Solving Layout Dilemmas (discus layout problems)

[Anonymous]

[#welcome]

If your looking for info on layout planing, trying to find a plan, want know how to build a bridge, or just want to share your "railroad wisdom" this is what your looking for.

Here are good places to go if you need pointers on layout planing:
O/O27 scale: http://www.thortrains.net/modelrr0.htm
HO/N scale: http://www.thortrains.net/smscale1.htm
Large scale/Garden railways: http://www.thortrains.net/Gscale1.html
Table-Top trains in 1/120 scale: http://www.thortrains.net/ttscale/ttdex.html

____________________________________________________________________________

Now the first thing you need to know is that when you first start to build your trainset you shouldn't be woried about how the layout looks. Your first layout probobly will not even be finished before you move on.

What that means is that by working on your first layout you know a little bit more than you did when you first decided to build your layout. After you build the second or third layout you should be surprised at what you acomplished.

Now you know what this tread is for so ask a question or give an answer[D)]

[ChiefEagles]

Well, the last wooden bridge I built is still int he box it was stored in in 85. Still looks good. How did I build it? From looking at a picture. Found a picture of one I wanted to model and kept it in front of me while I cut and glued.

[Roger Bielen]

When planning my current layout I built a factory with DPM panels before I finalized my track plan. Of course when the track was down I found that the builing was much too large for any space available without sacrificing another planned section. Needless to say the building was scavanged for a few other buildings.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: When planning my current layout I built a factory with DPM panels before I finalized my track plan. Of course when the track was down I found that the builing was much too large for any space available without sacrificing another planned section. Needless to say the building was scavanged for a few other buildings

The best way to make sure a custom made acesory will fit in your layout is to make a scale drawing of the area on graph paper. Include the land features that are already there and see if you can use them in the design. After the drawing is acurate draw in the building. Then using the picture, build your building. Just remember that you will need to deside the buildings height without the picture.[:)][:D][8D][{(-_-)}][(-D][swg][:-^]

[Anonymous]

I want to put a gorge in my layout with the main line (2 tracks). I am using a double track trestle bridge. Can anyone help me[?]


[%-)]

[Anonymous]

First of all, you dont want much.

There was an article in a May 2003 magazine for Clasic Toy Trains. if you have it, it is similar to what you are looking for.

If not, just wait until thursday at around 4:30 pm eastern time.
I will have a summary of the article by then.

[Anonymous]

[soapbox]I WANNA KNOW NOW[soapbox]
I don't have the magazine.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: :
...just wait until thursday at around 4:30 pm eastern time...

[soapbox]to you too!

[Anonymous]

We are still open to anything you have to say.
Thats how desprate I am to share my "railroading wisdom" I have to pleade for your confusion.
[#welcome]
[#wstupid]
[#offtopic]
[#ditto]
[#dots]
[#oops][oops]

What a story!

[thor CNJ]

Nice to see there are fans of my work

[Anonymous]

Judging by your user name I would say you are talking about the links to thortrains.net

QUOTE: Here are good places to go if you need pointers on layout planing:
O/O27 scale: http://www.thortrains.net/modelrr0.htm
HO/N scale: http://www.thortrains.net/smscale1.htm
Large scale/Garden railways: http://www.thortrains.net/Gscale1.html
Table-Top trains in 1/120 scale: http://www.thortrains.net/ttscale/ttdex.html

I am using one of your HO track plans for my new layout.
It is a geat site[bow]

If thtat is not what you are talking about than [#oops]

___________________________________________________________________________

But anyway her is my reply to "big_steam" and his question on building a gorge.

Got the info from a May 2003 "Classic Toy Trains" Magazine

1. Start by cutting out the shape of the gorge and remove the braces that may be in the way.
The width of the cut should be a few inches less than that of the bridge.

2. Frame the layout with 1 x 4 sides and a baes of plywood. Be shure they fit flush with the
layout edge.

3. Now would be a good time to put any supourts for the bridge in. When those are in place
staple in some strips of corrugated cardboard shaped to the rough outline of the gourge to the
botom of the gourge and the top.

4. Now place overlaping peices of Plaster Wrap over the cardboeard strips. Read the
insructions on the Plaster Wrap for drying times.

5. AFTER the Plaster Wrap is dry cover it in Gypsolite.

6. AFTER that is dry you can paint an add Enviro-Tex. Use a board fastened
tightly to the edge of the layout to prevent runoff. Revove the board before the Enviro-Tex dries.

ENJOY
[8D][:D][:)]

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the reply. I will try it this weekend.

[Anonymous]

We are still open to anything you have to say.
Thats how desprate I am to share my "railroading wisdom" I have to pleade for your confusion.
[#welcome]
[#wstupid]
[#offtopic]
[#ditto]
[#dots]
[#oops][oops]

What a story!

