New Layout Build- Final tie coloring added (Pics added 4-15-17)

Very tired indeed! it also shows that the pieces of wood are solid!

It's a fantastic work! 

jpv in France

jpv69 posted:

Very tired indeed! it also shows that the pieces of wood are solid!

It's a fantastic work! 

jpv in France

 

Thank you, yeah he is just exhausted...  And yeah it's solid, and frankly over built but I got the 2X4's incredibly cheap so I put them to use.  

Chris,

Thanks for the photos!  It's looking very good!  With the storage shelves, what will your approach to wiring be?  I want to use the underneath of my layout for storage, and with an open Lgirder approach, I can do a lot of wiring from above, as I did in the past.  My concern is once covered with scenery, how will I easily trouble shoot problems with storage shelves.  I have thought of making roll out pallets for storage, but don't know yet.

Mark, my guess is the shelves are spaced so he can remove enough items to then lay on the shelves when he needs to work underneath, just like you would laying on a dolly under a car. I get dizzy doing that these days, so I also intend to use some kind of rolling shelf platform if I decide to add storage.

Layout is looking good Chris, I like the storage idea, and if you ever have to trouble shoot anything you have a 13 year old to help you move somethings around.

Mark, you can build the same thing, you would just have to move everything by yourself.

Mark Boyce posted:

Chris,

Thanks for the photos!  It's looking very good!  With the storage shelves, what will your approach to wiring be?  I want to use the underneath of my layout for storage, and with an open Lgirder approach, I can do a lot of wiring from above, as I did in the past.  My concern is once covered with scenery, how will I easily trouble shoot problems with storage shelves.  I have thought of making roll out pallets for storage, but don't know yet.

Hi Mark,

          As Dave stated the shelving is spaced out so that I can lay on it if need be but the track is going to be up on risers in this area so the wiring will be done right underneath the track on the side that faces the viewing isle.  Once the scenery begins I am going to make removable sections so that I can access a big portion of the wiring in that area as well as other areas while standing or even sitting on a stool.  I am going to use pink rigid foam insulation for these panels, and while there will be some shrinkage over time I am only using it in the front where I would need to " pull it out" and there are ways to compensate for the shrinkage that will occur.  My main goal here is to be sure that I can access as much as possible on the entire layout after the scenery is in.  The insulation can be painted and carved to form some amazing terrain variations and will lend itself perfectly to my needs, it's not cheap which is why it will only be used as access panels at areas of wiring junctions and turnouts ect.

mike g. posted:

Layout is looking good Chris, I like the storage idea, and if you ever have to trouble shoot anything you have a 13 year old to help you move somethings around.

Mark, you can build the same thing, you would just have to move everything by yourself.

Thank you Mike.  The storage shelves will also be built in other areas of the layout, but in those cases it will be for storing locomotives, passenger and freight cars that are not in use and those will be just deep enough for that stuff so they will not be as deep as these storage shelves are.  I am planning on making plexi-glass "doors" to protect the equipment not in use from damage or the small hands of my nephews.  I am also going to incorporate a built in work bench area for modeling projects, weathering ect.   

N&W Class J posted:

Mark Boyce posted:

Chris,

Thanks for the photos!  It's looking very good!  With the storage shelves, what will your approach to wiring be?  I want to use the underneath of my layout for storage, and with an open Lgirder approach, I can do a lot of wiring from above, as I did in the past.  My concern is once covered with scenery, how will I easily trouble shoot problems with storage shelves.  I have thought of making roll out pallets for storage, but don't know yet.

