And so it begins... Here's some links to previous partys: Workin the layout – time to party Beach Blanket Layout Party Door Knocker's Delight From armchair to benchwork! The completion target date is Febuary 14th, Valentines day. So for the next six weeks we'll be enrolled in group therapy for those hopelessly in love with model railroading. No matter how big or small the project, from filling a barn with benchwork to making a graphic in your favorite computer program, or even read a book on your favorite proto type! As long as your layout benefits from it, it qualifies. You say you want to participate but have nothing to work on? The positive support is always welcome. Ask yourself "What can I do to help someone else?" Either in person or via internet information. There's always a way to join in. [ January 02, 2006, 04:43 AM: Message edited by: BALOU LINE ]
I always visioned Layout Parties to be just that. Everyone head to someones place and work on the layout, while drinking and havin snags and onion sangas!
Winter? Time for a barbie, methinks. "Snags" are sausages, and google says "Sangas" are Sandwiches. I guess not all of the slang has slipped over the ditch if I needed to look that one up. Fry up some snags and some onion on the barbie. Butter some bread, add the snag and the onion, drown it in tomato sauce. All Good For the Layout Party: 1a. Around_the_walls, no track laid but framework, modules and foam sub-bed down for about 14m of main-line so far, 6m of branch line (20m / 65ft), covering 13 sectional module box thingies. 1b. By feb 14 I hope to... I haven't really decided. I need to do something, but what? Have all the gross track-side scenery (i.e. "landscape") ready so I can lay tracks without getting plaster and gunk everywhere? 2. This week: glue foam to sections 9 and 10 to vaguely resemble the "hill" profile I'm looking for. This leads to the grander plan of nice hillside scenery along that wall.
I have several issues that need to be addressed. Correct wiring snafu. Reduce scenic veiw block. Install crossover w/ interchange track. Complete balast I may add ground foam to my Heike trees if I have the time, but not a major goal. My scenic block was intended to seperate the open mainline from the industrial area, but I got a bit carried away. It does what I wanted but it hides at least 8 cars when it does. The idea is to seperate the top layer if possible to be recycled elsewhere. Then the lower layer can be recontoured. The area under the left hand track that is white is where the new interchange will go and connect to the new crossover for the double mainline tracks on the right. By lowering the landscaping it will allow easier access since I am using manual control for my turnouts. [ January 03, 2006, 12:05 AM: Message edited by: BALOU LINE ]
I've got 5-6 feet of rail painted. I'm using Polly Scale D&RGW Bldg. Brown and a brush. It's kinda' tedious, but I do like the color. I'm having second thoughts about WS ballast though.Maybe by the time I get away from the little(and inconspicious ) corner I've started in I'll have a technique for getting it to work. I can't find a source for the right color of rock around here. I'll just keep at it 'till I like it or give up on improving it. OOps I guess I should explain. Currently the lower level track is all laid, but no scenery, I need to paint, ballast and such before I can move the focus to the upper level. So on Feb.14 I want the visible part of the trackwork done. [ January 02, 2006, 10:08 PM: Message edited by: Helitack ]
This is coming at good time for me. The current state of the layout is two pieces of plywood sitting on a couple of drafting tables with pieces of pink and white foam. There is some Bachmann EZ-Track connecting a couple of dioramas. What I hope to accomplish over the six weeks is to get the base built for the new layout. I would also like to get at least half if not all the main line track laid. For this week it is purchase the pink foam and get at least half of glued down.
Currently, my layout is only benchwork located in a 6x12 attic area, but benchwork is almost complete. What I hope to accomplish in the next 6 weeks is to finish the benchwork, affix the Unitrack for my nolix and staging, and complete the mainline run for the layout (including passing sidings) with temporary Unitrack to be replaced in stages with Atlas C55. So by February 14th I should be able to run a train from staging yard to staging yard (or via continuous-run cutoff) across the layout, albeit a plywood central layout. Here's a rough schedule of what I hope to accomplish: Week 1-Finish cutting out subroadbed for nolix and begin putting it in place and making adjustments where necessary. Also, finish installing angle support brackets under Saginaw section and install table legs under Decatur-Bowie section. (these table legs will also form the basis for a small workbench to be built under the benchwork on this end of the layout.) Week 2-Continue installing subroadbed for nolix including cutting support joists, connecting butt joints, and attaching subroadbed to joists with angle brackets. Week 3-Finish subroadbed for nolix. Place Unitrack and test nolix for operation. Make necessary adjustments. Finish notching framework in the Saginaw/Fort Worth areas for lowered track clearance for lower level. Week 4- Cut subroadbed for "notched" section and install. Lay cork roadbed and Atlas C55 track in concealed section under Fort Worth yard. Install feeder wires according to wiring diagram Week 5-Finish installing supports for staging and remaining subroadbed. Place temporary Unitrack mainline/sidings and test. Week 6-Perform cleanup tasks, adjustments, and finish work. (week 6 is kinda left open, since I'm going to miss an entire week of work in week 2 due to being out of town on business so I may end up having to slide things back a week if I can't make up some time.) And a word about falling off the wagon. I've done this 6-week challenge thing before and have basically fallen off the wagon every time. But the important thing is that I had enough motivation from the challenge that I WAS able to get a lot accomplished, and maybe a lot more than I otherwise would have even though I thought I had a conservative plan in place. So don't get discouraged if 3 weeks has gone by and you find you haven't done much...you may get in a groove on that 4th week and get 5 weeks of stuff done in a day! Or at least make a lot of progress that you wouldn't normally have made. So keep hacking at it, that's my two cents. [ January 03, 2006, 01:37 PM: Message edited by: Doug A. ]
Well my atempt to remove the unwanted layer in one piece to be recycled elsewhere failed . I was able to keep the lower layers all intact, so that's a real plus. Plotted out where the new road will run and what features will be added. I seem to have misplaced the camera on New Years (wonder how that happened). I'll add pics later in the week.
