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Layout Extension

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  • Member since
    July 2007
  • From: Pottstown PA
  • 1,039 posts
Posted by rdgk1se3019 on Saturday, November 3, 2012 7:14 PM

Pic from open house today.......trains on layout extension.

Dennis Blank Jr.

CEO,COO,CFO,CMO,Bossman,Slavedriver,Engineer,Trackforeman,Grunt. Birdsboro & Reading Railroad

  • Member since
    July 2007
  • From: Pottstown PA
  • 1,039 posts
Posted by rdgk1se3019 on Thursday, November 1, 2012 7:56 AM

If anyone is in the area this weekend and/or next weekend come see my layout at my open house..........here is the link for the Model Railroad Open House schedule.

Nov.3rd & 4th,......also Nov.10th & 11th

Just look for me......Dennis Blank

http://www.modelrailroadopenhouse.com/

Dennis Blank Jr.

CEO,COO,CFO,CMO,Bossman,Slavedriver,Engineer,Trackforeman,Grunt. Birdsboro & Reading Railroad

  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Reading, PA
  • 30,002 posts
Posted by rrinker on Tuesday, October 30, 2012 5:00 PM

 My previous layout was foam, with the WS roadbed on top - not very loud at all. Support was open grid. Pink foam to wood frame with Tightbond, everything else with latex caulk. First time using extruded foam and I was very happy with the results. This one has 2 layers of foam and it is a bit louder, still not annoying or anything, mostly hear wheels ssssssssing on the rails (I only use metal wheelsets). Never the rumbling chug like the remembered layouts of childhood, which were cork on plywood, with no framing - plywood from back when it was, I dunno, actually strong wood, a 4x8 sheet could be supported by 2 sawhorses and not sag. But it was noisy when trains ran.

                --Randy

 


Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's

 

Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.

  • Member since
    July 2007
  • From: Pottstown PA
  • 1,039 posts
Posted by rdgk1se3019 on Tuesday, October 30, 2012 2:19 PM

Nice work.

The blue tape was in place so that those spots would not be painted......such as section joints, points, and frogs.

I do use T pins to hold down the track while the adhesive sets up over night.

Dennis Blank Jr.

CEO,COO,CFO,CMO,Bossman,Slavedriver,Engineer,Trackforeman,Grunt. Birdsboro & Reading Railroad

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • From: Clinton, MO, US
  • 4,261 posts
Posted by Medina1128 on Tuesday, October 30, 2012 10:36 AM

Looks good. I noticed the blue tape. Is that what you use to hold the track in place while the caulk is setting up? I spread a thin layer of acrylic latex caulk, then use push pins to hold the track in place. This has worked well for me.

I made an 11' extension on my layout, using the same type of construction you used for your benchwork. Except that I had one of those pesky basement support poles in the way, so mine had angles the ends to curve around it.

This is the end of the existing part of the layout. After cutting the end piece of new section to length to match the existing section, I clamped it to the end, and drilled them to insert dowels for easier alignment should I need to remove it.

I made the legs using the "L" shaped method. I glued and screwed a short length of 2x2 into the bottom corner. I then drilled and inserted tee nuts for height adjustments. My layout is in our basement, and our basement floor has a slight slope toward the center of the room to the drain.

Final benchwork. Because, these are just holding tracks, I laid the track directly to the plywood top. You can see the support pole in this photo.

This is the end result. I added mountain scenery to blend into the end of the existing section. A sand house facility has since been added. 


  • Member since
    July 2007
  • From: Pottstown PA
  • 1,039 posts
Posted by rdgk1se3019 on Tuesday, October 30, 2012 9:23 AM

rrinker

 Looks like Woodland Scenic Track-Bed foam roadbed to me.

         --Randy

 

Yep.....thats exactly what it is.......although I do not recommend that you do what I did.......foam on foam transfers a lot of noise..........next layout I build I`ll use homasote roadbed on foam.

Dennis Blank Jr.

