Layout Expansion in progress 9-24-23 new factory added

11-27-11
I have like three projects going, the round house, backdrop and the harbor, all in some portion of completion, I have been alternating between them as I wait for things to dry in some cases.

To start I wanted to have a large roundhouse, I looked at several models, and decided on the Korber. I used the larger of the two kits, the 304, however I was unable to get additional stalls, but I was able to find one of the shorter kits 320. So this is a kitbash of two Korber kits together. I built up addition wood bracing, added a floor, and will add lighting before adding the top.
 

In another project I have finally started to install a backdrop. I went back and forth on what to do, was I going to paint one, or would I purchase one, and in purchased, from whom. After some research, reflecting on my painting ability, and viewing multiple people layouts and efforts on the web, I selected some from Backdrop Warehouse.
I went for the higher resolution, 12’ by 42” ones with a selection of seven 12’ sections that all match to crease a continuous backdrop around my layout. While these are not the least expensive, so far I am happy with the results.

Laser level on top of paint buckets
 
The back corner was rounded using 1/8” Masonite sheet.

To align it, I used an inexpensive laser level from HD, and to attach to the wall, I used carpet tape as suggested by Patrick H on the OGR forum, and it worked well for me. I still have more to do, including finalizing the seams, but so far so good. It really transforms the room and layout. I had guests over for thanksgiving, and received a ton of complements.


The third areas I mentioned was the harbor, you can see some of it in the above pictures, including the tank farm. I have some glass to paint and put down for the water.
As always open for comments and suggestions.

Thanks Patrick,

I have a long way to go to get to the level you have going. Thanks for the help.

12-5-11
Completed hanging the backdrop, I am really happy about the outcome, looks great, and really adds a lot to the layout. I have a cover flush to the wall for the power panel, I have to trim that out when I get a few minutes. The carpet tape method worked really well for me, and I also used a double back tape for the seams a well. A bit of work to hang, but far better than anything I could paint.

A NYC GP9 in the yard on the way to the engine service area
 
I spent some time on the harbor area. I completed the glass for the water. I used the method Dennis B covers in his book, the aquatex glass painted on the back side with rustolium camo green paint. I think it looks realistic.

A NYC freight makes its way thru are harbor area.

Still more to do, back to the round house soon, I may add some support to the elevated area I got from bridge boss.

As always open for comments and suggestions.

12-14-11

I jumped to another section of the layout to complete a project that has been on my list for a while; the elevated steel line leading to and from the future city hi rise area. This section started on my layout before I embarked on this expansion, and linked to a kitbashed bridge to make an inside curve around a post.

When I cut the layout apart and moved sections to be a portion of the new expanded layout, I ended up needing to run track under this to accommodate both a mainline and several passenger sidings to be part of the large station. It also had to have a curved section added to meet the new bridge in the harbor area. I have been using pieces of MTH stone bridge support and sections from a graduated trestle set that I had started with before which you can see in the following shots.

While this approach looked ok when I didn’t have track under the elevated section as it was before, I didn’t like the look it had now. I searched around to find something that would work and look good, and found several solutions from a few suppliers. I met Jim from Bridge Boss at York, and really liked his approach. We discussed what I was trying to do, and I left to go back and take some measurements and placed an order shortly after for some ELC – 6.0 supports, as you can see form the chart below, there are a lot of support choices.

Now I want to point out this elevated section is a kitbash I did for the steel girders using upside down HO atlas bridge sections, and I simply added the Bridge Boss supports, they do however have a nice system for elevated sections if you are starting with out anything, I think others including Rich Batista have posted pictures on that. These supports come flat packed and require some simple assembly, one was assembled in the box as a sample. I painted them flat black using the rustolium camouflage paint to tie in with the black girders I used before.

 

I am happy with the outcome; I think it looks much better than before. Still more to do, back to the roundhouse soon, and the harbor, the wall will be next I think.

As always open for comments and suggestions.

12-29-11

Thanks for the nice comments guys.

Alex, yes there is a bit larger gap there for the curved part. While it is not really needed for support, I think I will get back to it from an aesthetics point of view. What I think I need is a bit wider support (these are the narrowest from Bridge Boss)t so I can align the aisle side up with the others, and cross over the lower level track.

The roundhouse is built!

After getting the track down, and turntable installed in my engine service area, I moved on to the main structure that will be there, the Round house. I used two different size Korber kits as additional stalls for the larger one that I started with were not available any longer. I had to build up addition wood bracing at the two kits came with different sized wood.


I built the round house in the shop area for easy access. The kit in built on a ¼ plywood base (it is sitting on saw horses with a piece of scrape OSB as a work table). The interior floor is made of painted foam core. I added LED lights in side, I added some addition wood cross pieces as a way to hold them and run the wires. The wires are consolidated at the front right side of the roundhouse to crease a main feeders for the +12VDC.

 

Since this was a kit bash of two different sized units, the sections are slightly different widths, this caused for a bit of cutting in the roof windows, and I needed to create a custom roof. I used matt board, and covered it with the fine ballast that came with the kits for the roof cover.
So far so good, now on to installing it on the layout and wiring up the power for the tracks and the lights.

As always open for comments and suggestions.

1-8-12

Thanks for the kind words Pops!

Well I have been working on a few projects. I have been meaning to add a drop down door access to the electrical panel area, and while I built the bench work to support this, I didn’t complete the task. Additionally I had installed the backdrop over the panel with the intention of cutting it out and attaching to a removable panel.

Here are some shots of the work in progress, and the completed set up. The door drops down to create the opening.



I have a bit more details to fool with, but for the most part I am happy with the progress.

The second thing I was working on was to get the round house on the layout and the track power wired up. So far so good.



As always open for comments and suggestions.

Glad that helped Alex, I really like using that material, it worked really well for the roof.

Based on David’s good suggestion I made up some signs (after a trip to the store for more ink for the printer).


I have started working on the harbor area of the layout. I ordered some plastruct detail parts, and started to add them to the storage tanks. I plan to add some cat walks, ladders and piping.



I have also started on the steel seawall that will line much of the harbor. I started by laying out a piece of duct tape sticky side up, and laying out cut pieces of screen framing. The framing is cut to 2” length complements of Patrick H. I intend to paint and weather it as well.


As always open to suggestions and comments.