My dream/nightmare layout... July Update 7/31/19 Big Boy month!

Elliot, did you used to make train nerd movies???

Matthew B. - I agree about challenges, they help to motivate me. Maybe I shouldn't use the word deadline. A better term might be "time oriented goal". I had set one last year when Patrick and I built the small helix. We ran a couple weeks beyond, but the world didn't end. It sure felt good when we finished though. I would never compromise quality for speed.

Matt - That's the Tom McComas video "How to build a toy train layout". I only did the one. I'll see if I can find my copy, and we can play it.

That gives a whole new meaning to train porn.

Elliot.........I have the VHS version........But Tom McComas added it to the Fastrack layout building DVD.......I suspect as a great example on how to do a "cookie cutter" elevation......and how to wire a 4X8 layout with various accessories.  No matter how far we've come with Command Control, it's still a great reference on conventional control.

Peter

Yeah Peter, it is sort of timeless. Construction and wiring techniques haven't changed much in 21 years.

VHS, i thought for sure it would be 8mm

I still get tired everytime I look at your layout.  So much work.  It is spectacular.  Wow.

I would not worry about a deadline.  That was for all those years we worked hard to get to the point where the most important thing was if and how we worked on the layout tomorrow - or not.  It will get done when it gets done - meanwhile, you are having more fun and than most of us!

And I thought July was a slow month for progress. August was the slowest since I started this topic back at the beginning of 2013. It was like taking an unplanned 3 week vacation.

My wife spent 8 days in the hospital around the middle of the month. She's home now and doing much better, after losing 140 pounds of excess fluid. Life is starting to return to normal.

Add to all that, Patrick's time has been hard to come by, with just a single visit in August. Matt was also here only once, and Jon actually made it over twice.

Matt installs an ERR board in an old Railking switcher.

Jon and I hung track lighting and connected it to the conduit system.

Here's the result. The fixtures are just the right length to reach below the soffit.

We repeated the process in the next aisle.

I wish I had had all that light when I was laying track up there.

Patrick and I finally got the backdrop up.

The elusive Patrick hard at work.

We even started the back side.

Jon's second visit resulted in more lighting getting done. I started tinkering with track design.

More track lighting too.

The light of day finds Red Wing.

Expecting Matt and Patrick on Tuesday. This would be their first meeting.

It's coming along nicley

Great Layout Update

A very detailed update with the description & photos.

Congratulations.............. 

Staggering scope of work every time I look at it!  Amazing progress -- even when you categorize the updates as a "slow month".  

David

See you Tuesday!

Elliot....

Great progress.

I am glad your wife is doing better.

Peter

Amazing!  Thanks for the update.

These updates get better and better, keep them coming.  

Jack 

This just keeps getting better and better and bigger and bigger.  Wow!  You have about how much track?  Seven times what I do? (I have about 500 feet of Atlas track and 'Streets road).  I hope you don't end up having to do seven times the maintenance I do - its not boring but not a lot of fun either. 

Big Boy, Seeing the photo of Matt at the workbench, with the numerous tools arrayed, I would imagine it can get a bit tense if a tool is mislaid or not returned to its spot, esp. given the size of your project (!)

There are times, nowadays, when I go layout-diving, crawling around under it all, looking for this or that stored item, and I come across a long-lost tool from years ago, usually set down by a friend of mine who rarely seemed to be able to bring tools out from under the layout with him after a task was completed. (Who would complain though? Not I, that's for sure. He knew he had that habit and would chuckle over it. I'd just go buy a new tool.)

FrankM.

That will be a mind-boggling layout when it's complete, it's pretty mind-boggling right now!

Glad to hear your wife is doing better, please convey my best wishes to her.

Elliot:

This is sure a monster size layout, and at that, very well planned. Can't wait to see more progress. This would be worth a trip to see it.

Great update as usual. Hope your wife continues to get better.

Awesome! Can't wait to see the trains running soon!!

It runs now, takes like 15 minutes to do one complete loop

Thanks all!!!

Jack - Maybe this falls into the category of practice makes perfect. I am getting these updates down to a science.

Lee - I keep forgetting how much track I have. When I get it finished, I'll have to take a count. I do know that I need to run the track cleaning car around because there's at least one dirty spot behind the big helix.

Frank - Keeping track of the tools isn't tooooo much of a problem. I do have multiples of most common items. I have a couple of restaurant bus carts, one for electrical and the other for general construction. These help keep things gathered up and out from under the layout. Still, every once in a while, I have to search or chase down something. I do know what you mean. When I use something, I remember where I left it. But when my crew uses stuff, to me, it feels like a "ghost" moved it.

Peter, John and Spence - She said thank you. Honestly, my world is chaos without her.

Brian - We should be able to pick the pace back up here in September. Visitors are always welcome. Maybe next summer, when things are a little further along.

Pete - In case you missed my videos, they are posted a previous page. Here's my Youtube channel. 

Time for another progress report. As anticipated, things are starting to ramp up again. I'm not back to peak work hours, but much better than the last couple months.

Patrick was back to his old weekly schedule, with 4 visits. Matt and Jon, just had one each.

