Layout progress

Very nice keep up the good work!!!!

thank you i keep saying i want to take some time off then i sit at work when i am slow and think of things i want to try and my days off is were you find me in the train room thats why i had to add the tv and i have a fridge in there as well if i had a bathroom then i would never leave lol

Very nice! Whose signal system are you using?

The signals are made by NJ international the control system is the Train America Studio Layout Control System

That is looking fantastic!! I really am digging the two TVs and the fridge!!! Sweet man cave.

Nice work! How big is this layout of yours, how big are the curves? any specifics you can give us forumites?

I am using 0-84 curves on the outside and 0-72 curves on the inside there are 2 tables the town table is 12x10 the roundhouse area is 8x14 the room is my garage were the tv is was were the garage doors are on both sides when I bought this house 3 years ago the previous owner built a office on top of the garage. I was only able to open up 8' of wall so me and my brother-in law made it my train room below and my workshop on top the outer loop goes from the town all the way around the loop on the roundhouse area

Fantastic job with the rock work in the gorge and the bridges. Did you use rock molds?  the next portion

of my layout to scenic has deck girder and similar gorge that will back up to a 'Main Street' scene. I would

love to see more pictures of how you did the transition. Well done, Mike

I used rock molds but I did somthing a good friend showed me how to do. I used fiberglass window screen as a base then I took a mixture of plaster of Paris and powered drywall compound mixed with water  and brushed it on that made the slope then I added my rock molds 

I have made a few changes I smoothed out one of my curves that gave me a sideing and I made more room to store trains 

           It was bound to happen. I Purchased the power plant from menards so it had to go somewhere I thought I would be done but it seems you are always trying to find a home for just another building 

After much deliberation I have decided to take down this layout I have decided to do another one I want to remove a wall and repair the floor but before I do it I will have a plan in place to have my new one up at least the track work and table, But that's the problem I cant get my head around a idea and after taking to many friends I am still stuck, I know I want more access and ease of getting to everything but that's as far as I got.  I will continue to post updates on the new design I just hope I can come up with something soon before I retire lol

Perhaps a way to start is to list all the things you want to keep (design-wise) and all the problem areas you want to eliminate. Every design has its good points and bad points. Also, what thoughts are driving the desire to do a re-build? Perhaps having a finished railroad is boring and it's the building that's all the fun.

My laundry list is big I want ease of getting to everything, I want to be in the layout not around it, I also want to do more running a double track mainline, When i first did the layout 3 years ago i spent all my money on converting my garage to my train room and i had to just do something simple now i have done all of that i can think more about what i want, I spoke to some people i have met along the way and they told me to be careful if you try to cram everything you want into a layout you may never get done, So i may have to let go of some things and just work on the main things i want and can put into this layout

When you make your list, there are bound to be some things you will not be able to fit into the layout.  For some, you may be able to just make smaller, like tighter curves or less tracks in a yard.  Others, may could be inferred, like a siding to an industry, but the industry is not there, or on the backdrop only.  It sounds like one major thing for you is accessibility to all areas of the layout, without having to become a contortionist.  Common for those of us nearing or already retired.  I just threw a few comments out there.  I will keep watching as I am in the early stages of thinking through the design of a layout that I hope will be functional and fun enough to be the last one I build.

Mark Boyce posted:

When you make your list, there are bound to be some things you will not be able to fit into the layout.  For some, you may be able to just make smaller, like tighter curves or less tracks in a yard.  Others, may could be inferred, like a siding to an industry, but the industry is not there, or on the backdrop only.  It sounds like one major thing for you is accessibility to all areas of the layout, without having to become a contortionist.  Common for those of us nearing or already retired.  I just threw a few comments out there.  I will keep watching as I am in the early stages of thinking through the design of a layout that I hope will be functional and fun enough to be the last one I build.

thanks for the words of encouragement I want this to be the last one I build I think I have a idea in my head now I have to put the idea on the computer or paper to see if it would work my main goal is to make the layout accessible and to run trains but with a emphasis on operations, My goals are big I just have to bring them into reality and to size to fit my room I have been looking at other layouts to get some inspiration and I think I have it, Now comes the hard part "The Money" . Its great to have people in this hobby that are willing to help even if its just a idea that's what makes this hobby great  

I can help with ideas.  Now if someone could help with money, you and I both would be in business!  lol

Mark Boyce posted:

I can help with ideas.  Now if someone could help with money, you and I both would be in business!  lol

thank you now if I can only win the power ball lol

Well after 3 years of building the layout I had to take it down due to floor issues after some friends helped me with the floor I started to build the new layout. The first thing I did was to get more room for people to come sit and enjoy the layout, also I eliminated the up and down of the old layout because of the problems with larger locomotives and I wanted to run a double main line, now it's September and things are moving, sometimes not as fast as I want them to I will provide more updates 

So, is this what you have to work with?

Moonman posted:

So, is this what you have to work with?

that's close but you have to turn the 8x14 around so its 14 long 8 wide

Ok, thanks. Just pondering some shapes. It looks like you are cutting an aisle into the 12' x 10'.

Is this the walls or the space for the train table?

Moonman posted:

Is this the walls or the space for the train table?

that's just about right I did not make it as square but you have the general idea

So are the photos of the new build?  Or are some during tear down?

Mark Boyce posted:

So are the photos of the new build?  Or are some during tear down?

the ones with the track going through the wall are of the new build, the ones with the 2nd level are also of the new build that's were the city goes the trains will run under it, where the bridge is there will be something under that and a continue of the town since I made the layout footprint smaller I had to go up instead of flat

Well, sounds like you are on your way already. Sometimes seeing how circles or rectangles interact in the space can give some ideas for track runs or scenery.

Here's O84 circles. I asked about the space because I was thinking of a 24" deck around the walls with a peninsula in the 14' x 8' for RR/TT and a bump out in the 10' x 12' leaving plenty of people space and no reach issues.

fl9turbo2 posted:

Mark Boyce posted:

So are the photos of the new build?  Or are some during tear down?

the ones with the track going through the wall are of the new build, the ones with the 2nd level are also of the new build that's were the city goes the trains will run under it, where the bridge is there will be something under that and a continue of the town since I made the layout footprint smaller I had to go up instead of flat

Thanks!  Yes that makes sense to use vertical space!