2015 Christmas Layout Progress Report, the Final Stages for Completion-New Photo Added Apr. 29th

Brian and Elizabeth,

You certainly have done a fantastic job so far.  And to have the first train make a preliminary run is excellent!  I am really looking forward to following your progress.  It makes me wish I lived in Maine (Even with all the more snow you have than us) to be able to see it when it is done.    

"Slow down Brian. You and Elisabeth are going to run out of things to do while the snow is falling."

This is exactly why we are doing this project now. We have had over 40" of new snow the past two weeks and another foot is expected to start on Sunday. Best time of year to get this done for us.

How many elves do you have, secretly working on your layout?

Thanks for the reminder Richard. I have to order 200 of them later today. The Center of the North Pole scene is planned to be really spectacular. My guess is there will be over 400 elves in the new Christmas layout.

But, they're soooo smalllll.  

Brian, what elves will you be getting? Dept 56, or other? I've got most of the Dept 56 I have been able to find, but would like some more. Thanks in advance.

I don't like it.  It's too neat.  There should be pieces of wood, sawdust, and debris all over the place.  You need stuff around to trip over and stuff to collect on your shoes to track all over the house.  This looks like you're building your layout in a hospital?

.....

Dennis

"But, they're soooo smalllll."

Bob, wait to you see our elves.

Charlie, please e-mail me, it was a long process I had to go through first to find elves and then to allow a sale directly to me.

I hope there's a little Cody on the layout somewhere Brian. 

Steve, Lady and Tex

I can't wait to see it completed. I wish you and Elizabeth many, many years of enjoyment with all that you have in good health.

Joe B. 

Today I finished wiring the elevated track and it tested out beautifully. One down, the benchwork track to be done tomorrow. Then we can get some scenery work done. Been awhile since I wired track. It is like riding a bike, you don't forget.

Very nice layout. I really like the rounded ends, I bet that will saved a lot of bruised hips over the years. 

"I really like the rounded ends,"

Mario, the rounded end serves a couple of purposes. In this area of the new layout, we are depicting a scene from the Polar Express movie where the grand Christmas tree is located and if you have seen the movie, the PE train leaves to bring the children home in a circle pattern. We think this area of the new layout will be nothing short of spectacular when we are done. The other reason, the rounded end really looks cool.

Thanks everyone for your comments.

Totally AWESOME BRIAN!!!!  Can't wait to see it.  Boy, that's a lot of elves!!!! With all those little guyz you'll need one big one and have the Guinness Book of records certify him as the Worlds Tallest Elf. 

Keep up the good work!!!

Wow - beautiful!!

I am in the same boat planning for my shelf layout.

Using the rosin paper to do the planning is exactly what I need to do mine.

Where did you get rosin paper that wide??

Thanks,

RickM46

And now it starts.

The true test of a arch bridge builder is getting the curves right. Being good friends I doubt you need the reminder; Art (Chugman) did a real fine job on His curved stone arched bridge... Great excuse for the two of you to collaborate once again.

Rick, My guess is its three sheets from rolls with tape. I don't know if its sold in various at a big box hardware store or not. I used to get my wider rolls from various contractors supply stores, like a Sherwin Williams paint outlet, or my local woodworkers store. Stone masons had larger ones at the shops I think, like 8' - 12'ft wide rolls were in the monument shop (forklift needed, but sure they would've sold me some). 

let's get some "test" trains on there with some temp wiring

Thanks for the info,

I am going to take a look at Sherwin Williams since one is close and then keep my eyes open when at a big box.

RickM46

And now it starts

Since we are talking about layouts:

Considering the roadbed of a layout, is there any way to minimize track noise?

RickM46

And now it starts.

Brian:

Everything looks first-rate, tip-top, A-#1, top-shelf great.  The speed with which you and your wife are progressing is making me and my girlfriend feel like the biggest slackers in 10 counties.

Bravo.  Brava.

Steven J. Serenska

Rick, the rosin paper comes in rolls of 3 ft. wide. There is a lot of length to the roll, can't remember off hand what it is. I purchased mine at Home Depot. They all have it.

As far as roadbed is concerned, I purchased Woodland Scenics that also comes in a 24 ft. roll. Really reasonable and has excellent sound deadening qualities. The test train ran smooth and quiet.

Worked today on powering the other main line today. First the old transformer I was using for test purposes had the dial stick and then break. When I went to power the track, dead short. There is tomorrow and we will get it fixed.

Thanks for the info - really helps for my layout!!

RickM46

And now it starts.

After spending most of the day debugging bad new track issues, we finally got the two versions of the Polar Express up and running. These two scale PE trains are going to make a great addition to the new Christmas layout.

Great job!

You two are amazing!

Peter

Great pictures of locos!

Do you have the Lionel model number of the engine pulling the PE passenger cars??

