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T-Bone1214, That does look slick.  I was thinking a day or two ago, I could still leave the fob sitting on the wrong side of the down bridges.  I always have my phone in my pocket.  I have never controlled anything with a phone app, but do have the DCS WTIU on preorder, so I will be using my phone for that.  Thank you for the link!!  Smart thinking to look into it further!

Hope everyone is doing well! I'm still around and I'm still building! I was out of commission for a bit with needing another knee surgery but all is well once again!

Here are some pictures to show the progress I've made over the past couple months. I have to get more pics of the electrical work under the layout and I actually have a bunch of track down. 20230819_20320720230819_10230220230819_21442320230819_21443320230820_22330620230820_22332220230825_12024720230825_12025720230825_12031020230827_22360520230827_22362720230830_12190220230905_21164120230905_21534020230909_14285120230926_010310

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Things are starting to come together with the layout with a lot of work still to do! This first level will be ready to run an engine on once I get the roadbed down and the power drops connected to the electrical that I have started running under the layout for the first line. This level will have 3 lines on it the 2 outer will be for passenger and freight with the 3rd being for local freight, trollies and switching. There are also 2 staging areas, one for the passenger cars and one for freight. 



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@T-Bone1214 posted:

Things are starting to come together with the layout with a lot of work still to do! This first level will be ready to run an engine on once I get the roadbed down and the power drops connected to the electrical that I have started running under the layout for the first line. This level will have 3 lines on it the 2 outer will be for passenger and freight with the 3rd being for local freight, trollies and switching. There are also 2 staging areas, one for the passenger cars and one for freight.





Wow, nice progress !  Will you have enough reach to the turntable area if things need tweaking ?

Rich

That’s coming along Nice. The one thing I noticed in your tracklaying was the earlier Gargraves with the varied colored ties. About 1/4 of my layout was done with these over 30 years ago. Then they switched to just a blackened tie. Probably I’m sure more cost effective. I always liked the look of the earlier version better. Especially on a more rural type setting.

@Mark Boyce posted:

Looks great, T-Bone1214!  What materials are you using for your hills and rock faces?

Thanks @Mark Boyce!

I'm using Styrofoam insulation from HD. Just the cheap white panels that I think come 6 in a package and since they are cheaper then the pink insulation and I won't be pressing on them I figured I'd give them a try. Each sheet is 1" thick x 3' long and I take several stack and glue them together with liquid nails then cut them to shape with a hot Styrofoam wire adding the vertical cuts with it.

I then take a steak knife and do the horizontal cuts and gouges that's when you get all those Styrofoam balls but no worries! Next I take my heat gun and run it over the areas with all the Styrofoam balls and they quickly melt and gives a really cool rock formation look to them. I'll be covering the tops of the hills with batting and adhere it with the paint I selected sort of a brown/green color.

With the heat gun you can easily add small nooks and cavern entrances but don't hold it there too long or you can have a mess on your hands...LOL. YUP... I did that a couple times but learned really quick to use the heat gun in quick passing motions.



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Last edited by T-Bone1214
@Dave_C posted:

That’s coming along Nice. The one thing I noticed in your tracklaying was the earlier Gargraves with the varied colored ties. About 1/4 of my layout was done with these over 30 years ago. Then they switched to just a blackened tie. Probably I’m sure more cost effective. I always liked the look of the earlier version better. Especially on a more rural type setting.

Thanks @Dave_C! I was able to get that track almost for free. I don't have a lot of it but only use it on straightaways since you can't bend it. I will however be painting all the track rails and ties so they match.

Last edited by T-Bone1214

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