Train Room 04/18/2022 update

Good for you partner!

Congrats, can't wait to see more progress!

WTG Mike.  We'll literally get to see your layout from the ground up.  Looking forward to following your build.

Looks like you are off to a good start! Good luck with the weather.

Thanks all, I have a feeling this is going to take a while. But I will keep you up to date!

Mike- Gotta start somewhere right? Looking forward to the build. Been in construction for 30 years, cutting a door into a block wall is no small feat. That would be a project by itself for many people.

Bob

Go for it Mike!

Your right Bob, the concrete wall took most of the day, due to the fact I was using a 7" saw with a concrete blade along with a 4" grinder with concrete blade and a small jack hammer! Boy was it a good work out! Framing the door was easy! LOL

Hokie, all I had to do was wait for the wife to say go. and boy did I jump at it when she did!

Mike please post a pic or two of the concrete pour.  This should be a fun project to follow.

Will do Mary.

Mike,

   Congrats on a great start to the Train Room, Semper Fi! Buddy

PCRR/Dave

Mike : So HAPPY for you !! Keep us posted.. another Menardsville is coming..

Great start, Mike!! Keep us posted. 

John

Slow is good! Gives you a chance to think things over.

Mike, I'm glad to see you have started on your layout room build.  I know what it is like to wait a long time to get a room to build a new layout again!  I will be watching your progress and cheering you on for the new-to-me "Under 144 square feet" train room!!

Hi Mark, Thanks for the encouragement! 144 Square Feet is all I get. No more room for anything else! I have been fallowing your updates also Mark! I like to try and keep up with what everyone is doing, best way to learn!

Is not 12' X 24' = 288 square feet?

Just asking, my math skills are a little slow. Did not see OP state the layout would only be half that size!

Donald

Donald, you are correct! But good for you as you learned early with me, sometimes I am slow!

Before long, you'll be building that layout, I just know it!

"You've taken your first step into a larger world."

-Obi Wan Kenobi, in Star Wars- Episode 4

Thanks Lee, I am going to need all the support I can get. Its just me here, I don't know anyone else in the area that are into model trains. Just the one guy that sells trains as a retirement income.

It's great to have that much space.  It's okay that it will take some time.  That way you can plan exactly what you want to have.  A lot of folks were overly excited and eager and just started throwing things together.  Resist that...come up with a plan.  Like what your railroad is, where it is, what it's doing and the most important thing is that how will you and others interact with it.  Do you have a favorite railroad or place you want to model?

If you are doing a toy train layout or a display loop for your collection that's two types of layouts.  If you are going for the model of a railroad remember to consider the Who, Where, What, When and Why of your line....plausibility, purpose and most importantly participation for yourself and others!

You have a "blank slate."  You have the canvas.  Now, what will you do?  Take your time.  If you really want to get something going put up some temporary Fastrak while your are thinking.  :-) 

Hi John, thank you for all the wise words. I have been working with Carl and Dave from the forum for over the last year on my layout plan, and I am pretty sure we have it nailed down. I plan on running modern day Engines, I have some freight cars, I have a few tankers I need to get more of them, I have an Amtrak train with 6 cars, but still need to get a dome car and sleeper for it. 

I plan on running from Seattle to Chicago, running all the above, I have an oil field and station planned, some city stuff, mountains. I know there is a lot more to think about.

I plan on using MTH ScaleTrak for my layout. I know what others have said, but I love the look of the track and Like I said I am slow so I can wait on a few things if I have to.

You should have a well thought out plan by the time you get the room built!  I'm looking forward to seeing the plan.  Maybe you have a topic in the planning forum, and I can't recall it.

Hi Mark, here are a couple picture of the layout plan.

I like the way you have incorporated the reverse loops. Looks like a good idea.

Mark Boyce posted:

You should have a well thought out plan by the time you get the room built!  I'm looking forward to seeing the plan.  Maybe you have a topic in the planning forum, and I can't recall it.

Mark, here's a link to the planning thread.

