KVRWs' Whitton Branch: Building of a Shelf Layout. Update: 6/19

[canazar]

Howdy all,

 Here is the background on the project.  For almost 5 years, I had been working a large, garage based HO layout. It was 14 x 19.  It was my little bit of heaven. You can visit a picture and history thread I posted here back in 6/08.  It was my own creation of a freelanced railroad.

The Kiva Valley History and Pictures. 

But then one day in late Nov of 2009., I came home from work and faced a very sudden and unexpected seperation and divorce.  Skipping all the gory details and sticking with the "trains",she moved out,I lost the house garage and layout.  All the good stuff, track, trees, structures, rolling stock, etc was saved.  The layout, in the land fill.   You can read more of the story  and see some more pictures.

End of the Line for the Valley

So, out of the old house into a new place.    I was very, very fortunate to be able to move into my parent's house which has been vacant as they are are out of town due to my step dad's job.  Great place to call home and allow me to get back on my feet. I have a 12 x 11.5 sqaure foot room that is mine and as soon as first moved in, my wheels in the head began turning.  Room was limited due to bed, dresser, etc, but I still wanted "a lot". Its a trick downsizing like this but I have what I have.  After grinding out a bunch of ideas, I finally came up with plan and began  building late in Dec.

I was lucky to have the space of the old layout but now what I have is much more "normal" and I know  a lot of what I am doing applies to others either limited on space or looking maybe to get their feet wet on a quick layout project .  This my first time trying something like this, posting as a go in a build thread, but for me, it will add more fun to the project.

All my updates and pictures will be in this thread.   I should have some pictures up mid week.

Here is the overview of the project

Prototype: My free-lanced railroad Kiva Valley.  Interchanges with all southwestern railroads.

Era: Dual: 1956 and Modern Day

Location:  Central Arizona

Theme of Layout: Modeling the end of the "Whitton Branch."  Going for the heavy, congested industry.

Track Plan: Using a lot what they call "selective compression". I want a layout that can have all kinds of operating fun.  It will have a small yard, run around track, and alot of industry to keep me from getting bored when it comes to operating.

DCC and Track: I will be using my NCE Power Cab and my Atlas Code 100 track from my previous layout.

Layout Build Specs: 11.5' x 2'.  Built on 2" white foam.  Bench work will be skecthy at best. The big kicker?  Cant do anything permenant.  Could last 6 months, could be a year. I will be building this pretty quick using some tricks I learned from my last go around.

Be in touch! 

 

 

[emachins]

cool

[Missouripicker]

Wow!  Really sweet.  Lots of ideas for all of us with this.  Thanks for the sharing all of this.

 

 

http://www.family-friendly-music.com/

[canazar]

Knowing that is a temporary place for me and being limited to what I can build/mount to the walls, etc, my options are pretty limited.  As it stands now, I might keep this layout in the future if it really continues to progress, but I know, I will want to build again to the biggest size I can get away with.  Hence, why I think this one is going to be a "fling".

 

Plan?   Well, I have one but I use that word loosely. 

 

First trick was to figure out where to put it and after wandering around my parents house, my room seemed the most logical.  While they don't stay here much any more, they still have all their stuff so the house is full.  So with some quick measurements, I chose to go 24" deep and 11.5 long.  Basically, the length of the room. And, the only place I could put it, was over some furniture.

 

So, now to build it.  One part was easy. I used 2" thick white foam. Its what I used for my last layout and I had great luck with it.  (Im lucky and buy it from a construction company.)  Its fairly stiff so you don't need a lot of support under it. 

 

So now, that leaves the bench work.  I will say this, its probably the lamest, goofiest, bench work to ever grace the web pages of Model Railroader.  But, it works for now.   I lined the 2 sections up, (a 8 foot piece and a 3.5 foot piece,) and glued them to a 11.5 piece of wood angle trim.   Keep the front glued solid, adds some rigidity to it and keep the foam from breaking off.   Then, I scientifically, methodically, and with great precision.... chopped and lopped a bunch of PVC to form stilts.  With the foam now wedged between the walls, it really couldn't go anywhere and propped it up over my book shelf and dresser.  I do have some plans to build some better supports.  I am leaning towards something like you would use for modules.  But, what the heck, its working for now.

 

 

Here is a overview shot how it looks in the room.  Dresser has my clothes and makes for an impromptu work bench. The book shelf has my boxes of train stuff.  I am slowly bringing stuff in from the garage and moving it inside.

