My first year of progress.

[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Georgia, Verdana]gpa[/FONT] ~ Thanks! I use smooth-it from WS. Also if you look closely in some of the pics you will see how it was done. The road in front of the factory is not sloping. It is just a curve. When making sidewalks I mix the smooth-it wet and apply it with an infant medicine doser (basically a large eye-dropper). This method allows for little sanding afterward. I am going to try a turkey baster on my roads next time and see how that works.

[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Georgia, Verdana]mrhedley[/FONT] ~ Thanks! I use the stronger basswood on curves and balsa everywhere else. I should also note I leave the wood forms in place with them becoming curbs.

 

I would say that from the looks of your layout your first year was a smashing success. Thanks for the update shots and sure did enjoy them. Keep them coming as things go along. And keep up what your doing

 

Great work. Wonderful effects. Stay away from the turkey baster. I tried and there was way too much of a pour. I now use a new baster for blowing ground foam up a slope that has wet glue on it.

 

Wow, you build roads like the real thing. Base course, curbing, subgrade, pavement. Bravo

 

Very Impressive! Is there any specific location you used for inspiration?

 

Thanks again for the kind words everyone!

[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Georgia, Verdana]ThirdCoastRail[/FONT] ~ This layout is a freelanced one based on my imagination and experiences in the midwest and east coast.

 

Just a few update pics. Finished some more night lighting and got some more roads poured:

 

Picking up where I left off in spring:

 

As others have said your lighting is breathtaking. I personally have not attempted it, honestly I'm not even sure how to do it. Clearly though, you do! Beautiful!

 

Congratulations, Groove. Beautiful work.

I remember when I first saw your shots, I decided I absolutely had to include a lot of lighting in my layout-in-progress. I had been leaning that way, but you clinched it for me.

Thanks for sharing.

Jim

 

Thats amazing. This is what I was planning on doing! I much like yourself dont have a lot of room for a huge empire. So make your little empire amazing. I love the lights. I am in the planning stages of making the Chicago Metra North line. From Union Station through the engine facility/yard and to a station. I am finally getting the right plan in place. The head juices are flowing. The shelf looks like it may happen. As I am planning I am wondering what lights you are using. I have looked at a lot and to find something for N scale is tough. I am not an electrician either lol. But my friend is... Let me know what you are using for lights and how you connect it. Diagram? or am I asking for too much? Well done on the layout.

 

I don't know how I missed this until now, but VERY IMPRESSIVE LAYOUT :tb-cool:

I have "subscribed" and will follow progress with interest!!

 

Thanks for the kind words guys!

Autovomatic ~ I am mostly using 1.8 mm 3-4 V. LEDs from E-bay. I also use some Miniatronics 1.5 mm LEDs. Some fiber optics were used on the Water St. Terminal. Pictured below are the 1.8 mm style LEDS from E-bay:



Here are some wiring pics for you:








Continued...

 

A

Below is a pic of the undercarriage:



I use threaded rod to run the different types of current. Old rail power packs are used to run most of the lights. Incandescent and LEds run separately. Walworts are used on a couple of specialty structures. All the structures can easily be removed from the layout to access their interiors. I still need to add details and figures to them.

 

Thanks guys!

Some more progress:

 

Man that is looking spectacular. Great night scene. :thumbs_up: