Continuing the spirit of the layout party, here is our April thread for sharing our progress on our layouts! For those of you who may be joining the thread for the first time, here's a little recap: Every six months or so, we have a six-week "layout party" here on the Trainboard, in which we all set goals for working on our layouts, and then give weekly (or more) reports on how we are doing towards meeting those goals. It helps us inspire each other to get working on our railroads, and it's fun to see others working in real time alongside you (virtually, at least). We've enjoyed each other's company so much and had such a benefit from the last party that we've decided to continue, in a more casual monthly format, until the next party comes along. So feel free to post your layout plan and your progress here and join the conversation! Here's a picture of my overall layout as it stands right now: I had hoped to get the entire roadbed down during the layout party, but I ran into the happy event of my wedding on the last two weeks, so only got about 2/3rds of the way there. Still, I'm happy to have some track down! Here is a picture of my yard control panel, the first that I've ever built! I used basswood and masonite to create it. Pretty simple. The mainline is wired seperately, so that a seperate dispatcher panel can "throw" control of the main to a second DC cab control, allowing one person to use the yard while another uses the mainline. Here's my yard: You'll note that this yard is pretty compressed, with the ladder track serving double duty as the station siding and passing track. However, I am quite satisfied to have fit a yard that includes three full length sorting tracks, a full length passing siding, a yard lead that doesn't foul anything, engine services, a maintenance track, and a runaround for three cars, all on a 3x5 table, while still having room for 22.5-foot mainline run! Today I hope to get some work done on the second curve, visible in the top left, completing the risers and perhaps even the trackage. What's everyone else doing? David
So David, Did you get any railfanning in during your honeymoon? Congrats. Looks like you accomplished a lot in the 4 weeks of the layout party.
The last party was so much an incentive to me, that I just have to play in this one. My goal is to have enough track laid, that I can run trains on both (East/West) mainlines by the end of April. My railimages album has photos of progress to date, and a copy of my trackplan. http://www.railimages.com/cgi-bin/album.pl?album=David%20Wetherbee What I would like to complete is the East/West staging yard, and the mainlines through the Lyons yard. I don't intend to work on the Lyons yard track, or the South branch and staging. My layout is in N scale, using Peco C80 in the staging areas, and Atlas C55 in the visible (front) part of the layout. Initially, this week I will lay the turnouts (including Tortoises) for the E/W staging yard, and complete as much of the track between them as I can. Good Luck to all. Dave
Hi david, your layout looks like its coming along really well! i figure i will show the progress of my layout as it is now, i have been working on it since late last year, it is N scale, and its on a door. this first picture is a view of the scenery i have done so far. the only difference there is now is that i have placed some cows on the hillside. this one shows the other side of the layout, it is no longer covered in junk. like it is in the photo here is my track plan, the red parts are the track i havent laid yet, i dont have the money to buy the turnouts i need at the moment. and that is holding back progress on my layout.
Hi Steve, I like your finished areas! Your trackwork looks good, and you have a really nicely formed hill. Also, it looks like you have some breat operations potential on that door without making the layout too crowded. My only question is about the interface between your mainlines. You only have a single crossover set, so trains can only go from the outer mainline to the inner one in one direction. It'd be great if you could put in a crossover in the opposite direction, so that you could get back to the other track after crossing over once.
Steve, Is your door layout controlled by DC blocks or are you using DCC ? I like the double mainline idea, but the train on the outer loop must be able to drop rolling stock in your industrial area in the middle (red lines in diagram). Paul
My layout has made significant progress since the pictures in the link below have been updated. My track plan isn't quite finalized yet, but it's getting there. My yard has been redesigned from what you see in the picture. Anyway...since these pictures were taken, I have installed the vast majority of WS foam risers and inclines and began laying cork for the yard last night. I'll try to take some more pictures tonight and get them uploaded for posting tomorrow. http://www.railimages.com/cgi-bin/album.pl?album=Shane%20Thompson
Well, let's see.......... I got an industrial spur laid on the east end of Monett yard- it'll serve a grain elevator and a plastics plant. The interchange track from Seneca Jct (on the Frisco) down to Seneca (on the Spring River) has been "roughed in", and I still have a little bit of work to do- it's a downhill grade from Seneca Jct to the south end of Seneca siding on the SPRY. I took the Turtle Creek decals I got in my issue of MR and put some on an Accurail 50' boxcar that already had the dimensional data applied. For diesels, I put another Frisco GP38-2 into action- the 472 is in service on the West Local (3011) out of Monett. GP15-1 105 has had its superdetails added, and is now in service as well. I still have a tire plant and grain elevator to build so I'll turn my attention to those.