Sunday looks to be my weekly roll-over, so here's #2 In the past week, I promised to "glue foam to sections 9 and 10 to vaguely resemble the "hill" profile I'm looking for. This leads to the grander plan of nice hillside scenery along that wall." Check. Glued foam and carved foam and generally trimmed and made nice landscape out of it. And then I found out Civilization 4 has been released (In October, so I'm really not paying attention). With my main computer rebooted into windows for the first time in months, and with Stag Nights this weekend gone, and weddings this weekend and next, I don't think I'll be doing much on the trains In my defence, the landscape is down and carved; which I've been on since October, so I've really got somewhere. it needs paint and then track could be laid. This week I will probably achieve very little. ( Hmm... paint foam, play Civ4 while waiting for paint to dry...) 1b: By Feb 14, have all (visible) sections painted and ready for cork+track to be laid.
My big layout progress has nothing to do with my layout. I have a very old house. It has a partial basement that seems to have been dug out of the old crawl space about the time that coal furnaces were invented. before that my house had a keresene floor furnace in the dining room/ living room doorway. I have always avoided my basement. I cannot stand upright in it unless my head is between the rafters. It was scary dirty claustrophobic. Never say never. Yesterday I got out the shop vac and vacumed all the dirt and cement and broken brick, along with all the cobwebs. It now seems almost nice down there. I am still worried about dirt so I plan to get a sheet of plastic to cover the layout with between sessions. Perhaps next week I will have pictures of my new layout room with layout in place.
I am building a commercial area on my layout. Here is the area: I set it up in a general fashion: Then, I put in streets so that no street looks through the layout. Each one is blocked by a "T" intersection or a building, etc. Some of the more significant buildings, like Sunset Station, have to be there, but most will be modified DPM buildings. BTW, this arrangement will not work. Still changing it. [ January 08, 2006, 02:32 PM: Message edited by: sapacif ]
I was able to get the framework for my Timesaver layout built, and got the subbase and homasote down. I aquired a used Kurtz Kraft Throttle at a Train Show, and got the Track and turnouts (Atlas Code 83), and Ground Throws (Caboose Industries) from my LHS. My goal for the coming week is to get the track laid and get wiring finished. Kit
Well, for this layout party, I'm just shooting for laying the track for the yard that's being based on the 13x48 module I have built. I know this is going to be a very small yard, but for right now it's what I'm doing to get my feet wet with laying track. Track plan for it is in my rail image album. After seeing the first paycheck of this year and the nice raise in it, I'll be running to the LHS to get the three turnouts that I still need. [ January 09, 2006, 01:56 PM: Message edited by: Israel ]
Kit: Welcome to Trainboard. Here is one of two buildings that will have to be kitbashed. You can see the irregular shape. (This is the old Luchesse Boot Co.; now the Spagetti Warehouse.)
Flash, everytime I see your layout I am just slack jawed in awe. how long have you been building it? Your T intersections are a really good idea. I like good ideas. I am stealing this one from you and using it on my layout .
With a surform toor and a rough rasp I reformed the styrofoam. With some help from my 5 year old daughter we got the sculpamold added to the styrofoam. Boy does this stuff take a long time to dry completely. I'm very happy with how well this has opened up the veiw of the tracks. This whole piece does lift out and is used to trainsition from my 12" to 18" shelf, and hids the joint between them. I also did some testing of my wiring. Not sure what's wrong, maybe my insultor got smashed to far and isn't doing it's job. Dunno yet.
