26x26 layout- updated 2/7/14

as soon as i posted it i thought i edited and used the one on the page

its showing the pics on my screen

Nate, that looks like a grand plan you have there.  It's exciting!  Nice to have all that room, eh?  You have a lot of fun ahead of you.  

good work, keep pluggin away

trainsrme i have more room to use got another 26x26 area to use but i figured id start with this and see how it goes.

 

bbsfdl60. i plan on being down there tomorrow i want to get the second and third level framed out in the middle so i can start laying track.

You got lots of room for lots of running track & stuff.

Keep us posted and thank you for your service in the Marines.

Wow!  You must have a ranch house - they can have humungous basements.

that i do it had a another side room that was 28x12 and i started the layout in there but was only running 042 curves. Now with this one i have the room for 072.

Well had some spare time once the room mate left so i figured it be good to use the time to use the power tools. Nothing big just framed up part of the second level in the middle. Would have gotten more done but i ran out of wood and sadly nothing is open at this time.

Had the train show at the big E yesterday and today and got some great deals. I found enough track plus some to do my outer loop with no problem. It all gragraves and ross plus 4 switch's. So as soon as i got home after dinner with some of the guys it was start to work. I put down some of the homasote board down, does it really need to be painted? Once that was done i laid the track to just to get a rough idea if i was going to need more track.

Nate

I have read some do paint depending on how their scenery is going to end up. A flat color so the ground cover blends in more realistically. I guess it's totally what you want. I never could locate homasote in my area and currently building with  quiet brace. I am painting it due to how messy it is to play with. Homasote is used by a lot of the members here. I'm sure some one will chime in.

Semper Fi

E Co. 2/5

Nate. I learned from a lot of the folks here that priming and then painting homasote is the way to go. I'm doing this now for my next layout and it's very clean by sealing the homasote (dust, etc). Great amount of space you're dealing with! Thanks for sharing, Terry

Larry its good to see another brother on the forum. To bad I wasn't closer I would help you with the clean up working party when you tore up your layout.

Well had another good day after the train show today. Went back to pick up a couple of extra things. So for starters i first laid out the air duct tape seeing how i'm going to have two to three levels. After that the road bed and track and all the curves i super elevated.

For those of you who dont know you can see this right when you go over the bridge onto cape cod. At the train show i was talking with some company that makes lift bridges i forget the name and i miss placed the card. After about a half hour or so talk with both guys im going to start my own. Once they heard that i can weld they started going over how they makes the plans. In the end one of the gentlemen told me you make and we will sell you the motors and everything else you need. I don't know if im going to go with the motors right away. Going to make some hand crank system for now . Both towers will be about three feet or so wont look to scale but will out to duck under. Will be ordering the steel this week and hopefully starting it by the weekend.

ok its been a busy past two weeks or so  Sadly haven't been in the mood to work on the layout much due to the Airsoft season coming up. So let me bring you up to speed.

1-The first level outer loop is just about done.

2- I am no longer doing the cape cod bridge due to the area to work with it just wont look good.

3- Made a hinged drop down broad where the bridge would have gone.

4- started the main mountain line to get a feel for it.

 

going to be making some changes with the mountain some spots i don't like and will be going back and adding to it. Will have more pics up tomorrow.

Nice space you got there Nate. Did you make any drawings of the big scheme or are you gonna wing it?

 

I greatly appreciate your service to our country. 

Patrick I had a drawing a while ago and the girlfriend didn't know what is was and you get the point. I might still have the old RR file from the free MTH cd but not to sure. I already changed alot of it. Which is why I don't have any drawings, almost a waste of time for me. I'll try to get something up this week.

I don't envy you getting under a 2-ft layout to wire it, but you seem young so you'll hold up well. I, on the other hand, want it as high in the air as I can get it.

trainman2001- my last layout was over 3ft up made it great for working under. But once the second level went up and i had to move something or work the reach sucked. So when i made this new table i made the legs far enough away so i can through on my creeper. So its not to bad at this age.

 

Well got the swing up section done tonight. Wanted to get more done but the roommates went to bed a little early. I should have took the time when i cut all the wood for the frame work to drill holes for wires ahead of time. So the goal for tomorrow is to drill all the holes and cut the top part of the trestle bridge so i can run some trains. Sadly nothing will be done this weekend due to drill. Im hoping with this storm coming in this weekend they cancel it again like two weeks ago. Plus snow equals more train stuff which is always needed.

 

Nate

The layout is looking nice. Tons of track to run trains on. I am using some of the fastrack I got from you for a carpet layout in the living room now. Thanks again for all the track and the grandkids love the trains running. I have 3 trains running on the floor layout now. Can't wait until I can get the basement layout going to set up a bigger layout. But the kitchen remodel is 1st priority for now in this house. Keep us posted on your progress.

