Gateway Central XV (2009)
HO Scale Switching Model Railroad
layout design, text and
photos by Richard Schumacher |
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 Our
15th project railroad has a number of differences from our
previous model railroad layouts. The other project railroads
were given away each year, we plan to keep this one (at
least for a few years). The other project railroads had a
loop in the plan so the trains could go round and round,
this one is purely a switching layout and doesn't have a
continuous running option. And this one was designed to be
really small, so it will sit on a table at train shows and
easily move in the back seat of any car.
More information:
Buildings and
Structures on the Gateway Central XV
Track Plan and Parts Lists for the
home version Gateway Central XV
Design Parameters
 Purpose - a small switching layout for display and
operation at Train Shows and other events.
- Must fit on a standard Train Show table with room for
a tabletop display and literature/handouts.
- Light weight and easily transportable, even by one
person.
- Sized to fit in the back seat of a normal automobile.
- Little or no assembly/setup required on site.
- Fairly easy to build.
- HO standard gauge using commercial track pieces.
- One runaround track with facing and trailing point
sidings.
- Ability to expand or connect to another layout.
- Switching contest capability, but still moderately
easy to switch.
- For a small switch engine and 40' boxcars.
- Interesting online structures.
- Conventional DC or DCC power.
Switching Layout Design and Construction
 I
worked though four possible designs. Most were too wide for
the "fit in the back seat" goal. Some were too complex to
switch for the average person walking up at a Train Show
(the idea, after all, is to have fun with the layout). The
final design features five industrial structures, six car
setout spots, and six #4 turnouts - and with some
construction, operation and parts selection tricks made it
in at just shy of four feet in length. Our Train Show
version weighs just over 13 pounds and has a handle on back
to carry it around. If you want to build a version of this
railroad for a home layout, I would recommend the slightly
longer (and easier to operate and build) version shown on
the track plan page.
Track Plan and Parts Lists for the
home version Gateway Central XV.
 Although
there are lots of good track planning programs available, I
prefer to design small layouts using actual track pieces
laid out at the final size of the railroad. This helps the
planning considerably, since I have a tendency to pack as
much railroad as possible into the space. I also like to
mock-up the buildings using parts from the kit taped
together to make sure they look appropriate and will fit in
the space available (photocopies of the wall sections taped
together would work as well).
Buildings and
Structures on the Gateway Central XV. The photos show
the planning mock-up and the final Train Show layout.
Small structures were selected for the front to not block
the view of the tracks or the buildings in the back. The
front structures were placed at the corners leaving the
middle open to reach in to throw the turnouts and uncouple
cars. The background structures line the rear edge of the
layout, with the largest in the middle. The two back corners
required kitbashed structures to suit the locations, but the
structures selected are easy to customize this way.
The layout frame is constructed of select pine 1x4s - an
outside box of vertical 1x4s with an inside shelf of
horizontal 1x4s 2" down from the top edge - all biscuit
joined, glued and brad nailed (the nails just hold it
together until the glue dried). This makes for an extremely
rugged (almost indestructible) and lightweight frame. This
is obviously overkill for a home layout, but great for a
layout that travels around and is occasionally dropped. A
piece of 2" thick foam (available from your local building
center - it's used for insulation) was cut to fit inside the
frame and was glued to the inside shelf with carpenter's
glue. The track was also attached with carpenter's glue
(just make sure not to put any under the moving parts of the
turnouts). The frame, foam, track, and attached scenery
weigh only 13 pounds.
 This
layout will go to Train Shows so that the public can run it
- learn about operation, switch cars, see how it was built,
and ask questions. We even plan on using it for switching
contests - four cars on the layout is fairly easy, six or
seven cars gets very interesting.
DCC control was selected for the layout as we can
demonstrate how it works, and allows the public to learn and
experience what DCC does hands-on. The engine has a
SoundTraxx (sound) decoder installed so visitors can ring
the bell and blow the whistle. An entry-level Digitrax
Zephyr (DCS 50) throttle was selected which connects with
two wires to the layout.
 Look
for this layout at our booth at upcoming Greater St. Louis
Area train shows. Stop by, run a train, toot the whistle, and switch a few
cars.
Make sure to check out the close-up photos of each of the
Buildings and
Structures on the Gateway Central XV. That web page also
includes information on how to kitbash the two back corner
structures.
If you would like to build a railroad like this one,
please see the
Track Plan and Parts Lists for the
home version Gateway Central XV.
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