New On30 Layout.
- Thread starter Ash Pit
- Start date
santafewillie
Same Ol' Buzzard
Congrats on the great sale.
I have to say that the process of tearing out my old layout is taking considerably longer than I figured it would! I am almost three weeks into this job and am just now really starting to tear things apart. Finding screw locations under the scenery is slowing things down. My thoughts on attempting to save the plywood table tops and old Homasote parts is going to be succeeded with a plan to replace these things with new plywood, homasote and benchwork! I am very glad that I did not leave this job to my wife and two sons to do after I "Kicked the Bucket"! Of course the two sons would have cut things up with a reciprocating saw, right through the track work and hidden screws and the job would have been done much quicker!
Yesterday and for a Short time today, I am making up a list of my rolling stock. This list will be for sending to a person who buys whole inventories of stuff to sell on Ebay or however they sell the stuff. If I can sell this list off for what I feel is a reasonable price, I probably will go that route, instead of selling off on Ebay piece meal.
Changing from HO to another scale has some problems. One is that the amount of stuff available is reduced by many times. Also, going from HO to O-30 means anything that is available in O scale is likely at least twice as expensive; or, even more. This will cause me to consider scratch building much of what I will need. That really is O.K. with me as I enjoy scratch building. A benefit of switching to On30 is the size of the models and the details that can be added!
At this point, everything is for sale! If you see something in the photo at the top this page that interests you, "Make me an offer I can't refuse"! I won't be selling the roundhouse as it's too big to package up and ship. Unless a really good offer comes in.
O.K. O.K. I understand that unless there are photos to go along with a thread it didn't really happen, so...
Here we are looking at where Butte Yard and the hole where the Turn Table was located. The tool all the way to the very left (with red handle) is what is called a "Yankee Screw Driver" and this is one of the most handy tools I have. I realize that "now-a-days" we have our little Re-chargeable drill motors that most everyone uses for setting and removing screws. Still, I love this tool as it is the best way to remove very stubborn screws! You will not find this tool at the hardware stores, as it is felt that the modern drill motor has replaced it. However, not at my house!!
To the right of this photo is a pile of Rock Castings I was able to save. This is a part of the layout that I didn't show much as it was never completed and all plaster and rock castings were still white.
I am almost into the project of tearing out my former HO layout and this is all the farther I've gotten? What with selling off stuff on Ebay and attempting to save track, cork road bed, structures, wood, Homasote and rock castings, it is a slow process! Plus the fact that like building a layout, I'm attempting to have fun, while I do this! So, "Excuse me" for taking my own sweet time doing this!!!
O.K. O.K. I understand that unless there are photos to go along with a thread it didn't really happen, so...
Here we are looking at where Butte Yard and the hole where the Turn Table was located. The tool all the way to the very left (with red handle) is what is called a "Yankee Screw Driver" and this is one of the most handy tools I have. I realize that "now-a-days" we have our little Re-chargeable drill motors that most everyone uses for setting and removing screws. Still, I love this tool as it is the best way to remove very stubborn screws! You will not find this tool at the hardware stores, as it is felt that the modern drill motor has replaced it. However, not at my house!!
To the right of this photo is a pile of Rock Castings I was able to save. This is a part of the layout that I didn't show much as it was never completed and all plaster and rock castings were still white.
I am almost into the project of tearing out my former HO layout and this is all the farther I've gotten? What with selling off stuff on Ebay and attempting to save track, cork road bed, structures, wood, Homasote and rock castings, it is a slow process! Plus the fact that like building a layout, I'm attempting to have fun, while I do this! So, "Excuse me" for taking my own sweet time doing this!!!
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Patrick
Alien Attitude.
Late to the party as usual.
After breaking my dad's "yankee" screwdriver as a kid, I have actually inherited my grandfather's. Still works great, however I do use the power one as the arthritis on my hands and wrists (yes I did stupid stuff as a young man, and wasn't going to live past 40), make the power one easier to work with. I rarely use standard hand ones either, unless they are the small ones for working on engines, railcars, etc.
