waredbear
Member
Just spent spring break with my duaghter and family. My son-in-law has wanted a layout for ever. He collects LGB for a backyard layout one day. He finally broke down and built an HO in the office. He had the benchwork completed, the elevated platforms up and the "grass" laid when I arrived. It looked like this...
First thing we had to do was make some adjustments to his overpasses so the trains had enough room (3") to clear the track above in two places. That involved two things...cutting the upper plywood thickness in half and raising the posts.
We also replaced a couple of top running boards because they were short and flimsy. He got 100% of the wood for the benchwork, pillars, top and the running boards from a dumpster. So we had to make minor adjustments because some of the wood was from a crate that came from the UK. I guess their lumber matches the size listed where ours is smaller. A 2x4 is actually a 2x4 and not 1.5x3.5. This was only a problem with the table top where our 3/4" ply didn't match the UK 3/4" ply. I bought him a 1/4 sheet sander and we angled the edge.
Next we laid down the track to get the exact location so we could mark the center line. What we did was mark each side of the track, removed the track and then I marked the center line the best I could. This is where he realized I was correct in stating laying the sheets of "grass" first was a mistake. The "grass" made it real hard to mark the centerline and it also caused humps in the cork and track.
I laid one half of the cork down all the way around the three loops and then came back and offset the second half of the cork in the middle of the first piece. This offset my cork seams by half a piece. We nailed the cork down every few inches and closer around the curves to keep the shape.
Then we started in the middle and worked our way around laying the track back down. Once we had it back in place we started in the middle and nailed it down. Making sure all of the joints were pushed together tight. We nailed it on both ends and the center.
Another opps Jacob discovered was putting the tops on the overpasses before the cork was nailed down and the track was laid. We ended up with problems to say the least. I glued down the cork and put items in between the layers to compress the cork down and then I placed heavy items on the top to weigh it down. We left it like this over night to dry.
Once the track was down and we were happy with it...(if you are ever happy)...we set a train down and let it run. We did end up with some joints that came apart that we had to pull the nails on, push it together and renail the track.
But the train ran pretty good for its inaugeral run.
Frist half of the first run.
Second half of the first run.
Third run with cars.
The engine by itself ran pretty good but the cars were a different story. They caused us to adjust the track in several locations. Jacob installed four rerailers around the track and they helped get the cars back on track.
Well Jacob looked at all the empty space in the center of the two loops and decided to run a second line flat on the table top. So we talked about it and started laying track down.
I suggested bringing the track off the table top so we didn't have to deal with all the piers and it added depth to the layout. He agreed. He really loved the idea when I laid a ruler out to support the track to show him what I meant.
There is a 38" long space between the wall and the right loop behind the door. I suggested bulding a table there and making a yard. Jacob loved this idea...we we did. I took pictures of this area but I can't find them as of yet. I will add them if I can find them. It will be about six or seven legs with a "Y" leading back onto the main. He is also looking at adding a round house in the center of the left loop. You can see the large space here
and the "Y" will make a good lead into this area off the triagle add on in the front. I think Jacob will have a good table run for him, his son and for me when I make it back to Dallas.
Hope you enjoyed the spin around the Baumdiggity RR. More pics to come as my daughter sends them to me.
First thing we had to do was make some adjustments to his overpasses so the trains had enough room (3") to clear the track above in two places. That involved two things...cutting the upper plywood thickness in half and raising the posts.
We also replaced a couple of top running boards because they were short and flimsy. He got 100% of the wood for the benchwork, pillars, top and the running boards from a dumpster. So we had to make minor adjustments because some of the wood was from a crate that came from the UK. I guess their lumber matches the size listed where ours is smaller. A 2x4 is actually a 2x4 and not 1.5x3.5. This was only a problem with the table top where our 3/4" ply didn't match the UK 3/4" ply. I bought him a 1/4 sheet sander and we angled the edge.
Next we laid down the track to get the exact location so we could mark the center line. What we did was mark each side of the track, removed the track and then I marked the center line the best I could. This is where he realized I was correct in stating laying the sheets of "grass" first was a mistake. The "grass" made it real hard to mark the centerline and it also caused humps in the cork and track.
I laid one half of the cork down all the way around the three loops and then came back and offset the second half of the cork in the middle of the first piece. This offset my cork seams by half a piece. We nailed the cork down every few inches and closer around the curves to keep the shape.
Then we started in the middle and worked our way around laying the track back down. Once we had it back in place we started in the middle and nailed it down. Making sure all of the joints were pushed together tight. We nailed it on both ends and the center.
Another opps Jacob discovered was putting the tops on the overpasses before the cork was nailed down and the track was laid. We ended up with problems to say the least. I glued down the cork and put items in between the layers to compress the cork down and then I placed heavy items on the top to weigh it down. We left it like this over night to dry.
Once the track was down and we were happy with it...(if you are ever happy)...we set a train down and let it run. We did end up with some joints that came apart that we had to pull the nails on, push it together and renail the track.
But the train ran pretty good for its inaugeral run.
Frist half of the first run.
Second half of the first run.
Third run with cars.
The engine by itself ran pretty good but the cars were a different story. They caused us to adjust the track in several locations. Jacob installed four rerailers around the track and they helped get the cars back on track.
Well Jacob looked at all the empty space in the center of the two loops and decided to run a second line flat on the table top. So we talked about it and started laying track down.
I suggested bringing the track off the table top so we didn't have to deal with all the piers and it added depth to the layout. He agreed. He really loved the idea when I laid a ruler out to support the track to show him what I meant.
There is a 38" long space between the wall and the right loop behind the door. I suggested bulding a table there and making a yard. Jacob loved this idea...we we did. I took pictures of this area but I can't find them as of yet. I will add them if I can find them. It will be about six or seven legs with a "Y" leading back onto the main. He is also looking at adding a round house in the center of the left loop. You can see the large space here
and the "Y" will make a good lead into this area off the triagle add on in the front. I think Jacob will have a good table run for him, his son and for me when I make it back to Dallas.
Hope you enjoyed the spin around the Baumdiggity RR. More pics to come as my daughter sends them to me.
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