On30, but am equally going to enjoy watching your new adventures in N scale.  It's going to be a interesting process converting your layout from On30 to N scale.  What era do you plan on modeling?

[cuse]

I LOVE IT! (for you  )

I consider the jump (back) to N scale at least weekly...if I didn't have so many beautiful built HO structures, I would have switched back to N scale already...I miss the panoramic views and potential to have the scenery appropriately dwarf the trains and structures...I also miss being able to sneak in an 10 or 11" radius turnaround. There are a lot more producers of quality N scale craftsman kits now too.

Honestly, if I could shrink the buildings I have now - I'd have all of my track pulled up by nightfall 

Good luck - I'll be following for sure.

John

*I love the mainline and overall track plan. You may already know more than me on this, but I had a terrible experience with Code 55 Atlas track years ago. Many of the wheel flanges were too deep and "clickety clacked" over every molded tie detail (until the inevitable derail). Might just have been my equipment and maybe you plan to standardize wheels for your roster, etc...but just wanted to share my own experience.

**my only "concern" is just my phobia of return loops...I don't care about operation - I just like to let em go round and round through the scenery. I know DCC makes return loop wiring a breeze - but can the turnouts automatically throw somehow...basically, can you put your feet up with an adult beverage or will you have to stay vigilant with your turnout controls? For me (and my phobia), I'd consider having the loops disappear into a loooong tunnel, connecting to one another to 1. avoid the wiring and "loopy" look of tight reverse loops and 2. break up the visible loop and have trains vanish for a little bit. Again - this is just my phobia but when I see such visible tight radii loops, combined with the wiring & turnout management (that I'm not familiar with) - I start shaking

[friscomike]

Howdy Kyle,

Congratulations on keeping the model railroading hobby alive at your place.  While I'll miss your On30 work, I'm sure you'll have fun with N scale.  Good luck with the adventure.

Have fun,
mike

[kyle creel]

Thanx Ron, thanx John, and thanx Mike.....

After much (more) careful deliberations with my wife and my grandson Gage (who at 26) has always loved On30 - I've decided to take up my wifes' offer of "It's your room to do whatever you want to with."      So I'm going to stick with On30 (I have sooooo much stuff) and just add a drop-leaf section at Grizzly and add a removeable section at Dilapidated to allow for 18" radius 'balloon tracks' at each location and just re-do all the trackage in those 2 areas....all of my locomotives and rolling stock do very well on that size radius      ...and I have a boat load of cross ties and plenty of weathered code 100 rail to hand lay all the needed trackage, and plenty of turnouts if needed.  I even have MRC auto reverse units, and Kato 'spring switches' to automate the 'whole shebang'            

Sorry for the quick-change back and forth, but I wanted to be sure everything would work out right.....

Soooo it's back to the 'Dark side' and thanx again for the comments and well wishes............see ya...    

KYLE CREEL
G&D Ry. Co.