Some exciting news for the JL&T...

There are going to be some additions made to the JL&T Layout shed very soon...

Hopefully some of the ideas in the photo below can be negotiated into the addition?

More to follow soon...

UPDATE...

So the great news is there is going to be an addition to the layout shed due to expansion within our home.  We are converting our garage into another room for our two boys which requires the contents of the garage to be moved.

The layout room will be extended by a further 4 metres (13") to the east of the current entrance.  This will also allow for further expansion of the layout, namely the possible removal of the workbench & dispatch area into the new section & the addition of a sizeable staging area that will modelled as a classification yard.

The above plan shows the additions to the new area, and the slight alterations to the existing layout.  The current staging area (3 tracks) in the l&T area will be converted to more narrow bench industry, and there will also be the addition of the wye coming from the new yard.

This new area will also possibly allow for the addition of small crew lounge area that is outside of the layout area, also with the dispatch desk being outside of the main layout area will also free up space for more operations within the room.

Above the workbench & dispatch area will also be the addition of a locomotive service facility that I have had as a given since designing the JL&T.

More to follow soon as the build starts hopefully with the next few weeks.

Jas.

JL&T Module - The Series...

For those that want to see the beginnings of our layout take shape this is what really started it all.

I will be posting a series on how I came up with the concept of building a module prior to building the layout, and how it eventually became an integral part of the L&T Branch today.

For those wishing to start building a layout, a module can be a great way to practice all the skills required with building a full size layout on a small manageable scale.  

And when finished they can be used as part of the layout in series with other modules, or used to take photos of your locomotives & rolling stock.

Links to the first two parts in the series:

JL&T Module - The beginning of a Railroad - Part 1

JL&T Module - The beginning of a Railroad - Part 2

JL&T Module - The beginning of a Railroad - Part 3

JL&T Module - The beginning of a Railroad - Part 4

JL&T Module - The beginning of a Railroad - Part 5

New addition to the JL&T switcher fleet...

Well this week I found a new addition to the JL&T - RDG Switcher fleet.  I was searching eBay like I normal do and came across a "rare" Athearn RDG (all green) SW1500 switcher numbered 2763.

I know this is rare because I have not seen one advertised anywhere since starting the layout around four years ago.  I have another RDG (yellow #2766) SW 1500 switcher that I purchased here in Australia about a year into the build, but have not seen any others since.

I checked the Athearn website and these where produced around 2009, and came in three road numbers.  After doing a little research I found out that this switcher was originally all yellow and was involved in a wreck then rebuilt, during the rebuild it was repainted in the all green RDG scheme.

Photo credit to Author Kim Peirsol.

So once this arrives here in Australia (Thanks Alan!) it will be getting Soundtraxx Tsunami Sound and some details parts and light weathering.  This will take my fleet of SW1500 for the RDG to two, until the arrival of the Broadway Limited SW1500's in the next month or two.

Jas...