I guess so, not only trains, but also a lot of money. :tb-biggrin: But I have thought about that, and all hidden tracks can be reached from below and the main staging behind the big station will be covered by a city and skyline that can be liftet up if something is lost here or the track need cleaning. And in the laundry room everything will be plain plywood, build into a box for dustcover and protection, that can be opened. The plan is much simpler now in this final revision, just because all the hidden tracks is difficult to reach, so now I have removed a lot of the hidden tracks. A milestone: I have just glued some corc in place and the first piece of MT-tracks is installed.
Lookin' Good Svein I'm sure glad you kept the "Loop" that is going to be one Sweet Layout :thumbs_up:
First testrun on the layout It is some time with no activity on the layout, expect for some updates of the trackplan, but tonight I installed some more track. And I have run my first testrun on the lowest level of the layout to check out the track and if the big AZL, like GS4, will run. Yes, it worked well. Check out the video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fm8G2suSMXs
Major changes in trackplan The last days there have been a lot of development of the trackplan and I have done a lot of changes. After searching the net for info about elevated track, I found this NYC High Line Project, that gave me much inspiration. Check out the blog here: http://www.platelayer.com/big-changes-in-trackplan-now-with-nyc-high-line.aspx Here is the newest version of the layout, revision 8: Revision 7, before major changes on the station:
Check out the first testrun on the new mainline Finally I could run my first testrun on the mainline. There is good progress in the building and one track on the mainline could now be operated. Check out the testvideo here: http://youtu.be/43V-mXJeQQw?hd=1
Some images added to the porject blog I have added some images of the building of the layout to the project blog. Have also updated the drawings with the "as build" plans. Check it out. Projectblog: http://www.platelayer.com/near-all-track-installed.aspx Drawings, revision 8.1 The tracks entering the hidden part of the layout.
Svein-Martin, WOW! That is one large hidden entrance! I just checked out your blog - that is a lot of track you are laying. Looking forward to seeing your updates on your blog. Yours, John Bartolotto
Some more work have been done on the layout. Check it out on my projectblog. Some action on the layout? The background shows the basement for the cityline buildings, with some testbuildings installed. The hidden station can be seen below. The High Line base is also in place and the track can soon be installed.
Lookin' good Svein I like how the background looks............... Good to see some Yellow Units on that layout :shade:
Thank you Dom. I am using several brands of turnouts, Märklin in hidden areas, I had a few Wright turnouts that I want to reuse, and I have build several Fast-Track turnouts. I have also got some Rokuhan turnouts to test with, and I am thinking about using them in some areas. Actually I do a lot of thinking at the moment on what to do, and what will give the best result, without to much work and cost. To build my own turnouts and to mount a Tortoise or similar, takes a lot of time, but will finally give a very good result, with a good looking turnout with correct sleeper spacing. At the moment I have installed 6 homebuild turnouts in one spot. All waiting on the wire for the frog and installing of the motors. I guess it would be fine when finished, but it takes some time. :-( The easiest will be to use the Märklin turnouts when thinking about the painting and ballasting of the track, but then you have the motor showing on top of the layout, if you not remove it and replace it with another motor. I think the second best and fastest result will be to use Rokuhan turnouts, but with that option I am not so happy with all the work involved painting the tracks, sleepers and the preinstalled ballast in correct colors. I don't like the plastic-feel and think I will paint all. Of course if I use greay ballast, it will not be so big problem. And it will also be a money issue. I can build many more Fast-Track turnouts with the materials I have on my desk and also with the number of motors I have in stock, compared to buy a lot of Rokuhan turnouts. And my time to build is in general free time that cost nothing and only give pleasure for myself. Time will show. So this are some of my thoughts at the moment regarding the turnouts, that in general slow down the building process a bit.
Thanks for the input Svein-Martin. And that's true, as long as Peter Wright doesn't come back into business, the turnout question is an issue for me.... Dom