Just to put this out there right away Carl AKA (MOONMAN) has everything to do with this plan and I cant thank him enough! He asked a lot of questions and I gave him my ideas, Its kinda like he climbs in your hear and sees what your thinking! Great GUY!

The only thing it's missing is the crossovers. Still haven't decided where to put them?

Dave, thanks I forgot about the crossovers. It a good thing I have a lot of time before I reach that stage!

mike g. posted:

Thanks Lee, I am going to need all the support I can get. Its just me here, I don't know anyone else in the area that are into model trains. Just the one guy that sells trains as a retirement income.

Mike, having people nearby who can help answer questions, give good advice, come out to help once you’re elbow-deep in the build and generally be there for you, is essential.

I couldn’t possibly have gotten as far as I did in the timeframe I did what I ref to as “The initial build” of the layout (as no layout is ever FINISHED, right), without several people. They gave me great advice, showed me their excellent layouts to get a good feel for operations, helped with the track plan, did grunt work on wiring and DCC and most of all provided a LOT of encouragement. Had it not been for all of them, my layout wouldn’t be what it is, and the upcoming 2017 On30 Annual article on my layout for sure wouldn’t soon be coming out.

I lucked up by becoming friends with someone who was well-connected to the local railfan and model RR community and therefore meeting others.

Had that not happened, I might have gotten more involved with NMRA events in the area, or hooking up with one of the groups I see at the model train meets.

I am an NMRA member, something you might want to look into. I joined to attend the Portland convention (but I couldn’t get the time off) and while I don’t have a flexible work schedule to go to much of their events, I was welcomed with open arms and get invites to events all the time. Most are up north in your area but there’s local stuff for me as well. You’d also be able to find out about the local informal groups that you might not know about. For example, there’s a very active Olympia group that many have no clue about.

An NMRA membership isn’t cheap, but if you could find the ‘live and in person’ versions of the really great people I see posting here, wouldn’t it be worth it? Let’s face it, you can have the most amazing layout in the world, but everyone wants to be able to get some kindred spirits around every now and then!

Yeah, I know, 3-rail isn’t their thing. Yeah, most of them are HO or N guys, but there ARE 3-railiers among them, I know a few down in this area.

Just give it a thought. I couldn’t imagine my layout without the people I’ve directly dealt with! 

FYI, do you plan on going to Monroe on Saturday?

Mike, I'm glad I mentioned it then. It never occurred to me that you might have forgotten about it.

Hi Lee, Thanks for all the information I have been looking around our area for people and found one in Shelton, but everything else is an hour drive for me. I will look in to the NMRA membership and see what it entails. No I wont be going to Monroe on Saturday as it is if I drive around its a 21/2 hour drive if not 3 hours.

Dave, I just thought I would takle that when the time came, but then I know that's not a good idea! LOL

Mike, nothing wrong with waiting. My only concern is/was the track spacing.

DoubleDAZ posted:

Mark Boyce posted:

You should have a well thought out plan by the time you get the room built!  I'm looking forward to seeing the plan.  Maybe you have a topic in the planning forum, and I can't recall it.

Mark, here's a link to the planning thread.

Thank you Dave!  Yes, now I see which plan it is.  I even commented to Mike how much I liked his swing up bridge!  Super!!

Thanks Mark, I learned everything about that bridge from here on the Forum. Then RTR, GunRunnerJohn, Big-Boy_4005 hooked me up with the needed limit switches. As far as I am concerned this the best place for information and friendship!

"As far as I am concerned this the best place for information and friendship!"

I agree wholeheartedly!!!

mike g. posted:

Hi John, thank you for all the wise words. I have been working with Carl and Dave from the forum for over the last year on my layout plan, and I am pretty sure we have it nailed down. I plan on running modern day Engines, I have some freight cars, I have a few tankers I need to get more of them, I have an Amtrak train with 6 cars, but still need to get a dome car and sleeper for it. 

I plan on running from Seattle to Chicago, running all the above, I have an oil field and station planned, some city stuff, mountains. I know there is a lot more to think about.

