Finally the Layout is moving along!

Trainiac77

Member
Just wanted to share my latest layout pictures. I'm finally laying track. It's been a long time coming about 3 years now. I had to rebuild the main lift bridge because I couldn't get the angles quite right for lifting, the track was alway binding.

For bench work I'm using a plywood base over a 1"x"3 pine grid and then cork roadbed. The tried and true method always worked before not to mention the wood was all given to me! For track it's code 100 flex track with Atlas #6 turnouts on the main and some #4 in the yards when they get built. The curves are min 28" Radius. There will be a small yard on the main level with some industry, but most will be on the second level. I have an idea for the second level, but nothing in stone yet.:? There are more pictures on my website Trainiac77 at it again!.

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Here are a few pictures:
Main Bridge as you walk into the room:
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There are 2 other lift bridges in the back:

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I decided to add a wye on the main level:

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Here are some of my scratch built buildings:

Ollie's Tires:

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Train Station: Just took it out of storage, still have to get the dust off!

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Atlas Oil:

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Nomad

Active Member
That first bridge looks really robust. Man, godzilla coudn't walk through that:-D . Looks really good. Did you paint the ties ? How did you paint them?

Loren
 

Trainiac77

Member
That first bridge looks really robust. Man, godzilla couldn't walk through that:-D . Looks really good. Did you paint the ties ? How did you paint them?

Loren

I always tend to over do it, but then again I do have a 2 year old grandson running around the house.

The ties are plastic. I haven't done anything to them. It is Model Power Code 100 Flex track. It's a little different to work with because it stays in place when you bend it, and the color is not the bright shinny color like Atlas. It is more of a dull yellowish color. I called Model Power about this and they told me that it's true nickel silver and doesn't have the tin content as other brands do. I guess it makes sense.
 

Nomad

Active Member
Thanks,
I have never seen MP flex track. The ties looks better than that shiny black Atlas track.
 

myltlpny

Member
That looks great! If I ever did my layout over, I think I would do a lift bridge. Even though my layout is high (48" at the lowest) I find duckunders get tiresome quickly.:mrgreen:
 

TruckLover

Mack CH613 & 53' Trailer
WOW, Moving a long is right!!! Great pics!! I loved the Atlas Oil building and the Ollies Tires shop :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

Can't wait to see some more pics!! And that bridge looks awesome!! Nice job on it
 

Trainiac77

Member
Thanks,
I have never seen MP flex track. The ties looks better than that shiny black Atlas track.

I tried to take a close up of the track, but I think the flash made the ties look shinny when they really looks flat black. See the attached picture. It looks like brass track as well, but again it is NS and MP says this is the way real NS tack should look since it doesn't have the shinny tin mixed in. (for what it's worth)
 

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Trainiac77

Member
Track & contact points

All the track is now laid on the first level. I added a couple of turnouts for yard and siding access which I will post later. I needed contact points for the lift bridges this is what they look like, they are made from brass .25" tubing, motor brush springs and copper rivets. (kind of reminds me of the bumpers used on rolling stock in Europe!) One side has the contact points and the other side has just a copper rivet with a wire soldered to it. The contact point assembly was pretty easy to assemble. I cut 3/4" of the brass tubing, made a small nick on one side so the spring would slide completely out. Then soldered the spring with about a 2' piece of 14 gauge wire. The other side of the spring was crimped ever so slightly so the rivet would be held in place. Then a 3/4" hole was drilled in the end of the plywood, with a smaller hole right in the middle to feed the wire through so it could be soldered to the track. I was able to make enough contact points for all the bridges (14 in all) for under $10.:)
 

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Nomad

Active Member
Trainaic, thanks for that picture. The track still looks better than Atlas.
Hmmm, nah, my wife would kill me if I wanted to buy new track. I'll have to stick to painting mine.
And those contacts are a great idea. I need something like that for my lift bridge. Thanks for posting that too.

Loren
 

Trainiac77

Member
Trainaic, thanks for that picture. The track still looks better than Atlas.
Hmmm, nah, my wife would kill me if I wanted to buy new track. I'll have to stick to painting mine.
And those contacts are a great idea. I need something like that for my lift bridge. Thanks for posting that too.

