So they pulled 200 feet off a roll and sent it that way. I am going to order some myself since I have away what was on my red and black rolls. I’ll do it after I move wire to new track connections.
Happy New Years everyone!
Mark it sure looks like that, I better find something to wrap it around, so it doesn't turn into a rat's nest! LOL
So yesterday I made some more progress on the rebuild, or at this point I should be saying teardown! LOL I got more track up and roadbed removed, I even had to take down the operating airfield as not to damage it, don't worry its going back on the new layout!
So here are a couple photos and one of my new track cleaning station in the garage. I moved it out there so I would quit making such a mess on the bench work for the layout, plus it gives me more room to work and not to have to keep moving track around.
As you can see I still have to remove the upper inside track above and realign the everything with the outside track. But that will all come later as I need to focus on the lower track first as some of it runs directly under the upper track!
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I am enjoying watching your progress from 2500 miles away. I think I enjoyed the building the most, and you get to do it twice! Thanks for all the detailed progressions.
@John H posted:I am enjoying watching your progress from 2500 miles away. I think I enjoyed the building the most, and you get to do it twice! Thanks for all the detailed progressions.
Thanks John, I don't know that I will get much done today as the in-laws are on the way over. Maybe when they go home, I will get out there and clean some track before taking any more out, so I don't overwhelm myself! LOL
I don't think I will take any photos of that! LOL
Nice work Mike. You are making quick work of this process, but you’re being smart about it. Even going as far as reusing the ballast! I have to say, I’m very impressed how you’re approaching this, neat and orderly. Nicely done.
Andy
Hi guys I hope your all doing well, I know I haven't been here for a couple of days, but I have been working on the layout trying to get as much done as possible before my knee surgery on Wednesday.
I was a little mad at myself as I got ahead of things before, I made the siding going down to the future staging yard that is under the layout. I had to go back and take the upper level out that is right about the area where I had to cut the main decking to get my ramp down. So here I am with 5 steps forward and 3 steps back! LOL
With that said I was able to get my grade area cut, track laid and power drops installed! The grade is about 3% but I was running out of room, and I wanted to make sure I had enough clearance for my taller Auto carriers. So, I made the clearance at 7 1/2" just because of the height of the track and roadbed and the brackets I had to use to hold up the upper level.
Here are a couple of photos and video's
As always, I am open to input!
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It looks great, Mike! I get ahead of myself all the time!! 🤪
Looking good!
Peter
Nice work Mike, looking good.
Andy
Hi everyone and thank you all for the kind words! I was able to to get out to the train room yesterday and today after sitting on my rear for the last 3 days after my knee surgery.
I was able to get all the track laid along the long wall till I ran out of room before I have to start dismantle of the rest of the old upper loop. I even got all the power drops in and connected which sucked getting back off the floor.
Well here are a couple photos of all the track, and the painted table top to make things look cleaner.
You know it's funny I didn't think I could ever find something more exciting then washing used ballest, but sure enough I did, painting side rails of track and nail heads! LOL
I hope you all have a great week!
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@mike g. posted:Hi everyone and thank you all for the kind words! I was able to to get out to the train room yesterday and today after sitting on my rear for the last 3 days after my knee surgery.
I was able to get all the track laid along the long wall till I ran out of room before I have to start dismantle of the rest of the old upper loop. I even got all the power drops in and connected which sucked getting back off the floor.
Well here are a couple photos of all the track, and the painted table top to make things look cleaner.
You know it's funny I didn't think I could ever find something more exciting then washing used ballest, but sure enough I did, painting side rails of track and nail heads! LOL
I hope you all have a great week!
Well done!
Peter
@mike g. posted:Hi everyone and thank you all for the kind words! I was able to to get out to the train room yesterday and today after sitting on my rear for the last 3 days after my knee surgery.
I was able to get all the track laid along the long wall till I ran out of room before I have to start dismantle of the rest of the old upper loop. I even got all the power drops in and connected which sucked getting back off the floor.
Well here are a couple photos of all the track, and the painted table top to make things look cleaner.
You know it's funny I didn't think I could ever find something more exciting then washing used ballest, but sure enough I did, painting side rails of track and nail heads! LOL
I hope you all have a great week!
Looking great Mike. You can see the space you've freed up for scenery. It's nice to see your plan coming together.
Thank you, Peter!
Hey, Dave Thanks, you, you sure are right about the amount of space in the center for buildings and even a road, then I am thinking a walking trail/ park area along the front. Just thoughts for now.
Morning guys and gals, It has been a while since my last update. Things are moving forward but at a slow rate do to my knee killing me !LOL
I have been able to work on the change to the layout, but it has been a lot of wood cutting and planning, I also had to change up some of the loop to give me room between table. It is the same plan just changed out 072 with a mixture of 072 and 054, I also mixed in some 080 curves to give me more room and shorten up the length of the table to give me room at the entrance to the train room.
I was lucky to have a friend that works at the local sawmill get me a stack of 20-year-old 2x12's that I have been able to cut down to 2x4's and another friend gave me a full sheet of 1/2" plywood.
Here are a couple of photos to prove that I have been doing something! LOL
The plywood is just sitting there, once I get the track laid out and mark its location, I will cut the plywood so I have an open grid below the next step of the upper level just so I have access to the lower track just in case! lol
I hope you all have a great weekend and find time for your layout and trains!
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Will you be combining the 0-72 and 0-54 on curves? I've heard of people doing that to get a better looking/smoother curve but still haven't seen an example. So I'm curious, if that's what you did.
