Phase 1: The Train Set Phase.
My introduction to model railroading started with an HO gauge American Flyer set given to me by my parents when I was about eight years old – An 0-6-0 steam switcher with a flat car, a stock car with an action hay bale feature, a tie car that had a tie ejection feature, a caboose and a number of brass sectional track that permitted the user to create a circular layout. Dad added a couple of box cars, tank cars and enough fiber flexible track and Atlas switches to complete a 4x8 foot plywood railroad, the track plan coming from an Atlas track planning booklet that sold at the local hobby shop.
This phase lasted some 10 years as I took those Atlas plans, and layout plans from books from layout design experts John Allen, John Armstrong and Lynn Wescott, and designed, redesigned and operated my railroad(s) based on my interests of the day. Scenery was non-existent until the last layout – a D&RGW design that involved cutting and raising the plywood base, creating hardshell mountain scenery over a chicken wire frame, and tempura paint. Too much hidden track and cut hands from reaching under the scenery and brushing against the wire pigtails to re-rail cars put an end to any ideas of scenery!
Phase 2: The Model Railroading Phase.
This phase started when I went to college and lasted thru most of my military career. The 4 x 8 sheet of plywood was abandoned for lack of space and in its place were a number of linear designs – 1’ x 8 or 2 x 8 foot modules. John Allen’s Timesaver design was first and then follow-on designs ala John Allen, David Barrows and others followed – depending on my industrial sector interest of the time.
During this period I learned the basics of layout design and construction, track laying, and operations. I found David Barrow’s domino concept of minimalist construction and operations the easiest to maintain based on my transient status location-wise. His benchwork modules were relatively lightweight and easily constructed: , a 2' x 4' sheet of plywood with 1"x3" or 1"x4" frame and attached legs. Any number of modules could be attached to each other in any configuration. Track plans were identified, drawn on the plywood, and track was assembled with rail joiners, and tacked down with finishing nails. Any changes to the configuration required only removal of the nails.
With weight restrictions on household goods being moved, it was easy to remove the track and toss the module(s) into a dumpster to be rebuilt at the new duty station.
Phase 3: The Railroad Modeling Phase.
While I was going thru phase 1 and 2, I always had intended to build the 'perfect' railroad – and I maintained a series of file folders of information oriented on that future layout. I was particularly interested in the layouts and operations of notable railroad modelers featured in Model Railroader and Railroad Model Craftsman - Allen McClelland (Virginian and Ohio), Tony Koester (Allegheny Midland / NKP), Andy Sperandeo (Washita and Santa Fe), David Barrow (Cat Mountain and Santa Fe), Don Mitchell (Omaha and North Western) Jim Heidigar (Ohio Southern) and Bill Darnaby (Maumee Route).
I became a member of the Layout Design Special Interest Group and followed their discussions of basic and innovative layout design. I started my research and bega to designthe freelanced prototype railroad now known as the Western Washington Short Line. I maintained annual subscriptions with the annual magazines of the times, Model Railroader, Railroad Model Craftsma, Prototype Modeler, Mainline Modeler ad Model Railroading, and annually purchased Model Railroad Planning and Great Model Railroads. Those publications gave me additional insight to new design philosophies and operational concepts.
Construction of the WWSL (Version 2.0) began in the late 1980's. The career had settled down and time and money were no issue to a single guy. In the early 1990's, marriage, kids and life in general put the layout in general hiatus. The layout went into hibernation and I transitioned to armchair railroading with occasional active involvement in personal and club layouts. It was during this hiatus that I was able to refine the concept and design of the Western Washington Short Line.
Empty nest, retirement and a move to what I consider my final location brought the WWSL out of storage. I decided to take advantage of the progressive layout design thought process and new products and technology and re-engineer the existing version 2.
This blog documents the process I used to design what I am calling the Western Washington Short Line (Version 3.0). I am chronicling the layout construction activities I am currently undertaking. As the design process is generally complete and about half of the modules were constructed during version 2.0, I am going to 'parallel' track layout design and layout construction in the blog over the next 6 months to a year. I apologize for the confusion.
On the right sidebar I have created a navigation bar that contains all the technical stuff i have developed to assist in the creation of the WWSL. I will highlight those items as appropriate to the layout design process, etc as time appropriate.
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