Johnboy,
Thanks for that, I am happy you noticed it.
I need to build a parking lot and put in the little speaker stands to finish that scene.
Aflyer
Great job, very professional bench work.
I really love that "Drive in Movie screen"
Johnboy out........................
from Saskatchewan, in the Great White North..
We have met the enemy, and he is us............ (Pogo)
Mobilman44,
Hi, and thank you for the response. Eyebolts, what great idea, I will stop and pick some up tomorrow. Right now as shown in the photos, I have just run the wires and not anchored them down. Oh yes and a little tape on the ends.
My control center will probably be in the center as well, I think it makes the most sense for operating. I am thinking now that I may put the transformers on a sliding drawer or maybe a rolling cart, this way it can be out of the way when not in use.
Thanks again,
Very nice work!
On the buss question...........
My control center is in the middle of the layout. Buss wires run to the right, and another set to the left. When they reach the end of the layout, I tied them off on a eyebolt. I did tape the end, just as a precaution.
ENJOY !
Mobilman44
Living in southeast Texas, formerly modeling the "postwar" Santa Fe and Illinois Central
Hi guys,
I got started on cutting out the elevated decking today. It sure doesn't look like I got much done, but I feel like I worked hard at it.
I can tell you I spent about 5 hours measuring and laying it all out, first on top of the base level deck to see how it all fit, then on the blank sheet of plywood which is the start of the elevated level.
After all the measuring and layout work, it took about 20 minutes to cut it. I guess that gives new meaning to the phrase measure twice cut once. Now I know why people print out full size track plans, it would have sure been easier than using actual track! I think I will try that for the next section.
I have posted two more photos below, the one piece of elevated deck is only sitting on 2 1/2' blocks, when finally assembled it will be 5 inches above the base level. I layed out the track just so I could get a feel for what it will look like. I got the outer loop layed down as well as the start of the yard.
There is still a lot of work before I start permanently laying track.
Thanks in advance for any comments,
Hi all,
I worked on the base level decking today and got the long leg completed. I have started the short leg, and expect to get that completed tomorrow and hope to start on the upper level.
I have posted a couple of pictures below, please have a look and let me have your comments, and suggestions.
This is the first layout I have ever done with multiple track levels and grades. I have left the center section open, because it saves on plywood and provides needed access for wiring the upper level.
All suggestions are welcome.
Thank you,
Right now it's connected to the middle.
matthew
MATTHEWD5,
HI, thank you for the response. I am guessing your MRC controller is at one end of your layout? I think mine will go in the middle, but maybe the hook up to my Flyer transformers can be done the same way.
Thank you again,
Woodman,
I can't take credit for the benchwork, this is Mianne benchwork. I saw it displayed a year ago at a train show and finally decided that I would buy it last month.
Tim Foley owns the company and was a pleasure to work with. I basically started with one of his standard layouts and made a few modifications to fit my track plan. I have pasted the link to his website below. Take a look around and see what you think.
http://www.miannebenchwork.com/benchwork_kits.htm
There are also some You tube videos of his benchwork to review, and one of the recent Classic Toy Trains layouts was done with Mianne benchwork and that can be seen in the magazines or on YouTube.
Great stuff, I assembled the whole thing in about a day, and I am impressed with it.
I have a question about your frame work, is that a professionally made benchwork or did you make it yourself? I have never seen benchwork like that.
Looks really nice.
I just stapled my main bus wires to the last cross piece and ran separate wires from the bus to my mrc controller's wiring blocks...
First I want to thank everyone who was so helpful with my design phase. Now we move from design to build.
I think I have finished my planning, my train room is painted and the benchwork is assembled. Now I am on to rough wiring.
I have run two sets of 14 gauge bus wires, see the two picture attached below. One set for the inner or upper loop and one set for the outer or lower loop. I have not run the bus for accessories yet.
My questions are:
How to you anchor the ends of the bus to the benchwork?
If you have your control center in the middle of the layout what is the preferred method to connect the transformer to the bus? Do you cut the loop and connect to the transformer as two seperate wires? Or pass the wire through a terminal block and then feed the transformer to the terminal block? All suggestions and experience is appreciated.
Pictures would be awesome.
I will continue to post updates as I go.
Thank you in advance,