[Tileguy]

This is an absolutly Huge undertaking,,,,,,,,,An Awesome feat if acomplished, not to mention EXPENSIVE!!!!

It takes a certain type of individual to take on a project of this calibre and I only hope you are up to the task because seeing this in action will be a real treat.

To any who read through this and consider building a large layout of this isze I can only say this..............Remember, after you build it........you must also MAINTAIN IT!!!

Most large Model RR layouts consume 20-30 Hours per week in BASIC maintenance.
A Project this size is not only a commitment, It Becomes...A LIFESTYLE

Best of fortune to you.......I Hope your enthusiasm brings you success!!

 

[Tileguy]

In the model rr world this is a very large layout(generally club size and maintained by 8+ members)...Chances are your maintenance will not be near this as a model rr has some very meticulous things that a slot track does not.....then again, maybe there is more in common than at first glance...Example, we now have turnouts (lane changers) They do not last forever and will require maintenance or replacement I can gaurantee it!! I can tell you from experience the things that will be required in maintenance although not necessarily on a daily basis. Nuch depends on your individual situation.
#1 - basic dust accumulation - Mini vacuum attachments are helpful here
#2 - Scenery repair (nature of the game when fast cars leave the track
#3 - lane changers - in a perfect world these would last forever.......can you find me a perfect world?

(consider buying some spares now to have on hand. Lane changers may be able to be repaired at the bench, but a spare will keep a race weekend from being ruined)
#4 - cleaning rail - how many feet of track was that?? 200+ x 2 lanes......Thats a football field and a third o rub clean before the big race!!
#5 - changing the light bulbs.......If you have lights, you will replace bulbs here and there

There are a hundred other little jobs to be done around a layout and they all add up.
Owning a Big layout is no differant than Owning a BIG House.....The Bigger the house, the larger the cleaning staff

Now add to this maintaining your fleet of cars and you begin to see what I mean.........granted, it may not be as large a job as a model rr..........But, you are not 8 guys either

I still want to see you build this though, and I'll bet when its finished, you will find help from those who want to race on it..........If you cant get it outa their wallets, Maybe you can get it in maintenance labor

QUOTE (thib @ 20 Dec 2006, 12:54) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Hi Tileguy,

Thanks for the well wishes.

I'm a little puzzled by your maintenance projection/warning though. 30 hours a week - that's well over 4 hours + a day. I don't know diddly about maintaining a railroad but I can't imagine anything even remotely close to that being neccessary for basic maintenance of this layout.

Please clue me in.

 

[Tileguy]

There are other options for improved conductivity on Plastic...Kevin (Zipp) could tell you a bit about the copper tape method.

Ive seen a track somewhere where a small routed section was Mixed in with plastic track to form a Shortcut (looks like it cut a corner through a field LOL).
They did this to help balance out the advantage their design gave to the outside lane.

Cant remember where i saw it, might have been a Portugul site???

Like Bill I know little about Routed track.never built one, never raced on one, in fact i dont think ive ever even seen one In person..............Yes, I really do live in the sticks where Mail comes by Dogsled 6 months a year and covered wagon the rest of the time

 

[Tileguy]

Next time...If there is a next time, I think for a permanent I would go wood or at least give it very serious thought. I would keep my Plastic for playing around with new layouts .....Something to Perhaps set up Outside on a nice day for some Saturday evening racing fun......In fact, I still may start picking up sport track used if i see a good price just for this reason........Ive got hundreds of feet of HO track, but once youve run 1/32 its almost impossible to go back to the blur of HO........wha......t wa..........s tha................................................t !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Tileguy]

QUOTE On the downside, if I were to route the whole thing except the Digital132 pieces, not one single piece of track that is currently in my basement would be utilized. OUCH!

Hmmmmmm Garden RR.......Garden Slot track.........If they can make a train run out doors, Perhaps you could give some thought to an Outdoor Slot track

Ah to build a Nurbergring Circuit Oudoors on a hillside set amid a forest of Dwarf pines......OMG Now that would be really be Something wouldnt it!!!
How about at about 1/10 of scale........A scale 1.4 miles in 1/32.......Gives me goosebumps just thinking about it!!!