Well after many nights with good intentions of working on the layout and ending up running trains instead, I took the plunge and tore into the layout. It involved destroying the few areas that were somewhat finished (like the roundhouse) but in the end it should be a better design. Here is a rough sketch of the layout.
Here is the roundhouse before demo.
And the same view after demo.
Before.
After.
Here is the rough placement of the roundhouse area.
Since I'm ripping up about 75% of the layout anyway and it was wired before DCS, I'm planning to rewire the whole thing as well. This is going to take longer than I planed. I'm having serious train withdrawal!
Steve C.
Replies sorted oldest to newest
Zett, The loop around the roundhouse is 82.
Tom Tee, I have been using DCS and TMCC since about 92 but since everything originally went back to the transformer location there is a lot of wasted wire. I do have toggle switches on the storage tracks that I plan to keep. It's good to store the command stuff off power as well.
Steve C.
....Great, its coming right along.
Fred, I sent you an e-mail.
Steve C.
I also took 2 display cabinets that were mounted high on another wall and dropped them down to counter height. It will get a 22" x 96" counter and double as a work station.
Most importantly the 2 main lines got reconnected (temporarily) so the trains are running again!
Steve C.
quote:Originally posted by corsair29:
I also took 2 display cabinets that were mounted high on another wall and dropped them down to counter height. It will get a 22" x 96" counter and double as a work station.
Steve C.
Are you going to take out the glass doors? It looks dangerous and uncomfortable for anyone to be sitting there with knees up against the glass. A deeper countertop would help a lot.
Steve C.
Nice work so far. The TT facilities looks great.
I'm in the process of re-doing my layout as well and its no walk in the park. I needed to eliminate the last duck-under as its taking a toll on my knees.
Keep up the great work!
Cesar
For the longest time it was hard to get motivated to work on the layout. I think subconsciously I knew there were too many things that just weren't right and I couldn't see putting time into finishing any one part. Hopefully the new track plan and rewiring will alleviate most of the annoying things and let me get back to having fun working on it. It was hard to tear out the two spots that were the most finished, but once I saw how the new track plan flowed so much better than the old one there was no looking back.
Steve C.
Can you post more photos of the layout (finished areas) when you get a chance, I am admiring the bunch that you have posted.
Thanks in advance,
Cesar
Luvtrains, The roundhouse and turntable were transplanted from one part of the layout to the new location.
Still working on the new parts of the table, not much to take pictures of yet.
Steve C.
That's quite the expansion! When Walter told me you tore into the layout and blew out the wall, he wasn't kidding!
Dave
Steve C.
Looks like we're at the same stages in layout overhauling, you just gave me some idea's for the RH.
Cesar
Here is the 6 track yard entrance.
A couple of double slips.
The round house used to occupy this space and is now transplanted to the other side of the layout.
The new area will contain a small refinery, a pipe factory, a singer sewing factory and a two level coal facility.
Back to the endless wiring.
Steve C.
...keep the rails polished...
Steve C.
RDMAP, I had to leave York on Friday so I had Sat.& most of Sunday to work on it.
I just read RCSSTEVE post at the top,(better late than never) and realized he touched on most of the reasons I tore the layout apart. The last layout was fine but I was getting bored just watching trains run around the tracks. The new track plan allows people to put trains together, get an engine from the round house, pick up a train, grab a caboose and head out on the main lines to drop off cars at various industries. A friend of mine spent almost 2 hours just moving cars around the yard. I'm really looking forward to getting all the wiring finished so I can get to the scenery.
Steve C.
I added two caboose storage tracks and put a few MTH buildings together to make a power station. Still a lot of wiring to do.
Steve C.
Steve C.
Popsrr, It's a little steep (about 3/8" per foot) but I only run the smaller engines on it.
Steve C.
Your very operational and good looking layout certainly is coming along well. And the 3/8" per foot, just over 3% grade, is not too bad. Thanks for posting!
Alex
Today's rain gave me some time to start on the trestle. I've always wanted to build one and I've gathered some great reference from you guys on this forum. Thanks OGR.
Steve C.
I know you are on a large job so have not bothered you to ask how progress is. Glad to see the trestle. Wish I was as lucky. Just cannot seem to get anything done.
quote:Progress has been stalled lately due to lack of time.
That's good in a way because it must mean that you are working. I really like the way the layout is coming along especially the trestle and the engine facility.
Steve C.
Steve C.
I think you missed a spot and when do you do the bolt details?
Looks great!
I am somewhat familiar with the amount of work it takes to make a trestle from scratch, and I can honestly say that yours looks great! (As well as the rest of the layout.)
