Gary making progress is good and also running something which I haven't done except on a short straight track . Curious does the circle of track there have a 11" or 22" radius? I'm a little confused by the "22" minimum curves" statement. Hope it is 11" as I'm trying to keep most of my main line to 18" radius and will run some passenger cars. Sumner
The USPS LLV on my layout was done by a little details company called NZT Products that has since shut down due to the owner having some heath issues. However, Showcase Miniatures just announced they are doing one that will probably be showing up on my layout in the future.
Thanks, I ask because I had made a similar vehicle around 2005-2010 and had sold a some on ebay. These were cast resin and I had originally made them for a scene on a club module but then made more to sell. Post Office LLV 1 by nscalestation posted Aug 1, 2018 at 3:12 PM Post Office - kit bash by nscalestation posted Dec 11, 2019 at 6:22 PM
Heh. I'm not sure what that oval is, it's random bits of snap track I have in a plastic bin that came from a couple of sets- I'm mostly keeping them as planning tools since I'm going code 55. Probably mostly 11" on that, though. I wanted to see how bad the overhang would be if I hadn't chosen wide curves- my actual mainline will be a straight line down the center of that entire L-shaped frame (you can see it in previous posts from me), and the main will be 22" minimum, with 18" 'where necessary' in sidings and 15" 'do not exceed'. I'm actually kind of impressed I managed to get that around the loop twice without it derailing
Just scored a neighbor was going to toss out some 1X2X13 clear Fir it's now cut to size for a couple more module frames. Cost being in the right place at the right time. Priceless. No I didn't sleep at a Holiday inn Express either.
Yesterday (Thursday), the contractor finally got the trim stained and installed around the new patio door. This morning, I moved the helix back into its corner, and this weekend, I hope to make some headway on the L-girders for the two decks. Trim finally done and Helix back in place by ppuinn posted Jan 17, 2020 at 11:04 PM Over the last 2 weeks, I've spent a lot of time preparing operating session layout descriptions for the convention website, but we're struggling to get them uploaded to the website. Hopefully, we'll have the website up and running smoothly by the end of the weekend, because people must register for the limited number of operator slots at the same time they register for the convention, and for that to occur, both the recently revised website registration form and the op session layout descriptions need to be available online. Unlike the op session layout descriptions, the tour layout descriptions can be added any time, right up to shortly before the convention, because anyone who registers for the convention will be able to drop in to any layout during the time that layout is scheduled to be open (no need for a layout tour reservation). I've already finished some of the tour layout descriptions (including my own layout), and will be steadily adding more over the next month or so.
My benchwork is done. Actually it was done on Monday Jan. 13, I just haven't had a chance to post anything this Thursday, and have not done any work since Monday. Bleh. Looking into the layout room from the entrance Looking from the opposite end, towards the layout entrance Remaining items, benchwork wise, are the swing gate at the entrance and the lift-out section at the electrical cabinet. Still trying to figure out the design of both and I need to finish the trim around the entrance door first before I install the gate there.
Just got an old issue March 1987 MR Mag with the Peace River Track plan. After looking at it I got all sorts of bad ideas running thru my head and a lot of positive ideas of how to change it to fit my space. In ho it's 9'3" X 11'1" but in N basically it would be 4'-6-1/2" X 5'-5-1/2" but converting this into my space of 7' X 11' in N scale is a big win for me plus more operations and scenery. Now just need to place my region.
I have been ill with a cold or flu for the last 5 days so have not been able to do much of anything on the layout. Before getting sick I did install some scraps of fiberglass reinforced plastic panel into the window box to curve the corners. Feeling a bit better each day and hopefully will get back to the layout soon.
Made some progress on the Moore warehouse this week. Got the walls together and got all the capstones on them (39 individual pieces). Hopefully I'll finish next week and move on to the next project.
This week, I spent a good bit of time working on the layout putting down grass where the church will go, dirt under the highway bridge and for the construction site scene that is coming, pouring some more of the pad for the cement plant, putting down some general ground cover, cleaning up som e ground cover messes I made last week, and even put a road crew to work. Here are a couple of pics and there are alot more in the N scale JPT sub thread. Enjoy.
I want to let you guys know that I won't be posting anything for the next few weeks (till mid-February) as I'm shifting focus on helping my spouse with her project (an exhibit/installation that among other things involves electronics controlled lights and what not). I'm still in the layout party, just that the CFO wants my time for a short while.
Coming along very nicely just need to tone down that ballast a little lol. Seriously though BNSF looks great
My peace River article came in the mail today. So now can start planning a Little harder on what I might want or time for the pros and cons. It's also being converted to N scale so the real 11 foot length north/south will remain. But it'll be right at 7 feet across except where the door is hence the need for the article with it's semi kidney shape. The rest to be posted in my layout build. Plus still undecided if it's a West Virginia coal hauler and or a flatland road running from the West to Midwest.
