Revisions to my under construction New York Central "Eye Level Route"

You have a lot of space to work with.  I would make a shelf type plan, going along the Hudson.  Pick out several of your favorite landmarks/ features to model. I would reduce 4 track main to 2. Your plan is not overly ambitious,  but you can’t include everything. Having a plan is important for better results. Good luck, JohnA

Hi John,

Thank you for your answer, my plan was to base most of the mainline on a 12 by 3 "shelf" style stretch along the wall with a 4 by 8 on one end representing Albany and a 2x8 stretching to a similar 4X8 representing NY. I may add a center teardrop to represent either Breakneck Ridge or Bear Mountain.

I was planning to model NYC, Croton Harmen, Breakneck Tunnel, Poughkeepsie, Hudson (Maybe) and Albany. A yard would be placed on either end of the layout, with an extra locomotive storage area in Croton (likely including a below layout storage solution).

As for track, I have lots of Fastrack, but am wondering if Atlas Flex track would be superior for this use case in both usability and cost.

Lastly, would you recommend on paper planning, or doing so through a digital medium.

Thank you for your answer,

Nich

I plan on paper .Use graph paper.  My layout is a shelf style, 48’  by 3’.  Wider at ends for reversing loops. I would use the Fastrack if you have made that investment already.   I too am a NYC fan!! Post your progress!! JohnA

I model specifically Harmon ( Croton) ,....and more specifically the Harmon facility, ...I’m 28 X 17 and I ha d to do a two track main, .....couldn’t squeeze in a third, .....mine is a loop style, so I use the loop around the roundhouse as the Harmon reversing loop to the outbound tracks, ......from there, the trains disappear into a tunnel as if heading towards Kruger’s and points north & west by timetable,......

Pat

Here’s a shot of my BuffalO Central Terminal section of my layout.... bumps out to 4’ wide here. JohnA

I’m not allowed  to show off the entire layout yet, but I can give a sneak peak for ideas on this thread,....I’m on a gag order from my layout builder since he built, it, he’s got the right to publish it, ( and rightfully so  its gorgeous) ...

anyways, we’re looking north, as Hudson 5433 took the green on track two with train no.3 ...the “Pacemaker” .....to the left is an example of one of the electrics employed by the Central that just brought this train  in from GCT, .....

Pat

Wow!

These photos remind me of why I model the NYC!

Hi Harmon Yards,

I am local to Croton so it is always crazy to see a familiar area modeled near perfectly in 1:48th scale.

One note, isn't the pacemaker a fast freight similar to the early bird? Maybe I am mistaken. Beautiful layout by the way. Looking foreword to the full reveal.

Nich

@WaterLevelRoute38 posted:

Hi Harmon Yards,

I am local to Croton so it is always crazy to see a familiar area modeled near perfectly in 1:48th scale.

One note, isn't the pacemaker a fast freight similar to the early bird? Maybe I am mistaken. Beautiful layout by the way. Looking foreword to the full reveal.

Nich

I’m from Poughkeepsie, grandad worked at Harmon,.....the Pacemaker was an all coach train #3 &4, later 1 &2 ....not as flashy as the Century, not as fast as the Century, ......first run in ‘39 ....long before Pacemaker Fast freight,.....before Pacemaker fast freight, was NYC’s Early Bird fast freight, with the bird in the yellow herald,....

thanks for the comments, everything on the layout is depictions ( in compressed forms) of the Croton area, ....the buildings, the landscape, all reflect the terrain of what that 30 min. ride up the Hudson to Croton looks like,...😉

Pat

Interestingly enough, my grandad lived in Poughkeepsie, where he introduced me the the NYC on his seasonal layout with his 773 hudson and F3 AA sets.

Your knowledge of the NYC system is incredible! I have a set of pacemaker boxcars that I have always run behind a postwar style F3 set to serve as the Pacemaker service and was planning to continue to do so on my layout, maybe I need to get some more Pullmans for the J1 Hudson (:

@WaterLevelRoute38 posted:

Interestingly enough, my grandad lived in Poughkeepsie, where he introduced me the the NYC on his seasonal layout with his 773 hudson and F3 AA sets.

Your knowledge of the NYC system is incredible! I have a set of pacemaker boxcars that I have always run behind a postwar style F3 set to serve as the Pacemaker service and was planning to continue to do so on my layout, maybe I need to get some more Pullmans for the J1 Hudson (:

There’s plenty on this forum that know way more about the NYC than me, ....I can hold my own, but I still learn new stuff all the time,

Pat

@WaterLevelRoute38 posted:

Interestingly enough, my grandad lived in Poughkeepsie, where he introduced me the the NYC on his seasonal layout with his 773 hudson and F3 AA sets.

Your knowledge of the NYC system is incredible! I have a set of pacemaker boxcars that I have always run behind a postwar style F3 set to serve as the Pacemaker service and was planning to continue to do so on my layout, maybe I need to get some more Pullmans for the J1 Hudson (:

The original 1939 Heavyweight Pacemaker passengers were painted like their streamlined cousins that served the 20th Century. Light gray sides with dark gray window bands. Lionel recently released set. MTH has done a similar scheme in 18” cars, and K-Line has done 3 sets. One 18” set with silhouettes, one 18” set with figures, and one 15” set with figures.

Pete

Your space and mine are similar.  From my p/o/v, the minimum curve radius you prefer dictates the layout shape.  In my case, I didn't want to go below 48" on visible curves, due to how 21" passenger cars and 8-drivered steamers look when negotiating said curves.  This made two-terminal configuration difficult - and I didn't get there, settling for a reversing loop to achieve out-and-back operation.

As of right now, my layout plan includes reversing loops as well, one on each end just beyond the terminal (actually, New York City will be above one end of the track plan).

Another important thing to note, my layout was originally supposed to be conventionally controlled with 3 separate blocks to allow for detailed operations, however, it seems it may be cheaper to just set up DCS or a similar system as I currently own a set of E units with PS3 and plan to expand my PS3 fleet. With the advent of MTH's closing, I may do TMCC.