All, Here are a few photos of my benchwork/layout progress. A few months back I posted a message requesting help with benchwork ideas. Many of you provided great input and some nice photos, especially ChiefEagles and Buckeye Riveter. I built a 5'6" x 10' table out of 1 x 4s and 2 x 4s using an example from CTT's "Layout Examples for Toy Trains." It is the box benchwork example using sawhorses as the legs. My plan is to attach the legs and forgo the sawhorses. Also, I plan to add casters to the bottom of the legs to allow me to easily move the table out from the wall. As you can see, the table is in the garage as that is the only place I have room. It is only 40” high and I can reach just about every part of it with a step ladder, but I like the idea of being able to pull it out from the wall for more extensive work. ChiefEagles sent me some photos of his legs with levelers on them, and I was wondering if anyone used casters with levelers? The layout is fairly simple and a forum member from the Yahoo Fastrack group helped me out considerably. The plan is to have a small town in one of the figure 8 loops and have coaling operations on the other side. I will run two trains (one coal/freight and one passenger) running in conventional mode for now. The current track configuration you see is not the final plan I just received and will use. I appreciate any comments and suggestions, especially if you have any experience with casters. Joe
Here is an update of the benchwork. I attached the legs to the table and added casters. The table is very solid, and now with the casters, I can roll it out for easier access. Joe
Looks great!!!! Enjoy. Love the retro bar stools.
laz57
Wasn't on the forum a few months back so my pics are not going to be much help to you. But thought someone reading your post might get an idea from them . Nice job you did for a
portable setup. I"d run a support attached to each of two legs where you can then mount your caster. Many types of casters available; of course one with a locking feature is a must. v[ My table legs are constructed from two 2 by 4's nailed together then 1 by 6 pine attached.The top of the legs are then sandwiched between the table cross members and secured with bolts. The table edges are left over laminate I had from the flooring in the room.IMG]http://i884.photobucket.com/albums/ac50/petejackiejr1951/039.jpg[/IMG]IMG]http://i884.photobucket.com/albums/ac50/petejackiejr1951/039.jpg[/IMG]IMG]http://i884.photobucket.com/albums/ac50/petejackiejr1951/039.jpg[/IMG]
v
All, Here is the latest update to my layout. The track plan is what you see for now. It will be upgraded with remote turnouts to create some reversing loops once the budget permits; and also join the two loops. I wired some feeders and block sections today. I am very unskilled at electrical work, but some very smart folks from the Yahoo Fastrack group provided me some great information. I also read some previous posts on this forum which helped a great deal as well. Later this week I will complete the blocks and have three toggles for the outer loop (passing sidings and regular siding). After that I will take of the track to glue down and paint the foam. Then I will put the track back down and put a few screws in it. Please provide feedback if you can. Thanks - Joe
Joe.....are you dedicating your entire garage to the layout? Thank you for the update photos!
Jack.
IF IT WON'T COME LOOSE BY TAPPING ON IT, DON'T TRY TO FORCE IT. USE A BIGGER HAMMER.
Joe.....the reason I ask about your garage space is space is always a consideration.
My first layout was a 4' X 8' with 2 plain concentric loops connected by switches, plus a long siding. Everything was screwed down onto the board including accessories, switches, track, buildings, people, trees, a mountain, etc,...... and the 8 ' length of the board was secured to a wall and was hinged so that the layout could be dropped down and out of the way when not in use. That way I could still keep the basement space available for whatever and could pivot the table into position whenever I wanted to use the layout. Granted, the table top had to sit pretty high off the floor so it could pivot down, but it worked.
