PREVIOUSLY: I have a layout assembled mostly from Bachmann EZ-Track with a couple older Bachmann curves that my grandma Saundra gave me suspended between the EZ-Track ones because several of my EZ-Track curves are missing rail joiners and/or rails.On the layout I run my Bachmann Thomas and Henry.I used to run my James,too,but he needs the piece that holds his guide wheels mended or replaced.For rolling stock,I have Annie and Clarabel,an Express coach,a troublesome truck,a refrigerator car w/track-cleaner,and a tank car.The latter two are awaiting hook-and-loop couplers.I have Harold and Bertie,as well as a passenger plane I made from Legos that lands at the airfield.There are two stations.I used the Tomy Wellsworth Station,which I had two of and was conviently to scale.There is a level crossing made from a straight EZ-Track Terminal Rerailer and a level crossing kit sold by Bachmann.There are some signals and a plate girder bridge I made from cereal box cardboard painted black,with black construction paper that had rectangles cut out glued to the girders so they'd look more like girders.
Henry:
Thomas & James:
The bridge:
The Level Crossing:
The ticket counter:
The Yard:
A farmhouse:
A field:
A top-down view:
A coupling hook in use as Thomas fetches Henry's coach:
A video link showing Henry pulling a goods train.I'm known everywhere else as ZeldaTheSwordsman,by the way.I joined this forum before I started those other accounts,hence the discrepancy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1FqC73rpR8
Now:
I have more nickel-silver rail track now.The tracks are reconfigured for something of a harbour. Henry has come a long way, although Thomas and James will recquire soldering to run again. The bridge is broken. I'll try to mend it, but I don't know. I'm working on a model Pizza Hut, as I like it and the layout needs a restaurant. There's two stations, an extremely unfinished scratchbuilt mini-Tidmouth and another, unnamed one that I'm making from an extended LifeLike kit and a Tomy Wellsworth. As for industries I'm planning to model the "Sodor Fuel Co." and one I made up, the "Tidmouth Fish Company(TFC for short)." I'm currently saving up to buy a lot of brand-new nickel-silver rail EZ-Track for my upcoming tabletop layout.
Pizza Hut:
Thomas:
A certain someone who will be making a few cameos:
A video link showing Henry running after I repaired him(poor guy had derailment problems):
The layout, top-down view:
Interiors and people figures make such a difference. Especially the people.
"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose." - Jim Elliot Visit my blog! http://becomingawarriorpoet.blogspot.com
I've added a carriage shed and uploaded the pictures.And could a mod please move this topic?I think it belongs in Layouts and layout building,not General Discussion.
OzarkBelt wrote:sounds interesting. Keep us informed, please!
Ha This guy acts like he is all interested and excited about this layout. Funny. Keep us informed, PLEASE!!!!!
Supreme Line wrote: OzarkBelt wrote:sounds interesting. Keep us informed, please! Ha This guy acts like he is all interested and excited about this layout. Funny. Keep us informed, PLEASE!!!!!
Boy, I was hoping someone would mock this railroad, thus proving his own superiority over all others.
How fortunate for you that YOU were able to start at the top.
Dave
Lackawanna Route of the Phoebe Snow
All sarcasm aside;
Bachman's Thomas family is a great source -- if you are building a British themed layout -- see
http://mike-stevens.fotopic.net/p31954156.html
It's a floor layout.And I kitbashed Henry by cutting out his Belpaire(square) firebox and cutting off his top-feed,or sand hatch.I did this with a small hobby hacksaw.To make the tapered firebox,I used paper.That's right,it's a 3D object made from paper.I'll replace it with a wood or styrene one eventually.
Phoebe Vet wrote: Supreme Line wrote: OzarkBelt wrote:sounds interesting. Keep us informed, please! Ha This guy acts like he is all interested and excited about this layout. Funny. Keep us informed, PLEASE!!!!!Boy, I was hoping someone would mock this railroad, thus proving his own superiority over all others. How fortunate for you that YOU were able to start at the top.
I know someone else on this forum who uses Bachman E Z track this guy could give him a run for his money
gunkhead wrote: It's a floor layout.And I kitbashed Henry by cutting out his Belpaire(square) firebox and cutting off his top-feed,or sand hatch.I did this with a small hobby hacksaw.To make the tapered firebox,I used paper.That's right,it's a 3D object made from paper.I'll replace it with a wood or styrene one eventually.
seems like you have some creative and inginuity skills. i was thinking if you could put your layout on some simple benchwork or something you could apply those skills at making some nice looking scenery.
Tragically,I am not living in circumstances that allow me to construct benchwork.I'm a 15-year-old living in in a 3-bedroom apartment with my parents and two brothers.I have my own room,where the layout and computer I'm typing this with are located.I found a good bargain on a Life-Like 0-4-0T Docksider that as soon as I've saved up and bought will undergo extensive kitbashing to become a model of Lady,from Thomas and the Magic Railroad.She will have couplers, coupling hooks,brake pipes,and working lamps.
Gunkhead, it looks like your off to a good start with your limited resources. Imagine what you'll do when you get a place of your own. Also, good for you for kitbashing to get the cars you need.
Supreme Line, you're a class act, AH.
