carsntrains posted:Very nice looking bench work. Do you have a track plan in mind? I see you are now using a Z4000. Do you plan to use a few of those?
Jim
I don't have a firm track plan - more of a rough sketch and a couple boxes of track. Going to use Atlas track and a motley mix of Ross and Atlas switches. It will definitely be two oval shaped main lines. The outer loop will connect to a yard area with 4-5 parking tracks. The inner loop may have a siding for a passenger station, as well as a branch off to an engine house. I want to be able to store a few "extra" trains and engines on the track aside from those running, but am not interested in complex operations... just want to leave plenty of space for buildings and be able to send the trains around in nice wide loops.
I have two Z-4000s... which is probably overkill but allows me to put one handle on each track (inner loop, outer loop, and yards) with one handle to spare for any future modifications. I'll also use the Z's to run the few accessories that require 14V (vice 12V, which most of my stuff uses). The vast majority of the accessories will run off the 12V and 4.5V power supplies (4.5V stuff, of course, being Menards items).
mike g. posted:WOW Dustin, you sure have been busy! Things are looking great, and it sure looks like your sons and Daughter are having a blast helping out along the way! I really like how you did your power boxes. I hope you don't mind if I copy your idea down the road!
Thanks, Mike. I thought the power box idea might work pretty well. Keeps the wires hidden away (both for aesthetics and so the cat doesn't go Christmas Vacation on them) but makes it so I can get to them and swap leads around if needed. I made a track power switch panel similarly accessible on the previous layout and was glad that I did. I'll post if I run into any issues with them mounted that way.
rtr12 posted:Looks like a well planned layout in progress! And you have a great construction crew working on the project too. It's great they are interested in helping and learning. What a wonderful learning experience for them.
I agree... I'm thinking that, at a minimum, the kids will learn something about woodworking, engineering, electricity, modeling, art, and photography as we work through the project. Thought really hard about skipping the layout this time around, but figured I'd regret not building one with the kids at this age if I did.
-Dustin