I plan on using MTH ScaleTrak for my layout. I know what others have said, but I love the look of the track and Like I said I am slow so I can wait on a few things if I have to.

You are running my line!  :-)  I do Marias Pass which is the southern border of Glacier National Park in Montana.  

Your plan sounds very ambitious.  You may want to consider focusing on one area because it will be a great challenge to have some continuity/logic in your scenery attempting to depict that long of a run.  You can use your mountains to "divide" one scene from the other to improve your visual display/scene integrity.  If you are going mountains, you should consider focusing on either Washington state in the Cascades or the Rockies in Montana.  Your "end points" don't have to be visibly modeled...

Modeling smaller areas is a logical approach to consider especially considering all of our space constraints and scale.  Even in my basement, I'm depicting about 180 some odd miles of track with two miles of scale line and that is pressing it.

Food for thought.  :-)

If it were me!  Russ

mike g. posted:

 As far as I am concerned this the best place for information and friendship!

I also agree 100% with this. I’m on a couple of other model RR forums, one is more devoted to fine craftsmanship and has a really good small core of people into On30. Lots of very impressive model work can be seen there, in various scales (including some European guys and their travelling layouts). And while I do enjoy the model work and many of the people there, I mostly enjoy this forum for just the simple big smile, “Wow, cool!” reaction I just need to have every now and then. Many of you know I’m not into 3-rail, but it is the same scale I model and there’s a lot of very impressive (what I think is called, “Fine scale” 3-rail? I can’t recall the labels for the various applications of 3-rail) work being shown here.

There’s a couple of people here I don’t think as much of as some others (which is unavoidable on any forum, I’m sure there are more than a few that don’t think much of some of my opinions), but the positive people list, to me, FAR outnumbers the not-so-positive-for-me list. Guys like you Mike, Suzukovich and several others I wish I could recall their login names to give proper credit to. You guys have given massive encouragement and kind words since I've been here. Many times, you guys bring a smile to my face when I really need it (my life is hardly a tale of woe but we all need a smile every now and then, right!)

I don't know how many people frequent this forum are subscribers to the magazine, but I will confess to buying issues when they have something I find interesting. Again, I'm not a 3-railer so such content is largely lost on me. But I have seen several issues that had some good 2-rail or On30 stuff. I just bought the newest issue over at Wal-Mart (where I was surprised to see it) the other day and loved it.

That's all from this forum.

It's a special place and I appreciate the people here.

Well said Lee, and you don't even know it, but I just learned something from your post! Now I need to start looking for the ORG magazine at Wal-Mart next time I go. I didn't even know they carried it!

Hi John. I am leaning towards the Cascades in Washington hence that is where I am. The oil fields cause that is where my wife's parents are. and Chicago cause that the Turn around point. I would like to see what you have in mind.

Russ, we are waiting on Mixy to fix a small problem with Scale Trax in SCARM then the cross overs will be installed on the plan.

Mike

Some how missed your start. It's great and I look forward to the in progress pictures. Above all have fun.

Larry

Semper Fi!

Oh Don't worry Larry I will be asking a lot of questions! You haven't seen anything yet as far as what I want to know. The good thing is you are one of the people on the top of my list to get information from!

Ok Bob and Brian, here are the pictures I said I would post earlier this morning! Every thing went smooth!

Even the inspector had to come out and check it! He approves How things are looking!

Looking good. Glad to hear that the government inspector is allowing you permission to build on your own property.

You should leave the inspector a nice chew or treat every now and then, just to avoid any unnecessary delays and keep the project running smoothly!!

I like your English Bull Dog.

Thanks guys!,

Dennis, oh I had to pay for the right to build! Darn building dept, wants there share!

RTR, I give him toys and treats, but if he sees something he wants he just takes it!! You can tell by his size he eats a lot!

Thanks Eddie, his name is Tank, and he sure is one. If your not watching him he will just mow you down!

In that case you should not have any 'inspection' problems during construction. Nice smoothly running project if inspector is happy!! 

Mike G,

   Holy cow talk about building a train room from the cement floor up, and with the Marine Mascot right there with ya.