 

(Oh, and before I get to crazy with the pictures, I am sorry for the poor quality. I lost the camera in the, um, move.  So, I all have for the moment is my cell phone camera.) 

 

 

 

 

After I got it up, the fun began.  I went back to the hardware store, got a small can of tan paint and gave it decent coat to put down the scenery background color.  Its a fairly close match to our local dirt here.

 

My track plan.. (ugh, there that "plan" word again) was more of a concept.   I wanted a layout the leaned heavily toward operations. I know I get bored and wanted something that could offer a lot.  Heavy, congested, industrial feel was what I knew I had to go with. 

 

I was lucky in the sense that I all ready have more track than I could ever use and I had a bunch of buildings that I coulc drop in, right away.  Using Atlas track nails and your standard pins it was easy to secure the track down to the foam for the short term.  So, over the course of January and most of February, I would lay out the track and operate on it, more less squeezing as much as I could out of my space.

 

Here are some shots toward the end of the "planning process".  A couple things I am doing to keep it interesting.  Some of the building will change out so I can change the "look" of the layout. I am also trying to keep some of the industires, "type-neutral" so I could use different types of rail cars.  I also want to run this layout, like my old one, in dual era. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In this picture, you can see whatt I think I am most excited about. A small yard that  (located on the west side)is big enough to switch in and hold cars for operation.  The Ops plan is simple.  Trains come in from the east and bring in the empties or fulls and switch them out.  Switch is many as I want, or as few.  Most places are 1 or 2 cars.  But I have 3 industries that take multiple cars. 2 grain silos that take 3 cars each and 1 wharehouse that takes  up to 4 box cars.

 

 

 

In the next update, I have the final track plan figured out and "paint the road bed"

 

Any questions, feel free!

 

Thanks for looking.

 

 

 

 

[Anonymous]

 Big John,

this is going to be a mighty fine layout, which will give you a lot of fun to build and operate. It will surely help you to overcome the awkward situation you are in.

For different reasons, though, my situation is  not really funny either. I have lost my business, my income, my house, but fortunately, I have not lost my wife & family. I am right now slowly moving back into becoming an active MRR again. I wish I had those 11 1/2´ to build a layout! Mine will be a little over 7´by a little less than 1 1/2´, following British prototype, as it is not only a lot cheaper than US outline equipment here in Germany, but it also looks nice - a little exotic.

You know, the fun in model railroading is not correlated to the size of your layout or the cost of your equipment!

I am looking forward to seeing more pictures - hang in there!

[steinjr]

 Hi John --

 Your shelf Kiva Valley is already looking very nice and interesting to switch!  I really like the way you have the industry tracks peeling away from the running track along the rear of the layout - you are getting a lot of industry spurs in there, without industries getting in the way of each other.

 Are you using just #4 turnouts or a mix of #4s and #6 turnouts?  How long is that switchback lead for the industry tracks (at the left, second from wall) - enough for the engine and three 40-foot cars or so?

 Smile,
 Stein

 

[HaroldA]

Big John

I read your story and all I can say is WELCOME BACK!!  Your layout looks great.

And for Ulrich - hope all will be well with you too.

H

 

 

[canazar]

steinjr

 Hi John --

 Your shelf Kiva Valley is already looking very nice and interesting to switch!  I really like the way you have the industry tracks peeling away from the running track along the rear of the layout - you are getting a lot of industry spurs in there, without industries getting in the way of each other.

 Are you using just #4 turnouts or a mix of #4s and #6 turnouts?  How long is that switchback lead for the industry tracks (at the left, second from wall) - enough for the engine and three 40-foot cars or so?

 Smile,
 Stein

 

Thanks Stein.  I have been working on the track plan for awhile.  I wanted enough to keep me busy but not get "over crammed".  As it is now, I think its close.    

The way the yard is set up with the run around, i can get about 3-5 cars at a time.  Which, means I can roughly make up 4-5 different trains to work.   With that, it helps keep me from getting bored an doffer lots of operating schemes.

I think the track you are reffering too is around 30 or so inches longer.  There is a enough room for 3 50' cars and the SW7 switcher.  I think there is more room but I will have to double check. One of the next rainy day projects will be draw up a track plan for it.

The switches are all the "snap" switches from Atlas, I think they are #4's.  Makes it tight but saves room for track.  From time to time I will put on some of my big road power, as in pulling in the train to the yard, but most of the work will be with my SW7 and GP units.