Loren

Just in case....I do have some of for sale on eBay right now (pmesl is my ebay name). I think it's going for $1.50 a section. I will have more next week as well. I bought way too much!:?
 

wickman

Member
Awsome job.I thought I was the only one that built my bench work strong enough to dance on sign1 I like the little brass gatchetry. Have you given any thought to scenery yet?:wave:
 

Trainiac77

Member
Aw some job.I thought I was the only one that built my bench work strong enough to dance on sign1 I like the little brass gatchetry. Have you given any thought to scenery yet?:wave:

Scenery, what's scenery? Ya'mean I have to do scenery? (OK not my favorite thing!) Actually I still have so much bench-work and trackage to lay down that I really don't have a concrete plan. There is going to be a helix that starts on the back wall of the room goes around the outside ascending until it comes over the "main table" where it till ascend 2 turns to the second level. I hope to start on it this week. Once I get that completed then I'll be able to know more about scenery.

I do plan to have some industry on the first level that will deliver to industry on the second level and also have passenger service from the first level towns to the second level towns. There is definitely room for both.

BTW, bridge one had to be dismantled. As soon as the hot weather got here to MA, the wood swelled so much I couldn't get it to meet right anymore. I'll post new pictures in the next day or 2.
 

stormfather

New Member
That benchwork's very well done! I like how you've incorporated all the bridges into the layout, form and function really come together there sometimes. How do you ensure a good connection on the track when the bridge is down?

I'm starting my first benchwork tomorrow. Luckilly for me, it's nowhere near as complex as your, just a simple 4x8 up against a wall (though it will expand in the future, but don't tell my family just yet!)

Parked outside the trainstation you have a silver 80's Mustang GT (It looks like there's a green one and maybe even a black one, too.) I'm a car nut and have two of those (in the 12 inches = 1 foot variety) and was hoping that you know what company makes the model? I'd love to add one to my layout, even if it would be a complete anachronism. I tried to pick one up on ebay once, but it turned out to be a slot car and, despite the fact it was supposed to be HO, was too big.
 

Trainiac77

Member
Parked outside the trainstation you have a silver 80's Mustang GT (It looks like there's a green one and maybe even a black one, too.) I'm a car nut and have two of those (in the 12 inches = 1 foot variety) and was hoping that you know what company makes the model? I'd love to add one to my layout, even if it would be a complete anachronism. I tried to pick one up on ebay once, but it turned out to be a slot car and, despite the fact it was supposed to be HO, was too big.

I took one of the mustangs off to look at it, but there is no manufacturer name on the bottom. The cars are all plastic and the wheels turn. Wish I could help more!:confused:
 

Trainiac77

Member
Bridge trouble again

OK I'm tired of lift bridges. I had to rebuild bridge 1 again, splitting it into 2 separate parts. (You know what they say, "third times a charm!")(I was never any good at geometry! had to take that 3 times too!) Even though the old bridge seemed to be working, as humidity set in I couldn't close the bridge down completely.

The lead in track on the lower level had to be moved away (about 6 inches) from the original location because the bridges would have conflicted with each other. Some might say "why not put on on the other side?" The plan is to have a second level and then the bridge mounted on the left wouldn't open far enough. So....Here are the latest pix:
 

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Trainiac77

Member
Bridge 3 needed a little of help as well.

This is bridge 3 with new hinges. The old wooden hinges were way too loose and didn't make for a good tight fit. Here you can see that I added wooden bases for the hinges that rise about 3/4 of an inch above the track. I have found this to be a good formula for lift bridges and it allows just enough swing out or lift away for the track where the hinges are mounted.
 

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wickman

Member
I bet that took alot of test fitting bridge up bridge down bridge up bridge down bridge up bridge down bridge up bridge down bridge up bridge down bridge up bridge down bridge up bridge down bridge up bridge down bridge up bridge down bridge up bridge down bridge up bridge down bridge up bridge down bridge up bridge down ahhhhhhhh perfect now :wave:
 

stormfather

New Member
Alright, thanks for checkin. That era of mustang came with the 5.0L High Output engine, making internet searches for HO Mustang somewhat useless. I'm sure one will float across ebay soon enough, or is already on there but I'm not seaching for the right fields.

How do you ensure a good connection for the track when the bridge is down?
 
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