Dunham Studios "Family Heritage Lionel Layout"

There is a sharp turn in the stairs to the room where the layout will be going so the platform tops need to be made in easy-to-assemble- and-disassemble sections. (see green plan). Ray is building the framing for the base.

Barb

I like the planning that goes into these, looks like a lot of it too. I will be following along here. I enjoy all your build threads, very interesting.

Ray is assembling a the platform top for this layout for which you can see two sets of plans below. Roy has already built the wooden trestle as well as casting additional bridge and tunnel face pieces.

Barb

Looks great.  What is the approximate overall size (depth vs. width) of this terrific layout?

How many trains can be operated on separate loops?  Looks like at least 4 to me.

Looks like a great layout in the making

It's amazingly only ten by twelve in size.  And a real gem.  The client had already worked-out such a good trackplan that we blissfully copied it (see below), while adapting it to the MTH RealTrax System. This is our new design.   This is an "Original View"  The lower level that we added is set up as a "Six-year-old level" for the client's youngest grandchild.  It will have its own LionChief train and controller, as will all the four other LionChief trains on the upper level.  As there are also Period Classic "Lionels" in the mix, handed down now through four generations, every level will also have its own "Traditional Control" as well.  Even with traditional control you can run several trains on the upper loops if you throw your turnouts properly.  Wouldn't want to crash that 1930s Lionel Streamliner (see below).  About running four trains in "traditional-style", your guess is as good as mine, but we'll be careful on that "first run"---just in case.

Don't want to impose on your time too much as you are very busy, but could you expound a little on the the choice of RealTrax?  As opposed to traditional tubular track or Fastrack?

Ray is continuing with the assembly of the platforms. Note how he applies glue before nailing the pieces together. Makes the platforms strong. (As you can see from my other posted threads, we are able to walk on them as we're working...and do so.)

Barb

In reply to Mr. Landsteiner's request, answer #1 is that I don't feel that sectional track makes a nice appearance and further, all those track joints make for unreliable operation over time.  Answer #2: It was also the gist of the donor's wishes that the re-creation of his layout be made with the most modern of materials.  Granted that, in my long gone youth, putting sectional track together and keeping it together in spite of my very large and rambunctious Springer Spaniel named "Rippy" may have had something to do with it as well.  As to the matter of Brand Name, I just liked the look of RealTrax better; darker in color, more like the tone of the stone ballast that I prefer.  Nothing against FasTrack.  I'm sure it would provide reliable operation just as well.  In this day and age of "Brand Cross-pollination", the choice seems perfectly OK to me.  So, we have Lionel trains and Accessories blended with MTH Track and Accessories, blended again with new Williams Locomotives and cars as an addition to the heritage Lionel product.  During my many years at The Station at Citigroup Center I learned that if you wanted something that really ran--all the time, no questions asked--I'd buy Williams over all other Brands, hands down.  We ran virtually no Lionel at all, largely due to the fact that I was an American Flyer guy in the first place. Springer Spaniels and other childhood prejudices probably helped lead to some of these decisions as well.  But the Williams choice was made in the light of clear, plain, "Operating Facts".  As Mr. Landsteiner notes, I am very busy, in this case juggling the work here with a new New York City Opera production of Leonard Bernstein's"Candide", opening in January----but never too busy to answer questions on the OGR Forum.

The layout is coming along.

Barb

The base pieces are coming together with Ray and Bob continuing building and assembling them.

Barb

Bob and Ray continue to assemble both the low and mid-height platforms while the finished base pieces and platforms and frames wait in the wings (so to speak) in the carpentry shop.

Barb

Looks like fine cabinetry. I am still enjoying your build posts and all the pictures you post with them. Sure hope you keep posting these, I will be following along.

Bob and Ray brought the basic frame for the Family Heritage Lionel Layout out into the main barn and set it up. I reposted a drawing of what it will look like as a reminder of what's to come. But I think it's important and interesting, to say nothing of informative to see the development.

Barb

Supports are added before the platform tops are put on. Remember that the sectional wooden trestle parts have already been made as well as tunnel portals cast and base painted and a number of bridges have been cast and/or assembled and are waiting in the wings, so to speak, ready to go on when the time comes. Just as an aside, the layout that you see under construction behind the Family Heritage Layout is the Quechee Gorge Layout which has its own thread on the Forum and on which we've been working for several months.

Barb

I just saw this topic.  Very interesting to see how it goes together.  I like the idea of the lower level for the small grandson.  My new layout room is 12 x 12, so this is a practical one to see what can go in that size space.  Thank you for posting!

The evolution of the Family Heritage Layout is unfolding. First the supports were added. (The platform tops will top them.)And then the lowest platform tops were put in place. Take a look at the computer graphic several posts up and you'll see how this skeleton will support and become the Family Heritage Layout.

Barb

Ray has finished the upper level left platform on the layout. And he and Bob carry it out into the barn to place on the waiting frame. You'll notice that there is a one-step-up narrow platform to the left and right of the center front section. This will carry the track for the area specifically designed for the client's younger grandson, a level that he can deal with with no problem.

Looking at the larger platform you'll notice an odd cut in the right corner. This jog is built to go around an irregularity in the train room wall. In the construction photo you'll see that Ray has built another odd shape on. This is one half of a pop-up hole  built so that the person running the trains can get to any train disabled too far in from the perimeter to reach comfortably from the perimeter.The bundles of track in the last photo are checked out, wired and ready to go when the platforms are finished.

Barb

Looks like another great layout being built. As I told you (Barb) at York, I enjoy reading your posts and seeing pictures  of how you do it. Keep the posts coming, please.

