Exciting! I think the most fun I’ve had is building the layout and fixing broken stuff. We used to have about 6 guys come over band run trains all at once which allowed for plenty of chances to have something to fix. Covid and some not surviving getting to 90 yo changed all that.
I'm hoping things return to normal, it's fun to get a few people together, looking forward to that again.
We have been fortunate, the club was restricted to 10 or less at once until this past May, I am hoping the current flare up does not restrict us again.
I live too far from club members to have run sessions, so when I move closer I am hoping to be able to have run days or nights with a group there.
What in the world are you building there?
Additional research would be needed, but perhaps if you leave them in the sun they multiply.
@Tranquil Hollow RR posted:Additional research would be needed, but perhaps if you leave them in the sun they multiply.
With the pile of those clamps that Tom has, I don't think he wants them to multiply, they're run him out of his house! 
In any case, the clamp crisis has passed, the blocks are all glued and ready for the first layer of fascia.
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That is how I make curved valleys. Note the parallel lines.
The valley rough cut is inverted so as to align the top edge along the flat line of the table. This was for a demo I did at the Indy show a few years ago.
Then the next day I remove the clamps and cut along the lines with a fine tooth metal jig saw blade to make the outside fascia frame for a deep valley like this:
This is an elongated version valley for a long trestle from awhile ago.
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More progress on the freight yard, got the bridge section cut, now you can see how the whole thing will come together. Obviously, more work to do, but I'm getting excited!
A couple of places have very sharp curves in the fascia, those had to be water treated to get the tight bends. After a couple of days drying, the fascia should take the new set and I'll glue it all on. Right now it's tacked or clamped to keep the shape.
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It's neat working with you John. I make a mess, leave tools and sawdust all over the place then you clean up every thing nice and neat. My wife may just ask you to do the same here!
John/Tom,
Thanks for sharing. It's fascinating to see this layout unfold.
Mike
That tight nose is a 2" radius. Working with 3/8" bendable plywood I sand a tad off the back side to alleviate the squeeze a bit then mark the start and end of the curve. Take the material to a wash basin and hold it like a hammock and allow steaming hot water to flow over it for several minutes, first the front then the back, reversing several times. Spend ten minutes or so.
The take the fascia piece to the job and clamp the starting end and hand form it to the start of the nose. At this point go very slowly and firmly but gently bend the plywood around the nose while rubbing it with a dripping rag of steaming hot water.
Keep a quiet room so you can listen for any crackling. If you hear crackling it was not hot or wet enough or you are going too quickly. Correct your manner and continue. You should not hear crackling or see separation of the surface. It never hurts to re-wet it under hot water. I am talking hot hot. Take your time, the finished project is worth it.
Two other tight corners:
A waffle bottom module:
If you have lot of corners to do you can use a tall turkey fryer. If you want info I can explain.
Turkey fryers will allow you to wrap 3/4" plywood around a 1 gallon paint can:
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Looking fantastic!!
You need to publish your work TomTee! PLEASE
Tom is certainly a wealth of woodworking ideas, and I can say for sure that progress would be much slower here without his expertise in the mix! 
John, I think you mean "without".
Chris
LVHR
TomTee is definitely an arteeest with wood! If I learn half of what he knows, I'll be lightyears ahead of where I am now!
Chris
LVHR
Wow! looking great so far. Glad you're enjoying your layout.
Alex
I am adding items to my list of wants for my next layout john, Hopefully when we move I will have more room to expand and layer my future trainroom.
It won't have Tom's elegant curves but I hope to have 3 levels, a helix or 2 and more around the room type layout. I'm just glad I built my current one on modular benches so I can reuse them.
Ron, I considered a helix, but I really don't have the space to fit one it. In order to run the big stuff, it would have to be O72 curves and be over six feet around, that takes a lot of space.
@lehighline posted:John, I think you mean "without".
Fixed. 
John, What I am hoping to do is use a 2 tier helix to bridge under the layout to storage tracks and if I have the room, one between the levels so any train can traverse the entire layout. Any future layout will have 072 and wider curves so any locomotive can run. My current 060/048 is good but half my trains won't run well on them, so they only run at the club.
Until we find property, with or without an out building, It is all general planning right now. I want a 40x60 shop this time. My current 40x45 is good but the layout is not conducive to having a combined welding/wood working room plus a train room. The wife will be glad it is out of the house, late night whistles, smoke and track rumbling, not to mention the sound cars with slack, brake squeals and PSA tend to have her at the entrance with that scowl tapping her foot.
