tstageTake a scrap piece of Atlas Code 83 track you have laying around, squirt a bead of DAP Alex Plus Latex Caulk Plus Silicone on a scrap piece of wood, spread it out 1/32-1/16" thick the width of rail ties and the length of your track piece, press the track down into the caulk, lay a brick on it, and leave it overnight (or 8 hours).
Another really sticky situation.
Yes...but one should be able to aDAPt to the situation...
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
tstage Yes...but one should be able to aDAPt to the situation...
I have completed the basic helix construction with the exception of the helix exit track at the top. I realized at the last minute I had run out of Peco code 100 large right hand turnouts and I had to order several more on Saturday. This delay will allow me to finish up wiring the track power in the helix while waiting for the turnouts.
Modeling an HO gauge freelance version of the Union Pacific Oregon Short Line and the Utah Railway around 1957 in a world where Pirates from the Great Salt Lake founded Ogden, UT.
- Photo album of layout construction -
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
I once had an employer who reckoned that if you weren’t giving blood, then you weren’t trying hard enough! You would appear to be trying hard enough, especially as it’s supposed to be a hobby. Cheers, the Bear.
What happened there was that I had dropped a rail joiner on the floor the day before and it magically disappeared (like they do). The next day I was gluing/clamping more risers in the helix when I noticed the 'renegade' rail joiner on the floor. I immediately bent over to pick it up and I scraped my forehead about 2" worth on one of the large clamps I had just setup. Many expletives sallied forth !$#@!!*^!! and then the blood started flowing down my face. The blood leakage stopped fairly quickly so I continued building....
PS: That's the second paper towel I was using to pat down the scrape after I continued building/bleeding. The first paper towels were pretty well soaked in blood. :)
Talk about getting blood from a "turn up"...
Onewolf:
I believe that the expression "blood, sweat and tears" was meant to be figurative. Sorry, couldn't resist.
Your helix construction continues to show the quality of work you are putting into your railroad. I hope I can come close.
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
Hello Onewolf,
Pushing three months since your last posting. Hopefully just due to other projects taking priority over the summer?
Hi Onewolf,
nice project and since you deal with LED Lights - I put regular E27 LED Daylight (5000k), 1650 lm, in my layout room as working lights (works great). For the general layout illumination I use LED T8 lights with 4500k, 1200lm, CRI of 95% on the ceiling spread over the room to mostly eliminate dark spots. I like to have an automated day/night cycle, so they have to be dimmable. Was hard to find with the specs I had in mind.
I hope that you continue posting your progress here.
I'm back after about a 4 month 'break' from model railroading. A conspiracy of distractions kept me busy with 'other' stuff but now the focus is back on layout building. #1) As a part of the "deal" (quid pro quo) for building the detached garage/workshop/layout built we remodeled the kitchen and redid about 1200 sq ft of floors. This kept me busy for almost two months. Photo album: http://onewolf.org/Album/KitchenRemodel/index.html#2) We had our first real vacation scheduled in almost three years (rented a house in the Florida Keys the first two weeks of October). This required me to catch up on several years of deferred maintenance on our boat/trailer which took several weeks. Unfortunately Hurricane Matthew prevented us from taking this vacation and it has been rescheduled for next May.#3) Two weeks for a (business) trip to India.#4) I spent the time to build and develop loads for two new long range precision rifles (284 Win and 223 Rem for my wife)Over the last three weeks I've made significant progress on the layout (except for last week when I was in Chicago all week for a Microsoft workshop).
Finished building the helix structure and installing the track. This is the start of the track power wiring. There are 22 occupancy zones in the helix so there are 22 sets of track bus wires.
The track as it leaves the helix and enters the middle level.
Building the 3/4" plywood subroadbed along the 'nolix' for the climb from the middle level (62" elevation) to the bridge that crosses the aisle into the upper level (79" elevation).
There is approx 150 ft of mainline track on the middle level (including the nolix). I have installed and wired all the mainline track (and passing siding) up to the bridge that crosses the aisle. One thing I noticed was that before I installed additional power district PSX breaker zones and double gapped the track I was able to run a locomotive all the way along the ~150 ft of track with a single set of track feeders. :)
There will be numerous service spurs around the center platform of both the lower and middle levels.
I painted the lower level pink foam a 'test' brown color to subdue the pinkness.
Middle level passing track.
The start of the 'nolix'.
The 60 ft run along two walls of the nolix will be a canyon wall with scenery/terrain reaching within a foot or two of the ceiling. There will also be a 3ft long trestle/bridge in this corner.
This will all be canyon wall.
There is 41" elevation difference (38" - 79") between the lower return loop and the middle level mainline where it reaches the bridge that crosses above the aisle into the upper level.