[nbrodar]

 Good looking start.  I do like the busy but not crowded look.

Nick

[canazar]

Time for another update,

The next step once I had the track plan figured out was to start some scenery.  But before I could do that, I had to get the "roadbed and ballast" down.    I learned a few tricks on my last layout as ballasting the track, while I really wanted to try it, I realised,  it just wasnt practical.  I knew some day I would have to take it down and tearing up ballasted track would just be a nightmare.  So, I came up with a good stand in. 

On the last layout, I painted the cork with gray primer then hit it with a light sprinkle of texture spray.  Lay the track on top and secure it with the pins and it was good to go. While it didnt have the finished look, it gave enough to get by.  Once I added the scenery around it, didnt look to bad.

Here is a shot from the previous layout.

 

With the new Whitton Branch, I decided to leave out the cork for the main line look and lay at ground level.  So, it was time to do my trick again.

First I taped off all the track to map out where the "ballast" would be.

Then, I brush painted it all using gray paint from the hardware store. I admit, I thougth about using the gray primer, would have been a lot faster and with the latex paint on the foam, it would have been safe (most spray paint can dislove foam). Being indoors, the over spray and fumes, I skipped it.

Once that was done, I papered off the walls and masked the rest of the track.  That spray texture stuff gets everywhere.  Better respect the over spray on that one! but, fumes arent bad and there is "paint dust" per say.  Very quick squirts is all you need.  With this stuff. A little goes a long way.

 

With the light  texture coat down, I pulled up the tape and in this shot, you can see where the track all goes.

Here, track has been laid down and some buildings put back in place.   Gives nice effect while not commiting my track again.

The next update will be with the scenery as I have all ready started a little.  Thanks and Happy Rails.

[cudaken]

 I like the way the painted road bed looks. I will keep that trick in mind for later use.

 Best Wishes, Ken

[steinjr]

 That was a very neat idea for quick, temporary "ballasting" that sure beats just leaving the ground the foam color or a plywood pacific.

Smile,
Stein

[R. T. POTEET]

I suppose that different people react differently to separations; been there; done that; bought a t-shirt. My circumstance was somewhat different than yours  but after 13 years of bachelorhood I came up with a real winner for wife #2. As Lapchance informed Crocker in The Man Who Loved Cat Dancing "My wife left me one time. Know what I did? I sent her her suitcase!" View this as opportunity, my friend!

I can't offer you any advice on construction of a shelf layout but your photography of your new layout tells me that you don't need very much. Lookin' good! Lookin' very good! Keep up the good work and keep us posted on your progress.

Don't recall you ever having your layout open for visitation during any of the Arizona Division/PSR/NMRA meets in Phoenix. Too bad!  I'd have loved to have toured it!

[dknelson]

As an experiment I tried one of those textured spray paints under a turnout (just to see if there was a decent looking alternative to the challenge of actually ballasting around the points of a turnout).  Fortunately one of the stone shades was a very close match for my Chicago & North Western "pink lady" ballast, and it looked pretty darn good.  There are other shades that come very close to Woodland Scenics gray ballast. 

What I did find however is that even with turning the can upside down to clean out the nozzle, it seemed I had at most two or three uses of the can before it permanently gunked up.   So if you are going to follow John's lead here, I suggest taping stuff up like he did and prepping for using quite a bit of it at a time.  And John hits the nail on the head - these textured spray paints seem to explode out of the can in unexpected and uncontrollable ways. 

Dave Nelson

[Packers#1]

 John, that layout looks pretty sweet, glad to see you've gotten started and I'm looking forward to the updates!

[canazar]

Well, time for another small update.  I have started some scenery work and mostly, to show how well it tied in with the ballasting project.  There are some places where I will continue with the scenery, mostly around the yard in and in front.  I am still up in the air about some of the buildings, the where, the who's and the why's.

I am also strongly thinking about making quite of the few buildings inter-changeable so I can change the look of the layout and also have an excuse to keep working on new building kits. So, I am trying to igure out the plan how to do the scenery where I can manage that.   But, that will be another update.

So, hereis what I have so far.  I am modeling "central Arizona" and we have what you would call the "high desert".   Leaning toward more toward lighter shades of green and more dirt exsposed.  Feel so good to be cranking along again.

Now that the layout is getting shape, one of the next projects is to improve the lighting and get a better camera!

[canazar]

Adding to the scenery....  

