Well since I took those photos I have got some track down. Just not enough to run anything yet. Soon though soon. Hopefully one day, Watash, you will be able to run a train. I hope to one day, in the distant future, have the layout wired to a computer and controlable via the internet.
Well, if I make it to Edmonton I know who to visit now. I have an Aunt and Uncle who live there, when they are not living in Qualicum Beach on Vancouver Island. My uncle is retired CN engineer. I agree that your layout is looking good. One tip, do put in your backdrop as soon as all your track work is done. I have seen so many leave it till the last and regret it.
My ballast and pigment order is in from Arizona Rock & Mineral. WOW, this stuff looks great! I wasn't home this past weekend so I didn't get any further on my layout but looks like I've got some time coming up this weekend so I hope to have all the ballast poured and have started on making the earth!
Ok I finally have the revision to my plan which has been so long in the making. I'm still not 100% happy but it's getting there. Have a look and comment. tell me if you like the old one better as I'm still not quite sure. Don't worry about access as I have that all sorted out. Also the new bit is still visible only from the layout room. it just ends up being a really deep scene. Thanks. http://members.shaw.ca/paul_davis/design7.gif
Paul, the new plan seems to me be the best one. I have a feeling that the roundhouse fit very well in the left wing. There will be a natural connection to the yard. BTW, I´m in the middle of week #5, and it´s amazing how things that is not planned will pop up. For example, I wait for some plaster to dry, and in the meantime I took up an idea from long time ago. A light tower. OK, so I started to fix it. See below how it worked out: Light-tower
I'm not sure if I'm entirely sure where you mean but if you mean the begining of the yard then that's 0% If you're talking about the loop that passes under the yard and that entire area then that's 3.2% and is what is already constructed and in one of the photos I posted earlyer
How have you found the 3.2% grade. I am guessing you will be running shorter trains, so it shouldn't be too bad. What is your experience.
Well I can't say for sure about the 3.2% grade yet as I haven't run anything on it yet but before I started I did set up a little test track. I took an athern and pulled about 10 cars up a 4% grade without too much problem even though it needed tuning up. I'll hook up the track I've lad so far up to power sometime and see how well it runs taking the curves into consideration. I designed the layout to have the passing ~60" long so that should allow me trains of about 9 40' cars in length.
Well I started to build some turnouts today so it looks like I might actually be starting to do some of the things that I said I'd do.
LOL!!!!!!!!!!! Paul, I am in the same boat. I will probably accomplish more in the next two weeks than in the past 5 weeks. But I have been doing some work on the layout that had to get done before I could move on my commitments - those tasks (I won't bore the audiance with what they are) are competed and I am ready to finish putting up the rest of my backdrop.
I have the same experience as you Rick! I have done more work the latest weeks than during the whole summer One week left - I´m a bit after my schedule, but in the end of this week I believe that the Greenville area will have its final shape.
This weekend I finished the pivot frame for my layout. The last four pictures on my website are what I did.
The last post to this the second - working on your layout series - from me. The next working your layout series will be around of February in the new year. Did I accomplish what I set out to accomplish this past six weeks? No! But I have done some critical work that I had been procrastinating on as I was afraid of how I would pull it off. This I did get done. I had to add an end piece to one of my reversing loops as I tapered the curve of the benchwork in too much and I couldn't fit a 16" curve in comfortably. By butt jointing a piece 4" wide I was able to get this in and give me the room I needed to have my mininum radius curve. How does this affect backdrops? WEll I wanted all my backdrop in by now, I have about one third done, mostly all on my lower bench work ( this was my commitment in the "lonely hearts band club). But I had to know where to start the backdrop on my upper reversing loop (which needed the modification). Adding four inches slowed me down and I was intimidated by adding the new piece. It is in, by the end of this week all the hardboard for the upper benchwork and nolix area will be in. Next week or week there after I will have the backdrop in (I need a particular buddy to help me out - teacher - and I am hoping he isn't hit by lots of marking to do). So I have enjoyed this thread, many accomplished pretty much what they wanted to do. I enjoyed looking at the pictures, and visiting web sites (I find them motivational). I am interested in still hearing from others as to what you did or didn't do. I will still respond to posts here, but I won't be posting my accomplishments. [ 23. October 2002, 20:14: Message edited by: rsn48 ]
Rick, I appreciate that you've hosted this thread! I went from armchair modeling to being able to actually run my newly constructed layout (albeit no scenery has been done.....yet!). Had it not been for this thread I would still be dreaming about it. Thanks for the encouragement and inspiration. It has paid off for me big time!
Espee, You can send your cheque payable to..... lol! Glad it worked out for you. The conclusion I have come to is that many claim to live and breath layouts, what they really live and breath is collecting, and the layout is a side issue. At least 500 to a thousand read the invites I posted in about 10 different forums, yet eventually it boils down to about ten or twelve people. I know from the last time I hosted this thread that many were grateful for the work they accomplished. And I know many enjoyed showing and strutting their stuff. Again last time it was about ten to twelve active participants. Maybe too many participants would make for a congested party.
Well looks like I got almost nothing accomplished that I said I would do. The last day or two I have been slowly building some turnouts but seem to have no time because of work. I have a day off on friday so maybe I'll be able to get a fair ammount done then.
Last weekend I finished wiring my layout. Still the turnouts are not done. Then I added a new flooring to my train room. It's plain black and nicely matches the black fascia of my layout and the black ceiling. If you enter the room everything is black except for the layout (with painted backdrop and blue sky). Of course the layout's lights can be dimmed. If I run train I completely stand in the dark watching the nicely lighted layout. Yesterday I added some shelves underneath the layout for the power supply, CD player and amplifier. Next will be to make the curtains which will be mounted on the bottom of the fascia and which will hang down right on the floor. Wrong ! First I have to replace to turnouts which are bent because of slight movement of the wood :-((