I plan to detail the bridge to look like a LONG plate girder bridge. The bridge span is 90".
I'm now going to basically finish the blue backdrops in the upper level before starting to install the upper level mainline track.
I had originally planned to butt join the backdrops in these two red highlighted corners of the upper level but I subsequently decided they would look much better if the backdrops are rounded/coved so I am reengineering these areas. I plan to finish the upper level backdrops before I start laying the upper level mainline track.
After taking out the backdrop panel for redesign/rebuild.
Glad to see you back at it.
The house looks great, as does the layout.
Great work!
T e d
Glad to see you back. Your last post was a bloody napkin....
You work looks great.
Steve
Last night I finished installing the 1/8" backdrop with curved corners in the center area of the upper level. I have 2 more 'corners' to fix to allow me to install curves rather than butt-joined backdrop. After I finish those I will start the finishing process of patching/fairing/sanding/repeat and then prime/paint the backdrops.
The backdrops look great already. Very professional!
After looking through this thread, your layout is going to be better than the HO layout at the real Odgen Railroad museum....
Lonnie Utah After looking through this thread, your layout is going to be better than the HO layout at the real Odgen Railroad museum....
And my layout will have Pirates from the Great Salt Lake as the founding fathers of Ogden.
Looking great, when does scenery start?
Lynn
Present Layout progress
http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/11/p/290127/3372174.aspx#3372174
wickman Looking great, when does scenery start?
Scenery has not made it onto the overall task list at this point. I'm going to continue to focus on getting all the track installed and functional (I have a long way to go on track/turnouts/basic electrical infrastructure). Maybe sometime in late 2017 I might start working on scenery.
Lately I've been working on the upper level backdrops. I plan to get them installed and painted basic sky blue before installing the upper level mainline and upper return loop/staging tracks.
I finished installing the 1/8" masonite and I have started patching the screw holes and seams. I am hoping that two mud/fair/sand coats will be enough for a smooth backdrop. There's about 100 linear feet of backdrops in the upper level currently. After the upper level return loop/staging track is installed/functional I will install about another 16 feet of backdrop.
After sanding the screw hole patches.
I finished mudding/fairing/sanding/repeat/repeat the 1/8" masonite backdrop and put two coats of primer on this morning. I plan to paint the 'sky' blue color this afternoon. I had originally thought about trying to paint a light to dark fade on the upper level backdrop but I decided my painting talent was not up to that task so I'm going to paint a single slightly darker blue and then hit the lower portion with some white spray paint to see if I can create some lower level 'haze'.
The slightly darker shade of blue for the upper level backdrops. For some reason the photo makes the blue look darker than it does in reality. I still need to cut in the very top near the ceiling. I plan to use white spray paint to create some 'haze' on the lower area of the backdrops.
I spray painted some white 'haze' and then I removed all the plastic sheeting and did a thorough cleanup of the dust and schmootz created while fairing/sanding/painting the backdrop. Now I'm ready to start installing plywood sub-roadbed or the upper level mainline.
Doug,
that's looking really good! Makes me think... maybe at some point I'll try a German mushroom !
A Happy New Year to you and your family!
Michael
The Breitenbach - Rosenheim Railroad V3
I installed LED strip lights for the middle level under the upper level 'wings'. This is the right side wing.
And the left side wing. I also added a short light strip for the lower level corner as there had been a dark spot there previously.
I am starting the cut and dry place the 3/4" plywood sub-roadbed for the upper level track.
There is a passing track along the mainline in the left 'wing'. The radii of the large curve area is 42" (mainline) and 44 1/4" (passing track).
I am starting to install the Woodland Scenics 3/16" foam roadbed for the upper level mainline and passing track.
The WS foam roadbed in 24ft rolls is very easy to install quickly, but it's much softer than cork or homasote roadbed so it tends to deflect a lot when pushed (which allows the track to move more than I would prefer). Another issue is that you cannot sand it down to fair it when transitioning from mainline roadbed to no roadbed.
I am using DAP Dynaflex 230 (gray) to affix the roadbed to the plywood.
There are three #8 turnouts along here (farthest to nearest: passing track return, helper engine pocket (for designated helper climb district), and Cache Valley Branch line turnout)
Onewolf I am starting to install the Woodland Scenics 3/16" foam roadbed for the upper level mainline and passing track. The WS foam roadbed in 24ft rolls is very easy to install quickly, but it's much softer than cork or homasote roadbed so it tends to deflect a lot when pushed (which allows the track to move more than I would prefer). Another issue is that you cannot sand it down to fair it when transitioning from mainline roadbed to no roadbed.
I have often been tempted to forego road bed altogether and just lay the track on the layout surface, mainlines, yards, spurs, and sidings. It isn't all that obvious or apparent anyhow in HO scale.
Rich
Alton Junction