Atlas HO-29 Layout – The Central Midland – Code 100 – BRASS

Description

Attention Model Railroaders.  Are you looking for a fabulous, challenging, and exciting HO scale railroad to build?
Do you have a good 14′ x 14′ of space available for your new endeavor?
Would you like to CHEAT on getting it built?

Well, now is the time to get this spectacular HO scale model railroad layout for yourself!

It is at least 10′ x 12′, “L” shaped, with multiple heights.

This is the famed, level 3, large, Atlas layout designed by John Armstrong as layout #29, “The Central Midland.”  The size of the layout is at least 10′ x 12′, “L” shaped, with multiple heights / levels.  The layout has a lot of fascinating features including mostly a double-track main line, 22″ radius curves throughout most of the layout, reversing action providing you with the ability to run a train facing in both directions without having to touch the locomotive, grades, mountainous elevations, tunnels, overpasses, and bridges to cross.  One can operate multiple locomotives on this layout in both DC and DCC mode.  If you have the space to put this layout and allow for walk-around room, you can have all sorts of fun running trains on this layout.  You can invite several friends over at a time and all of you run trains together simultaneously.

The Atlas Central Midland HO scale layout #29 has been consigned to ShowMyHobby.com.  It was being built by a Consignor who encountered some health issues in his senior life and feels that now is the time to let go of his model railroading hobby.  Since ShowMyHobby.com is very good at helping others liquidate their hobbies (especially HO scale trains), the layout is being offered right now in real time.

When I first glanced at the layout, I saw a lot of brass tracks and thought the layout was all brass.  Having now removed every piece of track from the boards piece by piece, it appears that the consignor started building the layout using all brass sectional track, mostly made by Atlas, just like the track plan suggests.  However, at some point, he bought a lot of Nickel Silver flex track and resorted to replacing the sectional tracks with the flex track.  As best I can ascertain from the consignor is that he never finished building the layout in brass or nickel silver.  The layout was not complete when I was called in to liquidate it starting in November of 2022.  I just removed all the track form the boards and the majority of the track that I pulled up was nickel silver flex track.  The majority of he turnouts and crossings though are mostly Atlas brass tracks.  I believe the consignor has enough sectional brass track to build the entire layout though.  I won’t know for certain until I sort and count all the pieces of tracks that he has.  I am, however, very confident that between the consignor and I, we have all the necessary brass pieces of track to build either the DC or the DCC version of the HO #29 layout as mentioned in the Atlas book.  It should be noted that the consignor expanded the length of the yard by at least 3′ so the layout is actually larger than the dimensions mentioned in the track plan.  This wonderful layout can be yours.  All you have to do is come and pay for it and take it with you.

As of late Saturday night, 1/7/2023, I have removed all of the track and most of the roadbed from the layout.  See the updated pictures.  I have sorted the Nickel Silver Flex tracks.  They need to be counted, bundled and priced for sale separately.  I have piled like brass pieces together, but they too need to be sorted, counted, bundled, and priced for sale separately.  I hope to get that completed by 22nd of January.  Once the tracks are bundled up and presented for sale, I plan to attempt to label all the pieces of wood and then unscrew and dismantle the layout completely.  I had to unscrew 2 sections of the layout already where the tracks cross under the yard and other areas in order to remove the tracks and roadbed.  I put those boards back in place so that I can label them appropriately when I get to that stage later.  I left the screws out.

The Central Midland HO scale Brass track layout #29 is located in Charlotte very close to the Mint Hill city limits.  You have the opportunity to purchase this layout before I dismantle it or at certain stages along the way. The stages are as follows:

1. Remove all track and roadbed from the layout.  – Completed on 1/7/2023.
2. Remove all Nickel Silver track from the layout. – Completed on 1/7/2023.
3. List the Nickel Silver track for sell in small bundles on my website and elsewhere.
4. Remove all cork roadbed from the layout.  – Just about finished on 1/7/2023 — only a small portion of the yard remains.
5. Remove all Brass track from the layout.  – Completed on 1/7/2023.
6. Separate the brass tracks so that all the track necessary to build either the DC or DCC version of this layout is placed in a box.
7. List all the brass track and cork roadbed separately as the HO #29 track bundle.  Any excess track will be sold separately as well or combined with other bundles to make it more attractive.
8. Mark all the pieces of wood indicating how and where they go together.
9. Disassemble the layout and put the wood pieces up for sale as the WOOD necessary to build HO layout 29. (The wood only offer may only be up for a very short period of time as I will attempt to upload pictures of this as soon as I get to that point. I will leave the wood with the consignor for maybe 2 weeks after I completely dismantle to layout.  All the screws will be bundled with the wood.)

