This is the start of my new TT:120 layout, and it’s all about the HST. Nothing’s fixed down yet. I’m still moving track around to see what works, so here’s how it’s going so far.
So far
Working out the plan
First job was laying everything out loose on foam board on the shelf: straights, curves, a few points and a diamond crossing. Lots of shuffling pieces around until the plan felt right. The foam is light and easy to cut, so it’s handy for trying ideas out.
Trying out the curves
Then the curves. I laid curved sections end to end to see how they’d flow, including an S-bend. An HST wants nice wide curves: those long Mk3 coaches look much better on them.
Onto the baseboard
The track is now on the black baseboard. At the top a point comes off the long straight, and at the bottom there’s a junction right at the edge of the board, with the rails running off ready to join the next section.
The first crossover
Two points back to back make a crossover, so trains can swap between the two lines. The HST is parked up behind it, waiting for its first proper run.
The main line
And the long parallel straights that will be the main line. Even in TT:120 an HST is a long train, so this is where it should really look the part: blue and grey with that yellow nose.
The HST on the board
And the train itself, lined up on the board beside the track it’ll be running on. Seeing it there, power car up front and the coaches stretching away behind, makes the length of those straights make sense.
Next up
- Settle on the final plan and fix the track down
- Wire up the track and the points
- First full run with the HST
- Ballast, then the scenery