CEO,COO,CFO,CMO,Bossman,Slavedriver,Engineer,Trackforeman,Grunt. Birdsboro & Reading Railroad

  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Reading, PA
  • 30,002 posts
Posted by rrinker on Monday, October 29, 2012 9:21 PM

 Looks like Woodland Scenic Track-Bed foam roadbed to me.

         --Randy

 


Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's

 

Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.

  • Member since
    January 2011
  • From: Alberta, Canada
  • 624 posts
Posted by chochowillie on Monday, October 29, 2012 8:02 PM

Dennis, what material is the black sheet goods you are using on you layout? I know what the stuff undr the tracks is, it's the other stuff tat I'm wondering about..

CDN Dennis

CDN Dennis 

Modeling the HO scale something or other RR in the shadow of the Canadian Rockies Alberta, Canada

  • Member since
    July 2007
  • From: Pottstown PA
  • 1,039 posts
Posted by rdgk1se3019 on Monday, October 29, 2012 6:53 PM

A few more pics of progress.

All tracks are in place AND wired up.

All three legs of the wye are in place and wired.

And one last pic for now.

The areas taped off are so that I can paint the tracks.

Next time I post pics will show the tracks painted and some ballasting.

Dennis Blank Jr.

CEO,COO,CFO,CMO,Bossman,Slavedriver,Engineer,Trackforeman,Grunt. Birdsboro & Reading Railroad

  • Member since
    July 2007
  • From: Pottstown PA
  • 1,039 posts
Posted by rdgk1se3019 on Sunday, October 7, 2012 4:42 PM

Got some track and roadbed in place this weekend.

First train on the new track.

Turnout pinned in place until the adhesive sets.

Roadbed in place for the wye.

Put this in place to adjust for the height difference in the foam.

The glossy stuff is the adhesive I used to hold down the track.

Another view of the track.

The adhesive I used .....DAP Dayna-flex 230........I used the clear.......the staff of Model Railroader uses the gray.

Another view of the tracks.

The last two tracks have to be put in place .

Until next time.

Dennis Blank Jr.

CEO,COO,CFO,CMO,Bossman,Slavedriver,Engineer,Trackforeman,Grunt. Birdsboro & Reading Railroad

  • Member since
    September 2012
  • From: Fraser Valley, BC
  • 538 posts
Posted by Rastafarr on Tuesday, October 2, 2012 10:19 AM

On the frame, are you using 1x4 pine? Looks good brother!

..

Agreed. it looks considerably better than the dog's breakfast of 2x2s currently holding my engines off the floor. Keep on building, mate!

Streamlined steam, oh, what a dream!!

  • Member since
    July 2007
  • From: Pottstown PA
  • 1,039 posts
Posted by rdgk1se3019 on Monday, October 1, 2012 8:01 PM

Got the turnout in place and reattached the feeder wires.

A tool I made a few years ago to open up rail joiners....also to make transition joiners (code 70 to code 55).

On a Micro-Engineering turnout there is a small spot to solder a feeder wire for the frog......to hard to solder to this spot so I drilled a hole at the back of the frog and soldered the feeder wire there.

I filed the rails at both ends so that a better fit will be had for the joiners.

Till next update.

Dennis Blank Jr.

CEO,COO,CFO,CMO,Bossman,Slavedriver,Engineer,Trackforeman,Grunt. Birdsboro & Reading Railroad

  • Member since
    July 2007
  • From: Pottstown PA
  • 1,039 posts
Posted by rdgk1se3019 on Thursday, September 27, 2012 7:17 PM

Some work I did on the turnouts.

Modified a turnout to fit the space for the wye.......stock turnout is above.

Wire feeder soldered to the frog at left.......rails on right have had the base cut back to help prevent shorts.

Overhead view of the turnout.

Dennis Blank Jr.

CEO,COO,CFO,CMO,Bossman,Slavedriver,Engineer,Trackforeman,Grunt. Birdsboro & Reading Railroad

  • Member since
    July 2007
  • From: Pottstown PA
  • 1,039 posts
Posted by rdgk1se3019 on Wednesday, September 26, 2012 7:50 PM

Removed a section of track to make way for a turnout for the wye.

