Thanks Bill The frog will be the only area involved in soldering with my turnouts so I might even use your method of route measure/bench create. One of the tests I did was for the skeleton of a turnout and you are right, the stock rails area real easy to adjust. Even on straight-ish track, adjusting the rails is easy. Silly me assumed that a bloody great layer of glue was needed, but then the light came on and I reduced the glue amount. It sure is easy and fast! Anyhoo, back to it. I've got to pull the peninsula out and attach a backdrop board..... Cheers
Rightio then. I have finally taken some pics of the benchwork start. No backdrop yet so I have to pull the peninsula out again to attach it before I start any other work. With my current schedule that should be mid next week. Also there is a shot of of my currently messy workbench which is due for a cleanup. The workbench is built the same way as the benchwork - L-girder! I have included 3 shots of one of my small pieces of hot glued test track. This is code 55 on my own ties and ballasted with Woodland Scenics Medium Cinders ballast. ANyhow, take a look at my railimages album and let me know what you think. Cheers
It's looking very good Bruce. I'm anxious to see how you progress with time. I'm also happy to know I have a "hot-glue" ally in here. LOL All it takes is a little patience and practice.
Not much happening at the moment. The 18MM second hand plywood I bought for the sub roadbed decided it didn't want to stay flat so I ripped it all out and started again. I now have 15mm particle board that is rock solid and perfectly flat. It is well supported with joists at about 16". This stuff was outer protectors from the timber yard and I got a couple of 8' x 6' sheets for 11.00 each. This is enough to keep me going and is commonly available for the future. I did waste 3 sheets of 3mm cork though so I will have to grab some more to fully top the yard. I am actually thinking of laying the new cork sheets directly on top of the subroad bed. Given that I am not spiking my track, do I really need canite inbetween? The only advantage I see is carving scenic bits out of it would be easier. Any thoughts?
G'day Bruce from FRom the Clarence Valley, ON my WEUSANDCORR I just use double cork on Main line or 1/4 inch if I can procure it and single cork on branches straight on chip board and have had no probs but I did seal board with sanding seal first though Your right about the height for scenery it is easier to culverts etc in Regards Les
BREAKING NEWS! Destruction on the RF&W. Sadly it's true. My benchwork is coming down. We got a new lounge suite (very much overdue BTW) and it won't fit in the space left in the lounge room. Once the lounge room is rearranged, I will have more of an idea of what space I have available but I can say now it will not be anything like what I had. Instead of continuing the full layout I will now be building small sections as dioramas that will eventually plug into the final layout when it goes up. Not overly happy about the situation but that is that way it goes. I have 3 dioramas planned - the coal mine, the turntable and town 2 (just before the mine). After that will be town 1 on the way up the branch. The full layout will not make a reappearance until I can get power put into our garage which, in Australia, will be an expensive excercise. That is why I didn't start in there in the first place.
In a way, I hate to hear of the dismantling of your layout, but I am pleased to her you'll be working on dioramas to keep your hand in. As far as handlaying track- on one of my first layouts, I had handlaid code 70 rail on stained Campbell ties, which were glued to homasote. I stank on turnouts, so I bought those already-made. The rails were spiked, using Kadee track gauges to keep the rails spaced proper, and I put in spikes one at a time with a pair of needle-nosed pliers. But, I liked the look of handliad track then, and still do to an extent now. It ain't that cheap to close in & wire garages here in Texas, either- I feel for ya. Please, keep us updated!!
Sorry to hear about the loss of a layout. But the module ideas do sound interesting. So we'll be waiting to hear of, and see progress reports. Soon? Boxcab E50
Thanks Guys it is scary how fast it comes down compared to going up I have half disassembled already, the rest will be tomorrow. I hope to start my diorama's fairly soon. I am visiting a friend tomorrow who does the same - builds awesome diorama's that get put on show and then incorporated into his On30 layout. Hopefully I can get some good pointers from him. Cheers
Sorry to hear about this set back. I think half the battle with model railroading is finding a place to put the layout.Perhaps a shelf layout in modules will be easier to get done anyway.
