It has begun!! The Midland Line.


Thanks chaps!! I can make it a little lighter by drilling some large holes thru the base of both levels, then use some homasote type board as the sub-roadbed.

It's the C shape and the 1inch thick MDF where the strength comes from.

Ken.
 
Alignment issues? Not!

I re-designed the wheel arrangement for two smooth blocks of wood which are angled and bring the gate up to perfect height everytime. I'll run some soap over them and keep them lubricated:D

Gate closed
agg.sized.jpg


Gate opening.
agh.sized.jpg


left side gate closed.
agc.sized.jpg


open.
agd.sized.jpg


Right side closed.
age.sized.jpg


open.
agf.sized.jpg


Ken.
 
Yeah it feels good, I'm happy with the gate I thought it was gunna be a huge headache.

Ken.
 
Go Ken Go!!
Suggestion: Use paraffin for your lubrication on the wood. It will do better than soap and stay on longer. Just buy a bar, like was used for home canning, at the grocery store. The brand name is GULF. I use it for many lubrication purposes on wood.
 
Thanks for the tip Rex, is it a wax type bar? I searched online for Gulf Paraffin all I got was items about the Gulf war!!

I started laying track last night!! Yipee

Ken.
 
Yes, it is a wax type of bar. The name is "Gulf Wax" and it comes in a box with 4 bars that are about 3x5x3/4 inches in size. The paraffin is used for home canning (sealing jars), candlemaking, lubricating sticking drawers/windows/doors, waxing surf boards, coating snow shovels, and many other things.

TRACK?? Man that sounds great! Jan had better tie a lease on you if she wants to see you again.:D :D
 
More progress!! My next new gate, allows access to the train room from the garage.

P1020264.JPG


P1020265.JPG


The other gate is on the left
P1020266.JPG


View from the new room, the benchwork on the right is just 8" wide.
P1020267.JPG


Building the gate with the grade included was the tricky part!! It's around 1%


Ken.
 
More gates Ken, your getting carried away now, nice job, it's good to see progress. I have been thinking how to do my layout when the jobs on the extension are done, just on with the dunny and bathroom now, i need some MR'ing
 
Thanks Steve, I really needed to use this door!! all the tools are in the garage!!

It's been alot of fun so far.

Ken.
 
Good work Ken. You should have a lot of fun operating with all the in's and arounds of your track. What kind of electrical connection method did you end up using for your gates?
 
Both gates have just a loop of wire across the hinge, I'm not planning on removing the gates so no plug.

Ken.
 
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Ken it looks like youve got some real skills there when it comes to benchwork. Keep the amazing work up you might have to hire yourself out to do benchwork for people .. Two thumbs up on the progress. Look'n forward to more pics!
 
Ken,

A mighty fine job on that gate - and ALL your benchwork for that matter! Wish I had the patience to do that quality of work....
 
Thankyou guys. All I need now is more wood, screws, track, turnouts, glue, wire, time, loco's, rolling stock.... I think that's about it;)

Ken.:D
 
Oh yeah!! thanks Chris, forgot something, scenery, add that to the list too:D

Cheers, Ken.
 
Ok then it's kind of start to finish thread, so here's an update.

The track plan changed to something like this

Track_Plan_Custom_.jpg


So I took out the wall making one room 17' x 25' the yard that Carey designed is still there and the gates.

so I have added this lot in the middle and plan to have a double sided backdrop down the middle of all the central benchwork (hard to have double sided backdrop against the wall!!:p )

bench_work_002_Small_.jpg


Benchwork_5.JPG


P1020820_Medium_.JPG


So that brings us up to today.

Ken.
 
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Yeah man! I'm not lost anymore; I completely forgot about this thread. You have a honey of a layout going. Can't wait to come over and run trains. If our political situation gets any worse, it may be sooner than you think:D .
REX;) :)
 



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