Mike, I’m glad you are able to get back working on the layout!! I’ll be looking to seeing how you mix your curves as well! Make sure you can run your big steamer!!
@BillYo414 Bill, that is the plan, it seems to work on SCARM. My last layout had 072 & 080 mixed together.
@Mark Boyce Mark I am hopping I can run the big steamer, Jeff AKA Scoutingdad says he has on his layout with 054 curves, if not I will be redoing it again! LOL I am not getting rid of the Steamer I have
I'm very interested in seeing some photos when you get it done!!
@BillYo414 posted:I'm very interested in seeing some photos when you get it done!!
No problem Bill I will be posting photos as I go!
@mike g. posted:Morning guys and gals, It has been a while since my last update. Things are moving forward but at a slow rate do to my knee killing me !LOL
I have been able to work on the change to the layout, but it has been a lot of wood cutting and planning, I also had to change up some of the loop to give me room between table. It is the same plan just changed out 072 with a mixture of 072 and 054, I also mixed in some 080 curves to give me more room and shorten up the length of the table to give me room at the entrance to the train room.
I was lucky to have a friend that works at the local sawmill get me a stack of 20-year-old 2x12's that I have been able to cut down to 2x4's and another friend gave me a full sheet of 1/2" plywood.
Here are a couple of photos to prove that I have been doing something! LOL
The plywood is just sitting there, once I get the track laid out and mark its location, I will cut the plywood so I have an open grid below the next step of the upper level just so I have access to the lower track just in case! lol
I hope you all have a great weekend and find time for your layout and trains!
Mike, my build has been going a similar way. The other day I removed a panel and I forgot there was nothing holding the cross bracing together. The whole table 30 x 96 inch flipped over and took two other sections with it along with a bunch of track. Busted up a bunch of Atlas track ends and bent a few Ross track sections, but nothing except one thing either not repairable or unuseable. Lucky I guess, the crash was in slow motion and nothing I could do other than slow it down.
Jeff sorry to hear about the tumble, but am glad it is nothing you can't fix! 1 step forward and 2 steps back, but don't worry one day both our layouts will be up and running!
Jeff, that sounds like something I would do! I’m glad there wasn’t much damage. Yes you and Mike will have trains running again soon.
Mike, you will be 100% in short order. You need to be patient a little while longer. Great score with the lumber, you have some nice neighbors! You are still making good progress.
Jeff, glad you weren’t seriously hurt. That’s most important.
Andy
Wow, @mike g, great progress, and I’m impressed with the way you cleaned your track and ballast for reusing. Also your layouts coming along fine, and hopefully your knees are as well. Your carpentry skills are also cool and I think you’re going to have a fun to run railroad. I’m glad you like BNSF, I do go. Have a great weekend. Happy weekend. Happy Railroading Everyone
Morning guys I hope your all doing well.
Yesterday I was able to get to the train room and got some more cork down and hope to get the track and power drops done today! Just a little photo showing my mess. I figured I better wait on installing the sheet of plywood till I got the track in the back done so I am not crawling on top of the layout.
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Solid! Props to your wisdom/experience haha I would have definitely thrown that plywood up there and then had to crawl across the layout.
Good idea, Mike! I ran into the problem you are avoiding by adding my new high line along the wall. The stretching is almost complete!
Morning guys I was able to work on the layout yesterday and got my goal met with the track laid and powered up. The best was testing it and the small switcher worked great.
I also got more cork laid and hope to do the same thing today and get track laid and tested. If I get that far it will be a very small section first off of a mixture of 054 & 072 curves to get around a post, then a mixture of 054 & 080 to make the outside end loop on the lower level.
I hope everyone has a great day!
That sounds great, Mike! It is always good to get some track powered and run an engine a bit!!
Hi guys, got some more track and cork down and powered up! I even took a little video for you guys, and I know Bill was really interested in seeing the mixture of 054 & 072 and in my case also 080!
It took me a little as I wanted to test each connection as I went along so I wouldn't have to go back and fix things! because I have so much stuff still under the layout so when I am done with laying the track, I will go back and replace all the main power wire leading to the drops!
Here is where I am so far!
I hope you all have a great night and I hope to get out there tomorrow again if I can!
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Nice smooth track, Mike!
i would have forgotten to stop my engine. Good thing you did Mike.
Glad to see you have trains running! Nice progress Mike!
Andy
what would you think about using flex track to soften the curve around the pillar?
Hi everyone, I hope your all doing well!
I was able to get to the train room and laid out track and marked out where the cork is going to go. It was a little satisfying but the bad news is that I am out of cork till Monday, and I will soon be out of track. I am hoping that I have enough to at least get the lower loops finished.
I guess I am going to have to find more interesting stuff to sell to get extra money for track! LOL
@wb47 I thought about using flex track, but I need to save that for other areas of the layout!
Here is a photo of today's work.
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Mike, yes O Gauge track is expensive! Quite a change from HO track for me!
Well guys nothing new today as I am out of cork. I am still thinking about painting the track sides, but right now it is just a thought! LOL I have all weekend!
Mike, I’ve thought of painting the track sides too, but there are too many other things to do on a layout, so I have never bothered! 😄
Mike, Mark, I spray painted the sides of the track a flat camouflage brown, then wiped the tops of the rails right away. Simple and quick. But make sure you have good ventilation.
Andy
Thanks Andy, I did that with all the track on my old layout, but forgot some after I already got it down.
I went to the paint cabinet to get my earth brown spray paint to do the stuff not down yet and to my surprise I was out. But I did have qt. Of brush paint in earth brown, so that's what I used.
