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N Scale Entry 2Altoona and Johnstown I believe that N-scale is superb for Big scenery and long trains. The Altoona and Johnstown is a railfan layout that runs the PRR mainline through Horseshoe Curve. Visually, there is a single level, but the towns at the base level are 16" below the mountain ridge mainline. With the dual main, and the helices consuming 55 feet of track each, 6 trains can run simultaneously, three in each direction, without looking over-crowded or worry of contact between trains. Both yards are meant to be staging. The Johnstown American shops can store brand spanking new unit trains without looking out of place. The Altoona Yard can be worked, but as there are few industries, the engine service area and the Johnstown shops, Altoona is de facto staging as well. In Johnstown the PRR mainline divides across the Conamaugh River with the Main to Pittsburgh heading on the west side and the Conamaugh Branch running along the shops and heading north. The bridge across the river to the right is a famous stone arch bridge and should be duplicated. The layout is set up for the Norfolk Southern, but you can run the Pennsy, Penn Central, or Conrail. If you run the older lines, the Johnstown American Shops would be the Bethlehem Steel Freight Car Division . The areas without vegetation are meant to be urban areas and both the prototype shop and yard are in urban areas. So these areas, although not drawn should be streets and structures. The separation between levels is close in some places, but the prototype in the area of Horseshoe curve is steep as well. Still, in the city areas, buildings can be used as flats and pushed against the hillsides and combined with rock, vegetation and retaining walls to achieve a natural effect. Minimum radius 16" All turnouts Medium Peco Helix 18" radius 1.79 degree incline 2 Double Crossovers and a double slip for Crandell |
