in2tech, Thank you! I do work in a art related field, product design. My job has required me to do a lot of drawings over the last 33 years. Many of them for the toy industry. Scott
Joe, Regarding the incline to the bridge, someone on another site pointed out the same issue. I checked the rise/run and it's over 4% grade, even moving the switch section farther away. I also tried swapping the lumber yard siding with another interchange off to the right side, but the grades are still above 4%. So I will have to look at another solution. Scott
I have settled on this final version. It keeps the layout from being cluttered, still provides a interchange, and I can put a the bridge on the interchange. Next up, bench work (although this layout will not be a stand alone). Scott
Started the bench work this week. I have never done this before, so constructive criticism is welcome. I am using whatever I have around. So for the frame I'm using 3/4 pine, a ledge cut along the inside edge to hold the plywood base flush to the sides. joint will be rabbited with exposed bolt heads and washers, ie box car ends. I will be putting two cross supports inside. Since this will be all manual switches, I am going to put the control panel on the front side. Not sure what that will look like yet. Scott
Looks great Scott. I used 3/4 inch pine for the L-Girder benchwork on my N scale layout, using drywall screws to attach the pieces together. Then covered with 1/8 inch Masonite fascia using #6 flush head screws about 6 inches apart and painted it forest green. The base of my 11 modules is 3/4 inch Birch plywood with a 1/2 inch blue insulation foam and 1 inch pink foam to model below track level scenery. Blue foam acts as a warning track when carving with a keyhole saw. Joe Boston Mountains Sub Division.
Scott: Last night, I had a dream about your project. Woke-up with it being a stand-up “tall” Open-face Box (sitting on top of Filing cabinets) It had LED lighting inside its roof. Irregular clouds (Made From Cloth or something) disguised the lights. Everything was so cool. ...I must have gotten the basic idea from European layouts. Anyway, your drawing inspired me!
Joe, Thanks Like your layout. I wish I had a room. Commodore, Wow, I'm flattered my layout made it into your subconscious! Thanks
You’re welcome! The box in my dream didn’t take up any floor space... it was on top of some kind of drawers. It was actually taller than wide. I spent lots of time being captivated. Seems like there was a mountain on the back wall that only came into the space for a tunnel portal on each side. ...Keep us posted...on what develops.
Okay, Here is my latest progress. I was derailed by deferred molding work and an uncooperative camera. I cut the holes to lighten the frame and to run controls for manual turnouts. I am thinking of using exposed hardware to fasten the frame corners. I want to use square nuts, bolts and fender washers to simulate fasteners on rolling stock. What do you guys think?
You mean use nut bolt washer relief on the front of your layout as a design element? I think it would look great. The railroads often painted them black prior to the 1950's, which served double duty of protecting them from rust and acting as a sort of locktite. just like on wood cabooses. From the 50's onwards the railroads often just painted everything in the same body color to save time and money on painting costs. One thing to keep in mind. People's clothes tend to snag on stuff, especially if it is something that is waist high. Fat guys like me will pull the whole layout down, if my belt loop gets snagged trying to squeeze by.
Rob, Thanks for the input. Like your new avatar by the way. They probably will be on the sides and counter bored. Scott
Okay, A little are progress. I said earlier in this thread that I wanted to use manual switches. I am basing my switch controls on the ground throw switch. They will be lined up along an axis in front. I am going to mount them on a plate and connect them via rod or cable to gravity switches that Sumner (here on the Train Board) has modeled up. I will make a connection for a controller and openings for switches to isolate sidings. Scott
Hmmm, A month since I posted an update. Well there have been some big distractions. But I finally took some time to document what have have been doing in drips and drabs since the last time. I have been working on the fasteners for the frame of my layout, and the components for the switch controls. I wanted the fasteners to look older, so I purchased what was described as beveled nuts. Turns out only three of the 25 nuts were beveled, so I had to bevel the rest myself. I drilled out the #6 fender fender washers to fit #8 hanger bolts. The center of the tubular sections of the switch lever needed to be opened up to match the 5/16 stainless steel pivot shaft. I drilled out the bronze washers to fit the pivot shaft as well. Once I lined up all the tube sections and bronze washers on the shaft and between the brackets, I cut the shaft to length. The white block is a jig I made to drill the two screw hole 90 degree to each other in the tube sections. I cut the end brackets and ball detent shelf from 1/8" thick aluminum angle stock.(I changed the design from my original brackets) I drilled mounting holes in the brackets to fit the M2 round head bolts from Miniature Hardware. I also drilled holes in the bottom center of the end brackets, for a 2-54 set screw to hold the shaft. A base plate was cut from 1/8" aluminum scrap. An open for the lever linkage, mounting holes, and switch holes still need to be cut and drilled. The base will be mounted to the wood frame with 6-32 carriage bolts. The lever handles and linkage, will be made from 4-40 hex head screws. Scott
Scott I like your latest track plan with the sketch. The sketch shows great potential for several detailed scenes. You could get this up and running in a reasonable amount of time then spend years super detailing it. If that is the route you choose. Have you considered adding a scenic divider. Some people use scienic dividers to make small layouts appear bigger. Is one of your goals taking realistic looking photos? This layout has great potential for that.
Update, Received the ordered 8-32 carriage bolts. Drilled and filed square the carriage bolt holes Roughed out the lever hand holds, drilled hole for lever and cut the heads off the bolts. Press fit the hand holds onto the bolts. Drilled pilot holes into the base sides and drilled holes for the carriage bolts in the base front. Assembled the lot. Know I just need to sand the base and stain black. The control panel and controls will be flat black. I am not sure if I am going to paint the brass and bronze or not. Scott
