The College Kid Layout Building Saga - End?

[wombat457]

Your going well mate - it does look good and what you have done is effective. I think once you put the track down, it will look even better and I wouldn't worry about a few imperfections either - that is just a fact of life

 

[catnippertom]

Update:

So far so good. I think I need another few coats on the roadbed itself(you can see the spur needs it ). I think a few more coats should do the trick and we will be on to track laying and wiring. Included with that is installing some latches on the boards. I bout some small latches from Ace to secure the boards together. I just want to make sure that when they are connected that they are connected pretty well. One thing that worries me is that the boards are starting to warp a little bit since the roadbed was laid. I might have to cave and break my rule about not using a plywood base and secure these boards to that in order for structural rigidity. I am wavering because then it will cost me a little bit and make the layout heavier. I am still debating but just an idea that I have been floating around in my mind.

 

[Smudge617]

Update:
View attachment 167222
So far so good. I think I need another few coats on the roadbed itself(you can see the spur needs it ). I think a few more coats should do the trick and we will be on to track laying and wiring. Included with that is installing some latches on the boards. I bout some small latches from Ace to secure the boards together. I just want to make sure that when they are connected that they are connected pretty well. One thing that worries me is that the boards are starting to warp a little bit since the roadbed was laid. I might have to cave and break my rule about not using a plywood base and secure these boards to that in order for structural rigidity. I am wavering because then it will cost me a little bit and make the layout heavier. I am still debating but just an idea that I have been floating around in my mind.

Putting this onto plywood, although not ideal for you won't add a lot of weight to it, depending on the thickness you use, quite often you'll be able to get odd sized cutoffs for next to nothing from a local lumber yard.

The slight warping you have is probably caused by a mixture of the glue and paint drying, it may go flat again on it's own, maybe not.

 

[wombat457]

Pretty much what Smudge said - for the size of your layout I would use some 1/2" ply so it won't be heavy at all. I agree with Smudge about the warping as well. You used (basically) card stock so it will warp a little if it gets wet. Whether it "voluntarily" flattens out when the paint and glue dries is another thing though. It may dry in its warped condition. As a result - you would be very advised to attach it to the ply.

 

[Hutch]

You could make a light weight frame with cross members using 1x2s.

 

[Hutch]

I just had another thought. You could make the frame out of the same foam core you are using. Just double up on the strips, of course install them vertically, not laying flat.

 

[Smudge617]

I just had another thought. You could make the frame out of the same foam core you are using. Just double up on the strips, of course install them vertically, not laying flat.

Not sure that would work Hutch, if their going to be dismantled on a regular basis, they'll easily be damaged.

 

[catnippertom]

Update:

I think this is the final roadbed painting update. I spent a bunch of time finishing up the roadbed and making sure there is no white or blue sticking through the cracks. I feel like I did a pretty good job of making sure the ballast is as natural looking as I can make it. I am going to go in and paint another section of extra roadbed and add some browns and blacks to it to see if that makes it more natural in color. If not, I will keep this just flat gray. It doesn't look too bad in the state it currently is in so I don't want to mess it up.

I have also have been continuing to think about getting a baseboard for it. I am not sure if it shows it in this picture but the western corners are really warped. I went to Home Depot yesterday night and checked out the boards that they have. I have to say that the closest thing I can get is a 4'x8' and that would require me to do a hell of a lot of cutting on my own which with only hand tools would be quite the challenge. I am looking at a 7/16th piece of OSB which is the cheapest board I could get. I am still weary about the cutting and the transport of the board. I have a Fiesta ST and I can't transport a full 4'x8' sheet. I am also not sure of how trusting I am of the Home Depot people cutting my board. Anyway, I am still thinking about it.

 

[Smudge617]

Update:
View attachment 167251
I think this is the final roadbed painting update. I spent a bunch of time finishing up the roadbed and making sure there is no white or blue sticking through the cracks. I feel like I did a pretty good job of making sure the ballast is as natural looking as I can make it. I am going to go in and paint another section of extra roadbed and add some browns and blacks to it to see if that makes it more natural in color. If not, I will keep this just flat gray. It doesn't look too bad in the state it currently is in so I don't want to mess it up.

