Custom Build Layout – by The Western Reserve Model Railroad Museum (pics) Finished 5-17-06

[pbjwilson]

Tom, I really like that you used oak.. Gives it more of a furniture look. Very nice.

[spankybird]

As work continues, the control panel is now completely wired. Only the wire guards have to be mounted.



The mountain has been started







And the HO track has been laid.

[jefelectric]

Tom,

This is the first time I have checked this tread. Really nice job on the layout. It looks like you are a group of craftsmen.

[Birds]

Tom,

What is this grey device? Is it an HO or accessory power supply?


You all do some great work.

Birds

[Brutus]

That's a Bachmann power supply for the HO train around the zoo - I got their Dewitt Clinton set and it came with that same power supply.

[Anonymous]

Tom What size radius is that DeWitt Clinton running on? Flextrack maybe ? Felix

[Brutus]

Felixg - I think that's the small (HO) train Tom mentioned as going around the zoo. I'm pretty sure it's the John Bull from Bachmann, so here's the info from their website:

Scale, Category: HO Scale - Sets
Item No: 00640
Name: The John Bull
Roadname:
Description: The John Bull is the world's oldest complete and operational locomotive. Built and designed in England, the John Bull was sent disassembled to America, where it was reconstructed in New Jersey to begin service in 1832. This locomotive was the first to have the innovative, and distinctly American, “cowcatcher” feature. Retired in 1866, the John Bull regularly resurfaced at various exhibitions including the 1876 Centennial and the 1927 “Fair of the
Iron Horse.” Today the John Bull resides in the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, DC.

The John Bull includes:

• John Bull locomotive and tender
• three passenger coaches
• skew-wound motor
• finely detailed parts
• 47´´ x 38´´ oval of nickel silver E-Z Track®, including 12 pieces curved track, 1 piece of straight track, and 1 plug-in terminal rerailer
• power pack and speed controller
• illustrated instruction manual

I have the DeWitt Clinton train set from Bachmann and it's an HO model with E-Z track. The problem I have with it is that it only drives forward with their controller - unless you reverse the wires! Then it will drive backwards!? Also, the coaches keep coming unhooked and the tiny couplers are just little pegs that go in tiny little holes and it's pretty hard for me to thread them.

[Anonymous]

Looking good! I can't wait to see the finished product! What a lucky kid!

By the way, the Bachmann set is the B&O Lafayette of 1837-not the John Bull. I myself own their John Bull set. I got it used in a nice display case that somebody made. It's sitting on a bookshelf right by my computer here. Unfortunately, it doesn't run. My set has horn-hook couplers.

[Brutus]

oops, my bad. Here's the info then:

Scale, Category: HO Scale - Sets
Item No: 00628
Name: The Lafayette
Roadname: Baltimore & Ohio®
Description: Facing a shortage of motive power in its infancy, the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad turned to William Norris of Philadelphia for more locomotives to service its 107 miles of line. In 1837, Norris delivered the 4-2-0 Lafayette, the first locomotive in the B & O roster with a leading truck and a horizontal boiler. Affectionately known as a “one-armed Billey,” the 4-2-0 was the first standardized production model locomotive. Several more 4-2-0’s were soon added to the B & O line, serving the railroad until as late as 1880.

This Lafayette set includes:

• Norris 4-2-0 locomotive (B & O “Lafayette”) with hand-tooled coal load in tender
• three passenger cars
• skew-wound motor
• metal detail parts including handrails and bell
• nickel silver wheels
• 47´´ x 38´´ oval of nickel silver E-Z Track®, including 12 pieces curved track, 1 piece of straight track, and 1 plug-in terminal rerailer
• power pack and speed controller
• illustrated instruction manual

Bachmann Industries, Inc. is an official licensee of CSX Corporation and is authorized to use trademarks owned and/or registered by CSX Corporation.

[spankybird]

Yep - good call Sask - it's the B&O Lafayette of 1837. We used flex track to have it fit the area. It is about a 15" radius. We have check the track and the train runs fine on it.

[dougdagrump]

On an "O" gauge layout which would you use, HO or N, if you were to utilize it as an amusemnt park ride or a live steam exhibit. Open the car tops and install seats and kids going for a ride, chop the coal tender(if a steamer) for a ride operator to sit. [:D]

[spankybird]

And the Mountain is almost done





and the engine shead is done



and the bridge, pond and river has been added

[Brutus]

Looking great Tom!