Hi Jay, thank you for the compliment however this is just elementary wood working techniques adapting non essential but esthetically flowing lines into a model RR.
If you can draw a flowing line on plywood, cut it out with a new 32 tooth jig saw blade, smooth it out with a 100 grit disk, tack on some bendable plywood with Premium Urethane adhesive you can fashion anything. Now getting into three dimensional construction can be a bit more entertaining. Example:
If you are stymied somewhat in a gluing project just call Franklin Adhesives. They have a tech who guide you in adhesive selection and application.
Just cut the biggest pieces first so when you screw it up you can reallocate it to the next smaller utilization.
For waffle bottom work the Sippin' and Switchin' group in the mid west have put a "How to" together on their website.
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"Tom is certainly a wealth of woodworking ideas, and I can say for sure that progress would be much slower here without his expertise in the mix! "
In the past, Tom Tee did not move the needle. Then I went to John's house to pick up some Fastrack he was selling and John mentioned him. Now, I understand and Tom now hits the "tilt." Mark
Seeing is believing.
@Tom Tee posted:It's neat working with you John. I make a mess, leave tools and sawdust all over the place then you clean up every thing nice and neat. My wife may just ask you to do the same here!
Kinda like going to play with the grand kids and leaving them all sugared up with a big mess around the house. 
Seriously tho you guys make a good team. Thanks for sharing your tips and tricks John and Tom.
Base layer of fascia on, just have to wait for the PL3 to set and I can fill, sand, and paint. 
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One more step on a long journey, filled the remaining holes, sanded everything flat, masked off the wall and my protective J-channel for the bridge. Finally I slapped a coat of primer on the bare wood.
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Looks nice and smooth, John!
WOW John, I am glad I got up early this morning as I am a slow reader. I just started at page one again and read to your last post just to find something I thought I seen here and course I found it in several places. I was looking for the type and thickness of facia board. found it somewhere near page 14 but just kept going LOL there is so much to learn for you and Tom on this build, along with everyone else's suggestions. Thanks for the wonderful 38 pages of reading!
Well, there's a lot to learn from Tom, and a little to learn from me! With the experience of doing the main board, I'm flying partially solo on the yard expansion. I'm installing the fascia myself, I had the benefit of Tom's expertise showing me how on the big table. Just finished painting it, when the paint dries, I'll put on the second layer of fascia, then all that's left is finishing the bridge section.
Tom brought up some neat locating pins, and since he's done these a bunch of times, I'll wait for the next visit for finalizing the bridge section and installing those, I want the lift-out to work well. A man's got to know his limitations!
Another step forward. Got the surfaces painted and the second layer of fascia on the main table extension. I have to take a trip to Lowes and get more Loctite PL3 adhesive to do the freight yard side.
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Looks great John. I'm very jealous!
🤪🤪
For the curious, this is the process of bending the fascia on the tight bends. I soaked the end of this in hot water for around five minutes, then it folded right around the point. I'll leave it to dry, and I'm going to have a fan blowing on it to hurry the process. Then I'll remove the formed piece and glue and clamp it in place permanently.
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"Teach a man to fish"... and he will build his own layout. Great job there John!!
John, those engines look lonely sitting in the background. Time to get that yard laid. I notice you're coming up on a 4 year anniversary soon. Does it feel like it has been 4 years?
@turkey_hollow_rr posted:John, those engines look lonely sitting in the background. Time to get that yard laid. I notice you're coming up on a 4 year anniversary soon. Does it feel like it has been 4 years?
The fun is in the journey!
Dan, I do not believe any engine or any car from any importer could ever be lonely in John's cave! Reality is that one must turn and maneuver carefully when traversing his train room. Extremely broad collection of equipment, total eye candy.
@turkey_hollow_rr posted:John, those engines look lonely sitting in the background. Time to get that yard laid. I notice you're coming up on a 4 year anniversary soon. Does it feel like it has been 4 years?
It has been a longer than anticipated journey, but I'm looking forward to reaching a milestone. I'm not going to say the destination, we all know that's never reached. 
@Tom Tee posted:Dan, I do not believe any engine or any car from any importer could ever be lonely in John's cave! Reality is that one must turn and maneuver carefully when traversing his train room. Extremely broad collection of equipment, total eye candy.
Just imagine when all those boxes and the closets are unpacked! I have to get that other wall of shelves up.
John, I have never been able to unpack all of the trains, there always seems to be just ONE more closet or nook with boxes, so your lucky if your room and shelves will handle your collection and let you peruse them with a cup of coffee and a remote in hand.
