Layout Progress Photos Northern Pacific Cascade

I did another coat of drywall compound today after a sanding session.

I hate this painting prep stuff. Maybe the final sanding will go well tomorrow and I won't have to do it all again.

 

I finished painting both the upper level and lower level backdrops sky blue. I still need to do some detail work like clouds and such.

I cut out the staging level reversing loops and the first turn of the helix from the staging level to the lower level.

I will set the helix at the proper elevation tomorrow and post some pics.

It was a productive day.

 

Slow Down!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am sooo excited seeing your posts I can't keep up. You work very quick. Keep up the great work and keep sending the photos.....

 

Here is the weekend progress:

Painted the background(s)...no clouds or trees yet...



I completed what I consider to be the most complex portion of the helix. The transition from the staging llevel at elevation 0 to the first level at elevation 5 thru 6. Here you can see the staging level reversing loops and the climb from the staging level to the first level at elevation 5.




This portion of the helix was a challenge. The remain turns of the helix are straight forward 360 degree rotation with only two more entries and exits to go in the helix. I have the templates made, I just need more time to complete the jigsaw fun! So far, I have used 3/4 of a sheet of 1/2 plywood. Pretty good I think.

And for the final panoramic view. Hey, I need a wide angle lens and a new digital camera...



As you might be able to tell, I am having fun with this, and that is what it is all about. So many hours, and no track, no trains, no dcc. But that is just lots of fun left to come.

I am really not rushing this project, I am just so eager to see all the planning come together. It is really more of a 'proof of concept' for me. Autocad is a life saver! I printed full size 1:1 templates to cut all the plywood and it worked out well I think.

Please post your comments. Tell me what I am forgetting, what I should have done differently, or anything you can think of that will help make this better.

[ February 04, 2006, 07:50 PM: Message edited by: Hutch ]

 

Hutch,
The layout is coming along nicely. You are making great progress. Keep up the great work.

I just want to know one thing. How in the world do you keep the floor so CLEAN during construction?

 

I have to admit, I always try to pick the 'stuff' up before I take the pictures, but the real reason is that I have to do all the cutting etc. out in the shop which is about a 500 yards away. That puts some real motivation in place to get the cuts right the first time! Thanks for posting.

 

Colonel,

On the top shelf supports in question, I have two 12 x 8 shelf brackets that you can barely see at the base of the two longest supports. On each side they are also supported with double L brackets. Amazingly, it is very sturdy. But, you are right, if I lay on it, it will sag about 1/2 inch. I am going to need to drop a support from the ceiling, but I just hate to screw up the view. I am just delaying the invevitable.

As far as which railroad I am modeling, I would more than likely embarrass myself with the answer. I would like to model BN, but that may not be proto correct. Northern Pacific may be more correct. This layout, Northern Pacific's Cascade, was written to encompass Pasco, Yakima, Ellensburg, Portland, and Spokane Washington. I could use some feedback here.

I am guilty of falling in love with a layout more so than a railroad in particular.

 

I am envious. I have been trying to design with XtrakCad for weeks and am now making some progress.

 

Great progress Hutch! Just one thing I want to add.....There is no right or wrong way to model your railroad. If you want to run the mean green machine then go for it! You do not need to impress anyone and if someone thinks your RR is modeled wrong, well, tell em to go build their own. Your happiness is all that counts.

 

I placed my initial California Roadbed order today. My startup order was pretty large as this layout is quite large. It really hurt me to pay so much for something that could be done quite cheaply with cork. I hope it is worth the cost. I ordered the 60 degree bevel on both the mailine and branchline product.

I will have more pics later today. I didn't finish what I was working on last night, but it really looks good.

 

Colonel,

Here are the factors that made me decide to try the Homabed:

1. .240 height for the mainline and .125 height for the branch line. In other words, two distinct bed heights are available for this product in N scale.
2. homasote is supposed to provide a nice quite surface for the flextrack. The last time I laid cork, it was fine until I painted it, but then it was hard and noisy.
3. This product is kerfed for nice smooth curves.

Those were my thoughts.

Oh yeah, and I liked the 60 degree bevel at the edges...

 

Here is the progress for the past couple of days:

The helix has a 24 inch radius with 4" of rise per 360 degrees. About 2.7%...


and



The top end point of the helix exits out of the helix, makes the inside loop around this section of the layout, and then comes back into the helix in the area not completed. After a turn and a half or so, the helix will exit at the top level.

Coming along, but I am tired. I am going to spend the next couple of days cleaning up a couple of problem areas like the little kink in the roadbed where it makes the next to final turn before entering the helix.

Take care.

[ February 04, 2006, 07:52 PM: Message edited by: Hutch ]