Well done!
Alex
Steve C.
Started working on the foam.
Steve C.
Thanks Fred,Al, Rich & Ralph.
My New years resolution is to get some scenery going. I tried the true scene product I picked up at the Allentown show and it seams to work well. Every thing still needs paint but it softens the hard edges of the foam nicely and it's easy to work with.
Steve C.
Steve C.
Steve C.
Hope to get some landscaping on it this weekend.
Steve C.
Good looking snow scene, keep up the great work.
Jack
I base coated the foam and made a coal drop today. Maybe some ground cover tomorrow.
Steve C.
Jack
Well no ground cover yet but did get some platforms built.
Steve C.
really a fantastic layout! Thank you for sharing!
Steve,
Thanks for posting, especially the photo series on the trestle area.
Question for you:
Why did you start with different colored ground cover (blue, pink, orange)?
The end result came out great, just curious about the methodology.
Thanks.
-bruce
Thanks Will and Bruce.
Bruce the white,pink and blue is just the raw foam.The orange and yellow is a product called True Scene I picked up at a show. Great stuff! You can color it by adding tempera paint to it when you mix it but I didn't have any at the time. I plan on tinting before applying it to the lumber yard area.
Steve C.
Steve,
Thanks for the info,will try the same technique when the times comes.
Looking forward to seeing the lumber area!
Bruce
Coming along very nicely! Also I like the Pennsylvania coal hopper. The weathering details are perfect.
Fantastic! Once you start looking at the details of the scenery, ground cover, fitting the buildings into the contours of the land (or vice-versa), and the weeds and brush, you realize what went into this and how nice it really is. Great job!
Steve,
That trestle is awesome. Can you tell me some measurements of the bents? How wide are they on avaerage at the top and bottom? How tall is the biggest one? I will be building a curved trestle soon. It is only going to be about a 1/3 of the length of yours. Did you use some sort of formula to build or was it based on what looked and felt right?
What size material did you use? Looks like 3/8".
Thanks
Matt
Thanks Matt,
The tallest one is 16" by 7" at the top and 9" at the bottom. Each cross member is 4" apart. They are mostly made with 1/4" balsa wood. No formula, just looked at a bunch of trestle pics and combined a few. Hope this helped.
Steve C.
Thanks. The info helps a great deal.
I would have thought the material was bigger than 1/4". The pics are deceiving.
Looks great and a good source of inspiration for me.
Steve,
Real nice job with that trestle. Everything is looking great.
Steve your layout is really coming along nicely. lots of great work!!!!!!!!!
Thanks Ralph and Popsrr,
Got some weathering off the bench today.
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Steve C.
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Steve,
Awesome weathering job! One day I'll get the nerve to weather my engines
Cesar
Looks great Steve. How's it running?
Lookin GoooooD!!
Thanks Patrick. It still amazes me how fast you work.
Ralph, It's running great and it's packed up ready to ship.
Steve C.
Steve, the turntable area is coming along nice. Looking forward to more photos. Thanks for the update.
Lookin' real good Steve! I especially like the first photo where one rail line comes from the left and the other from the right with the bridge, tunnels, and trains.
Now that's a busy railroad!
Just beautiful, looking awesome.
Alex
Thanks guys. Come visit if you are in the area.
Steve C.
Started working on the skirt board.
A curtian will hang below the white trim
Recessed controls for 2 switches and 3 uncoupling tracks.
2 cubys for stuff.
Raised the edge to make a cut instead of just having the end of the table.
Good spot for hobos
Steve C.
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Wow Steve looking real nice. Someday I'm going to take you up on your offer, and come over to see the layout.
Thanks, Alex
You'er welcome any time Alex.
Steve C.
Steve, This is looking great!
I really like the idea of making the cut on your curve instead of just the edge of the layout being open.
Nice!
Very Cool. Great work!
Thanks Rich & Pete.
Coated the foam with some brown latex just to see what it looked like without all the different colors.
Steve C.
Chris,
I used a jig saw and various hand trim saws, the kind for cutting balsa wood(they have a tinner blade). I also used a sheetrock saw. As far as the mess, it's really unavoidable with foam. Just keep vacuming and sweeping as you go.
Steve C.
Amazing rock work, great layout design, hope to see you at trainstock and/or York.
Jack
Good work ! I like the rock work and how it goes on the outside of the curve as well as the inside, most people never think of that, including me.