More progress! I've got foam glued down, cork for the mainline complete, and am finalizing my choice for track spacing before I start gluing down track. I think I'm going to get some sheet cork for the 'yard' section (where the cork box is) and save the strips for where they make sense. Also debating whether or not to cork the industry track and spurs, since there's enough distance from the main to be able to maintain a 2% grade going down. Planning Spacing by Gary Helriegel posted Jan 24, 2020 at 8:31 PM
Got the back half of the lower deck up Tuesday. Shelving on the back half of the lower deck by ppuinn posted Jan 24, 2020 at 10:11 PM Yesterday evening, one of my train buddies came over to help me lift the upper deck onto the upper L-girders and move a 4 x 8ft sheet of Homasote from the garage attic down to the basement trainroom. Upper deck Backdrop is up by ppuinn posted Jan 24, 2020 at 10:11 PM Today, I tied in the upper deck shelving into the helix at one end and to the rest of the upper deck at the other end. I was pleased with how smooth the seams turned out. Seams on a removal and returning of a shelf on a previous layout had not been anywhere near this smooth. Level seam between upper deck and helix Helix and by ppuinn posted Jan 24, 2020 at 10:11 PM Had to trim this end of the upper deck backdrop. Note seam is level but not invisible (for now) by ppuinn posted Jan 24, 2020 at 10:11 PM The backdrop in the upper deck corner had to be trimmed by 3 inches, because the helix was in a slightly different position. (I still need to fill-in and re-paint the new corner.) The back drop will need some tweaking at the other end behind the helix where the backdrop pieces were joined. Got the backdrop on the lower deck, this afternoon. Still trying to figure out how I'll hide the entrance from the helix onto the back half of the lower deck: Option 1. Trains appearing or disappearing behind trees and hills, Option 2. Trains appearing or disappearing behind urban structures. Trees covering helix and lower level entrance by ppuinn posted Jan 24, 2020 at 10:11 PM Photo Jan 24, 5 43 27 PM by ppuinn posted Jan 24, 2020 at 10:11 PM If I use trees and hills, I'll need to have everything constructed on an easily removeable (and easily returned!) base, so I can clean the track where it enters the base of the helix. I'll need the same remove-ablity, but I've found it easier to mount city structures on a base than tree flats and hills. This afternoon, I put in a new light fixture to illuminate the lower deck.
This afternoon, I tightened down the upper deck stringers and put a new light fixture on the lower level to replace the old one. Tomorrow, I'll pick up a 4 x 8 sheet of 1/2 inch OSB panel to support the Homasote on the front half of the lower lever, and if possible, put up the vertical tree flats that separate the undecorated helix from the full scenery upper deck. and then mock up some urban structures to see how I like disguising the lower helix entrance with buildings instead of trees. Also tomorrow (Saturday), I'll probably install a turnout from the helix onto the back half of the lower deck
I am feeling much better now and got a lot done in the past week. We have now gotten past the coldest part of our winter where I live so my little electric heater is now easily able to keep the train room at a comfortable temperature. The window insert got it's mountains built up with insulation board that was then covered with plaster cloth. The sky board got it's first pass on paint. This will be followed up with additional passes to blend it in with the adjoining section. I am getting a brighter reflection on this and may need to give it a spray of Dulcoat when it's finished. I have now started to put up the rock castings along the top edge. This represents the eastern end of the canyon so the mountains are getting lower. And finally the last of the rock castings along the canyon wall around the corner was put up this morning. And I have been applying scenery to the hillsides where the river goes around the corner. I have found that the most recent bag of Arizona Rock and Mineral High Desert silty soil is darker the in the past. Once this was noticed I experimented with trying to lighten it by adding some of the sanded grout and this seems to help. The product in question here is # 1070. Their products have always been in clear bags but this most recent purchase came in a darkened bag so I did not realized the product itself was darker. Anyone else run into this ? Here is an overall view of the area of the layout I am working on with the window insert part being just out of view on the left. Great seeing everyone's progress on their layouts. I'll update again in a few days.
Looking Great all just need to kick start my rump. As soon as I get the fundage to get more lumber I'll get something up. Realized today this layout is going to be high due to the spacecbeing shared by my work and paint benches have to have everything in my small quarters. Layout low points 54" absolute minimum to clear me and throwing areas. So looks like I'll be building a step riser to watch the top level might even just have staging and the main level we'll see if the 3rd mountain level will be done. After all I'm only 5'5" tall hehehehehehe like that old song Short people
