2013 Layout progress review pics and video

You ott to be able to purchase them at Michaels.
I bought my wife a lamp for the craft room and it is an ottlight.
They had on the shelf standard screw in base ott bulbs.

Go back each week with a 40 - 50 % off coupon.
and get them at a discount.

Thanks Dave,

Mark,
Did you get my email?

Mike:
the trees I got from a layout that was being torn down so i dont know who makes what.

Armildilo:
- Cut the sleeve off the heating element repack & add ERR.

Laidoff: Online,Both OTT and Blue Max website,

AS for the Lighting:

I also wanted to add: Jim Policastro also gave me some good tips on photography & lighting,
To me his pictures seem to really jump right out. There are others to, but wanted to mention that.

Tom thanks again, you had mentioned OTT before .I talked to OTT and I have ordered a couple to try. But think i am leaning towards Blue Max 90 watt (actually burns 27watt)

at 94CRI.

But first i mm gonna compare a bar of each, because i think the blue max bulbs are over rating themselves and OTT reputation is superior.

As i mentioned above, there is even now a dimmable high CRI, i might check out.(when layout finished)

The reason I desided to go with the Black Track lighting is this.

I cant get cans or flourescents above some sections of the ceiling because of Duct work.

I can follow the mainline and spot areas better and adjustable later.

Holds the big can light type spots.

Other custom lighting can plug into the track.

Simple to install.

Only option left.LOL

Yes the bulbs are 12-25.00 each, but what is cheap today? Beleive me Ive been passing up alot of wants lately so i can buy the better things i need. LOL

Joe G:
your layout is really awesome. Your backround-you picked the right ones and they look very crisp with the lighting.

You guys did a exceptional job on the benchwork- , you can tell it was done by someone who loves wood.

Thanks for taking your time out to comment on the lighting and the layout.

Thanks for asking Patrick, been orking onthe amusement park structures, so will be back to the final detailing of the cut shortly.

Patrick, I've been following this thread with great interest, and you've done an incredible job. Would you mind sharing with me what color(s) you used for the hills, and what you used to score them with? They're among the best I've seen. Thanks

Signal,
in short 4 inch grinder with the thinnist masonary blade you can find(gloves and mask)

page 2 halfway down; descibes tecknique.

Their are still 2 more steps after the stage you show. See area around the service area. Much more realistic .

Thanks for compliment

^ Thanks sir!

Patrick, for a fixed 3-watt power supply, you can try to find a K-Line Power Chief 120F. It has no variable outputs, only fixed output at 3, 5, 8, 12, 15, and 20 volts.

Great layout!

David

Patrick
Awesome job !! I look back every few days to see what is new for inspiration. Really like the coaling tower in the turntable area. Is this a kit or scratchbuilt ? Impressive.

Patrick
For only starting this layout in Aug 2010 you are a Master at layout construstion. Your skills are mutch better than I have.I will get over to see it one of these days and play trains. I would really like to do a YouTube vidio of my Steeler train running on it.Maybe some day.

Dave and Kloven : thanks !!

Thom: very funny, Skills are better

Please


Not much going on, just wiring and last 2 pieces of backdrop. I wanted to finsh permanent wiring before i start the final detailing.duh

Also I am really struggling with the Z2500 switch motors. Waiting to hear from Dennis at Z stuff.
I did our club layout 1-2-3 , no problems.

Update(He emailed me back and said that some of the motors where preprogrammed for two wire, I dont now how you are suppose to know this ? Is that in the instructions? Now I should be back in business just have to reprogram alot of switch motors. Anyway he knows his product.

Finished the last two pieces of backdrop,
Now i can finish this stretch. My only issue is I had to put this foam cliff right along the bottom of the backdrop because of the elevation change left a 5 inch void at the bottom. Im wondering if i should put a bunch of trees and green on it to help make it look like a hillside.

 

 

 

 







I have the power coming in from bottom. I have 4 mainlines and a yard.

