I live in Japan and work for NCIS (like the TV show, but without all the good looking women). My apartment is rather small, by American standards, and doesn't have enough space to build a permanent, benchwork-type, room-sized layout. So, I'm limited to building layouts that I can hang on the wall when they're not being played with. In this discussion topic, my intent is to show how DDW (USA) was constructed using lightweight materials. The end result is a nice, little layout that has a decent mainline run, a tiny staging area (kind of), a few industries, a wye, and lots of scenery. My hope is that it will inspire those of you who don't have a lot of room to work with to create a layout that you can stow away when not in use instead of just setting up track on a table or on the floor.
All of my previous layouts have modeled rural Japan in the 50's, or thereabouts, but this time I wanted to model an American scene. DDW (USA) is rather small, about 4' X 6', and is loosely based on the PRR. Except for the table lumber and the styrofoam (blue and white), which were purchased at a local home center, almost everything used in the construction is an American product or was at least purchased from an American company. In the past, I have used Kato Unitrack almost exclusively, but snap track is very limiting and doesn't flow as well as flex track. I chose Atlas Code 83 flex track and Atlas Custom turnouts controlled by Smail switch machines. This is also my first DCC layout, and I chose an NCE Power Cab system for control.
I started with a track plan that I found on the web and modified it some to fit my available space. I'm sorry that I can't give kudos to whoever wrote this track plan, but I couldn't find any information on the author. Maybe some of you will know and will be able to give them the credit.
I then built a table with screw-in legs and ample cross member support to prevent sagging and to give it enough rigidity.
After the table was finished, I glued two layers of blue foam to the table using latex caulk. I had to use two layers of foam to give me enough depth to install the Smail switch machines. After the foam was secure, I transferred the track plan onto the foam freehand. You might prefer to use track planning software and print a full size plan, but for me it's easier and more fun to do it this way. As you will be able to see later on, some modifications were necessary to make everything fit and run smoothly. One track laying tip I can offer is to use a piece of minimum radius Kato Unitrack (sorry, I don't know the numbers) as a guide to ensure that your curves aren't too tight to handle the larger six-axle locos and the steam locos. The Kato Unitrack section will fit right over the Atlas flex track and show you where you need to adjust your curve radius. This is especially important when building small layouts where every inch counts.
Then it was time to start laying the track, at least on the sections of the layout that would be flat. I laid it all out and soldered the joints. If you look carefully, you will see the piece of Kato Unitrack that I used to ensure the curves were not too tight. The hardest part was fitting the wye in, because it wasn't a part of the original track plan. I used a wye because turntables take up too much space.
I was then able to set aside the assembled track, lay the foam roadbed, re-lay the track on top of the roadbed, and glue down the WS foam risers. These are the 4" risers, but later I cut them down in the high places to about 3" or 3 1/2".
It's taking forever to load these photos, so that's all for tonight. To be continued...
Don
See all the Don's Dream World layouts at http://ddwmodelrailroad.com
Looking great so far !!
You want to make sure that the one leg of the wye is long enough to hold the longest engine you have or plan on getting.
Craig
Thanks, Craig.
After adding some landforms and filler to smooth out the transitions from level to gradients, I was ready to lay the remainder of the track.
I mounted the Smail switch machines level with the top of the styrofoam by mounting the Smails on rectangles of 3mm styrene sheet with screws and placing them into indentations I carved out of the foam. I then clipped off the tips of the screws so I wouldn't keep scratching myself and to prevent them from sticking up into the scenery. The main purpose of this mounting technique was to prevent the bottoms of the switch machines from protruding beyond the lower level of the table; because when the layout is not in use, I hang it on the wall. This prevents damage to the switch machines and allows the layout to hang flat against the wall. It also allowed me to use the actuator rods that came with the Smails instead of stiffer wire that I would have had to use had the switch machines been mounted on the bottom of the foam, two inches from the track.