The first day I put this layout up for sale I was not able to get to all the stages above. Thus far, I am slightly into stage 1, the removal of the Nickel Silver tracks. It is now AFTER NEW YEARS, and I am resuming dismantling the layout. This now provides the NEXT day for anyone interested in the layout to stop by and see the layout, buy it, and take it with them! The date to meet me at layout is currently 1/7/2023 around 5 PM and possibly up to 7 PM. EMAIL me if you have any SERIOUS interest in obtaining this layout or pieces from it.

As a point of reference, “The Central Midland” code 100 brass layout is located very close to the Harris Teeter in Mintworth Commons shopping center just off Idlewild Rd {5706 Wyalong Dr, Charlotte, NC  28227 = Harris Teeter}).

Until all items are sold, I will be posting items for sale on my ShowMyHobby.com website. Some items were sold at a train show in Fort Mill, SC on December 17th. For certain, items will be available at the Asheville, NC train show around the end of February / first of March. I may put items up for sale at another SC show before then. I will let you know.

What does this all mean?

It means that if this layout interest you, NOW is the time to show-up and get it along with all of its BRASS track, cork roadbed, and wood as soon as possible.  I will update you as to the next available day I will be onside to sell the layout.

The Atlas HO scale #29 “The Central Midland” code 100 brass track layout is a great layout and I think the consignor did a good job of putting together the benchwork.  It is not PERFECT, but it does look well done.  Someone with the space to set this layout up could have a very nice project to get them started on a layout that looks as if it offers a lot of enjoyable fun, playtime, and operating experiences.  Unfortunately, I have discovered that the consignor never completed a full loop or ran trains for any long distances on the layout.  He just didn’t get to it before his health issue.

The layout is already partially disassembled and was never completely assembled.   The book that the consignor used to build the layout will be available for purchase separately as well with first opportunity going to whomever buys the layout or the tracks.  I have not yet evaluated the consignor’s turnout switch control panel.  However, it is detached from the layout.  It has a lot of wires coming from it, but I haven’t seen any of the turnouts with any leads dropped through the wood yet, so I don’t think it was ever connected.  I removed the terminal blocks already and those will be sold separately at some point in the future (they are no longer with the layout). The MRC triple throttle transformer is also being sold separately and no longer with the layout.

The size of the layout is an ‘L’ shaped layout that measures and covers at least 10′ x 12′.  The layout plan that you see in the pictures here is the track plan for the layout.  I have also taken a photo of the Items required to build this layout as both a DC and a DCC layout.  I have included that snapshot.  Where you see TRACKS listed, all those tracks will be available in the track box once I have sorted all the brass track and set aside the pieces necessary to build the layout.  The bridges are also available separately and have already been removed from the layout. I’m not sure if he has all the electronics or not yet.  I will get to that eventually.  He has a ton of wires, some of which you might see in his photos.  No matter what, I am confident that, if necessary, I have any piece in my own collection that the consignor may be missing in his and will make certain that the required items are present in the track box bundle to build this entire layout as intended by the track plan when I put the track box up sale separately.

NOTE: On 1/7/2023, the bridges and other items mentioned above that have been removed from the layout are no longer onsite with the layout. However, if you SERIOUSLY want any item that is no longer on site and you plan to show up and view the layout on the evening of the 7th, let me know prior to 1 PM on the 7th and I will bring any of those pieces that are not currently with the layout back with me when we meet at the consignor’s place.