Sad to see a layout torn down, but happy to think about your new possibilities.
After breaking my dad's "yankee" screwdriver as a kid, I have actually inherited my grandfather's. Still works great, however I do use the power one as the arthritis on my hands and wrists (yes I did stupid stuff as a young man, and wasn't going to live past 40), make the power one easier to work with. I rarely use standard hand ones either, unless they are the small ones for working on engines, railcars, etc.
Sad to see a layout torn down, but happy to think about your new possibilities.
I guess this is more of a Layout De-Construction than a Layout Design and Construction thread! The following two photos show my progress
The above photo shows that I have removed both the plywood and Homasote from the staging yard location and the table top and back drop have also been removed from the far side. This has allowed me access to the Turnouts that were under the table top on the far side.
Above shows the removal of the tracks and roadbed that went through the tunnel where the big hole is in the mountain side, is. I still have the third loop of the track to remove and this will get me to the edge of the table top in foreground. (The third loop is coming up to the abutment at the right edge of the layout. I eventually want to remove the bench work that supported the staging yard and the mountain portion benchwork so that the two 8X4 table top benchworks can be moved to their new locations for the new layout, if I get to a place where continuing on to the new On30 layout construction will take place.
The above photo shows that I have removed both the plywood and Homasote from the staging yard location and the table top and back drop have also been removed from the far side. This has allowed me access to the Turnouts that were under the table top on the far side.
Above shows the removal of the tracks and roadbed that went through the tunnel where the big hole is in the mountain side, is. I still have the third loop of the track to remove and this will get me to the edge of the table top in foreground. (The third loop is coming up to the abutment at the right edge of the layout. I eventually want to remove the bench work that supported the staging yard and the mountain portion benchwork so that the two 8X4 table top benchworks can be moved to their new locations for the new layout, if I get to a place where continuing on to the new On30 layout construction will take place.
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So, today I am 34 days into the de-construction of my Northern Pacific Layout. I only have a couple of Locomotives left to sell and I would like to sell off my rolling stock to the folks who buy inventories such as I have, we shall see. The progress is slow going; however, when you consider that it took me around 30 years to get my layout to where it was 34 days ago. It is a very speedy endeavor!
Here is the latest photo showing a large portion of the layout is now gone! The part that is missing is what was in the photo just above. The cars setting on the storage tracks on the far wall is the newest portion of my layout.
Here is a photo of where my HooDoo Gulch trestle was once located. In the lower left of the photo is a partial storage location for some of the structures that where on the layout, some of these will be sold and some due to fragility of the buildings will simply be tossed in the trash.
below is a photo of the actual HooDoos for which the trestle was named. I realize they are difficult to see; however, they are in the center of the photo. There are actually three of them, one in the middle between the two larger ones.
I would like to rescue this section of the layout if I could. Again, we shall see! I will be working in this area, today, 2/3/2021.
Here is the latest photo showing a large portion of the layout is now gone! The part that is missing is what was in the photo just above. The cars setting on the storage tracks on the far wall is the newest portion of my layout.
Here is a photo of where my HooDoo Gulch trestle was once located. In the lower left of the photo is a partial storage location for some of the structures that where on the layout, some of these will be sold and some due to fragility of the buildings will simply be tossed in the trash.
below is a photo of the actual HooDoos for which the trestle was named. I realize they are difficult to see; however, they are in the center of the photo. There are actually three of them, one in the middle between the two larger ones.
I would like to rescue this section of the layout if I could. Again, we shall see! I will be working in this area, today, 2/3/2021.
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WOAH -- That's a lot of demo going on! I have to commend you on your endeavor for changing the layout.
Thanks for sharing the photos of your work!
Thanks for sharing the photos of your work!
We're running some cold weather here in Central Minnesota. At this moment I'm seeing -28 below on my thermometer, which is close to our Picture Window and is probably warming the air temps. in it's vicinity. My outside temperature at a thermometer not near the house is reading -31 degrees. At any rate my work in my very cold basement is slowed way down. I am keeping busy with selling my HO equipment on Ebay. Right now I'm going to get into my philosophy on what I want to do with any new layout I might build.
