Woody & Son Railroad (WSR)

[Resqnu]

Here goes. Starting my L shaped HO layout with 2- 4x8 tables. Foam laid and getting ready to install grass.

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[Resqnu]

I'm going to use roll grass for a few months to make sure of the layout. After a few months, I'll remove the grass rolls and begin the real detailed layout. Would you glue the grass or just lay it flat, since it will be removed before long?


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[Motley]

Why even bother with the grass mating. Just paint an earth color like light brown. Using some cheap latex paint.

You will save money not buying grass matting. It will look ok until you start the scenery. And most of all, you will not have to rip out the trackwork to remove the grass matts.

 

[Resqnu]

Motley you make a good point. Wish inwould have thought about that. I laid the grass down with no glue, with hopes of pulling it out if I decide to stay with this layout. I went with grass to occupy my 5 year old. My plan is to pull it out when the final layout is decided on and begin real detail landscaping.


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[Resqnu]

How do you work around this? I don't see how to attach the 2 turnouts with the through lever in the way

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[IronBeltKen]

How do you work around this? I don't see how to attach the 2 turnouts with the through lever in the way

This may seem a bit draconian, but I just clip mine off in situations like that. For the Caboose ground throws, I just attach a piece of bent brass rod thru the center hole, and the other end to the ground throw. On my main line turnouts I use Tortoise switch motors with the bar sticking straight up thru the center hole from under the benchwork.

 

[kjchronister]

Ditto. I clip em off.

 

[Resqnu]

If I clip the through off how do I through the switch? I bought some Caboose spring throws. How would you attach the caboose switch to the through on the turnout.


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[IronBeltKen]

Here are two shots of a Caboose throw on an under-construction area of my layout, where the brass rod hasn't been camouflaged (painted). I circled where the ends are bent up to protrude thru the holes. If you look toward the right you can see where I chopped off the original throw lever.

"Open" position:

"Normal" position:

 

[Resqnu]

Ok. I just figured out you can easily remove the clips on the throw on the turnout and swap it to the other side.

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[Resqnu]

Here are two shots of a Caboose throw on an under-construction area of my layout, where the brass rod hasn't been camouflaged. I circled where the ends are bent up to protrude thru the holes.

"Open" position:

"Normal" position:

Thanks. Will try that if what I just did doesn't work. Will also keep that in mind for an option.


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[Resqnu]

Progress so far.....
I put the grass mat down without gluing it down. I did this because I wanted to have the look while I run for a while to decide if changes need to be made to the layout. Hopefully the grass mat can be easily removed when the time comes to do the detailed landscape. I've laid all the track and will wire the Dcc system and bus tomorrow and test.

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[AyTrane]

I see you already figured out the trick with the turnout, no need in destroying a $20 switch if you can avoid it.

 

[Resqnu]

I figured there had to be a way to swap it around...Once I figured it out it was an easy swap. The connectors just pop off with a little finesse.

 

[Resqnu]

I want to install something around the edge of the table in case of a derailment. Areas of the outer track are close to the edge and I don't want $$ locos crashing to the floor. My initial thoughts are thin plexiglass or some type of wood mounted 1"-2" high would keep the locos on the track. I want to keep it low, so not to block my son from interacting with the track. Anyone have any ideas??

 

[kjchronister]

Plexiglass is the most commonly used in my experience, but a bit harder to work with than wood. I have a friend who tacks on sheet vinyl baseboard strip (like you see around the edges of sheet vinyl floors) when his younger nephew comes to visit. That has the advantage of being flexible and cuttable, but still strong enough to "stop a speeding train".

 

[Resqnu]

Progress made the past 2 days ...
Laid grass mat, laid track and secured with track nails, wired for DCC, Setup NCE Powercab, son decorated and ran some trains.

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[Resqnu]

Here are two shots of a Caboose throw on an under-construction area of my layout, where the brass rod hasn't been camouflaged (painted). I circled where the ends are bent up to protrude thru the holes. If you look toward the right you can see where I chopped off the original throw lever.

"Open" position:

"Normal" position:

Where do you get those brass rods?


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[Resqnu]

I must say the NCE Powercab is way to install and run.

I installed some Caboose switches today. Still deciding on what to do on the edges to keep the locos from possibly falling off if they derail.

Need to do something because a few switches on my Atlas turnouts are too close to the other track to install a caboose switch. Any ideas?

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[IronBeltKen]

Where do you get those brass rods?

K&S Metals (http://www.ksmetals.com/index.html) is the manufacturer, they are sold mostly in 12" lengths at hobby shops and at art/craft stores (Michaels, HobbyLobby, etc.). Even some Ace Hardware stores carry them.

I don't have my calipers handy at the moment, if I did I'd provide the thickness of the rod I used.