As you can see, I mounted most of the Smails away from the turnouts instead of directly under the track. This method was easier because it gave me more leeway in placement of the switch machines, it relieved some crowding issues on the underside of the layout, it prevented huge holes from being under the track, and it was a challenge and was enjoyable to build them this way. Each installation was a little different, but they all employ a sliding bar which is moved laterally by the acuating rod of the Smail. The action is then transmitted to the throwbar of the turnout via a piece of piano wire which has been routed through a small diameter copper tube. Some of the switch machines are located several inches from the turnouts they operate. The copper tubing acts a guide and provides a pathway under other tracks, in some cases. Also, It doesn't show in these pictures, but I later had to add a retaining bar across the top of the sliding bars so that the sliding bars would not pop out under pressure from the motion of the switch machine.
On a side note, I secured the roadbed to the foam and the track to the roadbed with two-sided carpet tape. It holds well enough until the track is ballasted and allows for some adjustments to be made to the position of the track, if need be. However, the sticky tape sucks up every bit of styrofoam dust and it looks terrible until the track is painted and ballasted.
The next step was wiring up the Smails and assigning their accessory addresses. I'm not going to go into detail, because I'm not very good at wiring and the NCE manual explains how to set the accessory addresses.
NCE Auto SW Program Track Auto Switch and DPDT switch for the program track.
Digitrax AR1 Automatic Reverse Controller for the wye.
That's all for tonight. Tomorrow I'll start to get into the landscaping portion of the layout.
Thanks for looking.
The track work is complete, except for painting and ballasting. I have started landscaping using 5mm styrofoam sheets, foam putty and mold-a-scene plaster. The activating mechanisms for the turnouts will be covered by buildings, in most cases. One is hidden by bushes.
I built and painted all of the buildings in the evenings when I didn't have enough time to roll the layout into my bedroom to work on scenery. I guess I put more manhours into assembling and painting structures and other details, like fences and vehicles, than anything else.
After a few mock-ups, I was able to decide where the roads would go.
The roads and concrete parking lots have been painted. I made a stencil from 0.3mm styrene sheet for the railroad crossing markings. When the roads are weathered, they won't look so black. After I masked off the road lane markings, I drew the lines with paint pens. I airbrushed the track and ties with Tamiya XF-10, Flat Brown, acrylic paint.
The green areas will be covered with static grass.
I used different blends of grasses in different areas of the layout. This was the first time I had ever tried static grass, and I put it on too thick in some places and had to fix it in place with a spray of alcohol followed by diluted white glue. Maybe that's why this layout still smells like Jameson.
I trimmed the dark green lawns with an electric hair trimmer after the glue was set. They haven't yet been trimmed down in this picture.
I used a Tamiya product similar to Envirotex for the dammed up section of the river. After I had built and installed the trestle, I started to wonder if the wooden abutment would ever be set right up against a concrete abutment in a prototypical situation. Do any of you have any thoughts on the matter?
I made the deciduous trees by gluing foliage clusters onto twigs I cut from a dead Japanese decorative bush that I found near my apartment. The conifers are all commercially produced and were salvaged from my first layout, which has been dismantled.
These are blue jeans I cut out from white paper painted blue to hang on the clothesline at the farm. I also made some dresses and undershirts.
The other sections of the river were made with Kato Water Effects, which is probably a rebadged Woodland Scenics product.
The backdrop is also a commercial product that I ordered online. It's a good quality, heavy vinyl with adhesive backing that I mounted on a kind of laminated foam sheet. The backdrop is very lightweight and can be fastened to the layout with clamps.
That's about it. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask.
Thanks,
What a transformation!
Well done!
Very very nice !!!
How much time have you got into this rairoad? When I posted the other day I thought you had just started this layout. Now I'm confused.
BTW Thank you for your service !!
Thanks again, Craig, and you're welcome.
It took about about six months to complete this layout, and most of that time was spent assembling and painting structures and vehicles and waiting for orders to arrive in the mail.
I was sad to finish it, because the construction phase is the part I enjoy the most.
Don, that's a great presentation of the layout's evolution. I particularly liked the progression from simple "painted" scenery to a beautifully detailed finish. Great detail and inspiration for N scale.
Ray
Thanks for your comments, Ray.
I love it when it all comes together at the end.
If you want a more detailed look, I posted a video on YouTube titled Don's Dream World (USA) Trackside Scenes. I had to delete the music because of a copyright claim, but feel free to hum along.