The real reason i only have one crossover between mainlines is because i got impatient to lay track and only had the one turnout. silly i know... but i think it will make things more interesting, i can back cars from one main to the other and the train running on the inner oval can pick them up and swicth them and leave other cars on the main for the train on the out side main, and use the passing track to go around them, if that makes sense i have to make thigns difficult. but i usually just like to watch trains run. im just using standard dc, tho i would love dcc, im a bit poor at the moment. hoss i like your track plan, and it looks like its coming along very nicely friscobob it sounds like your layout is coming along great as well as your locos
Great layouts guys it great to see your progress. Steve, If I was starting out today i would be going DCC but I have over 40 locomotives. If I was starting now I would definately go DCC. Keep up the great work guys and keep posting updates
Here's my current project. I'm building a mated set of HO modules featuring a logging shortline. Picture is output from 3rd PlanIt. Logging line will feature a couple of log bridges over a creek, running roughly down the hills in the center of the modules. Sawmill and pond are at the left. Status: The module frames are built, using the basic technique from RailwayBob's web site. Blue foam has been glued into place, and I'm currently shaping it. Goal for the week: Finish shaping the foam, start laying roadbed.
Everyone's work is looking great!! I was able to make some more progress on laying roadbed for my yard last night. Unfortunately, I failed to take any pictures. I'll try to take some pictures tonight so I'll have more to show than a half strip of roadbed down for a short section of track...
Okay...I managed to snap off some pictures last night and get them uploaded to RailImages. Go to the link below and you can see my progress with a short description. http://www.railimages.com/cgi-bin/album.pl?album=Shane%20Thompson Heck...I'll just post the pictures here and if you want the descriptions you can go to the link.
Coming along well hoss i just thought i would show a current photo of how my layout looks... i took them last night, not even the position of the train has changed. around the back the new cows and coal loader, im going to use it to load gravel into trucks.
Steve, your stuff looks good. Still cannot get over your single crossover though - it's your layout! Todd/Tileguy - welcome to the group! Have any way to give us a picture of that benchwork? Does your sloped roof go all the way down to the floor on one side, or does it slope down and then hit a finished vertical wall at some point?
Thanks for the welcome David.I do not have a digital camera,however i do have a scanner so i'll snap a couple picture this weekend and get them developed next week and post(see right away i'll at least get some cleanup work done ) The angle comes down to abot the 4' level so i built my benchwork at about 36".not ideal i know,but necessary.I have a shelf built above it coming off the angle where lighting can be installed.The angled effect with the sky background actually works well in that area.Below that area is the solid top with 2" extruded board.That walls length is a little over 7' long.when facing it i have windows to your left.this area has the 1/2 door a8" wide by 80" long. to the right of it i have an area of about 22" in depth by 9' from corner to corner.A penninsula is built off the corner which would be behind you on the right .this comes out about 40" and is 32" wide.The rest of the room is devoted to a corner work bench and shelving due to a roof valley being there.its an ugly corner for anything but this purpose.Mt benchwork is attached to the wall by way of cleats that can be loosened to lift entire sections out if i ever need to.The front legs are 2x2's with T nuts for leveling.All framing is 1x3 pine which were originally 1x8 baseboards from the house.when we remodeled i salvaged these for the framing so as to have good dry lumber. I dont have a CAD program for trackplanning and have done all this the old fashioned way with Pencil and compass on graph paper.I will see if i cant get a basic layout of the benchwork penciled and scanned to post.Any thoughts and or ideas will be appreciated .I have always believed 2 heads are better than 1 and 10 or 12 heads even better Todd
Benchwork complete! Now concurrently working on models and laying track in the main room. -my original plan was for tunnels through wall, now thinking about highway overpasses to hide tunnel through wall, or buildings.
Wow! It's great to see all the work in progress! Inspires me to get busy at the job of finishing my basement! Barry- That's some STOUT looking benchwork! Boxcab E50
I have been reading your six week discussion and I have been asking a few questions about getting started. In the last 7 days, I have dived in. I am building a 5'X 11' HO layout in my garage. Last weekend I converted my old workbench into a base for my benchwork. A few 1" X 4"'s later I had some framework. This weekend bought the plywood top and a majority of my track....... LEarned how to solder with only a few errors. I realized the two sides of atlas flex are not created equal... In the month of April I hope to get all of the track and roadbed down and begin wiring.... I will post some pictures hopefully later to show my progress..... I am sure I will be posting questions also.... HAve a great week! Dave
I may have misunderstood...but if you're soldering both sides of the rail, you don't want to do that. It will cause your trains to derail. You'll only want to solder the outside parts of the rails...
