10/6/18 Layout Update, Search light signals working and CTC Signal System Complete

http://ogaugerr.infopop.cc/eve...3102703/m/4282992227

At top of the text box when you're posting a message is a row of icons. The 3rd one from the right is the photo linking icon. Click on it, then paste the link (using the "control v" key combination) where it says "Image URL." Then click OK. The image will appear like below. I pasted your last two links into two separate "Image URL" lines (clicked on the image icon once for each image).

Mike...the layout looks great!!! I really like your track plan and the trestle is very nice. Since you are in the general area of our group, the Mid-America 3-Railers, I would like to see you join us! No dues so it won't cost a thing! Dennis Brennan lives not far from you and he just became a member. Please let me know if you are interested...e-mail me via my profile.

Thanks,
Alan

Nice work! Is the trestle a kit or scratch built?

George

I have not put any pictures up recently.  The layout is starting to look pretty respectable.  

 

I started with the RR track plan below (24' x 15') back in Dec '10 and completed most of the bench work with tracks and switches wired (DCS and TMCC) by the end of Feb '11 ( also completed most of the scenery on the mountain).

 

The summer of '11 came with nothing else started until Dec'11, when I installed my trestle.  Since then, I have put the remainder of my river in, created more pink snow around the entire house (from pink foam shaping), put down most of the ballast with a dirty wash, along with a skirt attached.

 

I think I have a little over 80% of my scenery roughed.  

 

I used Patrick H's method of carving the foam and Dennis B. fake water approach (painted shower door glass) on the large part of the river.

 

Shown below are many of the various stages in the layouts construction to present day.

 

Mike

Wow Mike absolutely superb craftsmanship, it looks awesome. Please keep us udated

with your progress. GREAT WORK!

 

Thanks, Alex

Mike I smell an OGR feature article,very Impressive! Keep us posted and may I say very inspriring work.

Mike

 

WOW!  That is very good work.  I will add this thread to ones I check out to steal...er I mean look at your work.  Very nice!

Mike, I have no words! Too bad I live in Brazil so far, because I would like to see this wonderful person!

Congratulations, by design, the work, all fantastic!

Terrific layout, superb scenery design and workmanship.

 

thank you for all the photos

 

Mike,

 

Your layout looks great!

 

What did you use for the retailing wall in the water scene?

 

Dave

Well, I most certainly hope so!  We're ready whenever Mike is ready (and willing)!

All

 

Thank for nice comments!  I am a slow worker and wish I had more progress.  I am very jealous at what others have completed on this forum in short order on several of the larger layouts.   

 

David,

 

Regarding the wall, I cut the wood with a friends table saw to create the protruding edge of the wall and then glued them to masonite for the back edge.  It looks convincing from the front, but added the top cap to conceal the top edge.   When painted with several coats of spray gap filler, the vertical seam in the piling was created by scrolling an edge in to the filler.  

 

 

Allan,

 

Not sure how much of the layout needs to be finished for an article (is it ever finished?), but would love to  participate.  I have a ton of images showing from the start to present day for my layout.  Let me know.

 

Mike

Uh, AWESOME!!! I really like the sea wall. If you get an article going for OGR please consider adding a how to on constructing the wall. What color did you use?

Mike....the layout is absolutely beautiful.  You have done a wonderful job on all aspects of the scenery.  Thanks for the update and pictures!!

 

Alan

Great Job! I only wish that mine will be half as nice when I get to start working on in real time!

Mike,

 

Your layout is looking great and you are doing an excellent job!

 

All the details are very nicely finished, but two items in particular caught my eye: the retaining wall by the lake, and the passenger platform between the tracks. Very well done!

 

Thank you for sharing.

 

Alex

The color used on the wall is camouflage brown from rust oleum 

Top notch scenery work! It looks really good.  Very creative with regards to the sea wall. 

Mike,

 

Awesome layout! Thanks for the scenery update, fantastic! 

 

Bruce

Mike,

 

Thanks for the tip!  I plan on doing a small water scene, with retaining wall, in the very near future.

 

Dave

You are an artist!

 

- walt

Amidilly,

 

That  really came out sweet! 

Awesome vision and execution.  That is inspirational.  My favorite is the water.  The ripples and the color are perfect.  How did you do that, if I may ask?  Then the trestle bridge.  Your plan rocks too, with the seperate yard outside the main layout.  I love it!  I thank you for sharing your talent.  Again, it is inspiring.  Have fun, work at your own pace.  I have built enough to know that everything takes time, especially when you expect the caliber of work you are after.  Enjoy

Mike:

 

It certainly does not need to be completed (no layout is truly complete anyhow).  Just needs to have enough done to provide images so about 15 or so can be used in the magazine.

 

And in the process of building your layout, you may employ some how-to techniques that might make for good articles over and above a layout feature (a step-by-step covering how to build a retaining wall, for example).  We can always use more nicely illustrated how-tos features.

 

When you're ready, just contact me by phone or e-mail and I'll give you all the assistance I can.

Mike,

 

You have done fantastic and everything looks excellent. Great Job! 

Your layout is incredible Mike!

What did you use for track...I see curved turnouts. Ross/Gargraves?

Yup I used Ross turn outs .  I should have learned my lesson on my first layout in struggles of certain engines having electrical problems over curved turn outs.   I learned the hard way that two of my articulated engines (lionel alleghaney and mth cab forward ) cannot make it physically through the o72/o96 turn out (the o72 route, it seems just add tadd too tight, I am not sure if it is what lionel would call o72).  Not enough room on the layout to correct with a different switch.  Try to avoid curved turn outs.

With the curved turnouts (we have a #8 curved on our layout) you have to wire in the closure rails (rails between the points and the frog) as alternate hot rails using a set of SPDT contacts on a tortoise switch motor. This will prevent stalling by locomotives with incompatible pickup roller spacing. If you're using Z-stuff switch motors, add the Z-stuff SPDT relay to the control. Also, make sure that both sets of stock rails are properly tied to common. This approach is also advisable on longer straight turnouts (#6, #8, #10) as well.

 

BTW, Mike, love the work on the layout. Looks great. Also like the sea wall construction technique -- first rate.

I finally have an update to post on my layout.  I completed my dam for my river.   When I was designing it, I was not thinking about how much water it would control but more of the general look.  After looking at tons of pictures to model it after, I gave up and sketched my own design to build off of.  I was excited to get started, only after it was built, did I realize that it can only regulate a bit more than a foot of water.  The time a little project like this seems to take always seems more than it should.

 

The weathering leaves something to be desired, I tried dry brushing it.  While it looks better than no weathering, I could be so much better.  If any one had any recommendations for books on air brushing, I would like to read them.

 

Just now drawing my own plans for my icing station that will service 6 cars from between two tracks.  I have been struggling on finding pictures to help me with this also.  I would love to see any ones pictures to get some other ideas.    

 

Mike

 

 

 

 

 

Wow, the realism and detail is fantastic...thanks for sharing.

Mike,

   Congrats on a fine job, I enjoyed the pictures very much!  The lake is fantastic.

PCRR/Dave

Mike, I've heard of others using shower door glass for water, but I must say your rendition is the best I have ever seen. The color is just right. I am new to this so "that ain't sayin much". But wow, nice job!

Well done!

Peter

Mike,

 

That sheet pile wall came out great. The whole layout is awesome. I also like the railroadiana around the room. 

Mike

You do some fine work. I enjoy the pictures. I hope I can copy Patrick's cutting method at least half as well as you have.

Larry

Simply amazing! Keep up the great work.

Your series of progressive shots as you progressed are most interesting.  I also commend you on your impressive work.