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not sure why i'm creating this post since my thought is 'who cares?', but here i am anyways.

I have my plans for my 2018 Christmas layout finalized - wiring, scenery, homasote placement, everything.    Here are some images.

- walt

#1: I always start with goals in mind, usually 'musts' but also 'would be nice'.  T-P stands for tin-plate.  'Mom' is the family train that Dad bought in 1949.  XMAS is a lionel christmas-labeled engine that I have pull several gons that I fill with candy creating what the kids call the 'candy train'.

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#2: I plan out the pieces of Homasote that I'll use and the pattern to use them in.  I put matching sized blue-board underneath the Homasote.  Actually I don't do this until I have the track design and wiring determined, so this is the last thing that I plan.

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#3: The dots represent where I'll put track lock-ons.  the red 'x' indicates insulation pin placements.

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#4 This next one just makes it easier to tell the separation of tracks - I laminate it and hand it to visitors that want to run the trains.  The red will be the T-P blue comet.  The blue will be the T-P Christmas train.  The green will be the "mom" train and the black will be the candy train.  The 2 T-P tracks are connected in 2 places.  The green and black tracks are also connected in 2 places.

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#5: 3 big scenery areas, each running from the top of the layout to the bottom.  on the left is a Halloween display, in the middle is a winter/xmas display, and on the right is an Easter display.

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Last edited by walt rapp
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walt rapp posted:

not sure why i'm creating this post since my thought is 'who cares?', but here i am anyways.

I have my plans for my 2018 Christmas layout finalized - wiring, scenery, homasote placement, everything. 

PICT0056

Walt, we care! Always interesting to see yours and everyone's layout ideas and then watch them to completion.

Looks like a very nice and well thought out plan! I really enjoy looking at other's track plans and seeing what they are doing for layouts. I'm green and it helps me with ideas. I also admire everyone that is dedicated to doing all this for Christmas or other holiday layouts, just like clockwork every year right on time. It gives the rest of us (me anyway) incentive and inspiration! 

Walt,

I love that you come up with a new and different layout each Christmas.  I look forward to watching your progress and of course the final result.

Christmas is only 72 days away and it will be here before you know it.

Let me be the first to wish you and your family a Merry Christmas & a Happy and Healthy New Year.

 

 

Thanks to triplo finding the shortcoming in one of my track's design, I was able to easily correct it by doing exactly as he suggested by changing the orientation of 2 of the switches.  I'll post a new diagram shortly.

Maybe I"ll mention 2 other things just for general interest:

1. the layout is 14 feet wide and 11 feet deep.

2. the 2 tin-plate tracks are both command control DCS.  The 2 inner set of track are traditional power, meaning non-command.

I'm so happy now that I actually did create this thread because without tripleo giving a serious look at it I wouldn't have found the flaw in my design until I ran things for testing and then having to tear things up to fix it.  The forum comes thru again!

Be back in a day or 2 with a picture of the altered design, even though it's a minor change

- walt

walt rapp posted:
tripleo posted:

Walt, if those are to be reversing loops on the green line, you will have to change to direction on the switches on one of the loops.

Looks like you have a "loaded for bear" layout. Should be a lot of fun.

HOLY SMOKE - how in the world did I miss that?  Thanks for finding my error.  Boy, I got some hard thinking to do now.

I have a friend who did that because he was running a streetcar/trolley on that line and it then required operator input to reverse. Looking forward to the build!

AAH, yes, it's all about 2018 Christmas Layout memories Jeff 

Thought I'd post an image of the VERY expensive custom tools that I use.  No software for me, just these VERY expensive tools:

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My 'Grid' is based on 1" = 2'.  So I found washers and other round objects that match exactly to 27", 42", 54", and 72" curves based on that ratio.  The cardboard piece on the left is for 45 degree angles coming out of curves , such as after one 27" or two 54" curves,  while the one on the right is for use with 42" curves allowing for coming out after one curve or 2 (30 degrees on one angle, 60 on the other).

Like I said, VERY expensive stuff 

- walt

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