The wife's HO Atlas layout...

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Okay, decision made. Going to buy the T-Tap Connectors that are appropriate for my Main Bus Wire and worry about the male spade connectors once I have the T-Taps.

I'm pretty sure the answer to this question is obvious BUT want to double check anyway. Lets say the spade connectors are for 16 gauge wire - I have 18 gauge feeders (slid core wire). Do you see a problem with extending the feeder wires with 16 gauge wire to "bump them up" from 18 gauge?

Starting to think that I am reading too much into this (sigh)
 
Suzie,

Thank you. I'll put in an order with Digikey today and will include the crimp spades in that order, along with a "good" crimping tool - one thing I don't have, good bad or indifferent, assuming they sell crimping tools. Would surprise me if they didn't.
 


Well, now I have the Lakeview Depot finished, it is time to get back to the layout. A little while ago I bought a commercial timber kit Trestle Bridge to use over the lake. As of the moment, I don't feel as though I have the skills to build that kit in a manner that it deserves to be built in. As such, I built my own to use a temporary bridge.

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Okay, so this isn't an accurate representation of a proper trestle bridge. The bents are too wide, as is the platform, but as a temporary thing, it could be worse :)
 
Tony, I would think if you can build your temp bridge from scratch and look that good then the kit should be easy enough for you.
 
Dale,

Thank you for that boost of confidence and for your comment.

I guess it is more a case of there being no plans or instructions to get in the way of progress with a scratch built thing :)
 
I have found that with most things that instructions are a suggestion and not the law.
It is you model, build it, as suggested by the instructions, your way.
 


Thanks guys, I appreciate your comments.

Dale, that is probably the problem with me - I see instructions and I follow them to the letter - even though there are times that I know in my gut that the instructions are a little "off" so to speak. In short, I never had the confidence to stray from the instructions. That, maybe, can now change.
 
One small section...

This is a shot of the "Lakeview Depot" area in front of it and "Lakeview National Park" sign. Sorry about the depth of field, or lack of it, guys am having trouble with my darn camera and it's F Stop settings, it doesn't want to play the game :(



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Update 1048756.7

Now I finished my temp trestle bridge, and got it in place, thought I'd post a few (fairly lousy I'm sorry) pictures of the progress:


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I am sorry about the quality of the shots. Unfortunately I am shooting manually without a light source other than a desk lamp. That is compounded by using an ISO of 1000 and an F Stop of 22. Should have spent a few minutes getting my tripod out :(

The long and the short of it is this though; the temp trestle is in and weathered, the Lakeview Depot line is in and 80% ballasted, have started on some basic vegetation, have graveled the road on the Lake side of the bridges and have put in a chain link fence between the tracks and what will be the Lakeview Depot/Lakeview National Park car park. Also, made and located the "Lakeview National Park" sign.

The road was graveled, by the way, using Arizona N Scale Medium Grey Ballast. While the photo's make the road look darn rough, it is in fact quite smooth with a gravel texture. The "rough look" is partially derive from the colors in the ballast, white, grays and black.

The chain link fence is a Sierra Scale Models kit comprising of a number of 1/2" lengths of brass tubing and a length of (you guessed it) chain link fencing. This was a small challenge to put together as the brass tubing had to be cut then soldered together and if you knew my soldering abilities then you'd realize just how much of a challenge that really was :) As such, I am pretty happy with they way it turned out. The mesh for the fencing was applied using good old fashion Loctite Super Glue.

The Lakeview Sign was made using scale 6" X 6" lumber, brickwork using a "cobblestone mold" and the sign itself being made using PSP X6 which was then printed (duh) and glued to 1/2 dozen lengths of scale 1" X 10" lumber.

Almost forgot, and not visible in the photo's, but also have re plastered the area behind the tracks up to the lake in preparation for the buildings to be put in. At the moment I am looking at the Depot (obviously), Skeeters Bait Shop and a small General Store. Nothing too cluttered but possibly typical of a small touristy type spot such as Lakeview.
 
Tony, everything looks great! Including that truss bridge. It's obvious that you have the truss bridge basic construction concept. Now you can build one in any scale, so having a road bed or a truss a little too wide should be an easy fix when you get to it.
I like the chain link fence. Small details like that always make the biggest difference - like the Established date on the depot sign.

Very nice work. Thread like this keep me motivated. Thanks for sharing!
 
Thank you. Once I get my camera sorted out I'll get clearer pictures that will, hopefully, show some of the detail.

I couldn't agree more with you about small details either. While they maybe irrelevant to the actual railway, I think they add a little bit of a distracted interested. When I can get better shots of the fence though, you will see that it isn't exactly a great job due to the soldering, but it suffice's and will look better once I "hide" the shoddy soldering with foliage :)

So far as the bridge goes, width wise, I am glad I did mess it up. The track work is on a slight curve over the lake so while I did "bend" the wood to that shape (+ a little) it didn't hold the shape. As such, the extra room as a result of the mess up, still let me use it. Even some screw ups can work out in the end :)
 
A few trees planted for effect...

While I am waiting for other things to happen, I thought I'd lay out how I think the end scene will look. Have placed a few tree's around (not attached as they will not be the ones I do use) to see what is what, especially for space and how to fill any darn awful gaps and where, how to put in a small road/path system.

I think these few shots also show the "gravel road/car park" and "fence" a little better too.

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As always, suggestions are welcome, especially with the density of the vegetation in terms of more, less or what have you. I haven't done anything with the "hill" as I have something in mind for that - but keeping it a surprise in case it doesn't work :)
 
Working out very well there mate, although there seems to be a habit that is hard to break, or maybe a bit of confusion. Or is this the Aussie section?
 


gseritt said:
Lookin Great, Wombat!!
Click to expand...

Thank you gseritt, it is getting there, albeit slowly now.

tootnkumin said:
Working out very well there mate, although there seems to be a habit that is hard to break, or maybe a bit of confusion. Or is this the Aussie section?
Click to expand...

Thanks toot'n and its probably a bit of all of the above when it comes down to it. You can take the boy outta Oz, but yu can't take the Oz outta the boy I reckon.

All it really needs is a couple a Utes a barby on the go, few empty tinnies floatin' around, the shiela's flappin' their gums about god knows what and few blokes swingin' willow some where. Come to think about it ... just got an idea for the area next to where the general store is goin' :)

But in all honesty, this was supposed to be the American influenced part of the layout, was suppose to be. Now, 'm not sure if I'm going to make any part of the layout representative of any part of the world. Think I'll just do what looks right and let people figure out where, when and why for them selves :)
 
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