 

And thanks for your service to the US of A. We appreciate it

 

mike good to hear you are using it already, that must be a pretty large carpet layout you are running then.

 

Well all i was able to get done from my last post isnt that much but a big set in my mind. The outer most loop is done track laid and wired. Once i finsihed that i just sat back and ran some trains. Well one at a time. I do have some spots in the track i have to mess with but nothing to big. Will try to get a video up tomorrow once i get back from base if i have time.

Nate You are off and running at a good clip. Thanks for sharing, looks like a great space!

Looking good and you've made a lot of progress in a month.  Do you have a budget or ballpark estimate of what you've put into the layout framing, homosote, track etc (non trains) so far?  Please keep posting the updates.

Well with all the bench work I got lucky my father owns his own building company so wood is easy for me to get. I used 2x3 ad 2x4 for it all and I got it all at a good price. If I had More money it be moving fast but such is life.

Well just did a video update not the best will have a better one this weekend I hope. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...youtube_gdata_player

Nate

Couldn't see to much with that video. Can see your moving right along. Will keep watching.

Semper Fi

Larry

larry

i just watched it and wow i didnt know it was that bad. I thought i show up better then what is was on the phone. Im just guna re do.

Nate,

 

That is going to be one awesome layout when completed!!!!  Look forward to seeing the updates.

 

James

well its been a while and i wish i had a good amount to show for it. Not much has changed i got half of the other part of my main line. Waiting on more track and roadbed. Should have pics up tomorrow maybe a better video, and the long awaited track plan which is always subject to change.  For tonight all that was done was field day due to the holidays and the little ones are going to want to see it.

Not sure how I never saw this.  Looking good Nate.  I'm jealous of all your space!  Looking forward to seeing your update.

 

Mike

Some days i wish i never started this cause my old layout would just about be done. So he is a video of the old layout right before i started the new one.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1M7WebTpt4

Wondering where you been. Thought you got shipped out. Better view on the old layout. Realistic fire flying on the (I think Santa Fe ) going across the bridge. Keep us posted. I have been a little lazy working on mine lately. But, still having fun.

Larry

Semper Fi

well got some work done today not much to show for. Mostly wiring part of the inner loop and some of the second level before i did the plaster work.

 

also i added the track plan to my first post.

 

Larry- i wish i got shipped out as of now my unit will be going back over in 2014 if all goes well.

You have made some nice progress since you started on the layout.  I like you rock wall idea and it turned out great.  Good luck in the future and be safe.  OOO RAH   1st BAT 3rd Marines.     Nick

Ok its been awhile since iv done a update, not as much done as should be but still better then nothing. So here we go ill start with a panoramic view with the new "great" iphone update.

 

 

the start of part off the yard.

added a switch to the drop down bridge leading into part of the yard. want to add another one before the drop down bridge leading into the other part of the yard so i dont have to send trains onto the main line. I want to remove the switch after the drop bridge and have it moved back and come off of the other switch. That way ill have a place to build trains and not got onto the main line at all.

track leading up to the second level

another view of the line to the second level. the second level on the left will be the city area. Im waiting on my pennys walls to come in to start making my molds.

start of the second level. the pic doesnt show it but before it hits the top im going to put a switch going to a 45 cross over to another switch so the back line that follows the wall along the layout can be accessed.

the coal mine area still need to make a new building make that awhile as a coaling tower and never finished it. Will have a switch coming off to at least two spur's maybe more if i can. would like to be able to play around with a small switcher moving cars around nothing big.

got the first bridge up still need to finish it up then add the water. need to finish the plaster for the second level and make the bridge for the third level.

the first level will go back to a bridge also the second level will as well. This time im going to make all the bridge work first then do the plaster work after words. the second level bridge will be supported off of the first level one in some places.

all this will be mountains the second level will be visible the hole time. both tracks will meet up further up and run side by side.

will be making a removable bridge for the second level here.

well had another two good night on the layout been pushing to get the mountain plastered and ready for the rocks. i wired the track last night and started on the plaster tonight. would have finished it but i ran out of plaster.

not the best photo but you can see the progress.

Well Nate your moving along. I have spent the last two weeks running wire and my train room looks like a total dump.  Picture below this am. A FIELD DAY is definitely in order around here.

Semper Fi

I know the feeling

Larry I field dayed before the pic. I'm still wiring stuff stiff.

Sweet nectar.  I just checked this out and that's awesome.  Man, I would love to help you build that.  I'm getting the fever again to build a layout.  The only advice I could give is to run some trains while building.  Maybe that's what field dayed means.  Cheers and rock on.