Like your command center design. I am still debating between a setup like yours or a slide out drawer Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 4 Beta
In an attempt to breathe life into this thread, I'll shoot you another update: Here's how the layout currently stands. No major changes yet. The water has a base coat of Payne's Grey, just to temporarily contrast water from the land. I've purchased some new rolling stock and a Maersk loco. Mind you, when I joined these forums in February as a complete noob, I didn't have a single N-Scale car. I've done a little more to the frame for my control panel: I built some plastic structures from practice. These came unopened in a N-Scale lot I purchased from Craigslist for $30. I used them to fancy up my under-layout programming track. This was really just for sh*ts and gigs. It's probably unlikely that I'll keep this "underworld." Again, per David K. Smith's design, this will be the location of my wharf scene: So far, the wharf will include semi-modified versions of these three Micro-Trains models: Hotel, Cannery, and Large Pier. The Hotel will sit on the Large Pier along with a small cafe and bait shop. Part of my inspiration came from seeing Robert Ray's Z-Scale wharf scene in person at the World's Greatest Hobby show in Sacramento. I really love how the lighting reflects off of the water and hope to recreate that effect. Overall, I'm having a great time with the layout! I appreciate all the help I have received from several of you guys. Since I was a child, my love for trains never really died, but my love for partaking in the hobby has only gained momentum since I've gotten back into it
Thanks, Steve! I did more work on the frame for my control panel this weekend. Still plenty to do on it, but it's getting there. I really need to order my NCE Powercab and 751k toggles.
Haha. I am flattered that you are curious about my layout! Today was quite literally the first day that I did any work since my last update. I had been busy doing hikes in Lake Tahoe in training for climbing Mt. Shasta in Northern California. Besides the Shasta climb, I have been busy with Summer travel and other outdoor activities. I look forward to settling into Fall, and having more time for working on the layout. The work I did today was extending the stock Kato turnout wires (after clipping off the plugs), routing them to my control panel box, and hooking them into their respective terminal blocks. Hopefully I'll be able to provide some visual updates for you in the next week or so! Cheers! Noah
The summer months do tend to be less layout-active than other times of the year. Speaking for myself, my own layout sees very little or no progress when summer comes around. While I can't say that I will be including any mountain climbing in my to-do list, outdoor activities, yard work, home improvements and week end road trips with the wife do tend to limit how much time I spend in the basement. As always, I am interested in any well thought-out and executed layouts, especially in N scale, and yours certainly qualifies. Have fun on your hikes, stay safe and keep up the good work! Looking forward to your next update. Frank B.
Thanks for the nice words, Frank. Even though I'm a total novice at this, I really tried to be methodical with the layout. I know I have several shortcomings, but overall, I'm pretty happy with how it's turning out. And I look forward to my next update too! BTW- Anyone going to the International Railfair in Roseville, CA in November?
For a quick photo update: Here is the inside of my control panel box. The wires connect to a strip of LED tape that will automatically light up when the door is open via pin switch. Magnets are mounted on each side to hold the lid closed. Earlier this evening I finished routing my turnout wires to terminal blocks behind the panel. I have 12 turnouts total. This picture shows the bulk of my turnout wires pre-conduit. I used a leftover piece of TV wire housing from wall-mounting a flat panel. As you can tell, it'll need an initial coat of black paint. I numbered each turnout and labeled each where's its respective wire dropped below the layout I used two 12 slot terminal blocks to connect the turnout wires behind the control panel. I tried to cleanly bundle the excess wire above each block. Hopefully I'll have some more interesting updates for you in the coming weeks! -Noah
Boxcab- since this thread is no longer appropriate for 'Layout Design Discussion' can it be moved to the 'N-Scale' forum perhaps? - - - Here's are a couple shots of the conduit after it got a second coat of paint
Just a quick update: The technical work continues! I'm pulling out my #4 Turnouts, one section at a time, to do a modification that will improve their performance. I learned this from various other threads and A LOT of research. I mark the rail where the frog point sits; pop the straight rail out of it's seated position and slide it down to exposed the marking that I made; use a small flat file to file the inside of the rail down until there is a nice notch for the point to sit in; then use the file to sharpen the points both vertically and horizontally; finally, slide the rail back into position until you feel a light click (then you know the rail is seated). I also got my first Ray Stilwell BCD tester switch control made this weekend. I'm now wiring my control panel on piece of styrene that I'm using as a template. The switches have red-green bipolar LED indicators. Hopefully I'll have some more exciting stuff for the thread in the near future!
Incredibly nice execution thus far Noah, that wiring looks as great as the budding layout it sits below.
Thank you for the kind words, Chris! I really like things to be clean and organized -arguably OCD. This can be either a beneficial or detrimental trait, depending on the task. I'm both excited and a bit nervous for adding scenery -just because I'm so hellbent on making the thing look clean, organic, and realistic. It's funny, I like to change my mind a lot which creates a lot of extra work for me. I've disassembled the mock-up panel you see above. I decided that just having the toggles in a row would essentially be the same thing as having the stock Kato turnout controls. Well, my friend owns a laser cutting machine as is making me the plexiglass control panel face plate. I'm going to place the toggles below each turnout on the panel map, and have the LED indicators in the middle of each turnout. The extra wiring work is nothing really. And oddly enough, I really enjoy soldering and figuring out the circuits. I'm not an electrician by any means, so it's fun to learn something new.
One quick question: Is that an industry building at the end of the yard tracks? Between the road up and the river. Just can't quite tell. Otherwise, very nicely done! If the Atlas C55 track I'm waiting on yet ever arrives, I'll finally be able to get started on a 36x80HCD myself!
There's no industry at the end of the yard tracks. There will be one yet-to-be-finalized industry on the river side of the yard tracks. I built a handful of practice buildings -purchased in a craigslist lot of N-Scale stuff. They've randomly sat around the layout in various photos that I've posted. But none of the buildings I have built so far will end up on the layout. And thanks! Good luck on your c55 track!
Well, it's been a long time coming, but my control panel is finally done! As you guys know, I researched, posted, discussed and debated about the various Unitrack switch control types. And finally, I decided (with the help of Carolina Northern) to go the 100% scratch built route. Also, special thanks to David K. Smith for help with the panel design and consulting. The panel was a lot of work, and about a bazillion solder/de-solder/re-solder points, but I'm quite pleased with how it turned out. I also finished the front fascia panel. Sometime later, I'll add the step-by-step on how it was built, along with construction photos. Noah
