Thanks for your comments. You made my day! The helix has an inside diameter of 48" and an outside diameter of 50.5. The middle of the track will be at 49.5 inches.
I like it when a plan comes together! One small detail. (Don't ask me how I know) Installing track on these helix’s can be a bit tricky if you wait until all the bench work is completed. Before you build yourself into a corner, give some thought as to when you want to mount the helix in its permanent place. A clever person might want to consider some way of mounting all the roadbed (if you want) and tracks before lifting the helix assembly into it's final resting place. Oh! Don't forget to build a small fence on the edges of the roadbed just in case one of your trains decides to take a header on the floor. That's a good-looking bench! It should serve you well for many years. GM [ February 07, 2006, 09:51 PM: Message edited by: GM ]
The helix looks excellent I guess you will glue the track down due to height restraints to use a hammer to spike the track down?
Yes, the .125 homabed and me code 55 will be held down with an adhesive. I am not sure about which adhesive yet.
Hutch, You are doing a tremendous job on this layout. The benchwork looks beautiful! For track adhesive I used Dap Tub & Tile Adhesive Caulk (clear). It gives you plenty of time to align the track then it grabs hold. Plus, water cleanup! Just my two cents. Hey, is your GF still helping out with the layout?
She is providing moral support right now. She is working on her nursing degree and she has been swamped with tests lately. We are going to paint some clouds this weekend.
Today I finished the inside mainline and siding sub roadbed around Ellensburg (the inside loop). I am also making progress on the upper portion of the helix towards Stampede Pass on the top level. I can't express to you guys how excited I am to see this two dimensional plan I have stared at on paper for so long turn into a three dimensional creation. It is really exciting to me to see it come together. Here are a couple of shots of the progress. Sorry about the focus on the second picture. Also, thank you to those who are following along. I appreciate you posting your comments and I always enjoy reading them. GM, The California Roadbed I suspect was shipped today and the ME code 55 track was shipped to day as well. I am going to lay the roadbed on the helix and some code 55 next week I hope. But you are right, this is going to take alot of time and patience to get the helix trackage done. Oh well, there are plenty of days ahead I hope and I can use something to divert my attention from all the turnouts I have to build. Hopefully the Fastracks templates will be here in early March for the turnouts. I still need to think about some wiring, some kits to build, a final DCC decision and paint some clouds. There is plenty to do. [ February 09, 2006, 04:50 PM: Message edited by: Hutch ]
Hutch, Those pictures show some mighty fine work! I just hope mine will look as good. With the amount of effort you have put in so far, it would be a shame to use any control system other than DCC. I have a small thread running in the DCC & Electronics forum. Drop in when you get a chance. GM [ February 09, 2006, 06:56 PM: Message edited by: GM ]
Hutch: The updated photo's look outstanding. With the degree of effort and preciseness that you have shown so far, I would strongly suggest that you consider using DCC. It will add an entirely different dimension to your layout and operation of the layout. Once you use DCC, you'll never look back. I'm still learning about DCC after 6 1/2 years of operating the JJJ&E with a Lenz system. Stay cool and run steam....
This weekend I completed the staging level, or the sub road bed for this level anyway... Here is the tie in with the lower most reversing loop below the helix: Here we make the turn for the long straight mainline and siding for the staging level. Note the main level yard will be above all of this at elevation 5.5 inches. Here is the other end of the staging level where the turnback takes us up to the main level at elevation 5.5". The yard tracks will sit above all of this at eleveation 5.5". Here in the center of the turnback sits a grain elevator...in the future. This is really all of the sub road bed I can do until the ME code 55 track arrives along with the California Homabed. So, I started working on the back ground. I painted some on the horizon and a few clouds:
Hutch: You've done a fantastic job on the background with the cloud formations on all levels. The benchwork is unbelievable and quite a work of art in itself. You are going to have one fantastic layout. It's great to be young... Stay cool and run steam.....
The wood working is absolutely outstanding to me, that alone is very interesting to see the progress and care you are taking, and add to the fact that it is for a model railroad layout. This is one of the first threads I read each time I check the board. Keeps the updates and pictures coming, this is amazing! Make sure you keep all the progress on your layout in this one thread as I like going back and viewing from the very beginning, once in awhile to see the progress.
This is going to be one fantastic layout, I'd also be interested in seeing how you did the clouds. The benchwork is just outstanding, I'm really looking forward to seeing future progress.
Thanks for all the comments guys. I appreciate you following along. For the clouds: Model Railroader released the first edition of the Dream Plan Build series on DVD. This is where I learned the cloud technique. Here is how I did it. Stipple motion defined: a dabbing technique where you use the end of a brush to repeatedly touch the surface at a perpendicular angle, using only the tips of the bristels to apply the paint in an up and down motion rather than side to side like you normally paint..... 1. Start with the sky blue WET WET WET on the background...if it is not wet, the technique won't work as well. Once the blue is dry, you have to stop or start over... 2. Also start with a clean, dry 2" paint brush. Purdy makes a great paint brush to use. 3. Dip just the tip of the bristles in flat white latex paint. 4. Use the stipple motion to stipple the paint onto the surface in a circular motion with one side of the paint brush staying lockied in the center of the circle for a half circle or so. This creates the fluffy cloud top. 5. As the brush runs out of paint, stipple in the rest of the cloud. You may have to reload the paint brush, but when you do use this wet paint to create the highlight in the cloud where the sun is hitting them (typically from one direction) 6. once you get the brush almost dry, continue filling in your cloud ... don't make them too big! This is N scale 7. Continue in a random pattern until you are happy with the result of your sky 8. Use more paint to paint new clouds in front of those already painted. This creates a 3D effect. All of these techniques are illustrated in this video from Model Railroader DVD if you would like to see the process. It was the best $9 I ever spent on the hobby, just for the background painting tips. I am going back and redoing my clouds. I thought they looked good, but I seemed to forget what scale I was working in. They need to be a little smaller in my opinion. Hope this helps. The code 55 track arrived yesterday. Almost time to have fun! [ February 14, 2006, 04:28 PM: Message edited by: Hutch ]
Worked on the horizon and low level clouds on the entire first level today. This is how it turned out... I repainted some clouds in my ongoing "learning to paint creatively" class today... Just kidding... Anyway here they are. I am not sure if they look better than the last ones or not... Your feedback is valued and appreciated.
Oh yeah, the code 55 flex came in yesterday. Just waiting on the roadbed. I have some cork roadbed and it is tempting to go ahead and lay the helix trackage. I may start tomorrow. I am waiting to hear about the status of my roadbed shipment. Out to dinner for Valentine's....See you guys tomorrow.
