Layout Progress

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meanjean

meanjean

Member
Layout progress has been slow due to that stupid thing called work. The outside loop works great as does the passing siding. Here is my son with his friend take some of the first trains for a spin. Hope to get the middle section up and going soon. But I need money, that means I have to work. Such a vicious cycle. Pay not mind to the mess on the table!
 


Looks like the kids are having fun. There's something about running two trains and having them use a passing siding that just makes it feel more like a railroad than trains running around in circles.
 
One thing that will improve your own piece of mind quite a bit that is both cheap and easy is to paint the pink foam a few shades of brown. I know you still have track to run, but you can still put down pencil lines. (and I'll bet the one's you already have will have left an impression that paint can't cover.
 
SpaceMouse said:
One thing that will improve your own piece of mind quite a bit that is both cheap and easy is to paint the pink foam a few shades of brown. I know you still have track to run, but you can still put down pencil lines. (and I'll bet the one's you already have will have left an impression that paint can't cover.
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You lost me? Are you saying the sharpie lines will bleed through the paint? Do most guys paint the pink foam first then lay track? Paint is cheap and easy I was just going to wait till most of the track was down. Put down the last few switches and added Caboose Inds. switch throws? (is that what they are called) Just need some more flex track and finish the track up.

I agree the pink is scary. Now that the weather has warmed up a bit maybe I can paint this weekend. Living on the Oregon coast and no heat in the shop paint and glue dont really dry in the winter.
 
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Thanks, That is my sons new loco. Here in Oregon you get .5 cents for soda cans. Took him some time to save up but he did. Its a Bachmann SD40-2 with DCC. Runs pretty good and looks good. For him its a little step up from the Athearn BB but runs diffrent with no fly wheels? Then I let him run one of my Kato's and its "Dad, how much for one of those?" Even an 11 yo can see what a great engine runs like. I thought it was kind of funny.
 
Chad, I think Chip might have been referring to the indentations that either a pencil or sharpie will make in the foam. Obvoiously, paint won't fill an indentation. However, if the marks are on the track centerlines, they will be covered when you ballast the tracks so they won't matter anyway. The squares you drew on the foam will be covered by paint and ground foam or structures and roadways. I wouldn't worry about it.
 


I got ya. The sharpie didnt leave indents in the foam. Just to make sure it would cover I picked up some paint and painted the foam outside the rails. It covered with one coat so I think Im ok. Like you said, by time I add ground foam and buildings it should be gone.
 
Move to VA progress

Well the 3000 mile move from OR to VA is done. We are renting a house so the threat of having to move again is always looming. I didnt let this stop me from adding more to the layout. I am working on a small engine facility and will put a main line on a shelf around the room. Just to allow longer trains and let the locos run! Just track and thats about it. I made the sections modular for future moves.
I will have to put a lift bridge in front of the door so I am open to suggestion on how to do that?
 
A few more. I just have the track laying down. Nothing is glued or tacked so if you see something horribly wrong let me know. The first picture is where the door is and the lift bridge will need to be installed.
 
Chad, you've made great progress from the pink prarie days. :) Regarding the door and the lift section, I wouldn't do it. You're in a house that you may not be in a year from now and a door problem might not exist. Lift sections are always a problem, even on permanent layout, although sometimes you have no choice. Why not just use that narrow yard section for staging and just run on the main layout? You can extend it when you get somewhere to put down roots.
 
UP2CSX,
I thought about using the the area for a staging yard for the rest of the layout. I may still do that. It would sure be nice to pull a 30 car train though. Cant wait to retire from the military so I dont have to move anymore. With each move that day gets closer. I may try the lift bridge anyways. No scenery just a temp line around the room. I say that now but time seems to be in short supply with the boys playing sports.
Chad
 
UP2CSX said:
Chad, you've made great progress from the pink prarie days. :) Regarding the door and the lift section, I wouldn't do it. You're in a house that you may not be in a year from now and a door problem might not exist. Lift sections are always a problem, even on permanent layout, although sometimes you have no choice. Why not just use that narrow yard section for staging and just run on the main layout? You can extend it when you get somewhere to put down roots.
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What could be done is a section of layout on casters. A bit like MR's Beer Line (which is where I got the idea), except with a different method of aligning it so it can be rolled straight out of the layout.
You probably would want to use wires for connection, and just unplug it and roll it out when you need to get in. The wires you'd plug in would just be feeders, and the bus wire would go up the wall or something, and go around the door.

The only drawback I see in this plan is in the case of a fire, it'd take a bit longer than normal to get open the door. Also it might be slightly expensive.
 


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