Two years in planning. Today we begin, All Comments and suggestions welcome. Thanks

John,

"Alex, Thanks for you thoughtful response. Always welcomed. would you also agree with using sheet rock screw rather to the board, (btw, we used birch for everything) rather than gluing has also worked to your benefit?"

That is what I used, 1-1/4" long coarse thread drywall screws. I did not use many screws; just a few (maybe six  per sheet) to keep the Homasote or QuietBrace from moving, If the Homasote or QB pieces were odd shaped or did not lay flat, then I used the screws as required. 

Alex

Great layout in progress pics!   thanks for sharing!

Wow, that's going to be one huge layout to play on!!! Keep posting pictures!

Laid down a single loop, to test the layout. Well,really just wanted to run some trains. This is going to be a lot of run!

Very nice, will be a wonderful layout. I noticed in your second movie a tight S curve on the other side of the round house. Short S curves can cause headaches with longer locomotives and passenger cars.

Good luck.

Ron H

caljah posted:

Laid down a single loop, to test the layout. Well,really just wanted to run some trains. This is going to be a lot of run!

Any update? It's been forever!  I really quite enjoyed building this layout btw. Thank you for giving me the opportunity. 

Caljah:

First, I'm sorry I'm late to the game. I don't know how I missed this thread back in January.  Everything  shown in the photos is just fantastic.

Second, if your home was built in 1851, we're kindred spirits.  Our home was built in 1879.  I love the eccentricities but, brother, I feel your pain.  Any owner of an old home knows what this means.

Last, let's talk about that awesome archway in the middle of the room:

• Can you share its original purpose with us?  Was it a hearth?  Coal chute?  Something else?
  
  
• Have you decided what to do with it?
  
  
• I have another old home (trying to sell it) that had a fireplace that was bricked over on the 2nd and 3rd floors.  On the first, however, the original hearth was turned into a very attractive bookshelf.  You might consider doing something similar here, or more appropriate to the room, you might consider turning it into display shelves for your rarer trains and/or railroadiana and/or just advertisements/photographs.  In other words, when your visitors need a mental/visual break from drinking in what looks like it's going to be and awesome layout, they can turn around and relax for moment by looking at vintage lionel ads, stock certificates, or just cool tinplate trains in that brick archway.  I love it.

Please do keep us updated with pictures.  It all looks great.

Steven J. Serenska

Serenska posted:

Caljah:

First, I'm sorry I'm late to the game. I don't know how I missed this thread back in January.  Everything  shown in the photos is just fantastic.

Second, if your home was built in 1851, we're kindred spirits.  Our home was built in 1879.  I love the eccentricities but, brother, I feel your pain.  Any owner of an old home knows what this means.

Last, let's talk about that awesome archway in the middle of the room:

• Can you share its original purpose with us?  Was it a hearth?  Coal chute?  Something else?
  
  
• Have you decided what to do with it?
  
  
• I have another old home (trying to sell it) that had a fireplace that was bricked over on the 2nd and 3rd floors.  On the first, however, the original hearth was turned into a very attractive bookshelf.  You might consider doing something similar here, or more appropriate to the room, you might consider turning it into display shelves for your rarer trains and/or railroadiana and/or just advertisements/photographs.  In other words, when your visitors need a mental/visual break from drinking in what looks like it's going to be and awesome layout, they can turn around and relax for moment by looking at vintage lionel ads, stock certificates, or just cool tinplate trains in that brick archway.  I love it.

Please do keep us updated with pictures.  It all looks great.

Steven J. Serenska

 

The archway to the side is what supports the fireplaces above it.  One one to the back of the room is a passageway to the back of the building and was likely coal storage at one point.   The last time I talked to him (January) his plans were to clear it out and put a dim light in the back like a train was coming through a tunnel. 

The archway to the side (the fireplace base)  his plans were to fill that with removable scenery as that's one of his access popup locations. 

any updates?

I'm impressed with every layout I see here in the Forum, one more wonderful than another I really do not have the ability to think of a layout like that!

Congratulations !