Layout construction started

That’s a big step Jack, congratulations. Good thinking in taking care of the walls with clouds and sky blue paint. Are you going to use foam board on any flat areas?

Jay

Foam board - not sure. Homasote maybe. I know it is messy to cut. Must be something 1/2” thick.

Benchwork looks good. If the flat areas need to support only lightweight scenery and structures, you might consider extruded pink foam for the base.

Picture shows the north end of my 10'-by-5' layout. There is a 1/2-inch plywood base topped by 1-inch layers of extruded pink foam. Except for the bridges, the track is laid on cork roadbed glued to the foam. Extruded pink foam is not messy to work with and can be stacked and easily carved to make lightweight scenery.

MELGAR

The foam board makes for easier landscaping too. You can carve gullies, streams, recess structures, etc.

Looking good! It's only been a few years since my dad and I were at that same point in our layout, but it feels like it's given me decades of memories already.

Don't wait too long to run trains either! We started running as soon as the first track loop was closed, hardly a 'complete' layout but exciting.

https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/...4#184861143571005274

I’m already have the urge to run some trains. I’ve got to get the upper loop done to run my larger engines.

@Jack L posted:

Foam board - not sure. Homasote maybe. I know it is messy to cut. Must be something 1/2” thick.

Homasote can be cut with a knife or "smooth" saber saw blade to minimize the mess.

Jack, that looks like a great start!  I agree, the painted walls look great!

I've finished the framing. I built the wall on the left a while ago adding some outlets and extended a wire out to connect to outlets in the future platform framing. You can see the yellow wire coming out along on of the joist. It connects to a switch and then on to outlets on either side of the aisle-way. I wanted a 'kill' switch so if something goes wrong and can cutoff the power to everything in an instant.

Congratulations Jack, that’s a major milestone.

Very good looking, Jack.