LAYOUT PARTY 2023-2024 Sixteenth Annual International Winter Layout Party

I'm probably going to use 1/8th Masonite since its readily available, and a single 4-8 sheet will give me all my back drop sections for the entire layout. And its easy enough to attach to the studs in the wall behind this segment of the layout. I MAY add some background photos and trees as well but for now just solving the sky problem economically is a win.

 

I have used Masonite extensively on my layout and love the stuff. If you are going to bend your skyboard around a corner make sure to get the stuff that is fuzzy on the back side as it's more flexible.

 

It's tough enough for me to get motivated to build and mount this stuff - curving corners smacks of too much effort.

 

It is way easier than I thought it would be. More info here....

https://1fatgmc.com/RailRoad/UP%20Canyon%20Division/page-145.html

... and links to the beginning of putting up a backdrop and painting it here...

https://1fatgmc.com/RailRoad/UP Canyon Division/UP Canyon Division-Index.html

Sumner

 

We moved into our new home November 14th and I’ve been busy unpacking, assembling furniture, and attending to other chores involved in settling into a new house. I found some time to build benchwork for my new N scale layout and I’m playing with track.

My goals are to get the track work done and have trains running, to come up with some kind of backdrop and at least start on scenery.

This is how it is right now.

 

November 14 of this year? Man that was fast, good luck. What are the plans for the layout party? Just curious or did you mention them, and I missed it, probably

 

Found the instructions for my project for the layout party, is that a legal step And do we have lawyers watching us Also possible I have them backwards and with the wrong kit

 

Yep, it was this year, just over a month ago. The benchwork for my previous layout was built in sections so I kept the sections I could use and gave the rest to a friend who will be starting an N scale layout soon. All I had to do was bolt the sections together and my benchwork was done.

My goals are:

1) Getting trains running. I have to build the grade before I can run trains but that shouldn’t take too long so trains should be running fairly soon.

2) Getting a backdrop up. I have a few ideas but this could take a while though I should be able to get it done during the period of the layout party.

3) I’ve got the double track mainline laid out but I need to work out secondary trackage. This is another goal I should be able to complete.

4) I said I wanted to start on scenery but upon further reflection I doubt that will happen during this period.

After Christmas and the New Year I should have plenty of time for the layout.

 

So here's a general state of affairs at the start:



The backdrop you see up there is the paper I mentioned, just taped to the wall with double sided Scotch tape. I put it up months ago to test the concept.

I decided to start on my Wizard in the woods item because it seems less complicated. Here's the site photo from a drone:



Following site clearing and grading, I started putting things in place for planning purposes:



Once I thought it looked good, I started to glue things down with yellow carpenters glue. I use it in thin coats to affix track and buildings to the foam so I can remove them later if I want to.



I'll check the glue later and see how far I can get tonight.

 

These are the tunnel portals I made in the fall for the area I am working on now. The flat surfaces of these are made of 1/8 inch Masonite. The actual tunnels at the prototype location are a pair of single tracks separated by about 200 ft. I did not have the space to correctly represent that and did not want to have a double track portal so I came up with this.

 

Thanks for the welcome, Dave. You are right, the mainline is a double tracked up and over figure 8. I am going to add a number of industrial spurs. I don't have any specific industries in mind but will adapt to whatever I find. My layout will be Florida-ish since my favorite railroad is the Florida East Coast. I don't know of anywhere in Florida that has track going up and over like I am doing but flat trackage is just too boring IMHO. I'm not a prototype modeler so I use reality as a suggestion rather than as something to be rigorously followed.

I definitely will have a town and some industries for operating interest. I don't think I have room for a yard. Palm trees will give a Florida feel to the layout. That's my plan.

 

I'm going to continue posting most of my progress pictures on my 'build thread' as I want to keep it up-to-date and sequential but will put some of the highlights here and then a link to there for those who might want more info....



The section that represents the rock strata being folded was moved down towards the area where the high bridge will be. It makes more sense there geologically speaking. Above you can see how the rock strata would connect to the same strata over to the left of the mine. The folded strata to the left and right above replicates strata that is folded in such a way that some of the strata is at an angle and is coming to the surface creating a 'hogback' ridge. A ridge like that will work well there with one track coming off the high bridge cutting through it in a cut and the other track entering a tunnel that cuts through the ridge a ways from the cut.

The last layer of rock was also completed on the mesa that covers the hidden track so it is now ready for the next layer that will be removable and cover the opening above the track.


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Some filler pieces were made to support and fill in the area behind the formation. As the formation is carved these might stay, be modified or taken out depending on how things go.



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. .

Work will be jumping back and forth as if pieces are glued I need them to sit overnight if they are positioned where they can move while the adhesive is setting up. It is nice that you have an hour or so where they can be moved if needed but after that you don't want them accidentally moved.

A link to the build thread here if you are interested in more info on the above....

https://www.trainboard.com/highball...e-canyon-division.144091/page-16#post-1285196

Sumner

 

As I have done in the past, I am going to try to have mid-week and weekend updates. This is my first mid-week update.

Got some Hydrocal rock castings done, a mixture of the Woodland Scenics molds and my own aluminum foil molds. Got a couple of passes done on the sky board.



Still a little too blue, not easy to match the printed back drop sky but I'll have another go at it when I pick up some more white acrylic paint. The photo below is from last year when I was working on the other end of Carlin. This is about what I am shooting for.

 

Hey Everyone -- Good to see you all and its exciting to read about your projects. Mine is a little different, some may remember from last year that I have gone over to the dark side of digital model railroading. My layout runs on a system called Steam, its an online gaming platform, and I use a program called rolling line. In this game you can build your own layout and run it using rolling stock and structures and props that are freely available from the website -- the benefit is that I got lifetime use of the game for less than the cost of one turnout in real life equipment.

This year I am working on setting up operations on my layout. The layout itself was designed and built by another member of the rolling line community, and I have downloaded it and am improving it as I go. it is a fictional layout designed to mimic different areas of the USA -- Various US railroads will be represented but it will mostly be BNSF / UP equipment.

heres the layout map:



I'll try to put some shots in so you get a sense of the layout

this is the orange sky area with apploosa loop in the background


Appaloosa Loop



Broken Horse Creek Area:



past chastain lumber (on the left)




Channins yard and the historic roundhouse (soon to be expanded)



The massive ADM Facility at Channins (one of the largest industries on the layout)



Chetan interchange ( left) and gribble yard (on the right)



Gribble area:



Black pass mine:



More pictures in the next post

 

More pictures:

Fort Ball Area:



MOsley Paper Mill:




Raegan River area:




Troublesome Lumber and surrounding area:



Richardson Area and Richardson Yard



Sheepshead river and stageing entry/exit




Main control panel and staging area

 

I finished installing the Woodland Scenics risers and incline starters today. I was able to test run a couple of engines and all works as it should. Next up is industrial spurs and a small yard if I can fit it in.