Post by gremlinbl2guy on Jul 2, 2016 11:05:21 GMT -5
I finally got enough of my Eldon track collection together today,and decided to finally see what sort of layouts i could do with it. Having 4 corners is OK, but I thought combining the extreme short radius curves with others to create a different track scheme would be fun.
So , I swept off the top of the hot tub on the deck, and started laying out the Eldon ( and Fleischmann ) track. Fleischmann also has a tight radius ( 250mm ), I think number 6020 if you're looking for that, out of production a long time now, but enough to make a double-track line with the Eldon 7.5" radius. Sometime earlier this year I found a lot of Eldon track on Ebay and was able to score 3 sets ( 12 pieces ) of curved, and the same number I think of small straights. Plus I already had 2 sets, one is mounted on a black plastic party platter I've posted before as a mini-layout. I don't know where the other single set is at the moment. :/
Anyway, got to moving the tracks around, I could use it for either a trolley system or a small 2-axle locomotive short line. Thinking about for a trolley set-up, use the small Eldon 4.5" straights, and put a small town in the middle, would have 5 or 6 road crossovers. I just re-measured after looking at the pictures again, I will need to remove the center short straight to fit it onto a 2 x 4 sheet. But it is doable. Thinking now to make the scenery modular, too, so I can swap in the trolley town, or make it a small business district with a docksider or small Plymouth diesel hauling goods in and out. Either way, will be a long-term project.
The double loop would make a nice set-up, I could run passenger train on one line, and freight on the other. I have several of the Eldon #2 ? switches as well, so could put them into play to make a crossover angled across the center. More design work to play with.
Overall, lots of possibilities to explore with such short radius curves. Not meant for the "Big Boy(s)" at all! Only shortys need apply here. Now here are the pictures...
Jerry