Hi all,
Here are latest photos of the layout progress. All track and toggle wiring is complete and the two transformers work well, except for the 1044 whistle issue. This will be the track plan for now; it does allow for additional turnouts (hopefully remote) as the budget permits, and also allow for the two loops to be connected. This will also cause me to learn about phasing very quickly, but I don't see myself coming to that within the next year. The biggest addition to date is the rudimentary tunnels taking shape. Initially the thought was to have two tunnels running through a mountain so I could have a coaling station and some coal chutes going into the mountain (just like my hometown of Shenandoah, PA), but my goal is to keep my 7 y/o son interested in trains and he requested an airport. As you can see, our layout is not very big so a full-size airport was not going to happen. I came up with the idea of keeping the tunnel-top flat and utilizing that space for his airport. It's not much, but it should support a Plasticville hanger and runway (the trestle bridge is not staying there). I need to grab another small piece of wood to complete the top.
As alway, I appreciate any tips or comments,
Joe
The airport in Cumberland,MD is set up exactly like that, over the old Western Maryland. Run with it.
Joe,
It is coming together well and I like the way you switched gears to accomodate your son's request for an airport. Is that a creek I see planned in that cut out?
Have fun and enjoy,
John
I like the casters idea. Can move it around within the garage as needed, Move over to one corner and run it. Then if access is needed, pull it out and work on it. Keep up the good work.
God bless TCA 05-58541 Benefactor Member of the NRA, Member of the American Legion, Retired Boss Hog of Roseyville , KC&D Qualified
Having the transformers in phase with each other is not all there is to it. In order to avoid the fault current and voltage spikes that will happen when you run between transformers, the voltage waveforms have to have not only the same phase but also the same voltage, frequency, and waveform. The frequency is already the same. You can get them in phase, and you can set the voltages the same, but there is unfortunately no way to make the waveforms match between a 1044 and a CW-80 (or its ilk).
So, your intention of arranging to be able to power both loops from one transformer is a good step in the right direction and will allow you to cross the boundary safely. Beyond that, however, you can open up more operating possibilities by subdividing each loop into several blocks, with each block assignable to one transformer or the other, or neither. With some care in choosing the block boundaries, you can easily swap trains between blocks. All it takes is a single-pole-double-throw-center-off (SPDT-CO) switch for each block, to connect the block's center rail to the output of one or the other transformer, or neither. (All the outside rails remain connected together.)
Even if you don't intend to do anything like this now, now is the time to plan the block boundaries, before you lay the track. You can just wire all the blocks together until you are ready to do the rest of the wiring.
Bob Nelson
All,
Thanks for the kind words, encouragement, and guidance.
Fifedog - I have seen trains running under airports in cities; it's good to know it happens in rural areas as well. I am looking forward to him being able to place his model airplanes on it.
Hudson - The cutout is going to be a small water feature (lake or pond). I used foam to create the incline for the outside line; it's just under a 3% grade. I am going to have the outside line utilize a trestle bridge to cross it. Because the span is about 13 inches I will have to either use two of the black trestle bridges or one Plasticville trestle bridge to cross it. I will be fabricating my own bridge for the inside loop that crosses the water on a curve. I have not seen any curved bridges on the market.
Lionelsoni - Thanks for the brief tutorial on phasing transformers. Right now I have three blocks on the outside loop the 1044 runs. If you look closely, you can see the three toggles to the left of the 1044. The blocks are the three rails closest to the transformer (outside passing siding, siding, and inside passing siding). The remainder of the outside line has continuous power. The CW-40 (not a great transformer) runs the inside figure 8 which has four feeders around it. My wiring is simple enough to incorporate more blocks as needed, especially when I join the two lines.
Regards,
Thanks for the information V8Vega. Right now my three toggles for the three blocks are all on the outside line being powered by the 1044. I will need to upgrade the other transformer and utilize a more basic leftside/rightside system once I join the two lines.
It's been a while since I uploaded any layout updates. Here is where it stands now. I am pleased with how it is coming along; however, there is still much work to be done in the downtown area as well as general scenery work. We are now using two CW-80s for the track power and accessories, and one 40 watt transformer for building lights. The runway lights are independently powered by a battery pack. Please provide feedback.
Looking great! Keep up the good work.
Cobrabob.
Toy Trains, they are not just an adventure, they are a way of life !
Thanks Cobrabob. I like what you've done with your ballast. Since I am using Fastrack as well I do not plan to use any ballast. At some point I will weather the Fastrack and then use a thicker foliage along the edges of the Fastrack.
