The wife's HO Atlas layout...

[Jim 68cuda]

Jim,

Just read your post and one of my concerns was the placement of my trestle bridge. I like the idea of the "station on the island" and your thoughts about angling the track more.

If I shorten the straight approach track by perhaps 4" I could angle the track towards the right hand corner. Doing that would give me more space between the tunnel cliff and the track, allowing me to extend the lake to the cliff face and place my trestle bridge on that curve. This way, I keep the lake about the same size as it is, have my bridge in place and have more land for structures to place around the lake and station, if needed.

Does that make sense?

Sounds like a plan, as long as Mrs. Wombat approves. I like the idea of having the lake extend up to the cliff face. Looking forward to seeing you model the water surface as I will also have water areas on my layout as well.

 

[wombat457]

Jim,

Have ripped out the fore ground stuff and placed the "new" track which does give me a heck of a lot room and options. I'll post pics later this evening for comments.

As for the water ... you might be looking forward to it but I'm not My biggest problem is getting the coloring right. Despite having watched a number of tutorials on creating river beds etc, I still have hassles getting it to look right, so it is a bit trial and error so far as that goes. As for the "water" itself, I use Liquitex "Gloss Medium & Varnish". While I agree that it is a little expensive, the end result is excellent.

So the pro's and con's to what I use:

PRO's

Dries crystal clear
Can be tinted
Flows very well,
Can be diluted with 25% water
Dries hard
Does not yellow
Does not crack
Is odorless
Is pliable and can be manipulated if you catch it before it fully cures
Very easy to use.

CON's

Can only be poured thinly
As such, it can take a lot of "pours" to build the water up
Takes 24 hours + to dry
Cost

I think the con's are very much out weighed by the pro's though and well worth it.

 

[wombat457]

So this is where I am at right now:

Probably doesn't look as though much has been achieved since the last update, but believe me, a lot has been done

Thanks for lookiing guys and, as always, comments always welcome,

 

[wombat457]

Suzie,

I don't think anything has to be changed, does it? That extra turnout I threw in was merely to use it and will effectively be a fixed turnout feeding the lake area. The straight part of the turnout only runs about 6" and will represent an abandoned section of old track. I don't hink I have changed anything else with respect to the track work.

Doing the scenery is the easy part, as there are really no restrictions or formula's or right and wrong ways to do it. Sure, there has to be some imagination and ability, but the products for creating realism now-a-days pretty much make even that an easy task to create some realism. Of course, there are those who are simply unbelievable at it and make things so real that it is hard to pick the difference between their layouts and the real thing.

My admiration goes to those, such as yourself, who work with the electronics and software - where there is right and wrong. You guys can't make it up as you go and that, in my opinion, is amazing.

More work will be done to the layout this evening and, with any luck, it will look much different by the morning. As you can probably guess from that, I do most of my work in Australian time and with out distraction. Makes for a lonely existence though

 

[ledzeppelinfan1]

Lots of progress and decisions to make huh? Looks like you are headed in the right direction. Keep it up!!!

 

[wombat457]

Thanks mate, and yeah - plenty of things to consider as this comes to together. While everything looked good on paper, when it appears on the ground, it doesn't necessarily fit the image. That is what I have with doing the right side of the layout. Last night, I decided to bring it back to basics and work things in around the track work. My biggest concern was the amount of room I had left and how I was going to incorporate the "main" bridge work my wife so badly wants. I think what is down now allows for everything that is wanted, as well as having the room to place the structures that I have for this part of the layout.

 

[Jim 68cuda]

Tony, I like what you've done so far, but, the town on the left side of the layout looks a bit too crowded. I notice that the station you plan on installing on the right side of the layout is on a spur. It appears that the station on the left side is at the other end of what is basically the same spur. I was wondering, would it be possible to re-route the track to the other side of the station and water tower on the left side of the layout? And, if so, could it be tied into the mainline there with a turnout? I am guessing that this would create a "reversing loop" which would require special wiring requirements. But, it would free up a little more space in the town enough to provide a street between the station and the houses. Besides, being able to turn the train around without a turntable might give you more options for operating.

 

[wombat457]

Jim,

I see what you mean ... wish the idea had have come up sooner though. Everything you said could have been done, even if meant having what would amount to a double loop, if I understand where you are talking about.

