NJCJOE's New Train Room - 09/18/24 - Ready for the Anthracite Modeler's Meet

12/12/20 – Time for drywall! My buddy offered to come down and give me a hand hanging the “rock”, which was a good idea since I never did this before either. Since it was early December I told him to wait until after the holidays to come down and start. Well, I got bored. Watched some more videos. Thank goodness they don’t charge you for watching those. And the next thing you know, I had some drywall in place. I just kept working my way around the room and before I knew it the walls were done with the exception of the areas that contacted the soffit. I made some minor mistakes but was pretty happy with the end result.

2/6/21 – My two friends came down and we finished installing the soffit drywall. I then finished buttoning up the drywall on the walls and just like that, the sheet rocking was complete.

Joe that really looks great. You should be wearing that proud look at what I accomplished smile as you look around.  Your framing made this final look possible. That certainly was a lot of drywall to carry down into a basement!!!!

@Rich Wiemann posted:

That certainly was a lot of drywall to carry down into a basement!!!!

I lucked out......I have a walk out basement.

Looking good Joe.

Joe, your basement is awesome! Looking great! It will be an incredible train room when done.

Joe, that room really looks bright and inviting already!!

Well...it's coming along. I fear your taper is going to have a few choice words reserved for your boarder...

Are you going to rock the ceiling? It will help keep the dust down and the heat in, in the winter.

@E-UNIT-79 posted:

Are you going to rock the ceiling? It will help keep the dust down and the heat in, in the winter.

No, installing a suspended ceiling.

Looking really great!  Can't wait to see the layout take shape.

Now, step two of the drywall installation:  tape and mud.  Good luck!  I've always hired someone who knows what he's doing (i.e., experienced) to do those jobs. 

I could do a lot of damage in a space like that! I just saw this post now but it's an awesome space and plenty of room for the standard gauge to stretch out!  Cool keep us posted.

2/23/21 – I knew at this point things were going to get very dusty down there. I went ahead and moved 80% of my trains and railroadiana up to the garage. The remaining 20% was placed in other areas of the basement and covered.

I had decided at the beginning of this project that I would not even attempt the drywall taping and finishing. I hired a contractor to do this work and I am glad I did. Two guys worked down there for a whole week. It took a few days to get most of the dust cleaned up afterwards. Here it is ready for paint.

Well...it's coming along. I would have farmed the drywall work out entirely. Pick your battles; my back hurts just from looking at it...

Looks great, Joe!  I agree with Jon, I would have hired out the whole job.  There was a time I would have done like you did Joe, but those days are gone.

Looks great. Coming along nicely.  Sorry, I forgot you I said at the beginning that you would be putting a suspended ceiling in. That is one beautiful train room. Enjoy.

Good move not doing the taping yourself. Plaster dust gets everywhere!

That it does Chris. I was amazed, I had some boxes covered with some old sheets. When I removed the sheets there was dust underneath. It went right through the sheets. It is a fine dust.

Nice crisp walls for a backdrop.

Hi Joe,

Have been drooling over all of the pics you have posted. All of the awesome work and space leaves us with can't wait to see the next update. I can only wonder how spectacular this will be, based on your previous layout. Enjoy the journey. It looks like so much fun! You might be able to fit a signal or two you had outside at your previous residence. Lol

Best,

Joe Gozzo

Looks great, Joe. I noticed you're also using the Roxul insulation; that's what I used in my basement train room and am very happy with it.

Good call on hiring the drywall work. You're well on your way to one fantastic, magazine-and-video-worthy train room!!

John

Are you doing a drop ceiling? The finish work looks good. I remember reading somewhere a long time ago, that dry wall was never meant to be dry sanded during the prep work. According to what I read, a wet sponge was the recommended method. I have done both over the years, and don't care for, nor am I proficient in either method. I try as much as possible to incorporate things like exposed beams or other treatments to cover as much of the seams as possible. The fun is soon to begin!

Yes Don, I am installing a drop ceiling. Hope to have that done by the weekend.

I envy your progress haha looks great!

