Walthers Modern Roundhouse Build


wheeler1963

Aurora & Portland Owner
Walthers Modern Roundhouse Build

I've always wanted a roundhouse on a layout, but never had a layout. So I'm building a large diorama (8' X 6'). My local hobby shop cut me a good deal because I ordered all 12 kits at once. Here's the beginning of what will probably be a year long project.

8' X 6' X 2" Styrofoam boards with 1" X 4" framework.

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Testing the fit of a UP Big Boy with the extension piece.

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This will be a 360 degree roundhouse with 2 entrances.

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You sure do believe in coming back with a flourish, Jerome :rolleyes:. Is'ere gon'na be 'nough tracks in'ere for all those switchers?
 
12 kits?! :eek:
This is going to be a monster project! I shall be watching with interest!
For added realism when putting that Big Boy in the house, if you only have a 110' turntable, just jack up the rear wheels on the tender and put wooden blocking under them for the ride. That's how UP used to do it before they installed the 135' table in North Platte.
 
Toot, not for the switchers, this is for the A&P terminal.

flyboy, the 130' turntable is on back order, should be here around October.
 
The base is together, gluing the inspection pits in from the bottom. Digging out the pits in the Styrofoam is quite the job. 12 down only 24 to go.
 

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More progress on the buildings base. Got the 36 inspection pit areas dug out of the Styrofoam tonight.

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Then I test fit the base. It actually all fit the first try!!!

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Then I added the stall extensions for the stalls I want longer. And added the 2 tracks that will serve as the entrance tracks to the roundhouse.

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Concrete base was painted today with aged concrete. Set the trusses in place, found 4 of the 36 truss units are warped. Will be waiting for Walthers to see if they can replace them. Will start the interior lighting next, but have major questions on that (see electronics help section).

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Wow! Great surprise to wake up this morning to discover this thread. Just this past week I ordered the Walther's kits to build one of these roundhouses in about 2/3 of a circle. Seeing what Jerome is doing, and any issues he runs into will save me a lot of running headlong into a brick wall.

I model the UP in HO, and have a fully detailed Cheyenne Coaling Tower which was the motivation to build a roundhouse to fit it's massive presence. That, along with several Big Boys and several Challengers, the setting demanded something equally massive.

I'll be on here every morning to see if there is an update. Thanks Jerome for documenting your progress.
 
Working on the interior lighting today. Not too thrilled with this method so far. I have something else in mind, but I need to stop by the hobby store tomorrow first.

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Deane, welcome along for the ride. Maybe we can bounce ideas off of each other. I already have a few changes in mind and some modifications that I will have to do to make this work.
 
Jerome, I'm watching your lighting issues with great interest. The reason for that, I built the Walthers Modern Diesel House, complete with motorized remote control doors, and then set about to do the lighting since it has a fully detailed interior. The lighting is a challenge I have not yet mastered, not due to the technical nature, but rather how to do a scale looking fixture so when the roof is lifted off for viewing, it still looks good and a bunch of wires don't show.

I've recently been thinking of strip lighting stuck to the roof so that when the roof is removed, no wiring shows. I would need to figure out some sort of breakaway connection between the roof and the main building. This seems, at the present, the neatest way to get it done. This approach might be a possibility for the roundhouse since they recommend the roof be left removable.

My grown son is an electronic engineer, so I get all the help I need on the technical aspects. He wants to control the lighting with an Arduino, which is what I'm using to control the motorized doors with considerable success.

There are plenty of places on the internet and eBay selling LED lighting, but I'm having trouble finding a source for the strip lighting. It needs to be the kind with built in resistors, and trimmable to appropriate length. Also dimmable. I suspect the roundhouse had rather dim and very warm colored lighting in it's heyday.

Deane
 
You fellows should enjoy these photos of a fantastic model of the UP roundhouse i saw once for sale at the Timonium Train Show in Balt

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Hit a roadblock on the build. 4 of the 36 timber units are molded out of shape. Waiting on Walthers for replacements.
 
I posted a response to the discussion on lighting some days ago, but it was held for administrator approval, then disappeared altogether. I don't quite understand this forum policy since I've been a member since 11/16 and have 22 previous posts.

In any case, if this one gets through, I following this closely and appreciate your updates.

EDIT: Now my post on lighting has appeared. Better late than never.

Deane
 
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