I'm crashing the party a bit late but want to mark where I started. This is where I am today and hope to advance the mainline by mid January. I have a couple weeks vacation and I am determined to have the mainline operational. Even if it's not the final version. The layout is based on the Southern Pacific in the Inland Empire of Socal. (San Bernardino and Riverside along the 10 freeway, mostly). This will be in my 20'x22-1/2' garage. I will save construction details for a build thread. Some things are flipped around and there will be a bit of whimsy to help create interest and drama. In the photo Fontana is along the left wall and is operational. I believe it was part of the Alameda service corridor and is considerably reduced to a 10-1/2' stub branch line here. A1-Grit, Peterman Lumber, Martin Marietta, and an interchange with Kaiser Steel will keep one busy in Fontana. The curvy section beyond it hides a two track helix in the corner with staging along the back wall above the active west end of West Colton. The back wall where the crossbucks are is 20' for reference. The right side along the garage door will be the east end of West Colton on the bottom with the other end of staging above it. I have yet to settle entirely on the peninsula but need room for three key elements. The lower level will include a bit of switching in Old Colton and Loma Linda then run up San Timoteo to Beaumont and Banning on the upper level. It would end in staging along the garage door wall(right in photo). My goal for this party is to have the double deck center peninsula built with backdrops and a double track mainline in running condition. My struggle is to not get involved in building turnouts and switching areas but stay focussed on developing the mainline. Why? Because running long trains is fun, and back and forth on modules is just not satisfying enough any longer.
Had to take a brief break from the official Winter Layout Party work so that KCS 1 could pull the Holiday Express through town.
More up on my build posts ( HERE ) but a few highlights up to yesterday (28th)....... Designed the double tunnel portal above while we were in Phoenix for Christmas visiting family. . . . . To be continued..... A link to this whole build ( HERE ). Sumner
Sumner, Regarding hiding the front edges of removeable scenery...For what it's worth. For some lift-off scenery on my layout (tree flats= 1/4" foamboard with toothpick-lichen trees) hiding a track passing along the back of the shelf, I hid the front edge of the tree flats with about 3/8" of grass, shrubbery, and short toothpick-lichen trees. I am able to lift the tree flats off easily when I want to clean track and the permanently glued grass and shrubbery in front gives me a firm line to ensure proper positioning when I return the flats after cleaning the track. This first pic has a pair of 2 inch wide by 15 to 18 inch long toothpick-lichen tree flats extending to the right from the upper deck support (which has been covered with a grain elevator since this pic was taken), and two other tree flats about the same dimensions that extend to the left. The track runs parallel to and about 2 inches in front of the backdrop. More toothpick-lichen trees stuck directly (permanently) into the Homasote fill the space between the track and the backdrop. This next pic is of the area just out of sight to the left in the first picture above. There are 3 tree flats in front of the hidden track: a 4x4x4 triangular flat that is to the right of the road and behind the visible track; a second flat about 1-1/2" wide and 12 to 15" long that begins at the right side of the road and extends to the right parallel with the backdrop and just in front of the hidden track, and it is the same tree flat that is in the distance to the left of the first picture (you can see the upper deck support of the first picture in this pic, too, just behind the front support that is wrapped with a cardboard mock up of a grain elevator); and there is a third tree flat with a sort of triangle point that is between the road and the hidden track with one side paralleling the road down to the visible track in the lower left corner and the other side paralleling the hidden track. This next pic shows where the hidden track passes out from behind the 3rd tree flat that was on the left in the 2nd picture.