On the east side where the mainline comes in, I had a small space between the main line and the two sidings.  I wanted to put something in to help increase the "visual distance".

 

  Trees where out as they would be too easy to knock during operations so I decided to come up with a small "mountain".  I took 2" white foam, cut it down with wire cutter to fit it in.  Once the cutting was done, it has all the rough, sharp edges from the wire.  I rounded off the foam, carefully, with the heat of a lighter flame.  (A little trick I learned from my other layout and yes outside is preffered).  Doing that give it a smooth, rounder shape.  Once the flame job was done I painted it.

One of the biggest complaints of white foam is the "small beads".  I have learned that texture can really help when it comes time to do scenery.  The little pockets it forms helps to hold the glue mixture and scenery materail.  I use sand I took from dunes out here in the southwest and use that for the "dirt".  Woodland Scenic materail for the grass and bushes.   As a happy note, the bushes you see here were taken off my layout and used again.  They live on!

I have some more scenery work to do along with some sculpt-a-mold work to do on the side that faces the track.  I would like to add come "cut rock" to add details and intrest.  I like the look now as it is enough to help "break up" the 3 tracks, with out blocking the view behind it.  And in keeping with my goal, to squeeze in as much I as I can into this layout,  managed to squeeze in a very little mountain..

 

[nw_fan]

 You need to get one of those Floquil track paint pens and color the track brown.  It would really finish off your very creative, and very nice compromise for ballast.

http://www.micromark.com/FLOQUIL-PAINT-MARKERS-SET-OF-3-TRACK-COLORS,8968.html

 

[canazar]

great suggestion.  I admit, I have thought about it. 

At the moment, I am treating this layout as a short term project as my living arangements are short term, I think.  If I move, I will most likley end up with a different set up and start over.  So weathering track is something I am hesitant to do because if I go and change, I could be altering it in a style that may not work.  If I weather the rails, it will show when I relay it... hence re-weathering and it turns into a mess.  

That's the main reason I did the short term "pretend ballast".  Give it the look with out fulling commiting.  I have told myself that if this layout is still around when I am complete with scenry and buildings, I might make the jump and really do up the track.  Maybe. 

[IVRW]

I had a thought. I know that you don't use ballast, and yet you seem to be an experienced enough modeler to know what ballast is and how to use it. So, thought I, you must have a story to tell on the subject. Did you once use it? Were you overwhelmed at the extensive costs of using so much for your Railroad? Or is it something more? Did you vow never to use ballast ever again when loose grains knocked your favorite childhood locomotive off the table? Please, enlighten me.

[steinjr]

IVRW

Please, enlighten me.

 

Re-read the post the OP posted 30 hours before you posted your question, and his post from 14 days ago. Both posts answers your question ...

 Smile,
 Stein

 

[IVRW]

Oops. That explanation makes perfect sense. Good idea.

[nbrodar]

 John,

Very nice.  I can't help but notice your Life Like Supply House.  I though I was the only one that actually built one and placed it on my layout.  

Although mine is kitbashed:

Though I'm not a fan a spraying in the house, your "ballasting" technique does yield good looking results.  Your yard is also much cleaner then mine....

Nick

[canazar]

Nick,

 

Is that two kits in one?  Looks good.   And I do love the yard.  I very much look forward to the day when I feel comfortable with the layout will stay in one spot for awhile.  I would love to try my hand at that.  I love all the detail.

 

I am out of town for the next week but when I get back, I am going to get some mor ework done on scenery and get some better shots for lighting.  Also, want to work on my buildings for industries.  Saw some of the Walther's background buildings and I think I am going to try those.   Thanks for the comments!

 

Oh, and should have a better camera!

[Grampy1]

Fantastic headway, John. Excellent comprssion and a very interesting industrial layout. I like how you've used buildings to very good effect.

[nbrodar]

canazar

Is that two kits in one?  Looks good.   And I do love the yard.  I very much look forward to the day when I feel comfortable with the layout will stay in one spot for awhile.  I would love to try my hand at that.  I love all the detail.

 John,

Yes, I smooshed two kits together.  I also modified the angle of the conveyor for the two level structure.   If you are interested in seeing how I progressed with my yard detailing, you should visit my thread from June and July of last year http://cs.trains.com/trccs/forums/t/155121.aspx?PageIndex=1.

Also, want to work on my buildings for industries.  Saw some of the Walther's background buildings and I think I am going to try those.  

