For me, the most critical element is the trackwork. It has to be supported properly, it has to flow, it has to 'work', and it must be smooth and reliable.
So, first things first as I do them:
a. Carefully specked framing and bracing, including joists if risers are going to be used;
b. Tracks have to follow sensible and manageable roadbed, so I build that next. I take pains to make abutted elements of roadbed planar where they meet, no changes in grade. They only abut atop a riser. Risers can be raised or lowered to help with that grade problem;
c. Tracks placed, and in some places, if just for relief from hours of other types of work, I'll also ballast;
d. Run a bus and feeders;
e. Start running trains, as many as possible, both directions, to find out problem areas;
f. Complete the scenery; and
g; Build the yard.
I have found it helpful to have both a scale drawing and a posted reminder sheet of important steps, even sequences, not to be forgotten, or when to do them. For example, the backdrop. It should almost always get done prior to scenicking, and for some layouts, before the benchwork is constructed. Another example, tunnel liners. Construct them before you find yourself scrunched up under the benchwork, reaching up through roadbed and risers...and wires...and trying to affix a blind/liner that keeps the tunnel dark.
First the bench work with 1X4's for the sides and risers, two 2X4's in an L shape for legs (Yes I overbuild my layouts). put in the bus wiring since its easiest to do it with lots of open space. Put on the sub roadbed then work road bed. Lay some track and wire the section up. Run trains in both directions untill you know the track is perfect. repeat track work until complete.
MisterBeasleyNext is track I like to get at least a continuous loop of track, complete with planned turnouts one usually sidings.
For me, this was the most important. This is my first layout.
I could not wait to plug it in and see a train move. I got a loop laid down, wired, and then ran the train.
Everything else gets finished as I get to it. I can't imagine waiting to finish a bunch of stuff before I get to see a train run.
York1 John
In my almost 70 year HO career I always built the bench work first then laid the track. Wiring came next. When everything worked perfect, no hits, no runs, no errors it was time for scenery.I built my first HO layout when I was 14 years old, 12” around the room shelf layout. The shelf was very easy and then I laid the track, Atlas Tie Strip and iron rails and thousands of tiny spikes.My second layout was a 4’ x 8’ close copy of John Allen’s Gorre & Daphetid. Bench work then track then scenery.I have always liked the John Allen Twice Around Concept so after the most important part of building a layout, the design, I built my final 14’ x 10’ layout in our garage. Because I needed to make use of every inch of used space my layout has storage below the my trains for tool storage. My layout is mounted on steel casters and is movable.That was 32 years ago and I’m still working on the scenery.I made a list of must haves before I started on the design and followed it through construction. I stress that layout design is very important, next is perfect track!!!Mel My Model Railroad http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/ Bakersfield, California I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
This is what I do:
Benchwork, electrical, track, and switch machines first. Then run everything over and over and over and make sure everything works perfectly. Fix everything that is not perfect. Run and run and run trains. Fix everything again.
I do not add scenery until I am 100% sure all mechanical operation is perfect. Anything that is not perfect now will just become a problem later.
It has been a LONG time before I was building a big layout, so I will probably do this in sections on my next layout.
Bottom line... do what works for you and keeps your interest going. That is why everybody does it differently.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
Slow probably works best. I think Randy nailed it with doing and proving the trackwork a little at a time and make it perfect before moving on. I did some scenic stuff along the way both because i had the trackwork done in that area and because it was better to keep enthused - it is supposed to be my fun and relaxation. For sure doing all the track and proving it is better before adding layers of scenery simply because it is so much easier to fix a problem on a bare layout. My 2c. J.R.
Benchwork, then foam subroadbed and wiring buses first.
Next is track I like to get at least a continuous loop of track, complete with planned turnouts one usually sidings.
After that is structures, including roadways. Somewhere in this process I get in scenery, usually a few square feet at a time.
I am in no hurry, and it may be months, sometimes even years, between laying track and the last step, ballasting. All that time running trains allows me to constantly improve my trackwork towards a goal of derailment free operation.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Slowly. I have to be one of the slowest layout builders ever.
But I do a little bit of everything - I am too ADD to spend 100% of the time on benchwork until it's all completed, then 100% on tracklaying until it's all completed, etc. I need to mix it up. Plus I like to wire as I go so I can test newly laid trackwork for relability - if you leave such things as "ok, that section needs some help, once I am done, i will come back to it" then you will NEVER come back to it and curse every time the train derails. I usually leave scenery for last because it's my least favorite thing - mainly because I'm not good at it. But also because once I can run trains - I run trains rather than work on the layout any further.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
After the benchwork do you lay the track first, do some scenery, both.
I have seen many layouts in all scales and nobody seems to do it the same way. One guy even built his entire scenery before laying one inch of track. He told me he read a article done on John Allen's layout and he did something similar. It was done this so he could build his layout the same way as the prototype.
I'm building my layout I think the same as most people, I build my track plan first along with doing some scenry. Then I may do some kits if I get tired of another project.
How about you guys, how do you go about building your layout.
Dave