Magilla’s first layout build.

[magilla12]

Hi magilla12,

Just curious................ Are you going to omit the Black Bart mine siding? I don't see a turnout for it. But looks like you're installing a turnout for the yard tracks on a fold-down shelf.

Looking good!

Yes, there won’t be a mine. Also i haven’t decided on how I want to do a yard yet but there will be one.

 

[magilla12]

I decided not to pull the track to make the cuts. It time to nail it down. Oh if I could see. I’ll probably spray the track before I ballast, what color, rust brown.?

 

[Iron Horseman]

I decided not to pull the track to make the cuts. It time to nail it down.

So the book doesn't have you use any roadbed?

 

[otiscnj]

So the book doesn't have you use any roadbed?

Yeah, good point, Even when I was in 8th grade, and didn't have a job, hence couldn't afford cork, I cut up some cardboard we had laying around the house, and put it under the tracks, to give the impression of an elevated mainline, in prep of ballasting. Only sidings got laid directly on the board, on that layout.

 

[HO Scale MILW]

The color for spraying the track should be some rust color, but remember to mask off the parts of the switch where the rails touch, and to wipe off the tops of the tracks.

 

[Hutch]

Can someone explain to me the benefit of L-girder construction?

 

[magilla12]

So the book doesn't have you use any roadbed?

No, it shows attaching to the plywood.

 

[Iron Horseman]

Can someone explain to me the benefit of L-girder construction?

• The "L" part makes it much stronger and stiffer than just a single 1x4, or 1x3.
• The inside of the short part of the L gives an area where things can be attached by putting the fastener up from the bottom.
• The top side of the short part gives a wider working area when attaching things from the top.
• The L-girders are flexible in that they can be made to fit any size or shape of a layout by simply adding an additional cross-piece pieces or lengthening them here and there. Nothing says they have to be assembled at 90 degrees so one can put a member in a 45 and get some non-square things going.
• Scenic mounting points can be put anywhere.
• one can do scenery below rail grade.

 

[magilla12]

Progress. Need more lumber.

 

[logandsawman]

Progress. Need more lumber.

You are really making headway, looks good to me!

Dave

 

[Smudge617]

Progress. Need more lumber

Looking really good, got a lot done very fast.

 

[HayManMarc]

Looking good. You might consider cork roadbed for under the track. It will help a little bit with rolling noise. It's not hard to lay, but takes a bit of time because you want to be as precise as possible to match up with sectional track.

 

[flyboy2610]

Can someone explain to me the benefit of L-girder construction?

In addition to the benefits Iron Horseman described, you can also reposition the cross members if needed to clear any under-layout items, such as a switch machine.

 

[magilla12]

Everything braced up, I’m happy with it, time to go to the other end.

 

[Chrιstιaη]

Well done. You're faster than the speed of the light !

 

[magilla12]

Well done. You're faster than the speed of the light !

Lol, not really, just retired and have plenty of time to work on it.

 

[magilla12]

A little progress today got all the cuts finished I’m gonna have to go back to the lumberyard and get a few too 2x4. I need a few short Joists to keep my zero elevation in places.

 

[Iron Horseman]

Everything braced up, I’m happy with it, time to go to the other end.

Ok! Please tell me you are not going to cut that strip of wood out from under the uprights in picture 4., but rather use another strip of wood from another board. I had a friend that did cut that out and it ruined the structural integrity of the main sheet of plywood.

 

[magilla12]

Ok! Please tell me you are not going to cut that strip of wood out from under the uprights in picture 4., but rather use another strip of wood from another board. I had a friend that did cut that out and it ruined the structural integrity of the main sheet of plywood.

Not sure what strip your talking about.

 

[Mixed Freight]

Not sure what strip your talking about.

I believe he's talking about where you have your overhead line marked out on the main plywood sheet. Where you have the blocks sitting for support of the overhead high-line trackage.

And, I'm pretty sure you're NOT going to cut that strip out of your main plywood sheet, but rather, either use a separate strip of plywood to support the high line trackage, or else truss and girder bridges to support it as shown in the book. Correct?