Hawks NEW "MHO Junction" layout
- Thread starter Hawkesburytrain
- Start date
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Hawkesburytrain
Well-Known Member
Thanks Chet, Jim
Jim I have 24 colors I can pick from, for now I picked yellow, white and blue, but I can also play with brightness.
I tried lowering the brightness of the blue and it made for a nice night color. I need to play with it more.
I would also like to have it programmed in a way to not have to change it on my own, like set on a 2 hr timer for day, 30 min for night and 15 min for both dawn and dusk. I know it's doable, but need to find out how and what hardware would do it. I've seen it in a video or post, but don't remember where...lol
Jim I have 24 colors I can pick from, for now I picked yellow, white and blue, but I can also play with brightness.
I tried lowering the brightness of the blue and it made for a nice night color. I need to play with it more.
I would also like to have it programmed in a way to not have to change it on my own, like set on a 2 hr timer for day, 30 min for night and 15 min for both dawn and dusk. I know it's doable, but need to find out how and what hardware would do it. I've seen it in a video or post, but don't remember where...lol
Hawkesburytrain
Well-Known Member
Another update:
I thought I was pretty much advance in my layout just by the looks of what has been done so far, but I then looked at the amount of track done versus total and found out that I only had 16% done. (146' of 920').
- Finished elevation work and track laying up to the refineries.
- Did some photoshop for my backdrop.
- Tested some RGB LED lights.
- Installed some overhangs to test the lights.
- And made this little video of my update
Later
I thought I was pretty much advance in my layout just by the looks of what has been done so far, but I then looked at the amount of track done versus total and found out that I only had 16% done. (146' of 920').
- Finished elevation work and track laying up to the refineries.
- Did some photoshop for my backdrop.
- Tested some RGB LED lights.
- Installed some overhangs to test the lights.
- And made this little video of my update
Later
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Hawkesburytrain
Well-Known Member
Thanks new guy
Thanks Jim, Don't know yet, if I want to have details such as the river, dirt road and many more to fit the layout, I might have to. I've looked through Backdrop Junction and nothing would fit well. For example, 17" from the brick post, I need a dirt road 3" wide followed by 67" of forest than 4" of river and then 134" of more forest than 72" of industries, etc etc. It makes it tough to find exactly something that would fit. Add to that different elevations and you have a hell of a backdrop puzzle. I need 170' of backdrop and painting is not my thing.
For now I'm just testing how printing on ordinary paper would look like before testing it on photo paper.
Thanks Jim, Don't know yet, if I want to have details such as the river, dirt road and many more to fit the layout, I might have to. I've looked through Backdrop Junction and nothing would fit well. For example, 17" from the brick post, I need a dirt road 3" wide followed by 67" of forest than 4" of river and then 134" of more forest than 72" of industries, etc etc. It makes it tough to find exactly something that would fit. Add to that different elevations and you have a hell of a backdrop puzzle. I need 170' of backdrop and painting is not my thing.
For now I'm just testing how printing on ordinary paper would look like before testing it on photo paper.
logandsawman
Northern Pacific history enthusiast
Nice Update!! You are really making progress on the layout!
Hawkesburytrain
Well-Known Member
Thanks Chet and David
For the next 4 weeks it will be slower as I need to do a bit of real life work to pay for all this... Just received 100 tracks, roadbed, 20 turnouts, two more locomotives and 8 freights. Chet, my plan is to be able to at least run a loco with electricity by March.
For the next 4 weeks it will be slower as I need to do a bit of real life work to pay for all this... Just received 100 tracks, roadbed, 20 turnouts, two more locomotives and 8 freights. Chet, my plan is to be able to at least run a loco with electricity by March.
montanan
Whiskey Merchant
I'm sure that you'll be waiting for that day. After all of the bench work and track laying, I know it was quite the moment for me to see trains moving on th etrack. Waiting to see them run.
I know how it goes trying to find time to work on trains. After spending all summer working on remodeling the house I was hoping to get a lot of things done on the layout but that didn't happen. Just tooo many other things to do. Looks like I'll be up in the mountains snowmobiling this weekend. Another day working on the trains lost.
I know how it goes trying to find time to work on trains. After spending all summer working on remodeling the house I was hoping to get a lot of things done on the layout but that didn't happen. Just tooo many other things to do. Looks like I'll be up in the mountains snowmobiling this weekend. Another day working on the trains lost.
Hawkesburytrain
Well-Known Member
LOL....snowmobiling in the cold...... I'd rather work on the layout. Even though we are covered in snow, I prefer the warmth, beach, cruise or just be by the pool. My wife still has her office in the basement, so I can't really start using my power tools and make noise, so I mainly work on the layout late afternoons and after supper. BUT when end of June comes, she's ooouuuttt of there. I will have to make her an office upstairs though and then continue on finishing the framework which will include the helix and staging area under the layout.