Funny how things come up once things have been put in place - frustrating too, because I like your thoughts a lot, especially being able to run the train through the town. When I put the layout down on paper, I couldn't see how to make that happen, just goes to show what a second pair of eyes can achieve

At the moment, the houses in the town are pretty much temporary until I get the center section sorted out. That being said, I do have a couple of other buildings coming in to replace some of the houses which will open the town up. I pondered over the closeness of the buildings to the track as well, not having enough room to put a road in. I recall, when I was in Wales, Scotland and Ireland (for almost 12 months) I saw a number of "old towns" where buildings faced a track and only had a walkway between them and the track. That alleviated any concerns about the buildings position to the track.

I know what some will think now, is this a US layout or European layout. Actually it is neither as such, but a combination of those things that make railroads interesting, at least to my wife and I.

 

[Jim 68cuda]

Tony, if you want the train to run through the town, rather than have the station at the end of a spur, then try moving the station to the main line, where the Woodland Scenics City Hall is located in the pictures in post #69 of this thread. That would allow the train to stop at the station and then continue on without backing up to get to a main line. That would also free up the spur originally intended for the station for use by a small industry, coal yard, farmer's co-op, or whatever.
Now, I know your structures are just temporarily placed at the moment, and I'm sure you have plans for how your town will look, but I'm going to go further with my suggestions. If I get annoying with the suggestions just tell me to shut up.
My favorite part of the scenery is the towns on a layout. I want to make them as interesting visually as possible. But I also want them to look like they make sense in the way they are laid out. You have a hill at the far side of your town. I'm going to suggest that you extend the hill into the town. The roadway entering the town currently appears to enter the town across the spur near the water tower. If that roadway were to wrap around the back side of the town it would then climb in elevation as it curved around the town site towards the front left corner of the layout. When it reaches the two parallel tracks, the highway could then cross a bridge over the tracks and continue off the front of the layout. You could have a street going down hill from the main road to the station (with the station in the location I suggested), and a road running along side the spur could also lead to the station.
Heres what all this accomplishes. First, a building or two could be placed at the near end of the bridge, along the roadway, at the front edge of the layout, implying that the town to continues off the front of the layout, making it appear larger than it is. This also would make the existing town site a little less crowded. Viewers at the front edge of the layout would be drawn into the town with the line of sight being drawn across the bridge and into the town. Also, with varying elevations, buildings towards the back would not be obstructed from buildings in the foreground since the foreground structures would be at a lower elevation. Its a bit more work and would involve changing some scenery you've already completed, but with both rail and highway routes passing all the way through the town, it makes sense, plus it allows more space for buildings and more opportunities for interesting landscaping around the structures, and you get to add an industry on the spur previously occupied by the station. Of course, each structure would need a level foundation.
Theres one more advantage to having a road lead across a bridge and vanish off the front of the layout. By making the town site part of a larger town that exists off the layout, the existing road entering town by the water tower no longer needs to be a highway that connects the town to the rest of the world. It could dead end at an industry or farm or deteriorate into a single lane dirt road. This gives you more scenery options on the rest of the layout.

 

[ledzeppelinfan1]

Tony, if you want the train to run through the town, rather than have the station at the end of a spur, then try moving the station to the main line, where the Woodland Scenics City Hall is located in the pictures in post #69 of this thread. That would allow the train to stop at the station and then continue on without backing up to get to a main line. That would also free up the spur originally intended for the station for use by a small industry, coal yard, farmer's co-op, or whatever.
Now, I know your structures are just temporarily placed at the moment, and I'm sure you have plans for how your town will look, but I'm going to go further with my suggestions. If I get annoying with the suggestions just tell me to shut up.
My favorite part of the scenery is the towns on a layout. I want to make them as interesting visually as possible. But I also want them to look like they make sense in the way they are laid out. You have a hill at the far side of your town. I'm going to suggest that you extend the hill into the town. The roadway entering the town currently appears to enter the town across the spur near the water tower. If that roadway were to wrap around the back side of the town it would then climb in elevation as it curved around the town site towards the front left corner of the layout. When it reaches the two parallel tracks, the highway could then cross a bridge over the tracks and continue off the front of the layout. You could have a street going down hill from the main road to the station (with the station in the location I suggested), and a road running along side the spur could also lead to the station.
Heres what all this accomplishes. First, a building or two could be placed at the near end of the bridge, along the roadway, at the front edge of the layout, implying that the town to continues off the front of the layout, making it appear larger than it is. This also would make the existing town site a little less crowded. Viewers at the front edge of the layout would be drawn into the town with the line of sight being drawn across the bridge and into the town. Also, with varying elevations, buildings towards the back would not be obstructed from buildings in the foreground since the foreground structures would be at a lower elevation. Its a bit more work and would involve changing some scenery you've already completed, but with both rail and highway routes passing all the way through the town, it makes sense, plus it allows more space for buildings and more opportunities for interesting landscaping around the structures, and you get to add an industry on the spur previously occupied by the station. Of course, each structure would need a level foundation.
Theres one more advantage to having a road lead across a bridge and vanish off the front of the layout. By making the town site part of a larger town that exists off the layout, the existing road entering town by the water tower no longer needs to be a highway that connects the town to the rest of the world. It could dead end at an industry or farm or deteriorate into a single lane dirt road. This gives you more scenery options on the rest of the layout.