Hi Mark,

          As Dave stated the shelving is spaced out so that I can lay on it if need be but the track is going to be up on risers in this area so the wiring will be done right underneath the track on the side that faces the viewing isle.  Once the scenery begins I am going to make removable sections so that I can access a big portion of the wiring in that area as well as other areas while standing or even sitting on a stool.  I am going to use pink rigid foam insulation for these panels, and while there will be some shrinkage over time I am only using it in the front where I would need to " pull it out" and there are ways to compensate for the shrinkage that will occur.  My main goal here is to be sure that I can access as much as possible on the entire layout after the scenery is in.  The insulation can be painted and carved to form some amazing terrain variations and will lend itself perfectly to my needs, it's not cheap which is why it will only be used as access panels at areas of wiring junctions and turnouts ect.

Chris,

I like how you are thinking.  I actually stated something similar in the topic on my layout design which anyone can access in the link in my signature.  That is exactly what I was thinking of to make wiring access built into the scenery.  

Now all I need is a thirteen-year-old around to help with the work!    On second thought, maybe I am better by myself; we went through the thirteen-year-old stage more than once!  

Dave,

I am with you, laying on a dolly doing work is something that I'm not interested in doing anymore either.  sitting on a roll-around seat I have isn't so bad.  As you know, I want to have some shelves for extra rolling stock, so Chris' layout construction is interesting me.

Thank you both for addressing my questions.  Working together across the miles, I'm sure all of us will build better layouts than in the old days when we did all our thinking solo.

Mark Boyce posted:

Chris,

I like how you are thinking.  I actually stated something similar in the topic on my layout design which anyone can access in the link in my signature.  That is exactly what I was thinking of to make wiring access built into the scenery.  Now all I need is a thirteen-year-old around to help with the work!    On second thought, maybe I am better by myself; we went through the thirteen-year-old stage more than once!  

Dave,

I am with you, laying on a dolly doing work is something that I'm not interested in doing anymore either.  sitting on a roll-around seat I have isn't so bad.  As you know, I want to have some shelves for extra rolling stock, so Chris' layout construction is interesting me.

Thank you both for addressing my questions.  Working together across the miles, I'm sure all of us will build better layouts than in the old days when we did all our thinking solo.

Hey great minds think alike .  I just like the idea of being able to get at things later, a simple idea and it will work great for both of us.    I must say with regards to your last statement that truer words have never been spoken.  The sharing of ideas, problems, solutions and different approaches to this hobby is what makes it great, there are so many ways to build, model and problem solve.  I have no doubt that if we put our heads together we can all build some great layouts.

So great seeing you building a layout Chris! 

Industrial Models posted:

So great seeing you building a layout Chris! 

Thank you, I'm having fun with it.  I just ordered some track for the areas that I will not be hand laying and I'm working on the sub roadbed currently.

Don't forget to drill some large holes through your braces now for all the wiring we will be doing :-)

I have a plan for that, I think it will make things a bit easier...underline think.

Chris...finish off that space where you photo'ed your son laying...make it as nice as possible, and use it as a hiding place for yourself for when the little lady figures out how much this all costs. Remember the Seinfeld show, and how George built a hiding space inside his desk ...took naps in there etc...go for it buddy...

Bob

And don't forget to get a helmet if she has any rolling pins or skillets!! 

flanger posted:

Chris...finish off that space where you photo'ed your son laying...make it as nice as possible, and use it as a hiding place for yourself for when the little lady figures out how much this all costs. Remember the Seinfeld show, and how George built a hiding space inside his desk ...took naps in there etc...go for it buddy...

Bob

Ha ha....yeah tell me about it...thank god I got all the 2x4's cheap.......

rtr12 posted:

And don't forget to get a helmet if she has any rolling pins or skillets!! 

Maybe a lock on the basement door to....

Spent some time beginning to cut out the sub roadbed, much more to do and right now what I have cut out is just laying on the benchwork.  It will get put on top of the risers shortly as I wanted a nice long section for leveling/grade purposes. 

I began leveling the sub roadbed today, there is still a lot to do but I'm off to a good start...  More supports will be added since I have plenty of wood left...

"still a lot to do"     The Master of Understatement, Chris.  

But I still reckon that this part is one of the most enjoyable.