Goal #1: Completed All lighting is complete, except for a small section in the helix space at a later time. Next steps will be to clean up and get some fascia up. Hoping to find rugs on clearance to use for floor coverings. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Last week, I modified/updated/corrected the blocks, station names, and mile posts for all 4 Divisions in preparation for rebuilding the timetables for about 7 dozen trains. Ummm...that sounds like a lot of work, but I'm pretty sure I've already got the basic formulas that generate the various timetables for the trains in my Excel files, and it's just a matter of typing in the changes from one set of recently created files into the proper cells in the original (Pre-COVID) timetable files...a long and tedious task requiring constant attention to details, but one I'm well-motivated to undertake. We'll see... One of the (Pre-COVID) suggestions from friends who have been Yardmaster and Yard Switcher in the B and A Yards, is that they needed more (and more easily seen) labels on the ground throws at either end of a track, and also some indication of track numbers in the middle of the yard tracks, so they didn't have to constantly trace back to the ladder to see if they were still on track 7 or on track 8. I've finished labeling all tracks, leads, and ground throws in the major yard on my layout: The A Yard = 14 tracks; B Yard = 22 tracks; Arrival Departure Yard = 6 tracks; all three yards are double-ended and have both North and South leads; Engine Facility has 6 tracks and a double-ended lead...and the whole yard has a grand total of 122 ground throws! I'm going to use long cocktail/canape toothpicks with numbers glued at the top to label every other track (or every third track) in the middle of the yard tracks. The toothpicks are tall enough to be visible above the cars and I'm going to drill holes that are slightly larger, so I can pull all the labels when I want to take pictures of the yard but return the labels for an op session. Why do I need the track labels in the middle of the track? I'm not using car cards or switch lists with specific car numbers to assign cars to a specific track/train/destination because I and some of my colleagues have difficulty reading N-Scale reporting marks and numbers. Instead, the Yard Master and Yard Switcher in the B Yard and A Yard, respectively, build each train to have a specific number of car types, which are much more easily discriminated than the numbers. For example, all trains in the A Yard are either locals to various industries or interchanges, or transfers to specific local industries. Some trains may be assigned to take cars to twenty different industries; and other trains only take cars to one industry (ADM, Corn Products, I Bork and Sons Scrap Iron Recycling, Keystone Steel and Wire Mill, Cargill). All trains in the B Yard are going to rail yards in distant cities, and are carrying a mix of car types (2 or 3 gondolas with loads of steel coils or steel billets, 2 or 3 Corn Products tanks or covered hoppers, 1 or 2 ADM tanks or covered hoppers, 1 or 2 Cargill tank cars, and a mix of other car types that yield a specific total between 12 and 20 cars in the train, depending on the destination. When trains come from the cities into the A Yard, they are sorted onto tracks for delivery to ADM, Corn Products, Cargill, Keystone, or the Scrap Iron Recycling Yard and to 4 Locals serving other local industries. Its easy to discriminate tracks when sorting to specific industries, and there are only 4 locals which are all mixed cars... so the A Yard Switcher doesn't need toothpick labels to keep track of which track he is working on, because the company cars are obviously different from each other, and there are only 4 tracks for locals. On the other hand, the Yard Master in the B Yard must be sure to put the right number of specialty cars in specific trains (e.g., ICG 275 gets 2 coil or billet gons, 1 ADM car, 2 Corn Products Cars, 1 Cargill tank, and 8 mixed types; PC EP-TH gets 3 billets or coil cars, 3 Corn Products Cars, 2 ADM, 1 Cargill, and 8 mixed types because the size of industries at the PC's Terre Haute is different than the industries modeled at the ICG's Mattoon.) The B Yard Yard Master must be able to tell when he has the proper number of each car type in each train, and it is sometimes difficult to discriminate between rows when building multiple trains on adjacent tracks...so the toothpicks will help the Yard Master accurately monitor adjacent tracks for the correct combination of cars. I spent some time today listing all the track labels I want to type out and glue to the mainlines, especially in areas where there are multiple main lines crossing and intersecting. I have 4 areas on the layout where operators have been keying in a 3-digit switching route to get thru some complicated trackwork...and the routes have been working out well. But operators still struggle in some other areas. I keep debating the pros and cons: Labels will definitely help operators choose the correct path through some of the more complicated track configurations, but putting a label (essentially, a scale 6'x26' sign) next to all major tracks is unprototypic, at best, and some might view them as ugly. On the other hand, if folks are frustrated trying to run trains on my layout, they may be less likely to attend future op sessions...My guess is that people are more tolerant of UGLY layouts than they are of FRUSTRATING layouts. Over the next week, I hope to work on the toothpick labels for the B Yard, add a few track labels in one or two of the areas that were confusing to some operators, and begin incorporating the revised milage and routes for various trains into the individual job descriptions/instructions that operators follow for each train they run.
