This weekend I have been working to replace the section of layout with Unitrack laid in the siding in the photo below: I cut the section out and installed new risers: Then, I made a new subroadbed section and started working on it on the workbench. It is just easier to lay these switches and flex on the workbench. I predrilled under each switch for the tortoise spring wire and mounting holes, drop and soldered my frog wire, dropped and solder my switch feed wires as well. None of the track is glued in place as I am just piecing it all together first. I think it is looking good. I am please with the progress so far.
Hutch - I think you are going to be really happy with the Atlas code 55 turnouts. The ME's look good (I use code 70:embarassed, but they're hard to work with, hard to wire, and hard to maintain. I have had to do a lot of filing and tweaking with the ME's. I am going to use Atlas turnouts on branch lines as I expand. Plus, if you need to replace an Atlas, you don't have to search all over the internet to find one - most local hobby shops stock them.
Pretty amazing Hutch, you've come a long way. I remember a year or two ago when you were soliciting track plans for use with your SD90 locos. Seems you made some changes in life and your layout building has really taken off. Keep up the good work.
You make me smile just to remember how much I have learned since then. Boy things have changed so much. It is great to hear from you Thank you for all you did to help, it was much appreciated. We can all learn from the second, and third, and forth attempts.
Well, I am almost done with my siding module. I just have to drop a few bus feeders and mount the torti and decoders this afternoon. Here are a few pictures. I am quite pleased. I took my time and was more successful with the flex track and switches than I have ever been previously. My little set of micro files from Radio Shack were most handy in making all the joints smooth as glass. I left the switches floating with no adhesive and I didn't solder them in. The bus and frog drops hold them in place pretty well. Here are some pictures. It is hard to get the flex track perfectly straight, but I tried. Just playing with the camera here really.
I hope you guys have been doing well. I placed the siding module in place on the layout and have it glued onto its supports now. I have one of the six tortoise switch machines operable now on DCC address 201. I pondered what DCC address range to use for the switches, but I couldn't find any NMRA standards or other guidance. Here are my plans for the next few days including today: 1. Install mechanics on rest of Tortoise switch machines 2. Glue remaining sub road bed supports in place 3. wire remaining track drops to dcc bus lines 4. wire and program remaing tortoise switch machines addresses 202-206 5. lay remain roadbed on top level 6. lay flex track to first switch in the reversing loop 7. install bus lines to reversing loop area 8. install DCC circuit breaker from Tony's 9. install reversing loop module from Tony's 10. install remaining switches and trackage around reverse loop / gap reversing loop as required for reversing module 11. lay trackage for tunnel 12. construct barrier for tunnel and rear access hatch and front retaining wall 13. install tunnel parts and retaining walls at ends of tunnel 14. plaster cloth over tunnel area and in front of the switchyard 15. apply scenic material and trees to tunnel area and around trestle and viaduct 16. install track into helix Happy Forth of July to everyone. It is hot here!
Looks fine to me! I once tried using an aluminum straight edge. And that result still didn't come out as well as yours. :thumbs_up: Boxcab E50
Hutch, that is really a practical solution which I think I'll copy :teeth: what about the atlas turnout? if I don't go wrong it has a strip of metal to feed the frog. can it be used as dead frog turnout, too? I mean, if I don't feed the frog the other rails are powered, are they? contratulations on your progress!
Denny, You are right, the Atlas code 55 switch does have a copper strip that sticks out to the side to power the frog. I have read in other places that you can opt not to power the frog. However, yesterday I was running my engines through my powered frogs and it was great. I could set the DCC speed so low that the engine was hardly moving and it was nice to see no hesitation on the frog, but rather it would move right through. In my opinion, this is a pretty big frog that needs to be powered, hence Atlas made it really easy to attach a feed to that solder connection for the frog.
Hutch, You are making serious progress. You emind me of my friend Scott Teague in that you work fast but not at the expense of quality. Jeff
I keep poppin in to your layout updates to see whats going on. Progress looks great Hutch. You're making the rest of us look like slackers.
