Jeff's Layout build update 3/6/15

5501-031 curve 5500-10" 5505-5.5" This is tubular O not 027.

What do you all think of this please give me your honest feed back.

Also I think I am going to fit a bascale bridge in there somewhere along back wall

Nice.

 

Replace the curve track piece into the cross over and the one curve on the siding, you could have an oval and a two direction reversing loop?

 

The bridge on the back straight is a nice idea. Build it on foam and an easy river. Flop the yard lead switch motor and a grade crossing with a road down the center?

Looks like it would be fun to run with the crossover, side tracks and switches, packs a lot into a small space, leaves room for related modeling. Maybe consider an elevated track for a second line. 

I think this is what my daughter and I agreed on. This will be the layout and will leave room if I choose for upper level. And still going to have bascal bridge on the back wall.

That worked out well. Nice improvisation on the plan.

 

The train has alternate routes, can reverse direction and has nice sidings for something to do.

 

Will you put foam down for terrain relief or use homosote?

I am going to use a 1 inch foam for the terrain. What color should I paint the foam befor attaching track. Does every one use a brown then work off that or what

Well, yes. Use the earth color for the area you will model. If not specific, than a shade of brown.

 

Then when you put down grass and such or even dirt or sand you don't need 100% coverage.

 

You could also do like the old school and trace the track outline and paint that gray like ballast.

 

Get the cheapest latex you can find. It may take two coats. It's only a base coat.

 

When you use foam, many use a few cable ties to hold down the track 4" length is good. Drill a hole, push it through the tie with the head on the tie, the slide the head of a second one on the bottom and snug. The foam doesn't hold screws that well.

 

You only need a few dots of adhesive like liquid nails or Loctite Pl to hold down the foam. Check the label for foam compatible type.

 

You'll be up and running ready for the landscaper in no time.

 

Have fun! My 20 year old daughter still helps on mine. I let her design an area here and there. Her craft skills aren't that good, but acceptable. I enjoy the time with her 1 on 1 and the fact that something from her is on the table.

One flaw with the layout once I do the turn around I can't turn the train back around

Sure you can, I'll post a pic or two. It's all about the switch at two o'clock.

The turn around will be using the switch on the circle first and then the switch at the top. Taking out the center loop gave up the option of doing it on the fly.

 

Do you have enough track to move the switch at the top to the 90 and put the inner loop in? It wil fit if you shorten the yard spurs.

 

Same 4 switches and 1 cut fitter.

Here's the original adaptation from the photo in pdf for easier printing.

Jeff here are 2 quick photo's of my currently sloppy layout.

 

Bad scenery note. When I started roughing in the pink foam on the corners I tested it with my steamers for clearance except for one, my Lionmaster Cab Forward, which is in the house on display. I put in on the track last weekend started it up and then went back in the house and came back and it was stuck on the corner by the switch tower chugging in place and threw all the rubber tires.

 

The maintenance crew has been busy carving out those sections.

 

 

 

 

BDJ,

   The one piece of advise I always give for guys planning to use Lionel 022 switches is to make sure you have the engines & rolling stock that will run thru them on a repeat basis.  These 022 Lionel switches are actually great stuff but do limit what you can run.

PCRR/Dave

Yea about the o22 I couldn't run 072 don't have the room. I have 2 sets of 072 maybe when I get a bigger place I be able to have a big layout. On my old layout I have had some big trains running on them I had a big boy that ran just fine

Roman thanks for posting more pics I like to grab ideas off others . Great small layout looks like still have a lot to do yet

I did a 4x10 for the village layout.  2 levels with 2 outer 031 tracks and 2 PCC trolleys with Superstreets.  jam it all in there.  but its enough until I do my garage one.

 

Chris

Chris d you have some pics would love to see

Ok I think I got it. Now I can turn the train around in any direction . I hope there is no problems. And I still have a nice yard to hold some cars and trains. This should work and again on back wall will be bascal bridge just need to unpack. What do you all think.

Jeff,

i think that is a good track plan.  It gives you everything crossing, turn trains either way, sidings.  Looks good.  I'll be waiting to see your trains utilize a good track plan!

Thanks mark I can't wait to run my trains again but still waiting for some stuff so it still going to be awhile 

Looks good to me.

 

Richie

Ok did a little more today I put 3/4 foam down and finished with my track cuts and put in the bascule bridge. Now I need to find screws to hold track in place and all the wiring.

Ok I have all the track down and have some wiring done with a lot more wiring to go but I wanted to layout some of the stuff that I want on the layout. What do you all think and is there anything you think I should do diffrent. I have a coaling tower that's going on for my steam engins.

Jeff, that looks good.  Did you test run a train yet?

Moonman thanks ! I did test with some jumper wire to track and ran train around all works well

Looks really good, I like your style.  Simple, postwar, tubular track.

Well done, so far.

 

Richie

Hi all I wanted to update you .this weekend got some stuff done. All the switches wired and Ucs tracks wired and working also soldered power and ground and tmcc wire to the track got under the layout to tack wires up and out of the way. Today I got to test drive a conventional engine and a tmcc engine and everything went smooth.now to wire the bascule bridge up and all the other accessories.

 

Update I just wired the bascule bridge and crane. Ran a wire hot and ground for all lights and houses any structure that just has lights on its own line. Bascule bridge is on its own line switches and track ucr on its own line and track its own line so I took good advantage of two zw 275 and 250 tacked all wires up under table so no wires are hanging its very clean looking. Little more wiring and will start roads .

That's ucs track not ucr my fat fingers hit wrong thing

Nice! Another milestone reached!

 

Is the landscaper asking "are we there yet"?

Jeff,

some ideas for the scenery director...take a look at Avanti's reply in this thread and what he has done with postwar accessories.

Looks fine.

 

Peter

Looks great.

 

Gary

Here some more pics 2/14/15

 

My daughter just finished painting roads she put all the roads down also. She did a better job then what I would of done now going to wait till it dries then sand a little and strip roads.