Ahh, I have a Coping saw that might do a good job since its a thin tooth blade. thanks and its looking good. be very proud of the work, its very nice. Ill have to grab some brown paint take backs at lowes or Depot that people return.
Chris
Looking good Steve.
Looking awesome Steve.
Thanks, Alex
I like the switching possibilities although my favorite is any CNJ powered freight on Steve's mainline. A trio of CNJ F-3s does it for me.
Always have a great time running trains.
HO Bob (and me too!) really did like that new animation that you added into the tunnels.
Walter M. Matuch
CNJ F-3 A-B-A at Elizabeth, NJ
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Steve...I'm filling out my timecard right now!
Throttle 8 (position) moves the freight,
but overtime is really great.
Seeing the train anywhere on your layout and just watching and listening is almost as good as being on an actual train...oh the memories.
Thanks.
Walter M. Matuch
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Looking really nice Steve !!!
Roughed in some more portals
The new counter top was great for train night.
Phils new engine
How do I get that car over to that train?
Matuch corner
Getting late
HO Bob with his switching list
It was fun having the guys over last night. Trains ran all night with only a few mishaps.
Steve C.
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Steve, the progress is amazing! Love those stools from Lowes
Cesar
Happy New Year!
Steve C.
Hey Steve Think I have to bring that Texas type back for another spin around the new layout Looks great That Truscene stuff is awesome
Simply- Your talent is un-real
Steve great job, really like the the look & paint work of the rock area.
Happy New Year.
Jack
Fantastic craftsmanship
Steve,
Simply fantastic, I do not know how you find the time to construct your layout.
Totally incredibale stuff.
PCRR/Dave
Steve
Just looked this thread over again and decided this is my favorite scene Can you tell why
Nice video Steve Great choice of roadnames too!! Have a Happy New Year
amazing, time and attention to detail and critical thinking is the key. I cant wait to design my garage layout, and start doing the details. my livingroom layouts cant hang around, so I dont want to do too much with the foam because its gotta come down in may. but, I am taking tips from you all and I really appreciate all that you guys share with ideas and staging with your layouts. this one is really cool. happy new year!
Chris
Thanks for all the nice coments.
Dave, Right from the start I wanted to be able to switch cars not just in one place, but all around the layout. I still have a few more places to add industry and more sidings. So far the track plan seems to work OK.
Steve C.
Looks great Steve. I like the vidoe.
Ralph
Steve Looking great!
Love the video, thanks for sharing.
I always expected to have some sidings, just not a "working" yard. Of course, I've seen working layouts, but I never paid much attention to the "working" part or gave much thought to a theme. However, seeing some layouts here and on YouTube, I've seen what can be done in my space. I also realize now that I don't need 10s of buildings either to make things interesting. Having an actual train with switches and an uncoupling track to work with now, dropping off and picking up a car now and then finally appeals to me. I've also been watching **** On Wheels and the western theme works.
I guess too many folks I've talked to in the past have been so wrapped up in "realism" that I got turned off. Thanks to this forum, I'm now seeing a theme that appeals to me and a train the right size. I've always wanted O gauge, but settled for HO or N. I thought more track would be okay, but it's just not the same as O. I thought G was the answer until I moved back to Phoenix and saw all the money and effort it takes.
The bottom line is I think I've finally found what I've been looking for. I'm going to spend 2-3 years learning and testing, so that when the 10.5x21 bedroom becomes available, I'll be ready. I've got several plans to play with on my initial 6x11and then 11x11 table space. If nothing else, I should have some fun over the next 5-6 years.
Good work Steve. I dont know if its just me but it seems as if the old track uncoupler section gets small mention with all of todays modern electronics, add that to the electo engine uncoupling. This is perfect for train operations. Great video.
It is always a pleasure to visit Steve's layout. I can spend the whole operating session watching a CNJ diesel sitting somewhere and making those train sounds.
Kind of like railroadin' 1:1...just on overtime. I miss the 16 hour law!
Walter M. Matuch
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I too liked the "working" part of the video. It leads me to a question...what brand of uncoupling track did you use? I had Gargraves on my older layout, but I must have been driving them with too low of a voltage since they never worked. I'd really like to engineer their locations like you did so I'm going to have to get some that work well. I'm using all Ross track.
That looks great !
Steve,
Excellent work!
I really like how you finished the bench work around the sides.
Steve
Looking beautiful, great work!!!!!!!!!!!!
Alex
It's a beauty of a layout. I do like the way you incorporated the nice looking molding to complement your layout.
Fred
with the moulding, are you going to have panels that butt up to the edge? looks like that is maybe what you were doing with the that. looks nice. the way you have the cut-away is a great idea. almost like a slice of the earth!
