Rob Grant(Shermaqn89) here in Florida and have just joined the trainboard and have been into HO railroading for the last 2 months. I built a multiple layout on a unused pool table and ended up with a 5'X11' surface with 4 rectangular layouts and one inner layout that started as an over/under all DC powered. I have read up on the DCC world and was initially scared off but maybe in the future. The over/under became very frustrating as well as the inner 4th track on the rectangular. I learned all about track slope and I did not have enough room for the slope so it went, also the 4th rectangular track was also removed at the same time as I had learned how to keep 5 trains running 4 trains with 15-17 box and 10 grain hopper cars on the inner track. I forgot to mention the outer rectangular track was Life Like and boy did I learn all about track shortages but I did learn how to keep it going. I removed the Liife Like and replaced it with Bachmann EZ track so everything is Bachmann EZ. Then I added buildings and it has grown from there. Now I am looking into laying my own track with flextrack and cork/foam roadbed.
Hi Rob, welcome. Glad to have you aboard. Sounds like you have your act together, try anything, chuck what doesn't work, and go from there. Well done.
Here are a few pics to show my attempt at HO, the table top is a mix of 3/4 ply and 3/4 mica board painted with latex and at one end you can see my gravel ops covered in sand that was taken from a mole hill and screened and placed on the wet latex paint with the rock crusher, cement plant and a redi-mix plant with associated spurs. The other end has the grain elevator and a homemade garage. I have 4 isolation switches on the inner track for 4 separate locomotives, 1 at the cement plant one at the redi-mix plant and 2 inside the garage then are configured on a Y just inside the garage. I have 8 switches(turnouts) 6 electric and 2 manual, I just 2 electrics delivered yesterday so they will be going in later today. I have 4 Athearn Genesis SD-70 locomotives, 2 Walther GP-9's and a Bachmann EMD GP-40.
I have began an expansion to the tabletop to a U formation with 150' of flextrack and cork ordered and rearranging the shelving is under way.
The 3/4" ply is down including the bridge between the wall and the tabletop with paint to follow today
I guess I should do a new member introduction too, Im Rob's Son, Mike. we have been doing hobbies together for 34 years and counting. Im the computer/electronics brains of the duo, Dad is the carpentry guru and master of loosing temper and throwing tools.
I got to stop throwing wrenches, too much time spent looking for them---back in the farming days I hate to admit to being famous for throwing wrenches especially when the combine broke down. I have much better control of my temper as I age. My son Mike and I flew r/c airplanes and helicopters among other things, we have been to Joe Nall in South Carolina a few times with 40-60% float planes etc. He is the one responsible for getting me into DCC and what an adventure that has been. Attached is a pic of a siding being added to track#2 that will about finish the new addition off.
I am now learning how to operate 6 DCC trains at once and is that handfull!!!!!!!!!!! I have used the panic " E" button a few times to avoid head-ons. A pic is attached to show what the final add-on looks like at least for now.
