Laying Cork and Track - Nathans Point

Nathans Point station is the 0.00km mark on my layout which is a bit unconventional since most terminus locations are the end of the line.  Well, this is the start of the line in my book and it is also where I am starting the track laying.  While the layout isn't a TOMA, I intend on working on Nathans Point (all 8m of it) until we have fully operational track and maybe a bit of scenery.  

I have been laying 3mm cork, cut from a 1220mm wide roll.  A good straight edge and a sharp box-cutter knife are essential.  I am using a piece of aluminium angle as the straight edge which is the perfect width for HO scale trackbed.  

Nathans Point arrives as a single mainline and splits into three tracks (main, loop and grain).  The end of these sidings is a couple of sets of crossovers to allow cross over movements.  The main moves are for the passenger service to come off the main and run into the platform.  Off the loop end is the intermodal terminal.  

The main is designed to be a dead end, but I will build a bridge across the doorway for continuous running at times.  It won't come out for operating sessions, but will be good to get some kays under the belt of new wagons and locos before they go on the roster.  

So far I have laid a few metres of track and the 5 turnouts at the southern end of the yard.  The photos show the intended use of the sidings.  

I still need to install and wire up some tortoises for the crossovers, but that shouldn't take too long.  

Things are progressing well!

Layout Planning - Nathans Point

A few photos of layout planning from last week.  The first one is a pano of the layout shed, then a few shots of Nathans Point (along the wall), and a coupld of shots of an SSR at Heidiville (the penisular).

Enjoy!

The New Nathan's Point

It has been along time between posts, and I have been happily focused on my prototype blog Rollingstock News for the past few years, although I am very keen to get back into the modelling.  

Since my last post, the old Wills St layout was set up, powered, and the mainlines were operated on DCC for a couple of years.  The round and round nature of the exhibition layout didn't really fill the void for me, so I was more than happy to part with it to a fellow modeller down the coast who I believe has it set up and operating in DCC. 

With my shed having been empty for more than 12 months, I decided I needed to get cracking while I had  a chance.  Over the January 2018 period I managed to complete all the benchwork in the shed, and then life got busy again, so everything went on the backburner for a while.  

In the last week I have taken delivery of a large roll of cork and a lot of track and points, with the intention of commencing track laying in August.

I intend on going back a posting details about my benchwork, but for now, as as introduction, below are a few present day photos of the shed and layout planning.

An overall shot of the layout shed from the access door.  Length is 9.8m and width is about 3.8m.  The bottom right is the terminus Nathans Point and the far left wall is the main yard terminal of Jonestown.  With the large peninsular, mainline runs are nice and long.  

A bit of planning for the grain receival terminal at Jonestown.  The mainline will come around the wall and loop into Jonestown Yard in the foreground.  Grain trains will need to be broken up into smaller portions to be unloaded, similar to what happens at Graincorp Carrington.

The terminal of Nathans Point with a small intermodal terminal on the edge and a simple country platform against the wall.  A removable bridge will be built to allow continuous running at times, but is not part of the operational plan.  

The town of Nathans Point, with a mainline, loop, and grain loop.  The layout is designed for trains of about 4m in length as a maximum.  Modern era trains will feature prominently on the layout, especially SSR and PN.  

Enjoy!