Now Jim, don't be bashful. lol Kidding.

 

[Jim 68cuda]

Now Jim, don't be bashful. lol Kidding.

I did get a little carried away planning out Tony's town as I would like it to appear. In the end, the appearance of the town only has to please one person, Mrs. Wombat.

 

[wombat457]

Darn, see what happens when you take a day off ... people go nuts!

Okay, where to start?

The one thing I know, and I will be the first to "actually" come out and say it - I have the design ability of a spastic crab, at least where model railroading is concerned!

So, all of your idea's are appreciated and most (not all) are given a great deal of consideration. Not so much the idea itself, BUT, how I can implement the idea/improvement into the layout without having to make significant "structural" changes that would um "annoy" Mrs Wombat. Personally, I wish I had have asked for peoples input regarding the layout design BEFORE I did anything with it. I am sure it would have been much more functional than what it obviously is.

The one thing that I always take into account, no matter what ideas I have read, heard or have been pointed out, is my ability to make those ideas work, and some ideas have gone by the way because I know my limitations.

The other "thing" I do take into account, as Jim said, is what makes the boss happy. Basically, I am caught between what I am capable of, great ideas from people here, what I would like and a sharp pointy stick in my back

The point is this, whether anyone believes this or not, I read every comment concerning the questions and things I am doing, and take note of everything said, and the comments and thoughts of you guys so far as this layout goes is no different. I don't know anyone here so I have no bias toward any person in terms of their input and or expertise and I don't care if someone post a four or five word comment or writes a book ( ) it all helps. It is all welcome, no matter what it is that is suggested.

Okay, now I have no clue why I said half of that stuff. There was a pint to it, at some point, I think Bottom line, keep the comments and ideas coming. If you see something that is wrong, could be improved, let me know.

 

[wombat457]

Now the above is out of the way, this is what I was going to say ... I did take the day off from working on the layout and took a trip to Webster (Rochester area) to one of my favorite LHS - Empire Hobbies, and yes, my wallet is a little lighter this evening, again!

Like most of us, when we go to our LHS, we go there with a specific thing in mind, as did I; but, once again I was like a kid in a candy shop and the shopping cart just got fuller and fuller.

Today's acquisitions included, but not by any means confined to the following:

An Athearn Caboose (http://www.athearn.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=ATH74770)

Athearn Genesis EMD 38-2 ( http://www.athearn.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=ATHG40690)

An MRC 1307 DC Power Supply for my acessories

Cornerstone Bank (Built up)

Woodlands Canoes (for the lake)

6 X Old Style Gas Street Lights (for the town)

AND (believe it or not) ... an Atlas Starter Kit wholly and solely for the LH Turnout, although the additional track just might come in handy

I also picked up an Atlas #571 cross over, although now I don't know why or what I will use it for.

So, now all I have to do is get this layout done so I can enjoy this stuff, and that will continue this evening.

 

[tootnkumin]

Hey! at least you only get the pointy stick in the back, I don't wear industrial eye protection for nothing!

 

[wombat457]

Guess I am lucky in that respect.

 

[wombat457]

Radical Changes ...

Just when I thought everything was coming together ...wham, something bigger and better shows up!

The main change is with the track. I have bought 75' of Peco Flex Track and four electrofrog turnouts to replace the Atlas track. Once that arrives, in a few days, I will pulling the Atlas stuff up and completing the scenery before I lay the Peco Track.

I am also "seriously" considering doing away with the existing town spur in preference to placing the Station next to the inner main line. As Jim pointed out, this gives me a "run through" station and removes the problem of turning trains around. I had considered putting in a turntable, but after looking at the room I have, I concluded there wasn't enough for a decent town AND turntable. The turn table idea lost.

