I like your new strategy Grey, laying out the track pieces on the actual board to see what works in real life is how I end up doing my final planning too. A nolix is a real asset. It gives you much scenic interest and a free second level after the climbing is done. I was lucky in that my own nolix worked out the way it did; my prototype pretty much meshed perfectly with the available space.
Thanks again FD, Mke you have my promise. Phase 1 / Table 1 will still be have all: Track – Completed Wiring – Completed Most scenery laid out Before more than level loops will touch the other tables. Phases / Tables 1 and 2 will have the same before the nolix is started.
An Idea of how the Phase 1 Table 1 _should_ look. The other 2 tables will be built at the same time but any track will just be temporary for running purposes.
************* Edit: The wood and foam have been ordered! Done! Done! Done! Delvery date: No later than May 14 Anyone from Boston, MA area want to help build tables?
Steve: Congratulations on ordering the wood and foam for your layout. You must help me as I'm getting confused. It must be my age; but what trackplan have you finally decided to use??? Stay cool and run steam.....
Thanks and it’s not your age, My communications are um, well, difficult to follow and probably contradictory. The table area will be as shown in the nolix above. The only definite part of the actual track plan is the one showing the grades 3 post above this one. Even that has changed since I removed one of the yard tracks to reduce crowding. The Grey and Grandure will have a ROW serving industries and towns along the closest one foot of tables 2 and 3. The rest of tables 2 and 3 are for “running trains and mountain scenery”. In the short run there will be a large loop of track on table 2 connected to table 1 to allow continuous running till wiring for 2 train DC operation is done and scenery is well on its way. All track depicted on tables 2 and 3 in any other pics are nebulous abstractions / ideas / concepts. The final plans for those tables will be done by laying out the Kato track until I get it the way I want it. And as mentioned in the text of the plan above: It is fairly _accurate_ but not _precise_.
A week to go before the lumber and foam get here I decided I better measure the room just to be sure. Guess what I found!! Would you believe I found I could add an extra foot to the Phase 1 and Phase 3 table areas. This will allow me to reduce the crowding on Phase one by quite a bit. While still somewhat abstract Pase 1 is accurate but not precise. Pase 2 and 3 as depicted in 5/5/06 are in no way reflective of the eventual plan.
Make sure you allow some sort of access hatch in the corners - lest a derailment happens just out of reach!
Steve: My suggestion to you is to get your measurements right, before the lumber and supplies arrive. Stay cool and run steam.....
Thanks, Good suggestions guys. Mike - I don't anticipate having anything in the corners but I think you are right. The idea of carving up through 6"s of foam to reach a distressed train is not a pleasant one. Bob - They are correct now. I measured them twice last night. I have a tape measure with big numbers on it. Edit: this memo just in from the managment: "Derailments are against company policy so there won't be any" [ May 07, 2005, 08:00 PM: Message edited by: Grey One ]
1000th Post! I would like to thank Everyone and I do mean _EVERYONE_ for all of the help. You guys are the best.
Wood and foam arrive This saturday, the 14th. // Does snoopy dance Thanks for asking. I will then start a new thread on the contruction phase 1. Photos will be taken [ May 11, 2005, 08:22 PM: Message edited by: Grey One ]
Powersteam has a point about getting this workbench done. We used to say that when summer came, no one did any model railroading because the weather was so nice. Now that most people have AC, even if it's a window unit, summer is the perfect time for some indoor fun because... "the weather is too nice!" If you have some time off and are at home, the hours around noon time are perfect for some model railroading fun.