Work continues on the new fascia and wiring project this week. I'm making progress but when I started this right before thanksgiving, I had hoped to be much farther along. Anyway, I probably noted before that the wiring for the lights that were already installed was completed just before the party started and I had gathered up and made neat the track wire and switch machine wire. During this past week since the last update, I did get the first coat of paint on the new fascia. Sides Ends Here is a look at how I am thinking things will look when done. One of the big changes is that originally, all the controls were on one side of the layout with only a throttle pocket and cup holder on the far side from my desk. In the new design, the switch controllers and track power switches are split and place on the same side of the layout as what they control. I'm adding additional throttle pockets, Digitrax UP7 panels, and a couple of meters that will really only work if I happen to switch over and run DC. I still have a lot of DC locos so I do still do that plus, i have had those meters for 30+ years and never used them. It's finally time It's not a huge change from the old but enough to fix some issues and hopefully just look better. I started wiring up some switches for track power last week and did more of that this week. That should give me a bit of a jump once the new fascia can start being applied to the layout. here you can see that I had removed some and this week, I also removed the Kato switch controllers as well. Even with all this going on, I am still able to run trains and do so as much as I can. For Christmas, my son bought me this Woodland Scenics Willie's Warning set. It's not really my era but it's the first time he went to the hobby shop on his own and picked something out to give me so that makes it super extra special. I put it out on the layout but not sure if this will be the final spot or not now so haven't attached the officer so he is standing correctly. I have to say, I like it! One other thing is I pulled out a lot of papers that need to be organized and that will happen in the next few days. I'm kind of like physical reference material as much as digital thus this accumulation. Guess we'll see what you all think about it as I move forward. That's it for this week. As I go, my original plans for Saturday were working on the fascia as much as possible but alas, the CFO approved a trip to the not so local hobby shop because they are having a year end 50% off all used items sale today. That will put me a tad farther behind but hey, I gotta take the opportunity.
BNSF FAN: The fascia looks gorgeous! It also seems much thicker than other fascia panels I've seen. Is the fascia also a "load bearing" element...sort of like part of the framework supporting the layout, rather than just a cosmetic/non-load-bearing piece? Or does the weight of some of the components necessitate thicker material, so you can screw the components to the fascia without the screws poking through?
Continuing on with a few pictures and more at my build on TrainBoard ( HERE ) …......... . . . . . . . To be continued..... A link to this whole build ( HERE ). Sumner
Nothin doin this week. The family came down from Boston for the holidays. The grandsons brought a bazillion little friends some of which they shared. //Cough, cough. I am now laid up with Covid. 15 minutes of energy. 30+ minutes in bed. Spending the time daydreaming and trying to plan priorities when I get better. Safe travels everyone.
Thank you Country Joe. I *think*? Um, hope I can 'block out my blocks' on the layout. I have 3 power supplies so *in theory* I could isolate the main line, yard with yard lead and industrial area. That might be overly complicated so such a small layout. Oh, and my wife too. Argh, who is going to fix my dinner? Oh, wait, that would be me. ☻
Hope you are both over this soon. I'd do that in a second, well maybe longer than that. Be nice to have a train making laps on the mainline while you work in at least one of the other two areas or switch to DCC if you are DC and you wouldn't need those blocks. Run anything anywhere, any direction . Sumner
I might do it the second I'm healthy again. Well, actually I will try it and if it works out I'll have to build a new bench for the power supplies and sound box.
gettin a little bit of work done on my digital layout -- the rolling stock that is available does not have individual numbers, so I have to make liveries for each piece of rolling stock. Its not real hard, but can be a bit tedious. Because this is in no way a photorealistic layout, I have decided to save my weary eyes and put the numbers in BIG numerals in places that are easy to see -- THE TOP!!! This is the top of an auto rack that is getting its number in gimp (note no roof yet) heres the car with the roof on it now With a little file copy and paste magic, the re-painted car is ready to roll:
ppuinn, well, it's 1/2 inch thick so yeah, probably thicker than most folks do. My old fascia was made from a 1/8 inch thick sheet of luan plywood. It looked good at first but it very quickly developed a sag or bow in the center of the long sections. That has bugged me ever since and I went more heavy duty to keep that from happening again. I am finding that it also is going to make mounting all the stuff on it a little easier. I will see if I can find a pic that shows the bow and share that.
Such a simple task, yet I am falling behind already. In case you forgot I am suppose to paint two very small N-Scale EveModel houses, Geezzzz!
Here's my weekend update. Got a light spray of soot on the roofs of the tunnel portals and installed the assembly into the hillside. The entire hillside now has at least one layer of finished scenery. I feel it's still too dark in some places so still got some work to do before I can start to add shrubs and tumble weeds. I made some decals for the crane, got them put on, and then sprayed the cab, track, and boom with Dull coat. Went back the next day and it looked great, so I assembled the cab to the track and it rotates the way I want it to. Ordered some EZ line that I want to try out for the cables. Came back the next day and found that the Dull coat had turned very whitish after 2 days. Now trying to figure out how to fix this or at least make it look better than it does now. Also got an outhouse painted and added to scrap yard scene.
The tunnel portals look great and like the progress on the scenery. Not sure I can tell that any is too dark in the pics. As for the crane, I've heard that a second coat of dull coat will cause the whitish look to disappear but I have never tried it to see if that's true.