Hope all is going well Mike!  In your outfit the dog is named Tank?  Should be Guns!

PCRR/Dave

Pine Creek Railroad posted:

Mike G,

   Holy cow talk about building a train room from the cement floor up, and with the Marine Mascot right there with ya.

Hope all is going well Mike!  In your outfit the dog is named Tank?  Should be Guns!

PCRR/Dave

Thanks Dave! 

Things are going well, I am a little soar after lifting the beams. So today is going to be an easy day, clean the garage and watch NASCAR. 

My siblings bought TANK for me whey I was going threw Chemo treatment for my companion, one of the best gifts ever! But its funny when momma is home he is a momma's boy LOL

Mike,  It's inspiring to see this all coming together for you, know you've been through more than most.   Thanks for sharing the progress with us.   Made my day, just going back and reading this from the start.  

Looks great Mike! The side walls will be a piece of cake now that the roof framing is done. Good to see the inspector approves. Just watch out for splinters in his paws.

Bob

Thanks Chris

If there is one thing I have learned from this whole think is slow is ok! There is no reason to rush this or that. Life is to short as it is to rush by and miss everything. So for me it slow and enjoy everything I can!

Thanks Bob,

I agree the walls will be easy , and so will the roof. Its just getting the sheeting and comp up there that's going to suck. But I will get it.  Its funny you say watch out for splinters, I do and he didn't get any yesterday, but he sure turns into  a little girl when he gets an one!

                 looks Great Mike !!       getting there

   nmp...

                                                                    glad to see inspection passed !!

Thanks Brain, Sorry I missed your call last night, I went to bed early and was nice I was able to sleep in till 6AM! Guess the inspector was tired more then me. He didn't get up till 7 along with momma! LOL

                      glad "Tank" let you get some rest... have a great day !!!

Alright then!!!  , I love the smell of fresh cut lumber in the mourning on a project.

I have a mini building going here as well Mike. We both have our  nail aprons on.

Very good start and looking good there.  Have fun

Such a cute little doggie you have to

Larry

Semper Fidelis

Thanks Brian and Larry! It was really nice to sleep in this morning! I will try to give you a call later tonight!

Larry what are you using your small building for and I would love to see some pictures of it when you get a chance! Let me guess  "G" trains?

So for you who don't know This weekend I got all the roof sheeting up yesterday! That really kicked my butt! So today I took it easy somewhat and just put the paper on the sheeting! That's enough for the weekend!

Mike, I know what it is like to do everything by yourself!  Looks great!!

Mark Boyce posted:

Mike, I know what it is like to do everything by yourself!  Looks great!!

Thanks Mark, I just know its a good thing till next payday! Gives me time to rest up before roofing and maybe framing another wall!

mike g. posted:

Mark Boyce posted:

Mike, I know what it is like to do everything by yourself!  Looks great!!

Thanks Mark, I just know its a good thing till next payday! Gives me time to rest up before roofing and maybe framing another wall!

Yes I understand what you mean! Sometimes there is a blessing having to wait until next payday to continue.

Making great progress. I'm so happy for you!

Mike this has been an inspiring thread to follow.   We old guys just have to take it one day at a time and be thankful for yesterday's progress.  You should get a great deal of satisfaction on what you've accomplished so far.  Looking forward to your continues progress.

Great progress!

Peter

That looks great Mike. Good to get the water off the lumber so it doesn't start warping.

Keep up the good work.

Quick question....what the heck was causing all the shadows through the trees? You must have some giant flood lights

Bob

mike g. posted:

So for you who don't know This weekend I got all the roof sheeting up yesterday! That really kicked my butt! So today I took it easy somewhat and just put the paper on the sheeting! That's enough for the weekend!

It's the Mike G progress meter!

Big Mike G,

Looks great, I am watching with great interest.  Mike go slow buddy and do NOT GET HURT.   Us old GI's have a tendency to do more at one time than our old bodies can actually handle.  The mind still thinks we can do more than our bodies really can.

Be safe buddy I am watching the progress.  Some young help would be nice.

