8' X 8' expansion with 9' X 20" yard

Second phase done. Sheeted the main level and removed the track that will be relocated.

Are you going to be a homosote guy?

This is shaping up as a very nice addition to your layout. Kind of reminds me that I built my layout in sections as I expanded. I'll be interested to see how all of this turns out but it looks very good so far!

Steve Tapper

Never used homosote. Plywood, cork and foam board is all I used on the first part of this layout and that turned out pretty well. Start laying out the inside loop next.

Your work is nice and neat.I can see you put alot of time into it.Great set up.Nick

Phase3, laying out track. I started this project using AutoCad to build the frame work and do the track layout. This is the track as layed out out in my drawing, everything except the yard- track still on order.

Everything on the main level is then traced.

Then I carefully move the track sections and with templates I made I layout for the playwood riser plates to add more depth.

I made these temp. on AutoCad then burnt them out on my shops CNC plasma.

The outside slots line up with lines I traced around the track. I use the outside to mark the plates locations.

I also use the outside of the temp. to mark out the plates themselves. Later when the plates are screwd down I will use the middle slot to mark the center of the track so I can lay the cork raodbed. Below are some of the plates I will install next.

Drodder

Excellent workmanship keep posting progress

Here you can see that I have screwed down the riser plates and nailed down the cork roadbed. Still need to wire in the two spurs and add more track feeders but the two mainlines are tested and work good, albeit they need some cleaning. with the 1/2" plywood under the track and the cork roadbed I now have a bout 3/4" to use for "depth" of my scenery.

Finish up the wiring and on to the elevated section.

It's been over a month now and here is what I have done:

Cut and installed the elevated section, cut in the duck-unders and built my first wooden tressel from scratch-still need to dull coat it.

Installed tunnel liners, covered them with embossed brick paper, painted the roof black and balisted the track - 1 long and 2 short.

I also go a new tool this week for balisting the track, worked well on the tunnel.

Still lots to do but getting done at my own pace. Hope you enjoy! Dan

Very, very helpful.  What a great posts, sort of a mini-series on layout construction.

Thank you. 

Dan, that looks great. Thanks for the posts and please keep us up to date on the progress.

I've been working on several side projects since my last post, a SeirraWest sawmill and a train shed. The train shed is a metal copy (almost) of ones I've seen in this forum. I first showed (?) this in the weekend photo fun not painted, so here it is painted and with the glass (.080 acrylic). I think green standing seam metal roofing but not sure about the lighting yet. Hope you like. Dan

Photo below shows how the two sections hook together.