Hey G
Thanks for sharing your pictures and layout, I can remeber when I was 15 and how hard it was to save up enough from my part time job to keep my "Triang" Model railroad running,alsmost all my $$ went towards something, Nice to see you have a passion and determination to keep your trains running, I know many Model train guys into Thomas the train and one of our Local Hobby shops sells more Thomas at shows than any other product, So keep those pictures coming and keep Kitbashing and one day you will have a spot for a permanent layout. Don't let any negative comments stop you from posting here,thats a very small Minority of the people here,almost all are very ready to help and support all ages and skills of this great hobby.
PS (When I returned to Model Railroading 7 years ago after a break my 1st set was a Life Like with EZ track as well)
Mike
Tim Fahey
Musconetcong Branch of the Lehigh Valley RR
Actually,so far I've only kitbashed an existing Thomas model.But as soon as I have that docksider,then the serious kitbashing begins.I'm also going to make The Old Coaches from the old days of the show.I'll eventually add some narrow-gauge stuff.
Update:There is a small line made out of Tomy track on the inside now.It features my Tomy Lady, who pulls either my sole Tomy truck or two Tomy Annies and a Tomy Clarabel,all decorated to look like the Old Coaches.This is merely a fill-in until I have made the actual HO Lady,although I might get some flextrack and turnouts and make an HO version of the line glued to a cardboard base.Coming up next:More buildings,roadwork,and ground.
dand200 wrote: Gunkhead, it looks like your off to a good start with your limited resources. Imagine what you'll do when you get a place of your own. Also, good for you for kitbashing to get the cars you need. Supreme Line, you're a class act, AH.
Keep up the good kid! Keep us updated on your projects, we might be able to pick up some good ideas for our own modeling.
Also, as you might know, alot of us create our own "ficticious" railroads, and if you think about it; in basic principle; it's not that much different than doing the Thomas thing. Even though alot of guys won't admit that.
UPLOADED MORE PHOTOS!
AND I TURNED 16 ON MONDAY!
LOL!
G.H. - A belated Happy Birthday to you! Today's my B-Day, I'm 37 though .
The pictures are a little dark, ( although i'm not criticizing because i still need to get my wife to teach me how to upload pics ) How did you make your farmhouse and field?
Well,for the field I cut furrows out of glued-together newspaper pages,glued them to a paper base,brushed on some earth undercoat,and covered it with model soil.The farmhouse is made from construction paper glued to cardboard from a crackerbox.To simulate the boards,I glued the blue construction paper on in overlapping strips.For the doorway,I cut a small rectangle out of the blue paper with my hobby knife after it had been glued on.Then I glued the door,cut from green construction paper,into the doorway.I will use the same technique to add windows.
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Have fun with your trains
gunkhead wrote: Well,for the field I cut furrows out of glued-together newspaper pages,glued them to a paper base,brushed on some earth undercoat,and covered it with model soil.The farmhouse is made from construction paper glued to cardboard from a crackerbox.To simulate the boards,I glued the blue construction paper on in overlapping strips.For the doorway,I cut a small rectangle out of the blue paper with my hobby knife after it had been glued on.Then I glued the door,cut from green construction paper,into the doorway.I will use the same technique to add windows.
That's great, very creative! Stick with it , as time goes by , you'll be able to do some really great scratchbuilding.
have a layout assembled mostly from Bachmann EZ-Track with a couple older Bachmann curves that my grandma Saundra gave me suspended between the EZ-Track ones because several of my EZ-Track curves are missing rail joiners and/or rails.
Sounds like you need to repair or replace items that are broken or missing.
You have the choice of matching what you have, or upgrading - if you can afford it.
If you are re-using old 'sectional track', I'd at least start with ALL NEW rail joiners (cheap). Acquired skills will then take you as far as you can go.
SOMEWHERE you have to make sure what ever you have is Compatible. I'd start with track.
The curves my grandma gave me ARE compatible,and have better joiners in any case.They have copper rail joiners,which are excellent for conductivity.However,I recently transplanted some of these to EZ-Track curves because the old curves my grandma gave me are slightly off-radius and were bending the layout out of shape. Anyway,I'm awaiting the arrival of a Life-Like 0-4-0 Docksider,which will be kitbashed into Lady.
I got some new nickel-silver rail EZ-Track curves,which have improved performance greatly.I have also added a top-down view of the layout to the photos.Pics of a coupling modification coming soon.
gunkhead wrote: The curves my grandma gave me ARE compatible,and have better joiners in any case.They have copper rail joiners,which are excellent for conductivity.However,I recently transplanted some of these to EZ-Track curves because the old curves my grandma gave me are slightly off-radius and were bending the layout out of shape. Anyway,I'm awaiting the arrival of a Life-Like 0-4-0 Docksider,which will be kitbashed into Lady.
RAIL JOINERS ARE only pieces of metal bent onto shape to slide omto rail, and therefore are a friction fit. PROBLEM is they size and loosen and contaminate with age - thereby creating future electrical problems.
MANY modelers today bypass rail joiners (and sectional track) entirely by soldering 'feeder' wires from a 'buss' wire, to ensure reliable continuity. Of all the 'sectional track' makers today, only KATO offers more reliablity via internal connectors.
MY GUESS is eventually you will replace your Bachmann track, and replacement moneys spent on other brands will be a better future investment.
WE have BACHMANN TRACK users here that 'swear at - or by' - Bachmann track. The latter seemingly a more 'repair/ maintenance' oriented group that likes to 'fix' things.