I isolated each mainline and divided them into 2 blocks. Each block has a transformer/breaker. I left all the outside rails connected.Seperating the middle rail only.
In the future It will be easy for me to plug whatever power i want to feed each track. As for now the two bottom mainlines are the only variable voltage for conventional or command the rest are constant. I plan to put the tracks in the yard/roundhouse on switches so i can turn them off when not needed.

quote:

Originally posted by Patrick H:
[QUOTE]Originally posted by gsn1:

3 hours later i left the store with with black track lighting(sliding adjustable downlighting) that holds up to 100 watt rating bilbs and also got spotlight bulbs 18.00 each. That use 23 watts but put out 1200 luemans at 94 CRI ( Blue max bulbs)

So after reading all this info on your lighting dilemma, I realized it was not just me that wasn't happy with my lighting situation on my switching layout. You've seen my layout (20' x 3' Switching Layout Thread) with pix of my track lighting installed. It's only 20 x 3 so I thought it would be very easy to light for photograpy. Maybe it is, but I'm not having any luck.

I was using 75watt R30 Halogens, spots and floods. It seemed very bright until I take the camera down there, then it seems very dim and a yellow glow to it. So after reading your info, I went down to HD and got some CFL's to swap them out. They are 18watt (75 watt replacements), 1174 luemans, 6500K. Swapped them out..........Now it's almost dark in there, and a very bluish tint. The Halogens I had in there were so much brighter, I just wanted a clear bright light, not yellow, and definitely not blue!

Patrick, looks great! good luck with your layout...

Wondering??? with all the wood involved in these layouts, somewhat of a fire hazard? you should consider Halon

Patrick,

I think old man Webster is going to have to come out of retirement and make up some new words to describe your layout. Wow, Awesome, amazing, just do not surfice anymore.

You could take this and make a book on "How to" to sell. From day one on benchwork to lighting to mountain building. You would probably pay for your layout. This has been very fun and informational to follow.

Thank you for your time and effort to show us your layout and it progress.

Gene

Thanks guys,

Still wiring and doing switches under the yard.

Just about done.



if anyone cares or likes RR files check attatchment below , I have started to put in the service facility and yard, second and third level track, . The bottom mainline only RR file is on the very first page of the thread.



Thanks , hope to have some more pics next week..

Finally spring, time to work in the "Yard"

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Patrick H:
Finally spring, time to work in the "Yard"


Great stuff Patrick. Your pictures are great and I really enjoy them each time you post. Simply amazing.

Patrick, I have been watching with interest you setting up your trains over the winter.

Now that it is getting warm outside do you take it down until next fall and then set them up again? (An honest question asked of many layouts!!)

Patrick,

I, as many others, follow your progress attentively. As you know, I also am working on a layout, and although not quite as large as yours (mine takes up most of the approximately 33’ x 37’ train room), and in spite that I work on it for two to three hours every week day and easily six to eight hours in the weekend, I can’t come close to the progress you make. To top it off, you grace us with your regular posts and pictures, and even videos! And I need to add, your work is excellent in every aspect.

I do spend quite a bit of time in the planning, drawings, etc., but this does allow me to complete the actual work rather quickly. But compared to what you can achieve in a few days, my progress is akin to that of a snail. (I’ll post some pictures in a couple of days.)

How many hours does your day have? Seriously - How do you do it?

Thanks again!

Alex

Thom,
Yeah, i am going to take it down as soon as i get back from york. That will give me 3 months to get started again for winter. Ive decided to do New York Central downtown scene instead of Norfolk and Western mountains.


Alex,

Your layout is awesome. I never seen someone with so many talents.
I know as i said before , what a difference it makes when you can get all fired up with a bunch of other train nuts helping you along the way and giving advice.

Unfortunately I have no planning skills. except in my head.So i do have to do things more than once many times until i think its ok.

i only point the camera at some small areas.LOL

I come home from work at 4 and calm down for an hour or 2 then go downstairs for 2-3 hours 2-3 days during the week. Some nights i dont want to go down at all, those are the nights when i just cant get something to work right or not happy with the way something turned out. So what ill do is pick something small to do. The small things add up fast. Gets me motivated again to redo whatever it was that frustated me. The weekend is when i pull the marathons.I Save them for fixin any big redos or starting something new for the week.Sunday is garbage day, so every Sunday at dinner time i completely clean the entire room and re orginize the tools.I quit being in a hurry since Christmas. To me its like going around a clock , each time you go around the layout will get better and better.

Patrick, I just now went through your thread here, and sorry to be repetitive, but WOW! Now that is a DREAM LAYOUT!!!

Dear Patrick

What an astonishing creation you've built!

Thanks a lot for sharing!

I just bought my two-and-a-half-year-old son a Thomas the Train starter oval set, and I consider myself a genius for being able to set it up--flat on our dining room table.

Then I see your work and believe there hasn't been that much progress in America's space program, curing cancer or heart disease, or computer science.

