Shelf layout progress: Tunnel hill, final track configuration, No. 4 switches

Slow and steady goes the shelf layout. The foam board is now on. Track is set with one portion glued down. And I'm starting to build up the one section where a tunnel will go through a hill. Using Kato Unitrack has been a revelation, even if I'm probably not utilizing it to its fullest potential by mapping out the exact pieces ahead of time. This has been a trial-and-error endeavor, which has taught me a bunch about using space and other things I can't get without just doing it. 

The future tunnel hill. 

The Tunnel Hill section is something I was debating as an option for the northwestern portion of the layout, as I didn't want to just have a loop that you can see all the way around. Not very realistic that way. So I'm going to use the tunnel and hill to create at least a minor illusion that the railroad doesn't just loop around. I'm using the leftover pieces of foam board to build the skeleton. On top of this I'll use plaster sheets, then the scenery. I picked up a set of tunnel portals at the recent train show down in Edison (more on that in a later post) so all the parts are ready. Just need to block off a few hours to dive in. 

Crossover for switching and passing, along with the industrial yard.

As this layout will be a fictionalized North Jersey, I'm going to try to cram in as much to represent the area as possible. And what would a New Jersey layout be without some industry. The southeast section will have the crossover that will allow trains to both pass on the siding, and switch into the industrial yard area. I'm not sure what I'm going to do here to hide the outer loop. But the middle of it will have a factory of some kind and the outer edge of the scenery will be made to look like something in the Meadowlands. 

All the wiring is fed through the benchwork. The initial incarnation of this layout will be DC, but I'm also adding some things like dead feeder connections throughout so a transition to DCC later will be possible. Speaking of wiring... 

Kato No. 4 switches. Lots of them. But..!

All this progress wouldn't be possible without one of the best eBay finds yet. This lot of six Kato No. 4 switches for less than $100 has allowed me to really shrink the space needed to get some interesting track configurations, something the standard No. 6 switches did not. The problem with No. 4 switches is you have to file a groove into the rails so the points can push in further and be much more flush with the rail. This was a very simple process and the switches are nearly flawless. Even the Atlas 4-4-0s ran over them dozens of times with only one or two derailments. I used Mike Fifer's excellent how-to video. Go subscribe to his youtube channel if you haven't already. 

Testing Unitrack, First New Track in 25 Years

Got to keep this on the DL. I don't want the 5-year-old to find out ;). But I bought him a Kato Unitrack pack for Christmas. It's tough for him to run trains on the layout, since he has to be so careful and the track is pretty spotty. I've heard only good things about Unitrack, especially how easy it is for younger children to get trains up and running with it. MSRP on the Master 2 pack is $210, but I found a NIB set for less than $170 including shipping on eBay. 

Since I haven't purchased any new track in about 25 years, my curiosity got the best of me. I had to try it out. There's also the fear that something may have gotten damaged in transit. I didn't set up the whole thing. Just did a visual once-over of the contents. But I did get the feeder track, one straight section, and the power pack set up. My first test was with the Penn Central E9. It ran smoother than I can ever remember. Of course, I ran downstairs to get one of the Atlas 4-4-0's to really see how much difference this track would make. Well, you can see for yourself...