Skip to main content

Over the next few days, I will be documenting my layout build for an upcoming event to benefit St. Vincent's School for the Handicapped.  The event will be held in North East, MD (21901) from 10am-3pm.  It's my first public layout, so hopefully it will be well received.  Thanks for reading

2018_Train_Day_large

 

Attachments

Images (1)
  • 2018_Train_Day_large
Original Post

Replies sorted oldest to newest

My allotted space is 4x8.  My general plan is to pack as much operating activity as I can into the space by using the items I have on hand.  My "artist's rendering" via SCARM is below.  The red blocks represent button operated accessories.  The blue blocks represent bridges.  The brown represents mountains and green represents buildings.  This is a draft and not the final design.

family train day frontfamily train day top

Attachments

Images (2)
  • family train day front
  • family train day top

I set up the benchwork and started laying track.  Issue #1: I discovered that O31 Fastrack does not natively fit inside O36.  I had to add 1.75" spacers in the middle of the outer O36 end curves.  I used two spacers for about 1" of clearance on all sides of the O31 loops.

Issue #2: because I widened the end curves, I had to shorten the overall length so that the track would not traverse the curtain cutouts on the left side.  This resulted in the layout being shorter than I planned and I changed one of the circles into a bump-n-go trolley line.  It is a good change because it introduces additional variety into the assortment of items on the table.

IMG_1268

Attachments

Images (1)
  • IMG_1268

Way to go!  That is a nice clean job in a short period of time with a lot of interactive accessories.  It really looks like fun, especially for kids getting to push those lighted buttons to see what happens.  I hope to create the same element with my layout.

 

  Wiring is where my layout is currently stalled out.  Good job pushing through to get it to the family train day on time.

I don't mean this next comment in anyway to diminish your work, it's actually a compliment to it:

The uncomplicated (on the surface) nature of the layout, will likely lead people to think, "hey, I can do that!" and perhaps encourage more people, families, kids to take up the hobby. I know there is a lot of time spent planning, building, wiring, and executing a layout like this, especially with all of the button activated accessories. Great job again!

JD

JD2035RR posted:

Way to go!  That is a nice clean job in a short period of time with a lot of interactive accessories.  It really looks like fun, especially for kids getting to push those lighted buttons to see what happens.  I hope to create the same element with my layout.

 

  Wiring is where my layout is currently stalled out.  Good job pushing through to get it to the family train day on time.

the wiring took about 20 times longer than anticipated

I am very sorry to report that I did not complete this layout on time.  Murphy's Law kicked into high gear and I was not properly prepared.  Too late, I discovered I did not have the proper amount of wiring devices and the local hardware store was out of stock on common items.  The wiring took about 20 times longer than anticipated.  I only got half of the accessories wired by the construction deadline and decided to stop working there.  Thought incomplete, I did attempt to dismantle it and take it to the show.  Tear down took about an hour and I realized carrying it all in from the van and reassembling it at the event site would take 2+ hours.  The spectre of doing all that work for an incomplete project was enough for me to call it quits.   I spent a lot of time working on this on Wed-Fri and it amounted to a big FAIL.  Very disappointed.  I do not have the room to leave this up and now other priorities demand use of that space.

Hope some of you got some good ideas to use at your shows.

Thanks 

Add Reply

Post
The Track Planning and Layout Design Forum is sponsored by

AN OGR FORUM CHARTER SPONSOR

OGR Publishing, Inc., 1310 Eastside Centre Ct, Ste 6, Mountain Home, AR 72653
800-980-OGRR (6477)
www.ogaugerr.com

×
×
×
×
Link copied to your clipboard.
×
×