secondhandmodeler wrote:The web site looks great. It's funny how narrow some of your scenes are. They look much deeper in the close-ups. I like all of the pictures taking you around the room. You do good work.
Visual depth is all in how you construct the scenery and from photographic angles. My biggest problem (other than trying to cram everything into a small room) is that I really can't get far enough away to photograph one complete "town".
Thanks.
Cederstrand wrote:Alan, I am amazed how fast you are getting all this work done. Very interesting to look back at the start and watch the progression. Thanks for sharing the photos. Look forward to seeing the finished layout. Rob
This empire is basically my "job" now. In the first month, I probably averaged 8 hrs/day, seven days per week. This got all of the track in and allowed me to devote more time to operations. For the next 2-3 months, I probably averaged 20 hrs/week on construction. This gradually tapered off to the point that I probably only average 10 hours per week on construction. I spend a fair amount of time on this forum and operate for 1-3 hours per day.
It will never be "finished"; however, I will keep plugging away and keep posting (although probably not a weekly update).
secondhandmodeler wrote:Thanks for the link. I think the website looks good. Progressive shots of your construction and detailing would be nice. A sort of compressed version of this thread if you will. It seams pretty easy and straight forward. I think you have finished more of your layout in one year than most do in five years! I think the lack of comments on your progress has to do with people sitting back and enjoying the show.
Here is the first yearly update:
I have completely reworked my web site (still under construction though) and provide a lot of detailed pictures and the requested progress pictures. The web site is non-commercial with no ads or pop ups; however is is very photo intensive and may be slow for those of you on dial up (please let me know what you find out and how you like/dislike it). Look in the signature block below for the WWW button.
I will also duplicate this post in a new posting titled 2nd year of the BAH RR (or something close to that). The second year posting will be used for all future posting of progress and I will cross link the two threads for those of you that want to go from one to the other.
The photo's that follow are intended to show what happened; it is not an exercise in great photography (I tried, but it was not worth the effort).
The room on 7/28/2006:
One of the preliminary layout "plans" that shows overall layout and dimemsions:
Going clockwise around the room - starting at the door (same spot as above):
Notice that I cut out some of the clutter but left the top of mount messy (another community will be built there) intact. The posting is continued at:
http://www.trains.com/trccs/forums/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=1174212
Comments ? Thanks for looking.
secondhandmodeler wrote:I've enjoyed following your progress so far. It's nice to see your approach to modeling an under represented era. Did you scratch build your company houses at the mine? I ask because I need to build some small office sort of buildings for my quasi mine.
Thanks - What about my approach to the year end document process?
Yes the company houses are scratch built; all but the blue one about 17 years ago. The Company Store/warehouse and blue company house are new; both were documented here.
Here is the link to the company house: http://www.trains.com/trccs/forums/1053604/ShowPost.aspx#1053604
I am working on the first yearly update. I am going to show overall pictures here, and more detailed pictures on my web site (no ads or popups). The link below is to my first cut on Hardspot pictures - How about comments ? Thanks.
http://home.comcast.net/~cabierbaum/Trains/Hardspot.html
wickman wrote: Always nice to see more progress pics Alan.What is the manufacturer of the small passenger cars , I've been looking for some 35 footers in that style 1880's to earliy 1900's era?
Always nice to see more progress pics Alan.
What is the manufacturer of the small passenger cars , I've been looking for some 35 footers in that style 1880's to earliy 1900's era?
All of my passenger cars are old MDC/Roundhouse Overton cars purchased about 20 years ago. I believe that they are now discontinued; however, they routinely show up on Ebay. I have three consists: BAH RR, D&RGW and some misc for the third consist. They look good on my 18" & 20" curves.
Lynn
Present Layout progress
http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/11/p/290127/3372174.aspx#3372174
No comments from last week's post - new Weekly Update !
Another week of mostly operating. I am doing a bunch of small things to the layout; most not photographed. The "major" changes:
Another dirt road and planked crossing in Arock.
Another road near "old town" in Hardspot.
And two roads near the depot in Hardspot.
More next week and the year end summary in a couple of weeks.
Thanks for looking; Comments ?
Canondale61 wrote: Sorry to have not replied very quickly Been working to many 12 hour shifts. You deserve to enjoy the fruit of your labors. Operation is needed to balance the scenery work. Please dont forget to post, maybe your next project?Kevin
Sorry to have not replied very quickly Been working to many 12 hour shifts. You deserve to enjoy the fruit of your labors. Operation is needed to balance the scenery work. Please dont forget to post, maybe your next project?
Kevin
No apology necessary - been there, done that. Comments like that make me really enjoy "retirement".
I have been doing a lot of operating lately and mainly just making small "tweaks" to the layout. I have moved several uncoupling magnets a couple of ties up or down to get the type of operations that I want and done some other minor stuff.
I did finally get some kids out and around the little red school house.
I also got a few kids out playing by the company houses in Between.
Maybe I will get ambitious next week.
