Northeast Corridor-NJ Division Fair Tower Benchwork is up!

The first section of benchwork the NEC-NJ Div is up. Its a 2x4 section which will include 2 slip switches as well as FAIR tower (Trenton, NJ). Should be around 8 tracks across when finished.

Pictures of Day 1 Progress

The wood in the basement:



everything cut up:



adding the back braces:



and now just needing to add the last braces:


A small sampling of motive power that will be passing by Fair Tower:

An excellent start! Please keep us posted as to your progress...

-otto-

Can I assume by the relatively small table size that this is "N" scale?

Is this part of the whole modular thing we discussed?

Its good to see something being built either way. One day, i'll get back to building this sort of thing.

This is the first section of many. Not really a module since I built it to my own standards. Its HO and will include PRR (Andy Rubbo) style catenary. It's also gonna be computer controlled dispatched thru JMRI.

so while trying to hook up both Atlas #8's with some N scale rail joiners to the ME concrete track, the rails on both points end popped out. Thinking about going with another manufacturer for the switches

Here is the track plan for the first section:

A quick video overview of the progress so far!

Jers2709 wrote:so while trying to hook up both Atlas #8's with some N scale rail joiners to the ME concrete track, the rails on both points end popped out. Thinking about going with another manufacturer for the switches

I have a large terminal (17 tracks total), with several ladders and loop tracks. I use Walthers/Shinohara Code 83 turnouts for everything, and Atlas Code 83 flex. The Shinohara turnouts have been great for me for the past decade. I have a mix of the old ones (that you had to wire up to power) and the new "DCC Friendly" ones. I also use Shinohara HO rail joiners - which are near impossible to put on, but are tight.

I switched to Shinohara after years of using Atlas track after I had numerous electrical issues with Atlas' Custom series of turnouts. I had to rip out a whole ladder after stalling problems. Was a shame - I love their locomotives.

The use of Shinoharas also forced me to adopt a new switch machine, which is the Tortoise. Expensive, but again, they all run beautifully.

Thanks for the review,

I'm think I'm gonna go with the Walther's Code 83, #8's, L/H and R/H's. The only bad thing I heard about them was the price, which they're on sale now for $21.98 a piece (I paid $19 something for the Atlas #8's) The Tortoise's shouldn't be too bad with Fast Track's new crossover kit:



With the new kit, I can use 1 Tortoise per crossover!

JamesRR wrote:I switched to Shinohara after years of using Atlas track after I had numerous electrical issues with Atlas' Custom series of turnouts. I had to rip out a whole ladder after stalling problems. Was a shame - I love their locomotives.

Are the Walther's turnout's longer than the Atlas ones? I was messing around in XTrackCad, and it looked like the Walther's ones were about 1-2 inches longer.

Jers2709 wrote:

JamesRR wrote:I switched to Shinohara after years of using Atlas track after I had numerous electrical issues with Atlas' Custom series of turnouts. I had to rip out a whole ladder after stalling problems. Was a shame - I love their locomotives.

Are the Walther's turnout's longer than the Atlas ones? I was messing around in XTrackCad, and it looked like the Walther's ones were about 1-2 inches longer.

I can't say for sure - as I haven't used any Atlas ones in years. And I am not near the layout now to measure. But it's entirely possible - the Shinohara turnouts are quite long (all the larger sizes).

Thanks, I have 2 R/H #8's and 2 L/H #8's on their way from Walthers, so we'll find out in a few days!

I love that phase IV AEM-7! I can't wait to see the layout when you're done!

Thanks!