Instead of having the spur line to the town, I am looking at putting in a "passing track" on the inner main line. In short, instead of that spur going left to the town, it will simply rejoin the main inner line. Sorry Suzie, I guess that will mean one more (future) set of signals right.

That is pretty much what is in the layouts future.

My biggest issue at the moment is the creation of the lake. As I live in the Finger Lakes District of Up State. I am wanting to replicate one of those lakes, sort of. Trying to get the land form right has proven to be more of a challenge than I suspected. Not getting the slopes done,but getting the depth of the lake and lake bottom to look as it should.

I have to compromise a little here between having an authentic lake bottom and using paint to create that bottom, in terms of depth and structure. My preference is to have an as accurate as possible lake formation together with color for depth. If I go this route, I will need to fill the "lake with about an inch of Liquitex Medium to also achieve a realistic water line.That is a LOT of Liquitex and will take weeks to form.

Anyway, that is where I am at, at the moment. You have to admit.You never know what you will see when you visit this thread

 

[Jim 68cuda]

That's a lot of big changes. I wonder if the changes would have occurred if the Atlas left hand turnout hadn't been swallowed up by a black hole. I am also wondering if ripping up the existing track will result in Mrs. Wombat inflicting bodily injury on you with a sharp object. And finally I wonder if its too late to edit the title of this thread to " The wife's HO Peco layout".
My plans for water on my layout will be to follow Dave Frary's tutorial. In my case, I will be painting on Plexiglas rather than Gatorboard.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgWt137zpkQ

 

[Jim 68cuda]

Tony, since you are ripping up the track and starting over with Peco track, I have one suggestion. In one of your posts, you mentioned that you were using fine gray ballast, but that you wished you had chosen black. I would suggest a mixture of two or three different shades of ballast. I plan on a mixture of medium gray and light gray for my ballast. One concern if you choose to use only black ballast by itself, is that that if your ties are black, they may be lost completely in the black ballast especially if you intend to do any photography on the layout.

 

[wombat457]

That's a lot of big changes. I wonder if the changes would have occurred if the Atlas left hand turnout hadn't been swallowed up by a black hole

Yeah, they do seem to be fairly major; however, if you look at the "current" layout, the changes aren't that hard to implement and frankly, make more sense, as you pointed out. Essentially, I have to fill the area where the track runs into the station and that is about it really.

Would these changes have occurred had my Atlas Turnout not been "stolen" and been irreplaceable at the moment, resulting in my having to use a Peco Turnout? )) Probably not, so I really have Atlas to thank for (more or less) forcing my hand to a better quality track.

. I am also wondering if ripping up the existing track will result in Mrs. Wombat inflicting bodily injury on you with a sharp object.

Well ... I am building a scenario in her mind that involves the track having to be pulled up for cleaning, so it all runs as it should. The fact that I will pull up the Atlas and replace it with the Peco is just, well, a convenient circumstance.

And finally I wonder if its too late to edit the title of this thread to " The wife's HO Peco layout".

It is never too late to do anything, so long as it can be done. I don't think there is a way to edit the title though.

My plans for water on my layout will be to follow Dave Frary's tutorial. In my case, I will be painting on Plexiglas rather than Gatorboard.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgWt137zpkQ

I will take a look out of interest.

 

[wombat457]

Tony, since you are ripping up the track and starting over with Peco track, I have one suggestion. In one of your posts, you mentioned that you were using fine gray ballast, but that you wished you had chosen black. I would suggest a mixture of two or three different shades of ballast. I plan on a mixture of medium gray and light gray for my ballast. One concern if you choose to use only black ballast by itself, is that that if your ties are black, they may be lost completely in the black ballast especially if you intend to do any photography on the layout.

Jim,

I have bought the Peco Wooden Tie track, so I am assuming the ties will be brown. If that is the case, then I will be sticking with grey ballast; although, a mixture of the light grey and a medium grey (both fine) would work well I think and still let the ties stand out.

I don't know, at this point, if I will be able to remove the currently laid ballast - I did a pretty good job making sure it stayed in place. If I can't lift it, I will possibly color it a little with a wash so it blends in with the "newer ballast".

And yes, once completed, I do intend to photograph it properly so getting good definition and contrast is something that I am also having to consider in putting this layout together while maintaining something close to the realism of what I see from my front porch.