Working on my layout.

@DoubleDAZ posted:

Wayne, I take it that’s the corner where trains will eventually go out to the island on the peninsula. It’s nice to see it developing in reality vs on the computer.

I think that is gonna change and actually come from the outside loop from outside the room. I think i will use the remote 048 turnout i have and make a right hand turn and elevation up and back into the room up and over the two loops to follow along that front wall where the tunnel is for the stairs and come back towards the main layout and do the reverse loop for the polar express.  The outer loop will actually work better with the hero boys house and such.  I appreciate all the help and advice from everyone. 

Sounds good and not at all unusual to change things some once construction starts. Enjoying all the updates.

Wayne, I agree with Dave.  I think most layouts see changes once construction actually starts.

Made a couple more modules to finish from the s curve to the tunnels. Both s curves are 060. Nice sweeping curves. Now i have to find the studs on the outside of the walls and plan for the tunnels. Measure 50 times and cut once 😳. The wife says call a professional🤓 for the stairs bridge. It is gonna be fun. I have got to figure out what i did with my pictures of the stud locations and wire locations before it got sheet rocked. You can see the polar scene in the bottom picture but it will be on the upper side before the ditch near the crossing. I have to find another house for the boy that sat in the observation alone. I Figured his house could be closest to the trestles. Both curves leaving the double pratt on this side are 060. I am going to look at it one more time for the 072 but this looks pretty fluid. 

Wayne it looks great! I eagerly await the final product!

Bryce

I'm happy to see the progress on your project. I am looking forward to the scenery phase. I am doing a Christmas themed layout myself. Looks like you are having fun.

We are looking at having the grinch and whoville, polar express, christmas vacation, a christmas story, disneys cars, among other christmas stuff.  We will see though.  

 Hey quick question for everybody. While looking at the picture of the track plan from scarm that Dave helped create would it be better if i split up the four switches that allow you to swap from inside to outside loops.  I was thinking of the lefts being by the yard and the rights being by the trestles on the other side.  It makes for a long siding sort of. But will it look goofy? Im posting a picture of the scarm setup and then a couple of the actually track temporary put down. Or would it look better in the bottom photo?  Not sure where to put them. If i do put them next to the yard i was going to stretch the spacing out as far as i can. Right now where the yard is approximately 13ft long on the outer loop. I can get a better picture of the yard area after i get all my junk back under the layout.  I need to buy at least 2 more left switches and 6 right switches to get started on the yard. Legacy station only had left 072s. 

Also when looking at the switch stands which side should they be on? I want to get them correct before i put the track down. 

Wayne, the crossovers were put there to maintain the center-to-center spacing and we never got around to discussing moving them. Here's an idea for placement. The idea for the left handed switches to be to the left of the yard is so you can go from the outside to the inside and then directly into the yard. There isn't room for the other crossover to go to the right of the yard. So, as you can see, I placed it on the curve after the bridge and used an O-54 left hand with the O-72 right hand so you can come out of the yard, cross over the bridge and then go from the inside to the outside. I used the O-54 switch because I noticed you changed that section and wasn't sure how much room there was for an O-72 crossover. The main point is the direction of travel to and from the yard in either direction.

Gotcha dave. So at the door put the lefts.  Somewhere past the bridge put rights.  

Put some temporary power to the blocked outer loop sections and the left switches where they are and none of my engines like backing into the 072 switches with it turned out.  Gonna have to figure this out.  My HH16 worked just fine but is only 4 axles. 

You can do them the other way around, but then you’ll have to go a long way to cross over to go into or out of the yard.

A note about the O-54 switch on the curve. If there’s enough room past the curve, I’d suggest using a traditional crossover with O-72 switches are least 1 track past the curve to avoid an “S” curve. A lot of folks don’t like having to run through the curved part of switches on a mainline. 

I don’t understand the comment about backing over O-72 switches. The only place I see having to back through a switch is that upside “Y” shaped double spur.

@Southern4501 posted:

We are looking at having the grinch and whoville, polar express, christmas vacation, a christmas story, disneys cars, among other christmas stuff.  We will see though.  

For the "Christmas Vacation" portion may I suggest this theater with the Family Truckster parked in front.  Russ is already inside saving seats for Mom, Dad, Sis and of course aunt Edna. 

@DoubleDAZ posted:

I don’t understand the comment about backing over O-72 switches. The only place I see having to back through a switch is that upside “Y” shaped double spur.

Here is the video of what is happening.  I even swapped the engine around.  I think it is the switch.  Going to try a different one. 

Ok. I am wondering if it is because i am coming from a 060 left hand curve into the turnout which is 072. Im going to put a straight after the curve and then the switch and see if that fixes the issue. I swapped the switch out for another one and its doing the same thing. 

Looks to me like the point isn’t staying tight enough against the rail and the wheel flange is getting between the point and the rail so the train is following the rail instead of the points. Any way you can watch the wheels on other side?

Well you have to have a 5” or longer straight before the turnout. I only have 10” right now but it fixed the problem if i put the switches before the stairs tunnel. They will be right ones when i get them here. 

I will just have to move them around to see where they best fit to serve the purpose of the yard.  

@DoubleDAZ posted:

Looks to me like the point isn’t staying tight enough against the rail and the wheel flange is getting between the point and the rail so the train is following the rail instead of the points. Any way you can watch the wheels on other side?

I will try to get that video for ya Dave.  I even swapped switches and got the same result. I know these are the lefts but thats all i have at the moment till i get the rights here.  I think the problem is i need a straight after the curve. The coors light was doing the same thing also. 

