PRRfan's Layout Progress

 I haven't been doing too much lately, just some ballast and electrical work.  I've been kicking around the idea of a backdrop, I'm 50/50 on the idea.

I don't know what it is about the older Plasticville houses, but I've grown to really like them.  I'm planning on using three of them on a hillside at the base of the mountain.  Here's one I just bought, it was a NIB kit from the 60s.  

Is this the older layout that you posted a photo of? I believe it was several months ago that you posted the photo. I believe it was 4 c 12.

No, the above photos are of my current layout.  The photos in the first post of this thread are of my 4x12 tinplate layout from seven years ago at a prior house.

Wow, looks good.  What size layout do you have there?  (I haven't went through your entire thread, just whats here on page 3)  And the curves, what are they?  My layout will be small, 8x10, so I'm curious

 

Thanks,

Mike

The table is 16'x6' plus the 2' leg that sticks out.  The outer loop is O54 and inner is O45.

PRRfan: Just caught up on this thread.  Great job and execution of scenery.  Your layout and train room are neat and tidy.

Nice work.  What did you use for your roads?  I like the color variation of them that looks like welol worn marks from traffic.

Thanks; I have a severe case of OCD, LOL.

The roads are made from sandpaper and weathered down the center with black chalk.

Really a GREAT looking and well thought out railroad.  Love you attention to detail.  I do have one question though, who made the station building.  I really like the looks of it.

Thank you, Bob.  The station is made by MTH, I believe it is called the "country passenger depot" - I've had it for for about eight years.

I added turf along the back edge...

And the yard ballast is 95% complete...

Also ordered one of these, there will more building coming soon.

Today I mocked up the hillside to see what it would look like behind downtown.  I used 2x4 scrap blocks for height.  Let me know what you think!

 

Here it is three blocks high:

Here's with two blocks high, I liked this a lot better...

 

PRRfan,

  It is up to you what you want to do, but you might want to leave off the piece to the left that blocks the view of the tunnel portal. Maybe you could end it where the pickup is and make it look like a cliff...just my two cents.

 

 Tom

I forgot to mention that I am planning on tapering the left of the hillside down to the table level - I want to run a street up in front of the houses.

Sounds good!

 

Tom

I agree on the two block high.

Yes on two blocks is a good proportion.  If I was going to make it 3 blocks, I would want the hill to be higher as well.

Thanks for the input, guys.  Now I just need to fit a foam board into my Saturn in the Lowes parking lot!

Good evening PRR Fan

If you are going to Lowes and If you want, ask them if they have any damaged or broken sheets of foam board green or pink.

 

I did this at our local Lowes and got two 4'x8' sheets of 2" foam board for $ 10.00

It was already broke so it fit in our Chevy Traverse.

 

Just a thought  

Layout looks great !!!

 

Awesome idea, Mark - thanks!

 

Great work! Iam impressed with the attention to detail and neatness of the layout! The trackwork is excellent and your scenery is bringing it to life. Keep it up! Sincerely, Clifford

Wow.  Your work is neat with fine details.  You incorporated the city scape into the track nicely.  It is a colorful layout with a lot of eye appeal I think.

I haven't had much time lately, but here's new additions.  General Store came this week and I installed a LED - I'm pretty happy with how the downtown buildings go together so well.  I also got a Plasticville split level kit.

 

Main st looking good!!!

The additions look great.  Love the night scene shot.

 

Thanks for the update.

The scenery work looks very good. The street with all the cars and the diner look sweet! Keep up the good work.

Good evening PRR Fan, did you happen to use the Woodland Scenics LED plug in kit for lighting your buildings?

 

Your work in the back corner looks great along with the rest of the layout!!!

Hey Mark,

 

the light is just a single Mega LED from Evens Designs.  

http://www.modeltrainsoftware.com/mega-led.html  

 

I just removed the cardboard interior, punched a hole through the top, and fed the LED down through - easy 5 minute project for $2.50. 

 

Cut a foam platfrom to start a hill, but it will have to wait till fall because train season is coming to a close.

Also finished the Flag Stop station.

Very nice, especially the station.

 

Tom

I agree with Tom, I like the station, nice very nice!!!!!!

Thanks, I put a lot of time into painting that darn little building!  I also have a mini chip LED to install.  

I know what you mean about train season going away till next fall.

 

Thats one thing bad about turning ahead the clocks one hour, now when I get home and it is daylight and I see all the cleanup that lies ahead of me after this winter season.

 

Before the time change I would leave in the dark and come home in the dark, out of sight out of mind    

Oh well !!!!

This is the first time I've reviewed the entire thread.  Absolutely outstanding work, PRRfan.  Seeing results like this give me inspiration to continue on...even into the off season.

 

Bruce

Like the progress you have made. Please keep the updates coming.

Boy you've made some great progress. The layout looks fantastic. Time to take the Mustang out of hibernation. It's going to be a while for me. Still got about 6" on the ground of that white stuff.

I had my car out about a week ago - then came the rain.  It sat for almost six months this winter, I can't wait to on some miles!

Picked up two new buildings while on vacation in Pensacola. 

 

Hardware...

Added an LED...

I found this mixed in a pile of HO buildings for $5.  This is my favorite Plasticville building and have been looking for the earlier variation for awhile now.  I was bummed there was no antenna, but I'll keep my eyes peeled for one. 

I picked up another TV station kit that had an antenna.  So I'm still debating if I like the looks of the antenna on the mountain from the frontside.