Looks good Steve. Going to have water under that trestle?
Thanks guys.
Chris, I have black fabric that Velcros underneath the molding.
Joe, Absolutely! I have to finish the upper part of the mountain first.
Steve C.
Steve in the trestle photos how large are the 3 curves I am trying to get some perspective. Great work and layout.
Thanks George,
The smallest loop is 58" and the 2 mains are 73" & 82".
Steve C.
Is that radius or diameter?
Diameter center rail to center rail.
Steve.....it is simply beautiful!! I like the way your are finishing the edges with the nice red trim...
Alan
Very pleasing work. I like irregularly shaped layouts, and yours is a beauty.
The scenery is looking great Steve. Makes a huge difference.
Steve,
Excellent!
It is coming out really nice.
Steve,
You are a true craftsman, the layout looks beautiful.
Thanks, Alex
Thanks guys.
I'm always humbled by the talent on this forum.
Steve C.
Well it's been awhile. Life through some wenches into the machinery but I finally got some time to work on the layout. Mostly foam work but the top of the mountain is roughed in, as well as a tunnel portal and an area for some buildings.
Steve C.
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Worked on a section (a bridge and tunnel) that has been bothering me.
This is what it looked like for the last few years.
I angled an old Lionel bridge to get across the lower track but it never looked right to me.
It covers up three tracks and I needed to have access just in case.
Part off the mountain is removable to reach any derailments.
Adding some girders to the side gave it a more substantial feel.
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Looking great Steve. I'll have to get over soon. How's that engine running?
Ralph
Thanks Ralph, I hope to pick it up next weekend at Allentown.
Wow. The mountains, portals.....all looks great. I like the way you made use of the plasticville accessories (station, water tower). ....blends right in.
Sir,
I must say that this is an incredible layout and you are truly a world class model builder. The trestle is beautiful. A major understatement!
Not sure how I missed this thread before, but glad I found it. Great job!
Coming along nicely... keep the pics coming.
I can't get enough of this thread! Great modeling.
Hi Steve,
Looking fabulous !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Alex
Steve...the layout is really beautiful....I am enjoying this thread!!
Alan
Thank guys.
I've been trying to think of a way to add a couple of sidings without blocking the isle permanently(I need to have access to the bilco door). I think it can be done with 3 sections that fold down on hinges. The foam mountains are removable already so it might work. Sorry for my lack of computer drawing skills, but this is the direction I'm heading.
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Very nice modeling.
Great start! Wish I could have done that for my railroad instead of painting on raw concrete.
Looks Great! I like your bridges and mountains.
I like the bridges as well. Your project reminds me of my rebuild journey that started about 2 years ago. I had periods of intense work, then long periods of scenery block. Hope to see more of your progress soon.
Just read this thread and all I can say is WOW... Beautiful work. Lots of hard work done well. Enjoy your empire..
Nice work, Steve! Now THAT looks like a layout! Gotta try something similar with mine.
Chris
LVHR
The backdrops really make an impact on the feel of your layout. Nice work on a neat layout. You previously mentioned it had been a long time since you had been working on your rr. I am quite familiar with scenery block. I am going through a period of enthusiasm right now which is good. I have a backlog of projects. Hope to see more of your layout and progress.
Great photo of a big and interesting layout.
Hello Steve:
Can't wait to run an L&HR extra 'over the mountain' and 'through the woods'.
Happy Thanksgiving.
Walter
Looking awesome. It is amazing how much adding backdrops changes the look!
What a difference the backdrops made Steve. They look great.
Thanks Joe,
They were all recycled from Ben's layout.
Nice work Steve. Big difference!
Andy
It's never quiet when Bob's there.....
MERRY CHRISTMAS
Photo 1-2-3 are my favorites. CNJ Trainmaster with a passenger train.
Walter M. Matuch
Steve,
Somehow I have missed your topic for all these years until today. The videos were great. I quickly went back through the pages to review your progress. Thank you for posting the videos, and I will spend more time reviewing your progres as time permits.
Steve, Awesome work. Did you keep the original track plan or is it new?
That's awesome. I love the turntable.
Your layout looks great! Thanks for posting the pan photos!
Your layout looks fantastic!!!
Thanks for the update.
Really like the weathered Trainmaster, looks like an NJC diesel should look.
Wow!
Peter
Looks great Steve!
Great looking backdrop! It really makes a good looking layout even better!
Terrific! Boy do the backdrops make a difference! How did you make that great retaining wall?