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Peter's Model Railroading | Articles | Layouts | Layout #9
Lessons Learned

 

The layout was started on April 22, 2017 and demolished on March 17, 2021, or just shy of four years.

Reasons For The Demolition
1. The modules were too heavy (~40lbs each).
2. The modules were too large (3' x 4').
3. Cumbersome to move by myself.

Things To Improve Upon
1. Switch to a lighter-weight, yet stable, module construction material.
2. Develop a good system for manually throwing turnouts using magnets.
3. Turnout frogs on curved turnouts weren't always reliable nor easy to build.

Things I Liked About The Layout
1. The track plan is an exact-scale match to the prototype.
2. Overall design concept (modular, several modules built into one scene).

Lessons Learned
1. Handlaying rail the way I do is extremely time-consuming, but worth it.
2. Use flextrack if there are no turnouts on the module or track is hidden by ballast.
3. I did not like Caboose Industries turnout controls.
4. I used Circuitron Tortoise switch machines, but they are a pain to tweak and adjust, and require a lot of wiring.