I started my old HO layout as a Free Lanced layout. It was called the H.P. & N.W., kind of a play on the C&NW. After a few years of running with that, I got real interested in the Northern Pacific and switch to the N.P. I even found a part of the N.P. that I felt my layout could fit and that was the Butte Shortline.
I found that I really like the Freelancing idea. So, my new layout will model the logging and mining portions of an affiliate line on my N.P. layout called the Peep River Lumber Co. in 1928, or there about's I want to be able to use what ever On30 steam locomotives I want on this line. That is what I like about Freelancing. Again, the layout will have tracks through mountainous country as this means there will be grades, rivers, trestles and other types of bridges as that is what I love. There will only be one tunnel. The layout will be point to loop and off the loop will be a car ferry; so, the line will not be a continuous run, but will be more prototypical: Starting in one place with connections to the outside world and going to another with connections, again to the outside world via a car ferry. There will also be a branch line going up to a logging camp through five switch backs. Mines will be located off both the switch back and main line, so there will be mostly log and ore train traffic. I still have a love for Box Cars and have to figure out a way to include many of them. I am put-off by the cost of stuff for O scale! Away from either end of this layout, there will be little in the way of structures but there will be plenty of trees. My thoughts are still somewhat half baked at this time and I feel that is part of the fun of designing layouts is because they are "Like a Box of Chocolates, You never know what you're gonna get"!
I started my old HO layout as a Free Lanced layout. It was called the H.P. & N.W., kind of a play on the C&NW. After a few years of running with that, I got real interested in the Northern Pacific and switch to the N.P. I even found a part of the N.P. that I felt my layout could fit and that was the Butte Shortline.
I found that I really like the Freelancing idea. So, my new layout will model the logging and mining portions of an affiliate line on my N.P. layout called the Peep River Lumber Co. in 1928, or there about's I want to be able to use what ever On30 steam locomotives I want on this line. That is what I like about Freelancing. Again, the layout will have tracks through mountainous country as this means there will be grades, rivers, trestles and other types of bridges as that is what I love. There will only be one tunnel. The layout will be point to loop and off the loop will be a car ferry; so, the line will not be a continuous run, but will be more prototypical: Starting in one place with connections to the outside world and going to another with connections, again to the outside world via a car ferry. There will also be a branch line going up to a logging camp through five switch backs. Mines will be located off both the switch back and main line, so there will be mostly log and ore train traffic. I still have a love for Box Cars and have to figure out a way to include many of them. I am put-off by the cost of stuff for O scale! Away from either end of this layout, there will be little in the way of structures but there will be plenty of trees. My thoughts are still somewhat half baked at this time and I feel that is part of the fun of designing layouts is because they are "Like a Box of Chocolates, You never know what you're gonna get"!
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I realize that a point to point track system is more prototypical, but just not my cup-of-tea!
I still need the ability to sit, daydream, space away, and watch a train go around a track - even as small as a 3x5.
I guess that it goes back to my childhood with my simple MARX train traversing a loop on thecarpet floor!
I still need the ability to sit, daydream, space away, and watch a train go around a track - even as small as a 3x5.
I guess that it goes back to my childhood with my simple MARX train traversing a loop on the
I will miss trains going around in circles, also. I guess that if I feel I need that, because what I will build will be a modular layout, if I need to add another loop on the other end, I can do that. However, my old layout was a three times around Loop Layout and the last 10-15 years I used it, I didn't set a train to simply run around the layout and always preferred to run trains to locations for switching duties; so, maybe I don't need running around in circles anymore.
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So, the job of tearing out the old layout continues. Still lots to do, although I haven't gotten much done this past week due to the cold temperature in my basement. We are +20 degrees this morning so I can work easily down there, today. I am still stripping out plaster scenery and I did manage to save Hoo Doo Gulch. I may; or, may not use this part, depending upon how easy it will be to remove the HO Ties from the Trestle. Photos will follow.