Thanks for looking in - comments?
tortoise ok I wasn't sure on your new swiches and I didn't put it vey well. thank you for veriflying that.
slow Ed
slow train Ed wrote: gr8 and was wondering if you was going to elecrticfy your switches? If so with what?At least you are doing some thing on yours thank you slow trains Ed
gr8 and was wondering if you was going to elecrticfy your switches? If so with what?At least you are doing some thing on yours thank you
slow trains Ed
I guess that I do not understand what you are asking. All of the original construction was with remote controlled Atlas snap switches (you can see the switch machines in the various photos). I have recently replaced three of them with Fast Tracks turnouts and tortoise motors.
Weekly update - no comments from last week.
I have done a lot of operating and little actual layout work.
I did add a few trees by the water tank at the Hardspot entrance.
And I got one of the dirt roads, with wooden rail crossings, in place in Arock.
Thanks for looking. Comments?
While I am running trains over the new track work; I got some buildings "planted".
I planted the little red schoolhouse, the church (along with 6 former members) and put in some rocks and greenery.
I got Ken Burns Coal and Firewood planted and some minor detail work done.
I got the "old town" building set planted and a few figures added.
I did some minor detail and landscape work along the industry service track behind the coal co and old town buildings.
This is an overall view of the area that I worked on.
Thanks for looking - Comments ?
Canondale61 wrote: Yes gives the viewer an idea of the overall size Thank youKevin
Yes gives the viewer an idea of the overall size
Thank you
I will see what works for the yearly update - thanks.
Weekly update.
Friday/Saturday - I got the replacement turnout installed on the main into Between. I initially set the turnout at the same location as the old one. It was there because that is where the Atlas snap switch was originally installed. Since the Fast Tracks # 4.5 is not an "exact" drop in for the Atlas snap switch; I had to really work to make it function in the same location. The result was a curve that was a little under 18" radius. Here it is, pinned in place.
I decided that as long as I was reworking the whole area; that the turnout should be moved to make the curve into Between a "real 18" radius". I moved it 4" toward the camera position. This required trimming the small hill resulting from cutting the mountain for track access to Between. I got everything cut and installed and tested with both the switcher and 4-6-0. I could run both, with normal consists, forward and backward at over twice normal operational speed with absolutely no problems. Here is the installation.
I cleaned up and put in a little plaster ground cover. I will run things for a week or so before doing the preliminary landscaping in the area. I did have to rearrange the uncoupling magnets in Between due to the new curve in the lead in track.
Replacing the three turnouts in Between did teach me that simple things sometimes get very complicated. I will be replacing other snap switches with the Fast Tracks turnouts; however it will be done with the knowledge that it will not be an easy replacement. Now I can get back to some of the other areas that need landscape work.
Comments ?
Canondale61 wrote: Great idea. Thank youKevin
Great idea. Thank you
This is a quickly done merged image of Arock. Is this type of image useful ? If so, I will try to get properly merged images for the year end update.
Canondale61 wrote: At last some pics of your layout, refreshing after all the philosiphy going on in this site. Looks great, could you do a series starting from Arok and progress to Hardspot as if we were passengers? Might be fun and help me tie it all together. Thanks great job Kevin
At last some pics of your layout, refreshing after all the philosiphy going on in this site. Looks great, could you do a series starting from Arok and progress to Hardspot as if we were passengers? Might be fun and help me tie it all together.
Thanks great job Kevin
I have been thinking of doing something like that around the end of next month. I started with a "bare" room the end of July last year and have been documenting progress from that point. This thread is getting kinda long and probably should be followed up with a 2nd year tour and progress thread. I still haven't settled on how to do the documentation as the room is small and photo access is now restricted by mountains (one runs from 30" above the floor to the ceiling and across the full width of the room with a 4' depth). From end to end, both Hardspot and Arock are about 17' long (Arock is 24" above Hardspot). I had figured on about 4 or 5 "overall" shots and a bunch of more detailed shots with each one showing about 3' of track length going from one town to the other.
How does that sound?
railroadinmedic wrote:WOW...absolutely amazing...call me simple, but that is one layout I "wish" I had the mentality to build! Great job.
Thanks ! - Latest update !
Not much progress on working on the layout; however, I have been doing a lot of operating. The layout is a point-to-point, which requires turning trains at each end.
Here #14 turns the passenger train from that just arrived back from it's round trip to Arock:
#14 has parked the turned train (ready for the next trip) in the front yard at Hardspot and added the boxcar with new goods for Arock. The boxcar that just arrived from Arock is being spotted at the Freight Depot for emptying.
I have been spending too much time upside down in the Dentist chair to get much done on the layout; maybe more work this week.
Thanks for looking. comments ?
Thank you for the pics. Great scene I have been watching for your latest post.
kevin
Not much progress since the last update. I have been operating for 2-4 hrs per day and fixing a few nits. I have the ore cars working correctly, I think. The turnout from the main line to Between is a little rough for loco's and perfectly smooth for all types of rolling stock. I built a replacement which will go in this coming week (part of the darned learning curve, I guess). I should be able to "clean it up" on the workbench when it is replaced. I did find, after buying a new file, that the Fast Tracks instructions to buy a new file are dead on. I had been using a "almost new" file and found that the quality of the last turnout was greatly improved using a brand new file (more learning curve).
Here is the daily load of ore headed down to Hardspot.
More next week. comments ?