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The New New Layout: We have started construction on a new layout at our new location at 146 W. Carmel Drive, Carmel, IN 46032. It's an island style layout, with a long wall at the north end. Island style meaning that one can walk all of the way around it. This leaves the walls open for our display shelves, and the trains we are selling at the new location. (Have you heard? We are now an authorized MTH, Atlas and Lionel dealer!) The new layout construction is under way, and, at Mrs Muffin's suggestion - we have a track plan this time! As of Mat 2015, pictured above, we have the three levels of track complete, and we are running trains again every Saturday. We are so glad to be running trains again! 
The Old New Layout: 
Introduction On May 1, 2012, we successfully completed the lease and took possession of a new layout space in Carmel, IN just a few feet off of the old Monon mainline into Indianapolis. Here we built a new layout. We regularly open this layout to the public and have visitors nearly every day. As we progress, I will include photos and descriptions on this page. To make room - we have taken down pictures of the previous two layouts. So - more on our new layout, below. The Plan We didn't have one. We started building the room out of 2 by 4's so that we could support a sky blue backdrop up 10 feet and a lighting pergula over the layout. The layout space is approximately forty by twenty six feet. Once the lighting was in place, we built out the benchwork - like a large letter "M" - with benchwork going down both long walls and across the back. Then we added a pennsulia in the middle. It's best, IMO, to start with laying out where you want to turn the track around - that's where you really use up the space - and then connect these planned curved areas together. We built the layout in three levels creating quite an opportunity for bridges - I love the look of trains approaching, crossing and exiting bridges. The first level is a folded dog bone that runs through a couple of city scenes; a long stretch with a stone wall behind it; and then goes through the layout to loop back at a water scene. A part of the east side city scene is shown above. Here's a video of the west side city scene: The second level is another folded dog bone that runs out the pennsula and back, and all the way down the east side of the layout. Lots of large radius curves and ling straights, with several bridges along the way. The return trip up the east wall is made in tunnels under the third level. The third level was planned as a double track mainline with lots of bridges that run all of the way around the layout space. As we completed it, the "duck under" at the entrance of the layout had too much "duck", so we looped the double track back on itself to create one very long folded dog bone. Our friends at the New Jersey Highrailers came through and provided the girder bridges from their Silk City Bridges line saved the day. These bridges are sure gorgeous! The Track We used Atlas O's track system for the layout. The ties look great and I like the sturdiness of the rail; the terminal rail joiners; and the quality of their curved track pieces. Many of my friends use this track system but just as many use Gargraves flex track and Ross Custom Switches - both on real wood ties. Rick Batista uses MTH's track system and it looks terrific too on his Black Diamond Railway as displayed at his website, ToyTrainsonTracks.com. I think any of these are a very good choice. Scenery and Structures Here's our Scenery and Structures
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Send mail to mrmuffinstrains@att.net with questions or comments about this web site.Last modified: 02/23/2014 |