If I use regular plastic medium bases (around $1.38 ea) and LED A19 8.5-watt bulbs, I can light the whole lower level of the layout for less than $100, and only need about 85 watts per side, easily low enough to simply plug into an outlet under the layout. I'll have to test once I get to that point to find out exactly which bulbs provide the best light.
It has been a little while since I posted an update: Benchwork is nearing completion rather rapidly. I have the sections along the wall completed to the future helix location. Granted, I still have to install the permanent brackets for the last two sections on the upper level in this photo, but this is significant progress, nonetheless. From this view, the bridge crossing over Tuckers Creek would be on the bottom level about 5' back, close to the narrowest point (18"). Also from this view, you would be looking at the cabinet factory about 2' back and the town of Elizabeth, WV where the benchwork comes back out to 30" depth. The benchwork for the broad curve that would loop to the right, and out of frame, still needs to be constructed. I also completed all sections of benchwork along the opposite wall. The broad curve that the throat of Ravenswood Yard sits on also hasn't been constructed yet. This section is the next area that will be built. There is a corner section that almost sits on an island. This area will have Foster-Fisher Chemicals Plant on the bottom and Kanawha Paper on the top section. There will be removeable spans to the left across the windows at the end of the room and a lift-out section on the bottom to the left side across the attic door. I think I can frame a rigid section across the upper level out of 1x2's and 3/4" plywood that will allow the door to clear just below it.
I created a video last night that is a basic introduction to the layout and detailed some of my benchwork construction.
It's interesting how there is a difference in perception, between still photos and video. It's much easier to comprehend with video. It feels like actually standing there and looking around.
When I get the lighting upgraded, the videos will be much better. Sent from my PantechP8010 using Tapatalk
Have you decided what to try for lighting? As I recall, when last mentioned, you were still uncertain?
Yeah, I'm going to wire a series of A19 8.5 watt LED bulbs for the lower level. Track lighting for the upper level. Sent from my PantechP8010 using Tapatalk
When you buy that track lighting, try to avoid plastic constructed items. A lot of it is not at all durable. If you want to do much adjusting, or jostle it, the stuff can break easily.
The weekend before last, I was upstairs wrapping up bench work construction. My wife came up stairs with our son to play in his play space, she was stunned at the expanse of bench work (she hadn't been upstairs for a couple weeks). She expressed her disappointment in the design consuming so much of the space vs the play area. I can't make it sound like it was all her, she made a good point and for whatever reason the actual construction really did feel more space-consuming than what I had in mind with the plan. So the compromised solution was to eliminate the "blob" at Grantsville and Ravenswood and straighten the yards out, also I took two angled sections next to where the helix was originally supposed to go and stick them on the end of the long run against the wall. Also, the helix was moved down and placed in the "blob" at Elizabeth. Quite a bit more open floor space, more room for operators, also easier to reuse Ravenswood and Grantsville in the future in another house. So this is the final, final plan for the Lower Level:
And for the Upper Level: I did forget to label where the helix arrives on the open layout. It opens into the clear at the Wye near the upper left corner to the east of Elizabeth, WV.
I haven't documented any progress lately, so here goes: Accomplishments: I now have the basic benchwork completed, except for the lift out at the attic door and across the windows at the end of the room. Plywood subroadbed has been installed at Ravenswood as well as a sheet or two above at Grantsville. I also installed narrow, (1/2") ceiling fan-style octogon boxes on the benchwork for the lower level lighting. Finally, I laid 14' for cork roadbed for the main track starting at the western-most end of the layout at Ravenswood, working eastbound. Immediate plans: In the immediate future (next 2-3 weeks), I need to lay out all of the turnouts at he west end of the yard and get the center lines drawn out so I can begin layout track through the yard area later on. I need to test a portion of lighting over Ravenswood Yard to determine if the 4' spacing of the light fixtures is going to be adequate. I'm suspecting I will have dark areas between the fixtures on the layout, but more so on the backdrop area. I have extra lighting materials, so I can go to 2' spacing if needed. I would like to have the backdrop in place with a base coat of paint before I get too far ahead on the track work. We are supposed to have nice weather next weekend, so I may go ahead and rip out of sections of backdrop and subroadbed for Grantsville next Saturday. Photographic evidence of progress:
The lighting for the lower level has been completed! I'll have to make a video and get some pictures later. I made great progress last Friday, I now have the west end of Ravenswood Yard throat glued in place as well as the double #8 turnouts on the main track to the run around and to the main track to Louisville (staging). I've already been running a cut of cars through the turnouts at various speeds to ensure smoothness, so far, so good. I'm out of roadbed and cork sheets for the yard, so I'll have to pick more up this week. Sent from my PantechP8010 using Tapatalk
100 pounds, that's it! I remember last year in wood shop this little struture held 150 pounds and still didn't break! And yes that's balsa.
It's looking nice, looking forward to more progress, hard to believe that is ho scale with how long it is.
I remember building bridges out of balsa when I was in college! Sent from my PantechP8010 using Tapatalk
I now have roadbed glued down for 75% of Ravenswood yard and 3 yard tracks mostly in place (more than what is shown in the picture below). I got impatient and pulled a few cars out of storage, at least I can test the joints and turnouts as I go. I've used most of the #6 turnouts I had in hand when I started building the layout, but I have several old Shinohara turnouts that aren't "DCC-friendly". I found an great write up on how to modify for use on a DCC layout and started working on a couple. After testing the first one, I have serious doubts about the durability and long-term reliability, post-modification. A friend of mine swears up and down that the only thing I have to do is to either place insulated joiners at the end of the diverging rails past the frog or to made a cut at the top of the frog to isolate those two rails..... that is it. If course the turnouts are power-routing, but I don't care if a stub track at an industry is dead if the switch is aligned to the main. I hope he is right, I'll have to do some testing eventually and find out. Anyhow, I'll need at least another 25 turnouts, and at the cost of $22 each, that would be at least $550. I ponied up the cash for a Fast Tracks kit for #6 Code 83 turnouts, it should pay for itself after 10 turnouts. I've attempted hand laid turnouts a few years ago on the old layout with marginal success, I think the jig will make a big difference. I've got lots of Code 83, 70 and 55 rail left over, so I should be able to build all the turnouts I need with the materials I already have. I hear people have been able to build them in about an hour each, I figure I could turn about 6 each per week in the hotels rooms while traveling for work and slap them down on the weekends and make some real progress again. I'll update when I get some built!
So over the past week I've turned out 6 turnouts with the Fast Tracks kit. Fortunately, each turned out pretty well and are all useable. I now have the track work at the west end of Ravenswood mostly complete, aside from the main proceeding through the wall down the Valley Division to Louisville (staging). Sent from my PantechP8010 using Tapatalk
I haven't decided how to proceed with ground throws on the yard tracks. Option A is to place the throws on the ties as per prototype. Option B is to place the ground throw at the front edge of the layout with a rod hidden in a plastic or brass tube connecting to the turnout (6-12" away). A accurate dummy switch stand would be placed on the end of the ties. Sent from my PantechP8010 using Tapatalk
Those switches kook good. Should save you some $$ over the long run. I like the thought of looking down the lead and seeing those high stands there, keeping the operating ground throws away would keep me from fat fingering things sometimes too. I learn so much along the way here.
