White River & Northern VI
Layout Summary
Setting: |
Southwestern US, steam era |
Scale: |
N |
Size: |
16 by 24 inches |
Track: |
handlaid narrow gauge |
Control: |
not selected |
Benchwork: |
Gatorfoam |
Scenery: |
Scultpamold over Gatorfoam |
Year: |
2012 |
Status: |
~10% complete |
Disposition: |
gone |
Facing New Limitations
After my complete burnout with Z Scale, I yearned to return to N, so in late 2012 I drafted a few different plans for the White River and Northern VI. I'd first thought about recreating the White River & Northern I, with a glass top to be used as a coffee table, as was originally planned back in my youth. But the condo living room was big enough for a larger layout, so I developed a four-foot diameter adaptation; the extra foot allowed me to double-track the outer loop so I could run two trains continuously, and have room for additional sidings, buildings and so forth.
However, my significant other objected to the idea of having a layout in the living room, so I dropped it and started planning a small narrow-gauge layout based loosely on John Allen's original Gorre and Daphetid, which I'd keep in the basement with me.
The plan went through several revisions before I settled on it.
As usual, I made a base from half-inch Gatorfoam, using the same material for the subroadbed. I also began experimenting with 3M's VHB (Very High Bond) double-sided tape for tracklaying. The results were very promising: the tape held the PC board ties firmly in place.
My intention was to hand-lay Nn3 track using the Code 25 rail I had custom manufactured for the James River Branch. But as I got to work, I found that old age, exacerbated by Sarcoidosis, was beginning to rob me of the fine motor control needed to lay the track. This was alarming since, not long before, I was hand-laying Zn3 track, and even T Gauge track, with a mind-bending gauge of 3mm. It was a terrible blow.