Blackwater Canyon Line - October 14, 2024 - Town and Scratchbuild Planning

@Oman posted:

Mark

28" was a possible interior door size back in the 70's. I don't know what code says today. Anyway 28" is more than adequate.

Keith, Thank you!  That is the size of this interior door.    It is right up in the corner, with only 1/2-inch of trim, hence- 28 1/2 inches.  Yes, I think I like it.    I think I am smart leaving the extra space on the other 'peninsula' since that is where the sliding glass door opens.  That gives a little more room for turning the corner to move whatever in and out.

@mike g. posted:

Mark, your a skinny guy, it should work just fine! 

I think you are right, Mike! 

@Mark Boyce posted:

Thank you very much, Larry!!

Today I cut some Homasote for the tabletop level closest to the door.  I had mentioned that I hadn't left room for the siding closest to the aisle.  I decided to put down some Homasote and see how it is for getting in and out of the room for a day or two before deciding to put in a wider piece of plywood.  Four more inches of table cuts the aisle width to 28 1/2 inches.  So far I think it will work out alright.

Mark, my train-room doorway is 24 inches wide and it is fine. 

It is sounding like the ‘ayes’ have it!  Lew I do remember your door with the lift up in front of it.  Thank you!

I have done a little at a time in the last 2 1/2 weeks.  I finished supporting the Homasote with a cantilevered scabbed in section of plywood.  The extra width hasn't caused me any trouble at all walking through.  I hadn't mentioned I gave up on using the stone flecked spray paint for my roadbed, and have been using brush on gray.  It looks good enough until I get to ballasting.  One coat leaves some dark speckles from the variegated cork which looks good.

I laid out the track from the bottom of the grade closest to the wall and around the bend by the door.  I had to cut off part of the straight portion of two switches, one for the passing siding and the other for the spur to get them to fit up to the edge of the table where the lower lift up will be.  I put in some power drops and with clip leads checked the track.  so far, so good.

Oh, the engine in the first photograph was a recent purchase from a Forum member.  It is an MTH Premier PS2 SD40-2.  The seller pointed out the ditch lights don't work.  Actually they are intermittent.  I'll have to take a look inside.  Yes, I broadened my horizons buying it, as I like the black fireball or speed lettering better than the red, white, black scheme used in the latter days of the Western Maryland.  It was a deal I couldn't pass up. 

Mark! 

It's wonderful work ! Very Nice!

Looking good Mark. I like the SD-40 too!

Great work Mark on your layout! 

Thank you, Leandro, Bob, and John.  I put in the cork for the passing siding today.

I finally have the track roughly in for both loops except the flip up bridges to enter the layout center.  The roadbed, track and power drops are in although no wiring connects to the drops.  I put in switches for both ends of each passing siding and tested that an engine and caboose can go back and forth from one track to the other.  I checked the length of each passing siding, and I can fit 5 Menards 40-foot boxcars on each.  I think that was equal to one H9, 4 2-bay hoppers, and a caboose.  Regardless, they are the same length.  I would like to have them longer, but on such a small layout, this is good enough.  I could have double tracked, but I don't want that.  I have checked that a train can run on all the mainline track without incidence.  I have the switches in for sidings, but no sidings at this time.

One issue I think I have a solution for is on the left side of the layout, the higher track is in front of the lower track.  I didn't want to put in solid scenery, so I have a stand in until a better option comes.  I have roughly installed a K-Line set of timber piers that allow me to see through to the other track and future buildings.  For now it is just roughed in.  They are not fastened to the table, and I didn't measure or count ties to make sure of even spacing.  The main thing is they will hold the SD40-2 and caboose while they travel back and forth.

It is beginning to look like a railroad!

WOW Mark, Look at your go! Things are really coming together and they look great! I like the piers as like you said they let you see the track behind. I have missed so much lately but I am glad I was able to catch your update! Makes me want to get back in the train room even more, but still have other stuff to take care of first! Again looks great!

Thank you, Mike!  I hope you get back to your train room soon

Great progress Mark, finally getting a three dimension feel for what your layout is going to be.

Steve

Looks great, Mark - makes me want to get back to the layout again! 👍👍 I like that timber pier setup.

Congratulations Mark. Looks great. 👍 You've got to be itching to run trains on the layout now.

Thank you, Steve, Firewood, and Pat!

Yes, I have trouble putting down on paper what I am thinking of in three dimensions.  Maybe it is from my early training in drafting, where I did fine on each side view, but the isometric drawings were always a challenge.  Fortunately, when I went into electronics, I was just doing schematic drawings and front views of equipment panel layouts.  This was all with T-square and triangle on vellum or mylar.  (Yes, the Dark Ages)    I had a time of it trying to make a drawing for DoubleDAZ Dave to see what I had in mind for the town on the hill.

