"ALL IN"

Nice space to work with. And with 3 boys, you can't help but have with that project.

Hey, I'm in western PA too.  If you guys need help with that big Hershey's bar just give me a call.

Anyway, what is the room size?  And do you have a track plan?  If so, can you post it?  Rough drawings are accepted.

Rick

Rick,

That Hershey bar is long gone!  If you look under my profile, the title "Asking for a little assistance" you will see the room dimensions and rough track plans by Ace and Stewart, this will give you some idea of what's going on.  The room is roughly 27.5' x 12-13.5'.

Darren

Hey, I am also in western Pa too.  Nice room size Darren.  I been down my basement checking my room size also.  Nice pictures of you starting your new layout.

I am interested in your track plans and not sure how to view them. What does Ace and Stewart track plans mean?  Is the a way for me to see your track plans you going to use.

Andy 

Andy, I had started a new topic in this section of the forum titled "Asking for a little assistance"  members, Ace & Stewart, both helped with the SCARM track planning software by designing layouts that fit into my available space, if you look at my profile you can find that older topic and see the layouts throughout the postings.

Darren

Andy, here's a link to that thread.

Looks like a great start! Looking forward to seeing your progress

Lets try this again

Darren,

Nice space, and the benchwork looks solid.

Looking forward to more photos!

Nice start Darren, looking forward to watching the progression.

I know, its been a long time since I have updated my progress, could come up with a thousand excuses, but whats important is that I'm back at it, working on the train layout with the hopes of having trains running, this Christmas, for the boys, and the big boy!

Darren,

You are a bench work building machine!  Looks great!

Keep up the progress.

That's a great room you have to work with, and the benchwork is remarkable. I can't wait to see it completed. 

Great bench work.  Looks sturdy.  Nick

That is looking like a real class act there Darren. Got to watch this project.

Larry

Thanks guys, I'm hoping to have all the sound deadening material completed by the end of next week.  I will do my best to keep the post updated with pictures.

Very nice!

Peter

I made some progress this week, I secured down the Homasote, and before the debate starts, I secured it down with drywall screws.  Mainly because I know me and glue, in addition to ease and timeliness.  This is the first time I have ever used Homasote so I will give the forum my 2 cents once I run a train or two over it.

Not building related but I did update my TIU this week also, another thing I had never done before.

Now I have to do some research on painting the Homasote, thinking of going with a flat black.

I am starting to build a new layout using my old postwar 027 track. I would like to have parallel tracks. I am using 42" curves on the outside, but how do I make an inside parallel track conform to the outside 42"? Do I some how use 27" curves and a few 1/2 straights. Any ideas. This is not fast track.

I haven't worked with that track in some time, but I think they made 0-36 that you might be able to find on some auction sites, used.  If not, you'll have to experiment with the curves and some variation of straight lengths, it will not be exactly parallel, but close.

I made some progress over the past few days with the cork roadbed.

Looking real good.

Darren,

This is the first I have seen your thread.

This looks serious!  I like your walk-in design, and you have a great space to work with.  Your wife must be very forgiving letting you build a layout on that nice carpet.

I see you have some DCS components there, and are using GarGraves with Ross switches.  I am thinking of doing the same when I start my next layout.  I have to reacquire some space.  One daughter is getting married next month, but the other one is the one who has all the stuff.  ;-)  I have a DCS but have not had much time to learn it this summer.

I saw you live in Western Pennsylvania, Beaver no less.  I live in Butler as my signature shows!  We lived next door to a Caruso family many years ago.  He had some nice postwar trains he setup at Christmas.  

I am looking forward to seeing your progress.  Many thanks for posting!

Thanks for all the kind words, I have been doing my best to keep the post as up to date as possible, this is my time of year to work on the layout so hopefully there will be many more posts and trains running soon enough.

Mark,

I have learned over the years that there are a lot of Caruso's out there, most of my family grew up in the southwest portion of the state.  This is my first layout with the Gargraves/Ross combination, so it will be a learning process as the layout progresses, but I enjoy learning new things.  And YES, I am very fortunate to have a supporting spouse and space to build a layout.

Gary,

I had used the foam roadbed in the past but I like the cork a lot more.  I can't wait to run the trains with the Homasote/Cork Roadbed combination.  I am hoping for a much reduced noise level.

