# Big Horn and Inglenook RR



## amich35 (Jul 2, 2010)

With snow covering the outdoor track, I needed an indoor diversion so took my 22" pizza track and built it out to a small oval with two small inglenook yards on the inside. I'm running track power, a small LGB Porter, and a mix of small LGB and HLW cars. The whole thing fits on a 48" x 38" piece of plywood nestled between a desk and a built in cabinet. The centerpiece is a 58" tall antique phonograph horn that lives on the floor in this space. What to do? Cut a circle out of the middle of the board and run the track around it! The result: the Big Horn and Inglenook RR...I hope to learn more about Inglenook sidings and shunting games with these small cars and loco over the long Flagstaff winter...

Mike


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## amich35 (Jul 2, 2010)

*another view*

here you can see the big horn better


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## MJSavage (Dec 27, 2007)

I like that you are working with what you have. The Inglenook should offer you hours of fun too when you want a more interactive running session.

Mike


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

Very nice, I like it so much I made a copy of your track plan for my archives 

I wish those 21" dia circles were still available


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## amich35 (Jul 2, 2010)

*coupling and uncoupling*

I've always used battery outside and LGB hook/loop couplers so am using them again inside. I've never tried the LGB manual or automatic couplers. What do you all think? Are they worth the effort or should I just stay with my big hand and kitchen knife?

Mike


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## MJSavage (Dec 27, 2007)

My LGB Porter with LGB hook and loop couplers will not quite hook up the the Hartland Mini series cars on the Aristocraft 20" track. You may have quite a challenge getting couplers to work for the tight curves and switching too.


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

I've used link/pin couplers on my 21" pizzas but their is no switching done there. I might look into something like a buffer/hook-chain coupling system for this small a diameter. Maybe easier for switching but you'll probably need a big tweezers to hook and unhook the chain.


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## Stan Cedarleaf (Jan 2, 2008)

Looks great, Michael... Wonderful use of a small space... Vic is a master at "cramming" a lot into a little.. 

Yes, you did get a bit of snow. Even closed the public schools today. We only had flurries here that just wet the sidewalk... 

Might suggest you stay with the hook and loop couplers. If you use the hook on both ends of the cars, they should stay together.... I run all hook and loops on my Hartland Christmas ore train on 24 inch radius curves.. They stay together quite well..


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## amich35 (Jul 2, 2010)

*couplers*

What I have found works best is to have the loop on the leading object (starting with the loco) and the hook linking forward to it. The connection makes very wide turns on the pizza curves so that the hook needs a lot of leeway. I've even thought about bashing the loop to be a bit wider to accommodate a little more side to side movement.


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