The timber pier purchase was a surprise.  We have a gift shop in the little shopping center near us.  Greater Butler Mart.  What an ambitious name for a town of 13,000, but it was state of the art back in 1960 when it opened.  Back to the gift shop, the lady has a lot of trains in the shop.  They are mostly from the MPC era and up to, but not including any command control.  Anyway, there was this K-Line box there brand new without any of the inner wrapping open.  She wanted $20 for it, and I realized it was just the ticket for a stand in until I can come up with a more permanent arrangement, which I plan to be long after I do scenery work behind it.  I do plan to paint it to make it a little more realistic looking.

You are right, I am itching to get a train running around the whole layout.  Now the two challenges will be:

1. To get the wiring in so I don't have to move alligator jumpers everywhere.

2. Receive my small order from Mianne to complete the last leg (literally) of the table.  I sent the order and paid Tim already.  (I could build it up with a 2x4 as the missing leg and swap in the Mianne leg and I-beams if he is too backlogged.)

3. Build the lift up bridges and electrical work in so I don't have any accidents.

Really starting to take shape Mark.

Now slap a temporary bridge together so you can run a full loop.

Bob

You're really making nice progress mark. 11x11--sheesh! I was crying in my beer about fitting things to 17x18! Watching you work makes me feel RICH!

Don Merz

You're killing it, Mark!

Well done.

George

Looks really good Mark, everything is coming together. Before you know it, passengers will be looking for coaches as the freight passes them by.

Mark looking good I started installing all my switch’s and ordered the Double Crossover from Ross can’t wait to get them all installed so I to can do away with the alligator clips and start permanent wiring. 

Bob, Don, George, Dave, Rick, Thank you!!

A temporary bridge is a good idea, Bob!  I was looking at that today-that's all I did on the layout.

Don, I am just happy for what space I have!  It has been too long without a permanent layout to work on.

Rick, That will be great when you get the double crossover!!  Yes, it is a bit tiresome moving jumpers and then moving something and having one pull loose.  

Great job Mark, and you are making steady progress. I agree with Bob, a temporary bridge would allow you to run some trains and to see where you may need to tighten up your wiring.

Andy

Andy, Thank you!  

Don commented about the layout in an 11x11 room.  Today, I setup and started cutting a shelf to put the Z4000 on to get it off the layout.  Yes, It is a little tight, but it was too hot to do it outside.

Last evening I made a first run on the layout with a temporary lift out bridge handling the opening to the center and the temporary trestles.  Here is the liftout as RSJB18 Bob suggested.

Here are a couple views of the layout, one from the door and the other from the window over the washer and dryer.

Here is the first run video running an MTH Premier SD40-2 and Lionel caboose.  Later in the evening I switched in the 5 hoppers on the siding but didn't video.

          very nice shot Mark,  looks nice !!     great looking room !

Thank you, Brian!  My wife Kim says it's a nice view out the laundry room window now.   

I know there is still a lot to be done, but it has to be exciting being able to make a full run like that. Kudos!

Excellent! 

Congratulations Mark! I'm excited for you. Another milestone. You're getting it done over there.

Dave

This is coming together so we'll Mark. I can't wait to see when you get to the final piece of track laid then start on the next part. 

Thank you Dave, Keith, Dave, and Dave! 

It is good to get to this point, even though there are a lot tweeks that need done to the track and wiring.  I checked out moving trains from main to passing siding, and back on the lower level and it works good.  I haven't done that on the upper level yet.  You can see switches in for the spurs, but no track for the spurs yet.

The laundry room looks like a nice vantage point Mark.

Bob

....  Keep on rollin           I know, wrong BW 

😉 👍

Looks great, Mark. 

Very very nice Mark!! I like the track plan of going around and over itself and back down again.

Bob, Thank you.  When I take down the signs and have the scenery up on the brick window sill it will be a better view.  

Thank you Adriatic.  You were thinking of this Black Water.

That song came out when I was commuting to Penn Tech in Pittsburgh.  One of the guys I shared rides with loved that song!  Three country boys driving to the Big City!

Thank you Pat and Tom!!  I like how the over and under is turning out as well.

Really looking great Mark but I see you were not wearing your engineers cap and I still want that Retirement plan sign. Keep up the great work it is a great feeling to watch your trains run for the first time on a new layout. 

Rick, Thank you!  I can scan the retirement sign and send it to you!  I have half a dozen engineer caps.  My wife has been buying them for at least 30 years.  

Mark, I haven’t had time to watch the videos but will soon, just a word to say, Wow, you’ve come a long way, the trackwork looks great, it’s a fine plan. The up and over is a fantastic idea and your Western Maryland diesel looks right at home. Great work, great utilization of space, thanks for sharing your work with us. Happy Railroading