Phenomenal work. I'm forty-one years old and have never seen anything like it before--not just in model trains but in any artistic endeavor.

--Jaddie

(Just a candidate cadet in the pre-newbie class of toy trains.)

It is 1:30 AM and I have tripped over this thread an hour ago. Should be well into sleepy land now.

I want!!!!

To the rest of the guys here following Patrick's progress, how great would it be if you could just hire a guy with his talent to come over and 6 months to a year later have this?!?!?

Thank you for sharing your progress. You have answered so much. Man, nice job. Your effort is appreciated.

Sean

I know this may be poor etiquite, but, may I ask roughly how much materials cost to create the bench layout? You have several elements I would love to eventually incorporate into a layout should I eventually have a space to create such a setup. I like the coal tower. Where did you aquire that from. I am familiar with the Millhouse Turntable...top notch quaility.

I know this may be out of the question but do you have an inventory of what you have; How many pieces of track, sizes, number of switches and type, length of wire in your layout, etc. It would be some great gee whiz information. I just had to come back and look at some of the pictures when I was more awake. Wow. Very neat to look at and take in. Great videos too. That makes it that much better.

Sean

Patrick, can't believe what you have accomplished in such a short time with this size layout, from benchwork to scenery, its amazing. Keep up the good work and many thanks for the pictures.

Jack

Thanks guys, i have not posted for a while because i have been wiring forever!

got the yard about 75% done. N&W Rocks!!

Wow,

Thhis looks great patrick!

quote:

Looks great Patrick! That shot above looks real, the backdrop is just amazing! Looking forward to seeing more pictures!

~Jeffrey

Wonderful Patrick. It looks so good. Scenery, colors, ground cover is very realistic. Well done.

Patrick,

I really like your ballast and other ground cover treatment around the tracks; it sure adds variety and looks great! The shrubs and small trees along the track are excellent as well.

Quick question: Are the tracks around and under the coaling station, behind the yellow switch tower, slightly lower than those around the switch tower, or is it an optical illusion? Just curious, they look fine either way!

And the signals look fine as well. Like you said, lots of wiring!

Thx

Alex

I've run out of adjectives, suffice it to say "OUTSTANDING".
REV

Thanks Don and Rich and REV ,really appreciate that.

Alex , its the ground that is variable, the tracks are the same height.Also the corner of the Switchtower is closer to the one bend than the other.

If you look at the very left hand side of pic,left of the coaling tower, that is the 2 mainlines and yes they begin to elevate and go up to the third level,
this makes the the other tracks appear to go down in a dip, LOOKS COOL dosnt it?LOL,

That back drop looks spectacular. I think its time to dirty up that motive power. Are you using tortoise switch machines?

quote:

Originally posted by gregj410:
That back drop looks spectacular. I think its time to dirty up that motive power. Are you using tortoise switch machines?

thanks thats the only thing i didnt make.LOL(backdrop)

Bring that B&O set over, that will give me 10 cars to practice on first. I still got another 80% of layout to do before i go there. LOL

Patrick

Very nice!

Patrick, his model is out of this world!

My 3 year old son watched all your videos yesterday and his eye shone and ended when he wanted it again!

I really have no words .... only thank you for sharing something so fantastic!

Thanks,
Leandro - Brazil

"finishing" up the yard, ready to move on to the next section. This is the next section at the oppisite end of the yard.
i had a very hard time going around the two fuse boxes and telephone box. The backdrop is hung at the top only by carpet tape. The carpet tape turned out to be a good idea, for it is gripped well but also made it easy to make adjustments,This is the only wrinkle i got, bad spot. So i am going to try to get the wrinkle out(maybe cut it right up aginst the box. and then put in the foam and scenery.

 

 


I seperated the yard from the elevating part with trees.I need to make more different shades of green to match the backdrop. It gives it a better 3d look and looks good with the engines running throught the woods. 





 

 

 

 

 

Patrick,

Very nice, your work is an inspiration.

This looks great!

Patrick, your work is truly a work of art with magnificent mechanical excellence. My I suggest that you write a book on all the different phases of the project. I surely would be one of the first to purchase it. Hey your new found wealth would be great for your next endeavor!

Best wishes,

Dennis in Connecticut

WOW, very nice layout.

quote:

Originally posted by Eddie:
This is fantastic. What do you do for an encore? Truly remarkable and loved following the progress over time. A job well done.
Eddie from Baltimore