[thor CNJ]

Good luck with the HO pike. I hope you have as much fun building it as I have designing them.

[Anonymous]

I plan to use the layout below as a mining route w/ a mountain in the back. Later I will expand it around the room an I hope to run an Amtrak train around the side or the mountain and maby a Shay logging train on a small oval track on the mountain. What do you think?

[image]http://www.thortrains.net/4hob4a.gif[/image]
[%-)]

[thor CNJ]

Sounds good. I think you'll have a lot of fun with it.

[Frank in Steam]

wjco9a, the modified dogbone w/ the addition of a crossover (top, middle) is my favorite basic loyout shape. IMHO I would add the crossover for the ability to reverse long trains, and use both directions w/o the dreaded 0-5-0 switcher. Its a good shape to add to.

[Anonymous]

Thank you for the input! I will try it.

[Anonymous]

Need advise on decorating a tunnel entrance. I want it to look like concrete. Also I need to know how to add the effect of the soot build up at the top of the tunnel.

[%-)][?][%-)][?][%-)][?][%-)][?][%-)]

[jonadel]

Big Steam,

I just read your request for a gorge idea. I built one I'm very proud of and I used the article from CTT. The only difference between mine and their's was that it took me a lot longer than what they suggested but I enjoyed every minute of the construction and it really does draw the comments.

Check out the progress and completion at:

http://jands.logicalgeek.com

Jon[:)]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: big_steam asked:

Need advise on decorating a tunnel entrance. I want it to look like concrete. Also I need to know how to add the effect of the soot build up at the top of the tunnel.

I wouldn't recomend a stone finish unless it is for a large scale layout. If it is then you could spray on a stone paint in a color of your choise. Your other option would be to paint it gray or tan using FLAT paint. Spray or brush will work.
I painted a tunnel for my layout recently and I had to buy another one because the stone finish didn't give it the efect that I was looking for. I used the flat paint on the replacement and it looked a lot better.

Also about the soot build-up; I recomend using a charcoal pencil. You can get them at most craft stores for about 90¢. After the paint is dry make a line from the edge near the tunnel mouth were the soot build-up is going to be(that should be directly above each track) and draw it about half way up. Go over the line repeatedly until it is very thick and then with your finger or a DRY rag (a tissue may even work) rub in the charcoal spreading it away from the line in all directions, but remember not to go to far away.

[Anonymous]

"jonadel"

How did you make the water fall in your gorge?

[jonadel]

We used Woodland Scenics Water Effects. Take a piece of wax paper and put it on a cookie sheet, then take the Water Effects and just put down thin strips of however long you want the falls to be. After they are dry place them where you wish, use more Water Effects to sort of glue them in place. If they are too long just snip them off with scissors, best suggestion would be just to experiement with a few before making the whole falls. The only problem we had at first was getting them off of the wax paper but through trail and error we were successful.

This was really a fun project, we both enjoyed every aspect of it. Hope this helps.

Jon

[Anonymous]

I need help finding an inexpensive motorized turntable for my HO scale layout.

[:)]

[lionelsoni]

Check out this topic: http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=12645

Would you mind not putting the large picture of the (French?) train on every posting?

[tschmidt]

We were putting in a family room (18x18) and wanted to incorporate the trains (O gauge) is some way. I was able to build a 6" shelf around 3 of the walls and a 20" deep bookcase on the 4th wall. This allows for 3 or 4 tracks across the top of the bookshelf. There were 2 tricky parts. The first was a staircase coming into the room. We cut a hole through the side of a riser along the wall and it made a great tunnel entrance. Where we crossed a doorway a fold down shelf/bridge was built that alligns the track perfectly every time. All my wiring and power was able to be hidden from sight.

By doing it this way we were able to have our family room and trains all in the same place. It turned out great and looks pretty good too. If anyone is interested in a pictures I'd be happy to take some and email them to you.

Tom

[Anonymous]

What would be the best order to go in to build my new HO layout? What I mean is what order makes it easy to add in tracks, mountains, buildings, scenery, and other knick-knacks.

[Anonymous]

I would start with geting the basic shape of the land exept for were any tunnels will be. For them wait until the track is in. that is step two. Add track to your layout along with tunnel entrances, bridges and turntables (basicly anything that will interact with the trains). Next, put a cover over any track thet will be in a tunnel. Anything that can be used to keep plaster off the tracks will work. Now follow whatever set of instructions you want to use to put in the mountain. Next add in buildings and then scenery.
That is what worked for me.

[Anonymous]

Does anyone know were I can find a Union Pacific 4-8-8-4 "Big Boy" Steam loco. for HO scale? Preferably on the cheaper side.[:)]

[Anonymous]

Trix made a decent one for under $700.00