Patrick filled, sanded, primed and painted a ton of backdrop.

Both sides!


Then it was time for me to get busy laying track.


While doing a preliminary layout, I came up with an alternate design from what I had originally drawn.


After hashing it out here on the forum, I arrived at this design, and ordered a double slip.


I still have a bunch of old Right of Way switches to use. They were not made as well as Ross, and are rather fragile, because they have no splines to hold the ties in place. I bought some black Evergreen sheets, and glued them on. It wasn't perfect, but it helped stabilize them.


Here they are installed.


Patrick put down the chicken wire on the last section of the layout, along the south wall.


Almost ready for decking.


Deck's in, ready to finish the lighting.


Matt grabbed the camera, and caught Jon and me figuring out the track lighting.


Jon got all of that hung...


While Matt converted a couple Railkings to TMCC.


Patrick hung the next section of backdrop...


around the curve...


and down the wall, until we ran out of Masonite.


My double slip showed up. I trimmed the ties and dropped it in.


The yard is taking shape.


The final design is secured in place.


Getting closer.


This ladder is made from chopped 072's, and is finally screwed down.


Almost done!


Looking the other way. Just 2 pieces left on the last track.


Patrick and I smoothed out the benchwork, so the mains would have nice flow. BTW, I'm going to build a hump yard behind the mains. That should be interesting.


Patrick filled all the seams and screw heads. Ready to sand, prime and paint tomorrow.


Yard is done! 


Engine service area next.


Good month. Patrick will be here in the morning to get October off to a good start.
.

Great track work.   Very nice flow.  Trains will look awesome!

Thanks Ken, I try to keep things smooth.

Sorry I didn't have the photo captions done when you saw it. There were so many pics, I didn't want to risk losing the post. Been having a little trouble with an unstable computer lately.

Elliot, great looking layout.  What type of light bulbs are you using? Brand/price?

...keep the rails polished...

Elliot,

My back hurts just looking at the photos of Patrick working!  

It is a fantastic job you and your crew are doing.  Thank you so much for continually sharing your progress with you.

I was glad to see a full photo of you this month as well!

Keep up the good work fellows!!

Elliot:

You are going to need 3 full time employees just to control all those switches. 

Things are really looking good, Elliot!  Hi to Mill City as well.  Mike just got back from two weeks on the rails with Mount Vernon. He was in charge of the car for the AAPRCO trip to Portland, ME.

I had considered heading up your way on a railfan trip, but decided against it this time.  I do want to get up and see your fabulous layout.  But the longer that I wait, the more you are getting done, so that is a good thing I guess.  Great progress.

Art

Elliot; I may have missed it but was wondering what the chicken wire on the deck is for?

Thanks guys!

NCT - Those are Cree 60W daylight LED's from Home Depot. They are just under $12 ea, down $2 from when I started the project.

Mark - That's the picture I posted of "Patrick the pretzel" over on "what did you do on your layout today". He does make a lot of this possible.

Brian - Actually the grand scheme has the mainline switches being computer controlled.

Bill - I saw the video someone here posted a couple weeks ago, and spotted the Mount Vernon right away.

Art - Funny you should mention coming up for a visit. We were just discussing the possibility of heading down your way at the end of the month. I'll let you know what we come up with.

Spence - I know it is in here somewhere, but it's just easier to say it again. That is a TMCC ground plane. I haven't had a chance to try it out yet, since there is no track power on the upper deck. With the amount of distance between levels, I'm not sure it will even come into play. Time will tell.

Thank you.

Elliot - When you are coming please give as much heads up as possible and we will show you several local layouts and maybe have a run session.  A DuPage train show weekend would get you the most bang for your buck too.

Art 

Art, the plan was to come down for 3 days, 31st, 1st and 2nd. There is boxing at UIC Pavilion Saturday night. A non-train buddy of mine has connections to our local promoter, so we would sit ringside to see one of our local fighters on Showtime. The whole trip hinges on him being able to go. If that doesn't pan out, my wife and I might just take the trip the week before.

I will keep you posted.

I had a similar plan.  We designed our new home around the large basement trainroom and drew up a design for the layout, figuring it would be "done" in five years max.  Then health issues raised their ugly heads.  That really slowed things down.

Now at about 7 years but only into the actual building about three years.

I pretty much gave up on the "someday it will be done" idea and just do what I can on it to keep it moving along.

Get the most run running the trains, so glad we got that part working.

The lead to the upper level has been stalled at three feet from the switch, but the roundhouse may actually get into working order before the end of this year.

Discovered the enjoyment of just working on it and got over the "It's never gonna be done" agony :-)

Kerrigan - Your story sounds exactly like mine, with two minor differences. First my time line is a little longer, I've been at this for 12 years, and shut it down for 6 years. Second, I asked for, and got help.

I don't think mine will ever be done either, but I just keep setting goals. I really want the track done and powered right now, and that seems very possible within the next 6 months.

A good layout is never done.  If it gets to that, the fun has ended!

Huge job Elliot, but you keep making substantial progress.  You'll get it done!!

My question is: Why the chicken wire?  What does it provide?