I have also have been continuing to think about getting a baseboard for it. I am not sure if it shows it in this picture but the western corners are really warped. I went to Home Depot yesterday night and checked out the boards that they have. I have to say that the closest thing I can get is a 4'x8' and that would require me to do a hell of a lot of cutting on my own which with only hand tools would be quite the challenge. I am looking at a 7/16th piece of OSB which is the cheapest board I could get. I am still weary about the cutting and the transport of the board. I have a Fiesta ST and I can't transport a full 4'x8' sheet. I am also not sure of how trusting I am of the Home Depot people cutting my board. Anyway, I am still thinking about it.

Home Depot usually have all the machines to cut your board to size, just make you measure correctly, and then measure it again, no joke, measure it at least twice.
Is there a lumber yard anywhere near, they often have offcuts that you'll either get for free, or at minimum cost.

 

[Hutch]

How about 1 or 2" foam. You can cut that yourself with a knife and a straight edge. It's probably more than you want to spend.

 

[wombat457]

2" foam would work - good idea Hutch!

 

[Smudge617]

How about 1 or 2" foam. You can cut that yourself with a knife and a straight edge. It's probably more than you want to spend.

That's tru' good idea @Hutch

 

[catnippertom]

Update:

I constructed a small test roadbed for detailing and paint work. I am going to test out browns and blacks on here just to see if I can make it look a tad more realistic or natural. It looks pretty good so I don't think I have to do this but I want to see what it could possibly look like. Took me like 5 minutes to throw this together.

 

[catnippertom]

How about 1 or 2" foam. You can cut that yourself with a knife and a straight edge. It's probably more than you want to spend.

Yea, I am not sure if that route for me works. I am storing the two boards on top of one another under my bed when the layout is not in use and under there, I only have 6 inches of clearance. I don't have a ton of height and a not-as-thick foam might not have the same structural rigidity that a 7/16th OSB board is going to have.

 

[catnippertom]

Update:

Kinda a large update today. Yesterday I tried my hand at decorating the ballast on the test board I had made. I didn't really like anything I tried and I thought the regular ballast was fine. Next, I painted the thumbtacks that I am using to lay my track down with. The black hides in the ties so that is a good thing. I did do some track work as seen here. The rerailer rail that is down is the only one that is tacked down. The tacks were not strong enough so I also used some heavy-duty staples and that seemed to nail it down pretty well. Probably in other spots, I will use the tacks that I painted as well as the staples. While I was testing the track with my Daylight, I had snapped a rail joiner that went to the power pack so I need to grab a new one from my local train store. I know I could probably just solder it back together but I don't have a solder plus I would just rather get a new one. Also, I have temporarily connected the two boards with some small pieces of wood because that is where I am going to place the latches for securing the two boards together. I have to buy the rail joiners for the power before I can start laying track fully but I should have it by this afternoon.

 

[logandsawman]

Update:
View attachment 167291View attachment 167294View attachment 167296View attachment 167297

View attachment 167298
Kinda a large update today. Yesterday I tried my hand at decorating the ballast on the test board I had made. I didn't really like anything I tried and I thought the regular ballast was fine. Next, I painted the thumbtacks that I am using to lay my track down with. The black hides in the ties so that is a good thing. I did do some track work as seen here. The rerailer rail that is down is the only one that is tacked down. The tacks were not strong enough so I also used some heavy-duty staples and that seemed to nail it down pretty well. Probably in other spots, I will use the tacks that I painted as well as the staples. While I was testing the track with my Daylight, I had snapped a rail joiner that went to the power pack so I need to grab a new one from my local train store. I know I could probably just solder it back together but I don't have a solder plus I would just rather get a new one. Also, I have temporarily connected the two boards with some small pieces of wood because that is where I am going to place the latches for securing the two boards together. I have to buy the rail joiners for the power before I can start laying track fully but I should have it by this afternoon.

Interesting approach, very original and functional as well.

Thanks for posting it! Dave LASM

 

[catnippertom]

Update:

The layout is coming along. I am able to run trains now! I went and grabbed the terminal joiners from my local train store and capped them off(since I can't solder) and voila! Still, the issues of the warping remain so that's why the corners are being weighed down. The plywood may be necessary... So far so good though!

 

[catnippertom]

Here are two running videos that I quickly shot.

 

[Smudge617]

Here are two running videos that I quickly shot.

Loco runs very nicely, you've done a good job there.

 

[Hutch]

That's going to get old really fast. What are your next plans? Will scenery fit in storage? Even with this small of a layout, there's plenty of room for some cool structures that will be fun to add and for us to see.

Look for some old desks along the side of the road for free wood to put that on.