I don't have much of an update this time as I have been enjoying many operating sessions versus actual layout work. I have three photos showing an updated look for my tunnel portals and airport wall. I used some brick paper I downloaded from web. I have some touching up to do in some spots as well as adding some foliage and shrubs. It is not the most spectacular looking stuff but the price was right (free to download) and it was easy enough to apply. It looks better than just the painted foam I originally had.
Looks good. What was the name of the site you used to download it. I need to finish some removable panels and that would make a great finish for them.
Jason
B&O = Best & Only
JOE,
Looking GREAT, Love the Bengal Tigger.
Also as an added safety add on, consider either using some clear 1/8 inch plexiglass on the outside edge of the table,at the corners. IT doesn't have to go all the way around just on the corners. I have this on my layout just incase a engine is going to fast, so it doesn't fly off tracks onto floor. Inexpensive and added safety for your engines. If you don't like the look of plastic use a few one bys and come up about 3 inches off the edge to give the engine something to bounce off of instead of hitting the floor.
Keep up the good work,
jmkk - The site was Mayang and the link I used was mayang.com/textures There are others out there, but this company has plenty to offer. Since I glued my paper to foam I didn't see the need to print it off onto any special paper. Basic Elmer's glue is what I used and it adhered just fine.
Laz - I plan to get some sort of Plexiglas or even some nicer wood paneling for those corners, especially for the outer loop coming out of the tunnel. For now I have been operating at very slow speeds.
Thanks fellas,
Here is the latest update on the layout. I added three more buildings: a Lionel Victorian-style home; an Ameritowne Police Station; and a Buildings Unlimited Flag Stop building. I cut about 5 inches of depth of the Lionel home to match my other I modified - both also have lights added. I will buy one more to modify which will complete that residential street. I did not paint or detail the Police Station kit besides some grout work and the window inserts (I still need to buy or make the inserts for the Ameritowne building on the street). I have at the other end of the street because I want to add a parking lot for the police cars in the future. The Flag Stop building is small but works nicely on my layout. My daughter helped with the painting and we are very pleased with the results. It will probably become a small family-run coal company building.
I obviously still have much work to do and many details to complete, but I'm very pleased with the progress especially since I run the trains on the layout almost every night. Please let me know your thoughts.
This is great to follow along and watch the progress in real time rather than a written essay as a summary. Keep us posted. You use a lot of the same bench work techniques I did on my last conventional layout until I began using large plastic folding tables as a platform that can be moved without a major dis-assembly...it's also refreshing to see a layout that will not cost a quarter million or what have you..I find the mid to small layouts more interesting to see how more is done in a reasonable space. Looks like yours fits the bill...thanks for sharing this.
Nothing is more fairly distributed than common sense: no one thinks he needs more of it than he already has.
Wallyworld,
Thanks for the kind comments, I'm glad you’re enjoying the thread. Posting the photos and the updates allows me to chronicle my efforts, but more importantly, it may be useful to someone else just starting out. It also allows others with more experience to provide me feedback and insight - I have not been doing this very long so I am always open to ideas and tips.
While my layout is not modular in the true sense of the word, it will be fairly easy to move when the USAF decides it's time for me to move. The layout is not permanently fixed to the wall and the legs will easily unscrew and detach. The track is simply screwed down in a few places and none of the buildings or accessories are permanently attached. When I have to move, I plan to remove everything from the top and wrap the top of the layout with paper or plastic to hold most of the scenery material in place during transit. I'm sure some of it will come off but that will not be too difficult to replace.
I want the layout to progress over the course of time which will allow me to be very cost efficient; I don't have an endless budget for this and I'm sure most others are the same as me. I want it to be fun and user friendly. It is also important my kids be able to enjoy it and be part of its progress which was why it was important for me to have the layout as operational as possible early in the development - even if all the scenery was not completed or many buildings still need to be added - so we can use it and not lose interest.
I hope to post updates and photos every other month or so.
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