Dennis Blank Jr.

CEO,COO,CFO,CMO,Bossman,Slavedriver,Engineer,Trackforeman,Grunt. Birdsboro & Reading Railroad

  • Member since
    July 2007
  • From: Pottstown PA
  • 1,039 posts
Posted by rdgk1se3019 on Friday, September 21, 2012 5:50 PM

Thanks....

The frame is 1/2 inch Maple / Birch plywood that was ripped to 3" wide strips........for this extension I used a few pieces left over from the original layout construction a few years ago.

The legs are 1/2 and 1 inch by 1 1/2 inch Poplar.

Dennis Blank Jr.

CEO,COO,CFO,CMO,Bossman,Slavedriver,Engineer,Trackforeman,Grunt. Birdsboro & Reading Railroad

  • Member since
    May 2012
  • From: Augusta, GA
  • 8 posts
Posted by Xicaque on Friday, September 21, 2012 3:06 PM

On the frame, are you using 1x4 pine? Looks good brother!

  • Member since
    July 2007
  • From: Pottstown PA
  • 1,039 posts
Posted by rdgk1se3019 on Wednesday, September 12, 2012 6:43 PM

Some work I did last night.

A pic of a rough idea of where the tracks will go.

One leg of the wye in place already.....have to cut in the turnout at upper left.

Track, ballast, and roadbed removed to make way for the second leg of the wye.

Another view of the track idea.

Thanks for viewing.

Dennis Blank Jr.

CEO,COO,CFO,CMO,Bossman,Slavedriver,Engineer,Trackforeman,Grunt. Birdsboro & Reading Railroad

  • Member since
    July 2007
  • From: Pottstown PA
  • 1,039 posts
Posted by rdgk1se3019 on Sunday, September 9, 2012 6:04 PM

Couple of pics from some work I managed to squeeze in today.

In the second pic the track is about where one leg of the wye will be.

Dennis Blank Jr.

CEO,COO,CFO,CMO,Bossman,Slavedriver,Engineer,Trackforeman,Grunt. Birdsboro & Reading Railroad

  • Member since
    July 2007
  • From: Pottstown PA
  • 1,039 posts
Posted by rdgk1se3019 on Sunday, August 26, 2012 12:06 PM

Got the last of the foam added to the frame.......when the glue sets in a day or three I`ll start laying roadbed and track.

Dennis Blank Jr.

CEO,COO,CFO,CMO,Bossman,Slavedriver,Engineer,Trackforeman,Grunt. Birdsboro & Reading Railroad

  • Member since
    July 2007
  • From: Pottstown PA
  • 1,039 posts
Posted by rdgk1se3019 on Saturday, August 25, 2012 9:54 AM

Here is a pic with some of the foam added.

Dennis Blank Jr.

CEO,COO,CFO,CMO,Bossman,Slavedriver,Engineer,Trackforeman,Grunt. Birdsboro & Reading Railroad

  • Member since
    July 2007
  • From: Pottstown PA
  • 1,039 posts
Layout Extension
Posted by rdgk1se3019 on Sunday, August 12, 2012 6:39 PM

Hi All,

 

Here are a few pics of the framework for my 2' x 6' layout extension.

 

First pic is the frame as far as the woodwork is complete.

 

 

One of three terminal strips.

 

 

This is where it will connect to the rest of the layout.

 

 

Close up of the hinges I used.....1 per legs for a total of 4.

 

 

Latches I used to keep the legs in place.

 

 

Another terminal strip along with clamping blocks.

 

 

2" x 4" bar clamps from Lowes.

 

 

This area will undergo reconstruction......the track in the foreground will be ripped up and relaid for a leg of a wye that will go in the area.....and a new turnout will be put in place too.

 

 

And more of the pink stuff to build up the new section.

 

 

That is all for now........maybe by next weekend I`ll have a few more pics to share.

Dennis Blank Jr.

CEO,COO,CFO,CMO,Bossman,Slavedriver,Engineer,Trackforeman,Grunt. Birdsboro & Reading Railroad

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