@BillYo414 posted:

I envy your progress haha looks great!

He's going to surpass my progress........and my train room has been finished for over 6 years. This is motivating me to get busy again.

@BlueComet400 posted:

He's going to surpass my progress........and my train room has been finished for over 6 years. This is motivating me to get busy again.

He's already passed me up haha but it is motivating. For Sure!

Great work and inspiration. I have an unfinished basement and with relatively low ceilings, so if I were to redo my layout, I Might consider painting the ceiling black as some others have done. (Not a suggestion, just a comment) In your case, you have a finished basement that will have a nice clean crisp feel to it and you have excellent lighting already in place. That is a lot of progress in a short amount of time. Can't wait to see more.

Thanks guys. You have to remember this project started a little over two years ago, so it's not going that quickly. Because I went back and have been documenting it from the beginning, it seems fast. After a couple more posts I will be caught up to current time, so things will slow up a bit.

@NJCJOE posted:

Thanks guys. You have to remember this project started a little over two years ago, so it's not going that quickly. Because I went back and have been documenting it from the beginning, it seems fast. After a couple more posts I will be caught up to current time, so things will slow up a bit.

Some time lapse photography perhaps!

@NJCJOE posted:

Thanks guys. You have to remember this project started a little over two years ago, so it's not going that quickly. Because I went back and have been documenting it from the beginning, it seems fast. After a couple more posts I will be caught up to current time, so things will slow up a bit.

No worries Joe. It's kind of like watching one of those home improvement shows on TV. It's amazing what they can accomplish in 60 minutes.

Bob

Man we can shoot alot of lemon pits around that room  Looks awesome

You guys are hilarious.

3/13/21– I got all the walls and soffit primed. The next day I was able to paint the soffit white. Then another train friend came over to help paint the light gray on the walls. I also finished installing the remaining outlets and wall plates. It’s really starting to look like something at this point.

@NJCJOE posted:

You guys are hilarious.

3/13/21– I got all the walls and soffit primed. The next day I was able to paint the soffit white. Then another train friend came over to help paint the light gray on the walls. I also finished installing the remaining outlets and wall plates. It’s really starting to look like something at this point.

Daaaaang! Museum quality! Are you retired now?

Joe Gozzo

Well, it's coming along, blindingly so...

Well done.

@Trainlover160 posted:

Daaaaang! Museum quality! Are you retired now?

Joe Gozzo

No, not retired.

@NJCJOE posted:

Thanks guys. You have to remember this project started a little over two years ago, so it's not going that quickly...... After a couple more posts I will be caught up to current time, so things will slow up a bit.

However Joe, that’s when you get to the GOOD stuff like benchwork, laying track, wiring and running trains! Followed by scenic material, structures and populating your creation.  

3/23/21 – I ordered the suspended ceiling tiles from a company online. They are not your typical mineral fiber tiles. Rather they are fiberglass with a fiberglass-vinyl latex composite faces and sealed edges. These were delivered via a freight company, all 674 lbs. of them. After working in the basement for so long, you forget how big it is, until you order materials. 

Joe, that ceiling tile material sounds great!  This is the first I have heard of it.  I spent too much time in drop ceilings in the first 2/3 of my 43 years working for power and telecom utilities.  I hate that traditional material.  It always leaves dust an larger pieces when you have to move a tile to get to wiring and plumbing.

Are you going to install it yourself?  I only did it once.  My late father-in-law helped me (or I should say I helped him) install it in our first house long ago.

I s your floor still concrete.  I think so looking at the photographs.  What are your plans for the floor.  I’m still working with concrete in my layout room floor.

Mark,

Yes, these ceiling tiles are pretty nice. Those old fiberglass panels were a pain but with these being completely covered with the fiberglass-vinyl latex composite, they quite nice. I too am not a fan of the mineral fiber panels. The ceiling grid was installed with the help of a friend last weekend and I am installing the tiles. Pictures coming soon.

The floor is concrete and will be carpeted with 2'x2' carpet tiles. Waiting for the delivery truck as we speak.

Excellent choices, Joe!!