 

I have several along the back wall of the yard, along with some low relief structure made from DPM kits.  They do a great job.   I'll have to get some more recent pics.

Nick

[canazar]

Ah ha...  back on track.  Sorry for the pun.

Things hae slowed  a bit on the work as the rest of life has been busy.  But, in a good way.  So with things catching up, I have been working more on the layout, mostly in the "thinking stage."  I was able ot crank out a lot of work, laying track, scenery and some buildings and moved along.  But as things moved along, I knew I had to slow down and think about how I really wanted to look, and operate.

When I first built my layout, I used the buildings that I had, not what I wanted.  In my old layout, most of the buildings were meant as regular full types, not flats, which is ideal for a shelf layout.  I finally saved up some cash and picked up my first new "background", the Walther's Heritage Furniture background building. 

With my new kit, first Walthers Catalog in 2 years, tape measure in hand, I am now making some progress....   ah.. pictures soon!

[UncBob]

 Have` any idea if that textured paint would work on Scenic roadbed

Maybe even prepaint it outside before laying it on the table

Your ballast looks good enough for my layout

[canazar]

UncBob

 Have` any idea if that textured paint would work on Scenic roadbed

Maybe even prepaint it outside before laying it on the table

Your ballast looks good enough for my layout

 

On my old layout, I sprayed the cork with auto primer gray, then a light shot of the texture paint.  With the texture paint, one can would go a long way.  In the picture of my siganture, that is the painted cork, touched with the texture paint.  Always worth a shot!

[canazar]

All right, here we go with a new update and some photos.

One of the goals of this layout was to pack in as much operation as I could.  Switching and get away with as many types of cars as possible.  I know suffer from the A-Typical modeler's syndrome "Iwantitis allis".  Maybe some day I will grow out of it....     ah, I doubt it.

I had been using my old "wharehouse" built from DPM sections, to work as a large industry on the Whitton Branch. Back in the old layout, with a 400 feet of track in a 14x19, a 4 car industry fit quite nice.  Now that I am modeling a switching layout 11.5 feet long, it was just too big and took up too much room.  So, with much regret, I axed it from the plan. 

 

In its place, I am putting in 2 new buildings, both using 2 car loads each.  Most likely keeping the box cars for both, going with the freight.  But, it adds one more switching move to play with. The building on the left is the Heritage Furniture background building from Walther's.  I have always like the design and having the cars under it, makes for a cool look.  The other building I am putting together from Walther's Modular series.  It will be one or two more stories high, loading dock and freight doors.   With the space in between, I want to see if I can model in some street scenes, back ally, possibly a truck etc.  I am excited about the possiblities.

Now, onto the other end.  For what ever reason, 2 bay covered hoppers are my favorite car type.  Here where I live, it is very common to see them heading out to a cement plant so at least I get to see them in person.  Up until now, I havent had a chance to use them.  I have had 4 on the layout just becuase but now, I got a plan.   I know its going to be a squeeze but I think I can make it work....  with the help of some power tools at work. 

I bought this built structure at a train swap meet. Its a bit rough with glue and things are a bit skewed, but for 5 bucks, it was worth it.  I have measured where to cut, and I am going to chop the back off and turn it into a background building.   It should fit right there.  And now I will finally have a place for my 2 bay hoppers!

This picture is of 2 other industries that I squeezed.  I did the "off set angle" to help break up too much of the boring parrell lines of the track work.  Not sure what they are going to be yet, maybe a bakery?   Single covered hopper, tank car and box car depending on the day of the week?   Just got one more wall section to go then I can start on the roofs.

 

With the new buildings and the concrete plant, I have added 2 more switching locations to add to the operation side of things.   I am happy with that. 

 

One thing I have figured out over the last few months, that I never even thought of,  is the dust.  I had deal with real dust in the garage of my old layout. Dust storms, Arizona air, you name it.  That was a nightmare.  it was heavy and thick dirt. Very hard to clean.

 With the layout in my room I figured it would be over that problem...  will sorta. Clothes, sheets, carpet, etc, generates all kinds of dust that settles on the whole thing.  Good news is that it cleans much easier than the old "dirt" type dust I had before.  I have a bunch of my trees that are hand made...  but very fragile.  I think I am going to pull them and replace them with my pine trees, which are much more hardy and more durable to cleaning.  Still tinkering with that idea.

 Hoping to work on the buildings over the next few weeks and maybe get down some more scenery. Thanks for looking.