Boy it seems that I still have lots of work............ Oh ya, it's at least, a ten year project
Boy it seems that I still have lots of work............ Oh ya, it's at least, a ten year project
montanan
Whiskey Merchant
Yes, Snowmobiling in the cold. It really doesn't bother me because I'm dressed properly for it. I will get a break for a short time when I head out to Daytona Beach on the 14th. Hopefully it will be warmer than last year. Woke up one morning to 28 degrees down there.
I understand the ten year project. My layout was started over 30 years ago and I'm still working on it. At least now there are internet retailers. What really put the skids on my progress was that there were not hobby shops at all in my area. I always kept a running list and when we took a road trip I would have to hunt down hobby shops with the hope that they had what I needed in stock.
Also I have so many other interests that took time away from working on the layout, the biggest being restoring classic cars. I think I may have spent as much time hunting down parts as I did working on the cars. Again, the internet was a humongus help in the parts hunting. Too bad ther are only 24 hours in the day.
I understand the ten year project. My layout was started over 30 years ago and I'm still working on it. At least now there are internet retailers. What really put the skids on my progress was that there were not hobby shops at all in my area. I always kept a running list and when we took a road trip I would have to hunt down hobby shops with the hope that they had what I needed in stock.
Also I have so many other interests that took time away from working on the layout, the biggest being restoring classic cars. I think I may have spent as much time hunting down parts as I did working on the cars. Again, the internet was a humongus help in the parts hunting. Too bad ther are only 24 hours in the day.
Hawkesburytrain
Well-Known Member
Latest update
Just finished another section of the layout, basically, I finish everything where the framework was build. Against the wall will be my refinery section and where the framework ends is where the Vulcan Manufacturing will be.
My wife still has her office downstairs and needs it till end of June for tax season, so building more framework will need to wait, but, I've got plenty else to do. For the next few weeks, I'll be working on things that don't show, such as preparing all my feeders for the track already installed (including soldering), installing lots of tortoises, preparing lots of 8 pin connectors for the tortoises (more soldering), preparing lots of terminal strips (no soldering) and working on lots of buildings.
Here's a picture of what my Flour Mill will look like (just a start)
I went with the look of a concrete frame, finished with a brick facade, more picture as I get more done.
Your comments are welcomed
Later
Just finished another section of the layout, basically, I finish everything where the framework was build. Against the wall will be my refinery section and where the framework ends is where the Vulcan Manufacturing will be.
My wife still has her office downstairs and needs it till end of June for tax season, so building more framework will need to wait, but, I've got plenty else to do. For the next few weeks, I'll be working on things that don't show, such as preparing all my feeders for the track already installed (including soldering), installing lots of tortoises, preparing lots of 8 pin connectors for the tortoises (more soldering), preparing lots of terminal strips (no soldering) and working on lots of buildings.
Here's a picture of what my Flour Mill will look like (just a start)
I went with the look of a concrete frame, finished with a brick facade, more picture as I get more done.
Your comments are welcomed
Later
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logandsawman
Northern Pacific history enthusiast
Lookin really nice, Lloyd!
Hawkesburytrain
Well-Known Member
Someone asked about my procedures on how I did my track laying
First I printed my layout plan 1:1 and installed it on the framework and since I was redoing all of my elevations, I needed to correct everywhere where needed. I also made sure that where ever I was going to install tortoises, that no framework would be in the way.
I then installed all the proper elevations for my plywood base exactly under where the track will be .
Then installed the plywood base
And finally reinstalled the layout plan on top, ready to install the roadbed. I would cut half the track and install one side of the roadbed and once glued, remove the rest of the paper and install the other half of the roadbed. It was then easy to install the tracks cause all I had to do is follow the center of the roadbed.
Hope all this makes sense
Later
First I printed my layout plan 1:1 and installed it on the framework and since I was redoing all of my elevations, I needed to correct everywhere where needed. I also made sure that where ever I was going to install tortoises, that no framework would be in the way.
I then installed all the proper elevations for my plywood base exactly under where the track will be .
Then installed the plywood base
And finally reinstalled the layout plan on top, ready to install the roadbed. I would cut half the track and install one side of the roadbed and once glued, remove the rest of the paper and install the other half of the roadbed. It was then easy to install the tracks cause all I had to do is follow the center of the roadbed.
Hope all this makes sense
Later
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Hawkesburytrain
Well-Known Member
Was playing around with a video editor and a green background and came up with this brief little video of my layout seen through the window of a locomotive...............enjoy
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R
roofintrash
Guest
The layout is looking really good so far. I bet you're counting the days till the rest of the real estate opens up.
Hawkesburytrain
Well-Known Member
Thanks Rick, I'm hoping for an early departure from the tenant ...LOL
montanan
Whiskey Merchant
You're really making a lot of progress there. I wouldn't worry about appropriating that additional room for a while. You can get a lot of work done while waiting. My layout was running for over 25 years before I finally added the last yard and town.
Waiting to see your progress. Excellent work so far.
Waiting to see your progress. Excellent work so far.
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