Another Layout Thread

[Biased turkey]

but I was able to run a train this week!

.

Congratulations, being able to run a train for the 1st time of a layout is a milestone, because it is a powerful incentive to make further progress.

One thing is not clear to me: the way I understand it you painted the cork roadbed, right ?. Why, because that paint will be covered by the paint you'll use when airbrushing the rails and ties ( roof brown for example ).

Jacques

 

[platypus1217]

One thing is not clear to me: the way I understand it you painted the cork roadbed, right ?. Why, because that paint will be covered by the paint you'll use when airbrushing the rails and ties ( roof brown for example ).

I wasn't planning on paint the ties and rails. I don't have an airbrush and so it never was on my mind. But if I were to do it I suppose the right way would be to paint the track and ties before putting them down. It is always something to keep in mind for the next layout.

 

[GWoodle]

You may have enough industries in your layout. I'd look at some commercial type structures: a hardware store, a beanery,etc. You may want a truck stop & gas station. A Pilot near me has one facility with 2-3 bays for gas & another section for trucks. It seems a lot of industrial sites get a smog testing station.

 

[platypus1217]

You may have enough industries in your layout. I'd look at some commercial type structures: a hardware store, a beanery,etc. You may want a truck stop & gas station. A Pilot near me has one facility with 2-3 bays for gas & another section for trucks. It seems a lot of industrial sites get a smog testing station.

Interesting idea. I do have a few spots on the layout where I had planned for a building but didn't have any particular one in mind.

Here is a picture of the control panel I wired up this past weekend

 

[platypus1217]

This weekend I was able to get the wiring finished up and clean up the layout enough to put out some structures and run some trains. I am excited to finally have a running layout again!

 

[platypus1217]

I built a mountain this weekend. I think it looks a little out of place since the rest of my layout is still entirely flat.

Right now it has not been attached to the layout. I am thinking of making some holes in the bottom of it and having it mount on dowels that come up from the layout. I don't know how much benefit it would provide since there is only about 5 inches of tunnel under the mountain.

 

[Mountain Man]

Just a suggestion - how about if you extend it to the left a little and make it look like a cut into the front of a hill that extends away from the viewer?

 

[Wiredup]

lookin good! the layout is really starting to take shape.

 

[platypus1217]

Just a suggestion - how about if you extend it to the left a little and make it look like a cut into the front of a hill that extends away from the viewer?

I am trying to picture that. You mean that the hill should come out further to where the curved track is, and the curved track should be in a bit of a cut?

 

[platypus1217]

I added in another small hill in front of the bigger hill. It looks better now that the big hill isn't the only thing looming above the flat terrain.

 

[platypus1217]

One of the little projects on my layout I recently did was adding in a tunnel portal to my hillside tunnel. I fabricated it out of cereal boxes and painted it two different shades of gray.

I also went about painting the handles on my ground throws. They had previously been all yellow. I repainted the side that faces up when the turnout is positioned for the diverging route red. This should make it easier for me to tell which way a turnout is aligned.

 

[GWoodle]

I also went about painting the handles on my ground throws. They had previously been all yellow. I repainted the side that faces up when the turnout is positioned for the diverging route red. This should make it easier for me to tell which way a turnout is aligned.[/quote]

Great idea. You may want to paint the other side (for the mainline route) green. I've seen this used on a modular layout. The best part is being able to see the green/green route from the other end of the yard. You can also use it to "park" a train in a siding if you want the other one to go. works great in a modular Ntrak layout.

 

[platypus1217]

To follow up on my ground throw painting, I also went and added signal to my interlocking. I modified by adding an LED to it that lights up red when the turnout is not aligned for the main track.

The only problem is that the tracks are perpendicular to where I am standing. when I operate the layout so it makes it a bit hard to tell if the LED is on or not since I am viewing it from the side.

 

[pesto126]

this is really great.. perfect for a beginner like me. What I would love to see.. a DVD that take one through building an N scale train step-by-step with a supply list, etc. I'd buy it in a heartbeat!

The hardest part for me is figuring out all the track laying, wiring, turnouts, signals.. not to even get to running/operating the train.

A step-by-step DVD with a decent sized layout and very literal day-by-day, step=by=step discussion would be a great seller!

One other question... I'm confused - where did the foamboard get used? Did you lay the foam board directly on top of your framework and then lay a huge sheet of cork on that? Or is the cork only under your track which is all sitting on the foam board? Thx.

 

[platypus1217]

I got the foamboard from Home Depot. It is 1" insulation.

I framed the layout with 1x4 around the outside and 1x3 cross bracing on the inside. I put a sheet of plywood on top of the frame. Then I secured the 1" foam insulation to the top of the plywood with construction adhesive. The foam is sturdy enough that you could do without the plywood, but I knew I wanted to mount some things underneath the layout so plywood helps the screws grip better.

I used the strip cork roadbed, it is maybe 1" - 1.5" wide. The cork is only under the track. I could have laid the track straight on the foam but I chose to have the roadbed because it gives the track a raised appearance and holds the track nails better then foam alone.

 

[pesto126]

Thank you very much for your answer.. makes perfect sense! In thinking about my own design - this will be very helpful indeed!

Thx again - look forward to watching your progress and images... can't wait to see the results!