I have posted this on the O Scale Modelers forum and the Idaho Rails group on Facebook but Lars excellent post "Realizing Some Street Running" has inspired me to post this here, his thread gave me some ideas for my street trackage I am working on.
https://ogrforum.com/t...-some-street-running
When I was a kid in the sixties, my dad worked in a warehouse in San Francisco on Natoma Street, later (maybe the late sixties) they moved to Minnesota Street where they had a bigger warehouse and rail access. I seem to remember them unloading boxcars out in the middle of the street. I also seem to remember orange and silver locomotives (which I now assume were Western Pacific). I always liked the unique name of the street so that is what I call this section of my layout, even though it really has little basis on the prototype...
When completed, my layout will be seven 3x7' sections arranged in in L shape of about 28x35'. It will be set up in total at shows or out in the yard on nice days (one of the nice things about living in the high northwest desert!) or in two sections plus an extension in the garage during inclement weather.
More details on the On30 parts in this on the Narrow Gauge Discussion Forum:
Sumpter Valley Railroad track layout for a model railroad: Baker, Whitney. etc.
I want to write an article for one of the magazines about the unique points of design and construction of an inexpensive O scale layout so I guess I shouldn't post too much here, I will just re-post what I have put elsewhere to maybe 'inspire' someone else (isn't there another thread here about that?!?):
June 11th, 2016:
I started building my O scale sectional layout last October but have had some health problems this winter, I want to show it at the Emmett Cherry Festival Train Show June 17 and 18 but haven't made any progress, well, I'm finally at it!
After two days searching for my foam glue, I found an old tube of caulk type foam glue and got my roadbed down today! This evening when it's dry I will get the wiring done and maybe tomorrow afternoon start laying track! I probably won't be finished with track laying by Friday [June 17] as I am hand laying it all, but I am going to give it my best!
The photo shows lots of bricks holding the roadbed in place while the glue dries.
Was sick Tuesday [June 14th], worked 8 hours on the train yesterday [June 15th], took some time off to visit the family at the fair and spent two hours searching for the torch. Finished 6 of 7 frogs, installed about 9 feet of track, the first switch is about halfway done.
I can usually glue down ties about an inch a minute, laying rail takes about the same time. With my old system I used to be able to lay a stub switch in about an hour but this is all new so I'm figuring the first couple will probably take about 6 hours each. Lotta time but it looks good and if I wasn't on a tight schedule it would be fine. So far besides materials I had on hand this has only cost me $6 for some foam glue and four SPDT slide switches for power routing!
A trick I found: carve out the ties a little under rail joiners to keep track smooth then color the ties again with a handy black Sharpie!
Made it to the Emmett Cherry Festival Train Show [June 17th] with my little, unfinished O scale layout. Then I worked all day on one switch! Lots of people there, all seemed to have a good time! Opens again tomorrow noon, be there or be square!
After messing with a switch for three hours [on June 18th] and figuring out the electrical slide switch was shorted out, I removed the wiring, spiked the switch point open, laid three feet more track and ran some trains! Everyone seemed to like my 'building a model railroad' project and I met a bunch of nice people (thanks for two big boxes of railroad ties Bill!), so I guess it was a success!
Biggest train show in the treasure valley, right here in Emmett! Thanks to all, especially John for organizing it!
As you can see in the pictures, the areas where the rail is laid directly on the Homasote will be street trackage, where the ties are will be ballasted. I plan on making the streets and sidewalks from .060" styrene sheet and styrene brick material. So far it was built from materials I have collected over the years and $10 for a few items I didn't have! I have maybe 20-30 hours into it and a long way to go. I have been busy this summer dealing with health issues, job and other things of life but I hope to get back at it in the fall!
