Trains.com

Portable Layout Building Log

63922 views
187 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    October 2006
  • From: silver spring, md
  • 1,232 posts
Posted by altterrain on Monday, June 18, 2007 8:18 PM

Its the smallest big railroad around! Ain't it cute? Wink [;)]

 -Brian

President of
  • Member since
    August 2005
  • From: Texas
  • 182 posts
Posted by MTCarpenter on Monday, June 18, 2007 2:58 PM
Very, very cool!!  Love it.
"Measurement is the way created things have of accounting for themselves." ~ A.W. Tozer
  • Member since
    January 2014
  • 1,264 posts
Posted by bman36 on Monday, June 18, 2007 2:07 PM

Hey Vic,

As usual...another cool project from Smoggy L.A. ! I love seeing the pics of course. Hand laid track...I'm impressed...haven't tried that one myself. A layout that size would be a cool display no matter where you set up. Keep it up pal. Later eh...Brian.

 

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Jones County, Georgia
  • 1,293 posts
Posted by GearDrivenSteam on Monday, June 18, 2007 10:57 AM
No matter where you put it Vic, it looks real good.
It is enough that Jesus died and that he died for me.
  • Member since
    December 2001
  • From: Smoggy L.A.
  • 10,743 posts
Posted by vsmith on Monday, June 18, 2007 10:55 AM

All the ties are glued down and begun spiking outer rail down, its the guide rail, and the inner rail will be gauged off it once its down tightly. Spikes are Micro Engineering medium 3/8" long, and they go down very nicely. Pics to follow.

   Have fun with your trains

  • Member since
    December 2001
  • From: Smoggy L.A.
  • 10,743 posts
Posted by vsmith on Monday, June 18, 2007 10:52 AM

John all the buildings are modified HO Woodland Scenics white metal building kits, that building you questioned is cobbled together from different parts left over from the original layout. There no real plan, I'll try to sketch something for it.

The "x-mas tree base" was something I made from spare plywood and some 1x2s, and the track was hand bent down to the 36" radius using an el-cheepo home-made track bender from a back issue of GR a few years ago. Can't remember what issue it was in.

And yes, the portals used popscycle sticks...although I'm going to have to use a bit of modeling putty to fill gaps when I rebend them down to fit this new layout and then repaint them.

   Have fun with your trains

  • Member since
    April 2005
  • From: West Australia
  • 2,217 posts
Posted by John Busby on Saturday, June 16, 2007 10:58 PM

Hi Vic

Any chance of a rough sketch of the odd shaped building in the corner next to the caboose

in roughly "G".

I have a sheet of foam core board cluttering up the place.

that looks ideal for an indoor foam core project just the sort of thing small interesting to look at.

Now you have mentioned the christmas tree bases do know if they are till available and from where G of course.

Seeing your tunnel mouths will have to find the GR article on making them and the tell tail did you use coffee stirrers for the boards.

regards John

regards John

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Friday, June 15, 2007 12:53 AM
I can say you never let anything slow you down!
  • Member since
    December 2001
  • From: Smoggy L.A.
  • 10,743 posts
Portable Layout Building Log
Posted by vsmith on Thursday, June 14, 2007 10:24 AM

With the larger layouts temporarily on hiatus, I am planning to keep my skills going on the workbench with a little something I'm hoping to make as a portable display layout

http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/vsmith/Large%20Scale%20Pizza%20layout_BTS_2008.pdf

A 3'-0" square "micro" layout, a pizza layout by definition, utilizing the old xmas tree base layout I've had for a couple years now. The old plywood base with its hand bent rail will become the portable Borracho RR display, with handlayed track, blue foam "mountains" and a small town of very small, detailed structures climbing the hill over the track. It will have detachable legs and felt pads so it can either be freestanding or set on a tabletop. It will be based on a very small HOn30 micro-layout I built a while ago.

If it comes out like I hope it should be a nice draw where ever its set up...progress pics when I can Big Smile

Some current pics

Overall view, ties are 3/8 x 1/4 basswood cut down, to be stained after placement. the tunnel portals are from the indoor layout.

Close up of track and ties, I'll be using Micro Engineering 3/8" spikes and I will spike every tie, I have an Aristo track gauge and will use the max gauge setting as the ultra tight curve tends to need additional wiggle room for the wheels. Nothing is glued down except the corkbed; I'll begin gluing down the ties tonight.

I have blue foam for my "mountain" and the portals need some reworking, but first comes track laying!Big Smile

   Have fun with your trains

Search the Community

FREE EMAIL NEWSLETTER

Get the Garden Railways newsletter delivered to your inbox twice a month

By signing up you may also receive occasional reader surveys and special offers from Garden Railways magazine. Please view our privacy policy