Thanks,

RickM46

nice looking trains the one on the top is that s gauge??? I know that is old style track nice layouts keep up the good work

Looking great Brian, you guys are amazing !!!!!!

Alex

That is looking great!! I'm enjoying watching the progress.

Looks really nice.  Can't wait to see the updates and finished product. 

Also hope you will share your source for how to find appropriate North Pole elves.

Looks great! 

That's great, Brian!  I was looking for trains running, but not this soon!!

Brian and Elizabeth, you two are moving right along.  This must be a fun project.  Both Lionel Polar Express locomotives look great together.  Can't wait for the next photos.

Great progress Brian. Sorry to hear about the continuity issues. Sit back and let em run while  you and Elizabeth enjoy your marvelous efforts so far. If you Run em hard and race them around now those scale locos will work out any imperfections that are likely to arise in the future pretty quickly and you can fix them before your future work makes it more difficult. I'll bet Elisabeth can run a circuit with the Gold PE faster than you can run the dog bone.

Good job BRIAN and ELIZABETH!!!!  Good day to run trains and drink a nice mug o hot chocolate, don't forget the marshmallows.  Enjoy!!!

What a great start!  You are not wasting any time on it either.  You are putting the rest of us to shame on construction speed.

Art

The train on the elevated track is the 10th Anniversary Polar Express Gold Edition Berkshire. It is definitely O-Gauge running on 0-72 curves.

"If you Run em hard and race them around now those scale locos will work out any imperfections that are likely to arise in the future pretty quickly and you can fix them before your future work makes it more difficult"

Matt,  you are 100% correct. I highly recommend that you test run engines over the track before you start any scenery details. I had to do some tweaking of the track to get it right by doing the test runs.

In particular, I recommend doing this and using all the largest and longest you have.  

Seven years ago, at this stage, before I went to the scenery, I ran my JLC Big Boy and Allegheny, a DD35, and the MTH Coal Turbine - all big and potentially obstructive in their own ways, and the longest passenger car (21") I had, and an MTh Schnabel car.  I made sure I had at least 1/4" clearance around each.

About the mistakes I made (my learning experiences).  

1. I had laid out and built my track with the Big Boy on the track and used for checking each new ten to fifteen foot section as I built it.  I would run it back and forth as I put down my track, etc.  I figured it would expose any problems before I finalized the track and it helped a lot.   But the fact that a big loco "passes" a section of track doesn't come close to meaning everything will run.  
2. It turns out the Big Boy and locos like that (Allegheny, DD35) are often the most tolerant of problems with track being level and even.  The Lionel 0-4-0 Shifter is a good test of level track because it has a short wheelbase and thus it bobbles a lot as it passes over something uneven.  
3. I paid a lot of attention to front end stick out on the outside of curves when I laid out my track, but not enough on the inside.  The biggest problem I had subsequently was on the inside of curves when I installed terrain, I had trees and some hillside cliffs that I built were too close for some 18" and all 21" cars to pass, not to mention the Schnabel car. 
4. If you have two lines that run parallel to one another, check interference between them: a Big Boy on the inner track, and 21" passenger cars of a DD35 on the outer one, can meet if spacing is a bit tight.   This is a pain, because you have to test various trains on each track, etc., but its better to do it now than to discover later.
5. Some locos demand such wide tunnel portals that they look unnatural.  I made mine removable.  When I want to run my Big Boy, Allegheny, etc, I have to remove two tunnel portals first.

Lee:

That's a good list and I'd like to add a #6 and maybe a #7 that might not apply to everyone, but could help those who need it.

6.  If you plan to run any postwar Lionel cars with sliding pickup shoes, be sure to include one in any consist you are testing.  Look through your collection and find an operating car, or any car built in the 1940s, with a sliding shoe that hangs down the lowest.  Tug this car behind the larger/longer items that you're using to test for curve, portal, etc. clearance.  If there's an imperfection in any section of track (e.g., at a liftout or hinged duck-under section), the slider shoe will run right into it like nobody's business.

7. An optional #7 is to head up another consist with a steamer or electric with the flimsiest/floppiest pilot truck in your collection.  Run it at top speed and any rough section of track (e.g., a transition of a curve up a slight grade and into a turnout) will be sniffed out by a pilot that tends to bounce around regardless, even on the best laid track.  I have a Lionel 1060 steamer that I use precisely for this purpose.

HTH.

SJS

Do you have the Lionel model number of the locomotive on the lower track that is pulling the PE passenger cars??  I am thinking it should be 6-??????

Thanks,

RickM46

"Do you have the Lionel model number"

It is on the box out in the train room. But, it is the 1st scale Lionel Pere Marquette 1225 that was catalogued around 2009. I added the PE tender as soon as it was offered which is what it is now pulling. Lionel offered a newer version of this engine in their 2014 catalog which is the same as the Gold Edition running on the elevated track (though black).