General Discussion (Model Railroader)

Time for a new one...

 How about a link to the old one also?

 http://cs.trains.com/trccs/forums/t/154415.aspx

Well guys, I'm once again changing the plan of my layout. This time it's because the amount of switches drove the price of the track WAYYY to high, so now I'm going to jsut focus on the Mullins area, but redesign it to maximize industrial switching while keeping it to about 10 or 11 switches. there will be two legs for scenery, and then a liftout staging area in between that will one day have switches added to it for two stub-end tracks facing each way.

Sawyer: Could you maybe post the new plan (that is, assuming you made a few changes)?

Well, I guess I'll post the first photo of the month. A Tri-State Railway bay window caboose rolls through Watchinson on a TSRy test train:

The only thing I've been doing recently is getting the list of parts together to complete that Bicenntenial SD40-2, and listing some stuff (unused engines, buildings, etc.) on ebay.

 Joe, sure thing. Also, how about a few pics I took a couple weeks ago outside:

here's the new plan:

also, the first version of that plan:

That's one heck of a long lift bridge, Sawyer! Stability is really going to suffer, and you're going to need a really good system for anchoring it at the ends. But since, knowing you, you're probably going to come up with a couple hundred different plans before you actually start building, we can tackle that if / when you get to it!

I made significant progress on my staging yard and lift bridge this week. I laid track in the staging yard and added a safety fence to shield the trains against the long drop as well as stray elbows.

The staging yard can hold 4 full-length trains.

In addition, I added the safety stop that cuts off power to the staging yard, bridge, and both approach tracks when the bridge is up. After two failed attempts using metal contacts (getting them to touch was a hit-or-miss scenerio) and momentary switches (reversed functions; bridge is up train goes, bridge is down train stops!) I finally hit on the solution using a default-off button. Now I have good contact, the switch triggers easily, and the train stops when the bridge goes up!

Photo lights are really useful when taking photos under the benchwork!  The tiny little pin is the button itself, with the wiring visible below. It's actually a complete mess down there, with a lot of remnants of old wiring from the two failed attempts before that. I ended up only isolating the inside rail, since with no ground, trains won't move. So I have a lot of redundant wires down there. The large dowels are my method of keeping the bridge in alignment.

Switches are coming tonight by UPS (a modeler's best friend!) and then I'll lay track over the bridge. Then I need to invite Greg over to cut the rails over the gaps with his Dremel. Xurons leave too big of a gap...

Tyler- Nice work on the staging tracks.
Sawyer- The new plan is MUCH better! Although when I was looking at the plan again, I also realized (even before I saw Tyler's comment) that the lift/drop bridge is waaaaaaayyy too long.  No need to redo the plan just for that, but keep that in mind when you build the layout. I'd reccomend going no more than three feet long, but even shorter if possible.

This was my first ever paint and decalling, about 3 or 4 years ago.

My plan was to have a 2x4 be the main support, running down the middle, with two side curtains on the side etc. I'll probably shorten it to 3 feet and have soem more swamp.

Well, I learned several elssons custom painting today; numero uno being to order paint from Walthers through my LHS, not buy it off my LHS's shelves.

GG- That's pretty good! My first decaling job was the Bakery. 4100 will probably be my first paint/decal job.
Sawyer- Or you could just order the paint direct from Walthers... That's what I always do. Whenever I go to the LHS, its for something I need right away/just don't want to wait (like when I needed something for a History project) or if I'm not looking for anything in particular (I want something, but not sure exactly what).

TrainManTy:

That's one heck of a long lift bridge, Sawyer! Stability is really going to suffer, and you're going to need a really good system for anchoring it at the ends. But since, knowing you, you're probably going to come up with a couple hundred different plans before you actually start building, we can tackle that if / when you get to it!

Joe-I order it through my LHS to avoid shipping charges. Costs me the same, jsut no shipping. and hey, money goes into local business, etc., etc.

Well Tyler, I can't just sit idle on a plan now, can I? I bent the mainline and changed the industries up, so now it looks WAY more interesting. However, it still uses 8 turnouts. Also, shrunk the lift-out to about two and a half feet or so.

with just the track:

with captions:

Happy (belated) 4th!

Sawyer- The new plan is much better. Gets enough going on, without overcrowding (DON'T CHANGE IT AGAIN!!!!!)

Made $40 tonight, so that's 40 closer to an iPod. Once that's taken care of, maybe I can go back to buying stuff so that I can maybe finish the layout (or more importantly, get some cars to pull on said layout...)

Unless girlfriends or food gets in the way, I'll have enough money to order track by the end of August. The Benchwork has unwarped, and is now able to be built upon. Maybe later this week I'll install legs and the foam. I need to bring the bag of excess pink foam down from Boston, and eventually get some hardboard, however I'll wait until I get a couple expressnets and the car forwarding system (after X-mas) before I do that. That will come last. My schedule is track by the end of August, September-December buildings and scenery, X-Mas DCC/Electrical, and then 2010 I can collect rolling stock/locos, and possibly save some money up for a car or get a job.

Alex... I have a big trash bag of excess pink foam that you're welcome to if you can find a way to fit it on the train ("omg!! it's a bomb!!!" ) or somehow get it home...

I won't be able to bring it to Boston for you, since while I'm getting a ride to Lexington, I still have to take the bus, Red Line, and Green Line to get to the Museum of Science, and it would look sort of odd carrying a massive trash bag full of pink insulation foam up to the Volunteer Services Office where I store my bag while on duty...