A ya, me too. Feeling like my layout is a bit neglected whatching great progress like Hutch's. Great work man, keep us all envious :wink2:
Long post here, sorry. I hope you have all been doing well. I have been having some serious thoughts about my layout recently and I would like to share with you some of my concerns. 1. I now realize that I really hate deep multi-level layouts. The upper levels shadow the lower level(s) 2. Many published MR plans are theoretical and have never been built, just as this one. 3. I absolutely refuse to stand on a ladder every day to work on a layout. This really sucks. Eye level is nice, but I had rather stand on the floor or sit. 4. Deep, as in more than 24 inches, anywhere will cause you heartaches. 5. I really like operations, and continuous running. I would love to have an operable switching yard sometime this century. 6. Lower level staging with less that 12 inches of clearance is really not practical in my opinion. Things happen where you will need 12 inches. 7. A helix, while fun to build is a pain in the behind. 8. A helix, while pretty to look at is a huge waste of space 9. In my opinion, when the ratio of the number of hours it takes to lay landscaping cloth to hours taken to lay track exceeds 1, you have a problem. 10. I hate multilevel layouts, where the top is the same size as the bottom. You have to lean and reach for everything on the first level 11. Multilevel layouts have a tendancy to be dark on the first level if not properly lit 12. Practice what products you like to use on the side, before you integrate them into the layout... for example IMHO, homabed sucks, I don't care to piece unitrack for large radi, I don't like code 70 track or ME products rather than bridges, etc. 13. RUN TRAINS, that is why we all do this 14. Don't go too large or too complex unless you can play while you do it. 15. Dang I am tired of try to figure this layout out in my head all the time. I want to run trains and be like Pete Nolan! 16. For me, building the subroadbed for a complex layout is all the fun. Once that was all done for this layout back in in January, the fun started to end quickly... 17. Don't cram a layout into a room... Even if it fits, it might not fit really. If you can't take good pics, your room is too small or your layout is too big.... As you finish reading this, I am making plans for my next, smaller, better layout. I thought I owed it to you all to tell you why I am not continuing to finish this particular layout. Yes, you read it right...I have salvaged everything except wood and plaster and I am planning right now to begin again as soon as my next plan is ready. (next 3 to 4 weeks I hope). I have new carpet going in the layout room, new blinds, new lighting, and new paint for the walls. As of 8:30 this morning, I have dismantled in 3 hours what took nearly 7 months to build. I AM HAPPY ABOUT THIS GUYS. Don't feel sorry for me. I feel so much better not struggling with this monstrosity of a layout! The excitement of planning a new layout is overwhelming for me. Heck I am already reading, and planning again! I have learned so much from this layout that is going to make the next one so much better. John Armstrong's books are my friends right now. I appreciate all of your continued support and the time you take to post your comments. I hope you guys aren't upset with me. I am so excited to be starting again. I am not leaving the hobby! Just planning and working on a new layout. Maybe you guys don't really care that I am starting over. I just thought I owed you guys an explanation. Yes, I am a little crazy. But if this is a hobby, I refuse not to enjoy it!
I never made the mistake you feel you made, because I never built a large layout. Heck, I've never really built a layout until recently. I had the typical loops on the 4x8 sheet of plywood in HO, but nothing ever went further than that. I have always "planned" for the big layout, but budget and time always got in the way. I've started to work on a small 2' x 4' n-scale layout that is coming along nicely. I only have 10 turnouts (which might be a lot in a small space, but it works) and have completed laying and weathering the track. Once the power pack arrives, I'll be able to run a small train in short order. I also feel I can use this small portable layout as a test bed for techniques before I decide to build the big one. I hope to see plans and photos of your new layout soon! Greg
I'm curious how the wife reacted You gotta do what you gotta do. We hope you'll keep us all posted as well as you did on this/that layout! Tim
I am laughing about this . I wish you guys could have seen her mouth drop when I told her. It was like I told her some catastrophic news. Hehehe. She actually understood and is supportive of the new efforts. I am like a new person without the weight of that layout on my shoulders. It is a great day!
Sounds like you did some deep contemplating! I have always thought that in some cases, lesser is betterer! I have visited some layouts that were so crammed with track; on multi-levels with only inches of clearance between levels; almost overdone scenery-wise to where it was impossible to even clean track. There was an article in the Model Railroad Planning 2004 mag (from Model Railroader - Kalmbach) by David Barrow who decided to re-do his HO layout. He took the minimalist approach by using "domino" or benchwork modules which are 4 foot long with varying widths from 12" to 30". He decided to use minimum scenery, wide aisles, off the shelf Atlas code 100 track (unpainted), no. 6 turnouts with manual ground throws to minimize wiring. His backdrop is the wall in just basic blue; buildings have a minimum of detail; scenery is very minimum to none. he focused on lighting, carpet, etc. So what he ends up with is track work that is almost prefect from the start and practically no complicated scenery. And a layout that is comfortable to view and operate. Quote from the article: "It's never too late to try new ideas, even if this leads to the demolition of your current layout." I haven't made too much progress on my N layout for the past year (in part do to illness), but I can't tell you how many times I have considered starting over. I remember the old saying that "model railroading is fun". When it's not, something might be wrong. Good Luck - and have fun!