No need if adding the straight fixes it. Sounds like you’re coming off a LH curve into a RH switch creating an “S” curve.

Just gonna work on the entrance to the yard from the door till i get my right switches in. 

@DoubleDAZ posted:

You can do them the other way around, but then you’ll have to go a long way to cross over to go into or out of the yard.

Hey Dave this is where i ended up putting the switches to enter the yard. 

Working on the yard. I have to make another trip for some more 30” straights and some 5”s and another left 072 switch. Need a couple more uncoupling sections too. 

Okay, I must have missed something along the way. All the files I have are Atlas track, but I see you’re using FasTrack and a color I haven’t seen before. Did you convert the file or are you just working off the Atlas one? If you did convert it, can you send me a copy? If not, no problem.

As fas as the crossover goes, that’s fine, though it does look a little wavy, so you’ll likely need to slow down going through, but I suspect that won’t be a problem.

@DoubleDAZ posted:

Okay, I must have missed something along the way. All the files I have are Atlas track, but I see you’re using FasTrack and a color I haven’t seen before. Did you convert the file or are you just working off the Atlas one? If you did convert it, can you send me a copy? If not, no problem.

As fas as the crossover goes, that’s fine, though it does look a little wavy, so you’ll likely need to slow down going through, but I suspect that won’t be a problem.

Hey Dave I am working off the atlas file as a reference. I used 072 1/2 pieces on each end and then a 10” and a 1/4” in the middle of the halves. The switch falls on my creek. As far as the waviness goes i usually run around 25mph to cut down on the fastrack noise anyway. I did jog a couple of engines through there and they work pretty well. 

Yeah i had to stick with fastrack because i didnt sell any.  I will enter the attic with it and switch to menards tubular for in the attic.  The left side of the double pratt is 060 curves inside and outside.  The right side (yard side) is inside 060 and outside 072.  Have to work with what i have. I just need to pick up one more left 072 switch and some more 5” and 30” pieces and a couple more uncouple tracks for the yard.  I havent decided to put the bridge over the stairs yet.  I need to measure a few more times before i commit. One issue i might run into is the gas line to the furnace.  

I had forgotten you were going to try to sell the FasTrack to finance the Atlas, one of many senior moments these days. 🤣 Either way though it’s looking good, so keep it up.

Dave, As always thanks for all your help.  I really appreciate everyones kind words and thoughts and insight. I hope to have both loops up and running soon. This has been a long time dream to have something other than a simple 4x8 or carpet central and it would not have happened without my wife. 

Installed my fathers steel girder from his 224 set on the layout. I will be looking for  another one to put in its place. His will be used for the dedicated elevated loop. 

Meanwhile the decepticons are trying to stop the building progress. 

Decepticons, that’s funny. The crossover looks better in this view, so I think it will work okay.

Wayne, I have a bunch of FastTrak that I inventoried and thought about posting for sale, but decided I will just wait and see who needs what parts as time passes.  That is what happened with my RealTrak.  I was able to help a guy with his Christmas layout, and he was getting down to the wire and needed some.

Dave, once again you have done a great job!  Mentioning that, I am going to get up and get back to my Blackwater Canyon build!! 

@Mark Boyce posted:

Wayne, I have a bunch of FastTrak that I inventoried and thought about posting for sale, but decided I will just wait and see who needs what parts as time passes.  That is what happened with my RealTrak.  I was able to help a guy with his Christmas layout, and he was getting down to the wire and needed some.

Dave, once again you have done a great job!  Mentioning that, I am going to get up and get back to my Blackwater Canyon build!! 

Hey Mark I had not realized what I had accrued. Did not realize how expensive fastrack is also. Gargraves would have been cheaper but i already had the automatic crossing and uncoupling track and trestle set and a ton of track and manual switches. Now that i have started to build it is mostly new track in the curves and the long runs. I have used a bunch of 30” pieces.  I will use up most of the track i have somewhere but will have 036 and 048 left over and some 10” straights left.  I like the idea of helping others out for sure. I had sent a whole bunch of tubular to a teacher on the forum.  I appreciate your insight and suggestions and guidance as well. 

You guys are a swell group. 

Oh yeah by the way, the coors biggo butt will not fit through the steel girder😳

Thank you, Wayne!!  We are all here to help and get help when needed!  

No matter what, there will always be something we already have or buy and bring home that doesn't fit!  

@mike g. posted:

Looking good! You will be putting up bench work in no time!

Hey mike. Hope you have been well 

Well i drove up to norfolk va and brought this amazing Freedom set home. It is amazing and unrun. Its a heavy sucker so i am glad i picked up the BN 1776. Tried a lashup and it will pull the whole train. But to be safe i will sideline most of the cars as displays and baby the engine. It will not pull the whole train by itself. 

Very nice, Wayne!!  Engine and layout!!

I tore down the bridge end of the layout to let my niece paint clouds for the layout.  It is a hard to reach area. I had not screwed down the decking yet anyways.  I will post pictures as we get some going.  I can’t wait to see it come alive.  
On a side note a friend of mine scratch built a tunnel portal for me as a teaching exercise.  It turned out awesome. Before pictures. 

I have to say my niece did a wonderful job. We are off to an awesome start on the clouds. 

Image not found on all photos.

I just finished up the base of my double tunnel and put a car tunnel on the side. Thanks goes out to my friend Christopher Golden for teaching me to carve foam.  I like making things. Here is the finished base. Next will be scenery on top.  
Happy Fourth of July everybody.  

There’s the photographs, Wayne!  Looks great!