Darren

Hi HJKSR,

It appears that the 027 track is sized based on the outside rail diameter. To have a symmetrical inside line on a curve of 042 with 027 on the inside, you would start with an 8" center rail to center spacing. This is by design of the track. To tighten that up to 4.5" to 6", you would have to put a small cut piece at 90º in the center of the curve.

Start a new post with your area or table dimensions if you want some assistance. Don't want to de-rail Darren's thread.

diagram attached.

Darren, nice work on the layout.

The homosote cork combination will definitely be a quiet layout.

the homosote will suck up the first coat of paint, so put down anything cheap. Then the second coat will give you what you need. I tried primer the first time. It was a waste of good primer, it sucked up so much. Latex is fine.

I can't tell from the pics, but there is a lumpy side and a fine grid side. I dind't pay attention and put the lumpy side up. Good thing it was only a 4 x 8 then.

Keeps the posts coming. Looks to be a fun layout!

Darren,

Yes, and there are a few Boyces in Western Pennsylvania too.  ;-)

I have some GarGraves and some FlexTrak.  Separate ovals.  I don't know which way I will go on the new layout.

Have fun on your layout!

Awesome and it looks great. Do you have a track plan? And what size is this folded dog bone layout?

Daren

Great progress and really nice looking room

Enjoy

I finally feel like I have a model railroad in progress and not just another benchwork project that ends up getting tore down and rebuilt. 

I made some changes to the layout already, added a yard, moved the Roundhouse/Turntable "Future location".  Did some planning with sidings and structure location, which helped give me a better image of how the layout will look when completed.  I marked switch locations and started experimenting with laying Gargraves track.  I think I watched the Gargraves video three times and looked at every YouTube video out there, in addition to reading up on bending the flextrack as much as I could. 

As you can see I made my own bending jig with templates for the larger radius curves, the dogbone curves mainly use sectional curve track.

I hope to have the track completed sometime in October, I will post pictures when I get it done.

i bet you could drive a car across that bench work looks very sturdy.

Darren,

looks like it is coming along nicely.  Yes I wrestled with GarGraves flex for a couple of odd  bends around a protrusion from the wall.  Templates or jigs would defiantly be advisable. Yours looks good.

The layout is coming along and looking real nice.

Looks great, I will be following your progress. Rich

I have progressed to the point where we finally ran an engine around the layout.

A lot of time was put into laying all the track, and there is still more to do but the current budget says I have to wait.  Being that this was my first bout with Gargraves track, and with using flextrack of any brand, I must commend this forum for its invaluable wealth of resources.  I was able to do A LOT of research before embarking on this track project and with a little planning, having the correct tools, and a little patience, seeing that train run around the track sure brought a smile to my face, and my oldest son, the other two were already in bed.

I am having a few issues with wiring the stainless Gargraves track, but I will ask about that in another forum and see what I can find out.

Here are a few photos of the train layout, and you may notice a few changes I made and the addition of the future Roundhouse/Turntable area.

It is always important to not rush track laying.  Saves lots of later headaches.  I can relate to having to stop until funds are available.  What you have done looks good, and sounds like you did a good job with the success of your first run.  Thank you for keeping us posted.

Drill a hole in the rail, pass stripped wire into it and use a #0 screw. Ask about the Screw it method.

Look at the May 1, 2011 post for the Hidden Pass RR

Let me just say, "WOW, WOW, WOW"  I ran the three types of engines I have, note I'm classifying the steam into what I call large and small, and all you can hear after running them is the clickity clack of the wheels running over the rails.  

So "YES" I am recommending some sort of sound barrier if you are planning on building a layout.  I chose Homasote and it was well worth the money, just cut it outside, this stuff is messy and itchy!  There is no comparison vs running w/o a sound barrier.  I've constructed various layouts throughout the years, with 1/2 ' plywood, OSB board, etc. and I've had cork/foam roadbeds, hands down this is the quietest yet. 

I plan on using the rest of the month to work on wiring, so once I get something "solid" in place I will post what I did.  My oldest is already chomping at the bits to make a "youtube" video, so when he does I will post that as well.

Darren