The asking price for the layout is extremely reasonable.  I have reduced it a little to exclude the Nickel Silver tracks that were on the layout when I priced it originally.  Right now, the layout with all the wood, existing wiring, cork, and Brass track necessary to complete the layout plan, is included in the CASH price you see listed for this item.  I can also accept all debit & credit cards, PayPal, and $CashApp.  I can even accept checks but understand, I will mobile deposit your check immediately and only if it clears will your check be accepted.  There is a 3.5% processing fee applied to all in-person purchases via debit, credit card, or PayPal and a 1.5% processing fee for $CashApp.

On 12/14/2022, I discovered that Atlas has the Nickel Silver version of the HO #29 The Central Midland Layout track package available on their website for $2648.00 (plus tax and shipping). However, if one orders that package from Atlas today, they will not receive any of the turnouts necessary to build the layout because Atlas does not have those turnouts in stock. (Historically, it has taken Atlas quite some time in the past 3 years to restock certain track items, so it could still be quite some time before you receive their Nickel Silver turnouts.) Here is a link to the Atlas HO-29 track bundle (https://shop.atlasrr.com/p-44235-ho-29-the-central-midland.aspx) in case you want to see it or order items directly from them.  Having now seen this, I have reduced the price of this layout and the brass tracks a little bit more given that in the North & South Carolina areas, nickel silver track is probably better than brass track.  [For those of you who do not know, Nickel Silver is a combination of copper, nickel and zinc.  Brass is a combination of copper and zinc.  Therefore, Nickel Silver is actually made of Brass and Nickel.  There is NO SILVER in it anywhere.  Using Brass track will require cleaning the track more often than Nickel Silver track.  However, a serious model railroader using Brass track will probably treat the Brass track with something like NO-OX-ID (A special electrical Grade grease).  The reason being that brass track oxidizes quicker than nickel silver track.  To keep the oxidation to a minimum and electrical conductivity at a maximum, use NO-OX-ID or something similar.]  As far as realism goes, though, I still think that brass track LOOKS more realistic than nickel silver track.  Keep in mind, any commercial retail listing where you find this layout plan online does not include the wood to make this layout and it does not include any roadbed of any type. The layout I am selling comes with cork roadbed for all the necessary tracks.

Have you bought a piece of plywood lately?  Wow is it expensive.  So, the price of this layout is absolutely great for all that you are getting.  If you search well enough, you will find where another model railroader sold his completed HO 29 layout for $4600 somewhere around 2009, 2010, or shortly before that.  He sold it with the wood and everything.  One of the differences between that layout and this one is that the layout he sold was a flipped version of HO layout #29, where the lip of the “L” was on the left side instead of the right side.  This layout is worth a lot more than $2648.

A note to the people TEXTING me directly from the Craigslist ad.  YOU NEED TO BE LOCAL to be able to pick this layout up.  If you cannot show-up with the funds to purchase this item, then visit my website occasionally and buy the pieces you want from my website.  Just be aware that NONE of the wood will be available for purchase from my website as I am not going to attempt to SHIP any of the wood for any reason.  The consignor has agreed to keep the layout at his place until such time I can dismantle it completely and remove it or until someone shows up to look at it and buy it through me, whichever comes first.

The video below is a video of a digital version of The Central Midland Atlas HO layout #29.  I’m not sure who made the video, but it is a fair representation of what the layout looks like with trains actually operating on the layout.  You can probably find some real videos too.  The one thing I noticed that is different about the digitized version is that the trackage in the tongue area is a little different than what the track plan calls for.  Still, you get an idea of what this layout looks like by watching the quick video.

Video of The Central Midland in operation

Use my contact page to email me or visit Craigslist and find this ad.

A note to the people TEXTING me directly from the Craigslist ad.  YOU NEED TO BE LOCAL to be able to pick this layout up.  If you cannot show-up with the funds to purchase this item, then visit my website occasionally and buy the pieces you want from my website.  Just be aware that NONE of the wood will be available for purchase from my website as I am not going to attempt to SHIP any of the wood for any reason.  The consignor has agreed to keep the layout at his place until such time I can dismantle it completely and remove it or until someone shows up to look and it and buy it through me, whichever comes first.