[jefelectric]

dougdagrump, N gauge calculates out to 16.95" in O gauge. That sounds about right for amusemnt park ride. You would probably have to scratch build the rolling stock. I am not aware of anything that could be converted. It would be easier to do with HO as there is a lot of HOn30 stuff out there.

[Jumijo]

John, Some N scale flat cars or gondolas would make good "passenger cars" for that amusement ride.

[johnandjulie13]

Spanky:

That is a really sharp layout! How long, from start to finish, will it take to get the layout complete?

Regards,

John O

[wrmcclellan]

Nice Tom! Thanks for the updates!

[spankybird]

QUOTE: Originally posted by johnandjulie13

Spanky:

That is a really sharp layout! How long, from start to finish, will it take to get the layout complete?

Regards,

John O

The first time Karen came into the Museum was 5 weeks ago and we started it about 1 month ago and less than a week left







[:D]

[darianj]

Really Nice work Tom!

[spankybird]

Update on the layout, as it is almost done. Just a little clean up on the roads and centerline needs to be added. After we deliver it, we will be added all the trees.

[Anonymous]

That layout has been coming along nicely it seems.

[Frank53]

This was coming along pretty well. I thought the table was excellent

[jefelectric]

Nice job Tom. The shelving idea at the end of the layout is a winner.

[1688torpedo]

I saw this layout last night & it is a super layout indeed! And the best part is that the little boy who is the new owner of this layout does not know about it yet! He will be one happy kid after it is delivered to his house. Tom did a very professional job here. That's for sure. Take Care all

[Brutus]

Man, I like it better every time I look at it. There is a lot going on in this layout and the workmanship is really fine!

[Anonymous]

Tom,
Just a quick question:
Why no hills and bumps? Or is the intention to provide a flat table surface that allows the child to reconfigure the trackplan as he desires?
Mike

[spankybird]

Time to answer some of your questions:

What did you use to get the brick look on the side of the mountain?
The mountain face is made of stone and is carved with a knife and ball point pen.
Is McDonalds paying you royalties?

Nope, not yet anyway.

What did you use for the fence?

The fence came from the dollar store and the post are toothpicks.

Any guesstimate on the number of man hours that went into building this?

I would guess about 300 total man hours. At many times it was two of use working on it.
Also, what tools would you consider requisite for a project like this?
The benchwork was built with a hand circler saw, saber saw, hand drill and sander. Soldering Gun, wire crimps, etc. My partner in this is a profession carpenter by trade.

Why RealTrax instead of FasTrack?

3 reasons.
1.
Noise
2.

Noise

3. overall size of the layout. Realtrax comes in 031 as to Fastrack at 036. The owner didn’t want that wide of a layout.

Is the RealTrax fastened down to the foam? Just curious, since I switched from RealTrax to FasTrack 'cause the weight of the engine going around curves would eventually pull the RealTrax apart. I eventually had to fasten it down.

Yes it is fastened down. As to move this to it’s final resting place, it will have to be turned onto its side and walked thru a sliding glass door. All the building have quick disconnects on the wiring, so they can be unplugged and removed.

Are the trains on standard control instead of DCS/TMCC?

As for now, it is conventional control. The little boy is just going to be 5 years old. I am sure in the next 2 years, I will be adding command control to it. It is already wired to accept DCS.

Why no hills and bumps? Or is the intention to provide a flat table surface that allows the child to reconfigure the trackplan as he desires?

With all the switches wired, he won’t be able to change the track plan. No hills is because it won’t fit thru the door when we deliver it. The mountain is made as a removable item. Also with such a small layout there isn’t much room for any grade changes.

tom

[Anonymous]

I think that it could really benefit from some removable hill shapes in some of the flat open areas. That would create more places for the train to "pop-out" from rather than being visible all of the time (with the exception of the corner tunnel. These could be stacked and glued foamboard that can lift right off for transport.

[spankybird]

Graz - WE did consider something like that but by the time the forest is planted, we will have the same effect. Again I can't complete that until we deliver the table. Wait until you see the finished producd.

Also remember this is for a 5 year old boy.

[thatboy37]

quick question what is the price and if it hasnt been asked yet what is the size of this layout