Jay

Looking mighty good!  Like I said I am anxious to see how this one goes.  I can see some great ideas for what I want to do!!

The lowest track level platforms have been removed and up-ended making easier to install the wires which will go to the track. They will be put back in place before the track is laid.

Barb

Wow, I have seen this Fun Factory in Person and Believe Me, They have the Tools, Personnel, Experience and VISION to Build Your Dream Railroad!! Merry Christmas to The Dunham's...Thank you for this Thread.....Your Tennessee Friends....

No you're not looking a an earlier post. Ray is still building platform tops. Take a look at the pile of tops leaning against the cabinets. They're finished and ready for wiring (note the 'portholes' where wires go through from platform to platform) and assembly.  There are a few more cut but not yet assembled...and then you'll really see how it's going to look!

Barb

Ray, surrounded bu platform tops, is getting ready to cut "portholes" in their frames to allow for platform-to-platform wiring.

The platform tops are on and I'll walk you around starting with a long view from the front and going counter-clockwise around the layout. We'll end up with a picture of the "escape hatch" strategically placed so that errant trains, beyond arm's reach from the perimeter, can be captured and set right! I'll again put in the picture of the finished layout to give you a feel for what's coming next.

Barb

Pretty neat!  I'm looking forward to seeing how the lower level track works out and the great view in the front.  The cabinet doors on the sides are great looking!  

Wow ya'll do such nice work.  This is a really cool layout, lots of thought and love put into it.

John put the out track on the top platform. That's for him to work out the particulars before actually laying the track. That won't be done until the rugging is installed. Roy says he'll start carpet-laying on the top platform tomorrow, (Note the roll of green carpet in the photo.)

Barb

Roy's rugging the top platform of the layout (see earlier posts for how it will look with its green surface). Tom is wiring the lower wrap-around loop which will also get rugging. They get their track laid on top the rug.

Barb

I love looking at and can appreciate the craftmanship of a layout like this, it is likely direct opposite of what my own poor efforts generally are like, looking at a picture it looks easy, but it most definitely isn't. 

The lower level tack is laid and wired but not put in place.  Tom is laying the main level track on the rug-covered main platform top to conform with the track plan but will not screw it down and put in the drops until the buildings are where they will go as they too will require drops. He's brought in the buildings and accessories and put them on the platform for Clarke to place. You'll notice that in one photo he's popping up through the 'escape hatch'. The reason for the hatch is that many Lionel (and other) accessories require reloading (like the milk cans or ice cubes) and the layout , which conforms to the client's desires in terms of shape, is too deep to comfortably reach all the accessories from the perimeter.)

Barb.

With the buildings and track roughly placed, we were actually able to run trains on the layout yesterday. Now all of those animations have to be wired in, the track has to be finalized and then we'll get to doing the front where you now see a Lionel controller sitting on a box. That, my friends, is where the trestle (which is awaiting placement) will go, surrounded by more realistic scenery in contrast to the "heritage" look of the top platform. And remember there's a wrap around lower track and a higher up back-and-forth track as well.

Barb

The buildings and animations were placed where they will be permanently attached. Then Tom removed them to get the layout platforms ready for wiring. Two of the platform sections have already been marked, drilled and upended, ready to be wired. Upending the platforms allows the electrician to do what needs to be done from a standing position rather than his having to crawl underneath and lie on his back to attach the wires. Tom and John are marking another section with tape preparing it so they can drill holes for wires to go through. Note that building and animation placement is marked with tape outlines instead of just noting where holes need to be drilled.

Barb

Looking good. How are you handling the Lionel accessories like the milk car platform and the cattle car where that plastic road bed track won't fit into the respective platform channels?  Assume it's some sort of adaptor piece of Lionel tin track that will mate with the modern stuff?

johnstrains posted:

Looking good. How are you handling the Lionel accessories like the milk car platform and the cattle car where that plastic road bed track won't fit into the respective platform channels?  Assume it's some sort of adaptor piece of Lionel tin track that will mate with the modern stuff?

I think what you're referring to is illustrated in Photo #3 in the above photo set.

David

Rocky Mountaineer posted:

johnstrains posted:

Looking good. How are you handling the Lionel accessories like the milk car platform and the cattle car where that plastic road bed track won't fit into the respective platform channels?  Assume it's some sort of adaptor piece of Lionel tin track that will mate with the modern stuff?

I think what you're referring to is illustrated in Photo #3 in the above photo set.

David

Thanks, indeed it is. Now I see it.

To Make the actuator track fit the milk car platform we cut away some of the Plastic roadbed and ground off some of the metal base of the platform. The cattle platform we had to treat differently as the actuating rails were an integral part of the platform.  We had some spare track that we had cut off other sections to make things fit so in this case we cut the ballast slope off of them and will glue them in place in front of the platform. We also used the MTH realtrax adapter sections on each end.

John from Dunham Studios   

Grandpad posted:

To Make the actuator track fit the milk car platform we cut away some of the Plastic roadbed and ground off some of the metal base of the platform. The cattle platform we had to treat differently as the actuating rails were an integral part of the platform.  We had some spare track that we had cut off other sections to make things fit so in this case we cut the ballast slope off of them and will glue them in place in front of the platform. We also used the MTH realtrax adapter sections on each end.

John from Dunham Studios   

Thanks, John. I had forgotten this was Real Trax. Went back and read the entire thread and saw the discussion on choice of track. Certainly presents a few challenges to make it all work with some of the PW accessories.

Bob & Ray have cut the Cintra (on which graphics will go) and installed the Cintra panels in place. They will go behind the lower level line of track.

Barb