PCRR/Dave

I want to thank you all for the nice comments! You are all wonderful men and I try to keep up with what you are all doing as well! It's a good thing is Sunday- DAY OF REST cause I sure can use it! Maybe watch some NASCAR or alittle golf! Thanks again everyone!

P.S. Bob (RSJB18), I know you probably haven't seen it in a while, but no flood lights! Its called the SUN!!!!

                         some NASCAR, trains, and maybe a beer or two....

Nice Brian! You have a train for every event!

Us old GI's have a tendency to do more at one time than our old bodies can actually handle.  The mind still thinks we can do more than our bodies really can.

Well said Dave.  Think Toby Keith did a song something like that.lol

Mike good work. I' cheating on mine and only doing the inside work.  And to your guess you were right on, it's for G (One Gauge Train Space)

Take Care, Semper Fi

Larry

Looking  great my friend ! Keep up the great job, but be careful too. I love the updates..

Looking good Mike! Thanks for sharing the updates ! It will all come together - slow and steady does it . . .

Hi everyone, just a little update. I got the roof 90% done and the gutters up, the other end wall framed in, and passed framing inspection from the county. So all I have left to do is finish the roof, that I didn't get done cause I ran short on 3 tab. Then get it sided with T-111, but that is going to be slow at $45 per sheet. But I am getting there!And of course Tank the inspector!

Hay Jarhead

You better get some paint on those  fascia boards.

Looking good Mike.

Larry

Semper Fi.

I will Larry, we to get rain all week so I wanted to have them up till it get some sun again!

Hi everyone, I know you probably seen it on another thread! But here is my little update on the train room. I was able this weekend to get both ends of my train room sided ! For me that's a big plus! Now I have to wait for another payday and finish the siding! To me its all good! The little triangles have been filled in also!

Looks good Mike!!  Looks like you have a nice place there too. Hope the 'Inspector' has been by to give proper approval.

rtr12 posted:

Looks good Mike!!  Looks like you have a nice place there too. Hope the 'Inspector' has been by to give proper approval.

Thanks RTR, you know its funny I went looking for the inspector to get his approval and here is what I found!Hanging out in my granddaughters play tent! I think he likes it more then she does! LOL

He was probably just performing another inspection of the play tent to ensure granddaughter's safety.  Surely he wouldn't be goofing off (or napping) in there?

Great photograph of Tank in a Tent!

Mike

You know you're border line having a animal abuse charge filed against you.

Or at least harassment of a public officer .

AKA      Building inspector.

HEE HEE

Semper Fi

Larry

It is good progress!!

LOL its ok Larry! He is an easy bribe when you have a pocket full of treats! Plus momma gives him Steak when I am not looking to get him to not say anything!

When you get a chance I need you to send me your address! Also how way your trip to York?

Mike G.

Create memories with photos to share at this FORUM of your work in progress. 

You've probably seen a framed one dollar bill posted at a mom & pop restaurant -- celebrating the first dollar made in their business. The equivalent image for train hobbyists is the initial track plan. Frame it and hang it in the Train Room as a historical reference and conversation starter.   Since many "first drafts" of a track plan are changed (often significantly) during the actual building phase, that initial document is fascinating and useful for explaining the evolution of your layout to visitors and hobby friends  -- somewhat like the BEFORE and AFTER pix of a a major makeover.

Carry on ...

Mike M.   (ritrainguy)

Thanks Mike, Great idea! Just like the idea of a time capsule in the walls! I will now do both!

Well not much new, But I did get the last wall sided, the roofing finished, and all the outside trim up! So all I have to do is get the inspector out to sign off on the final!

YAAAAYYYYYYYYY!

                                 time to start on the layout !!!! 

Looks good and all ready for a nice train layout!

Maybe you should leave a box of these near the project? Don't want any problems or delays with the final inspection.

OK, now for the real fun! Can't wait to see what happens inside Mike.

Thanks for all the kind words everyone! Next will be electrical, insulation, sheetrock, then some sort of floor covering! Then the fun will start with bench work!

Mike,  that’s right you need all of that before starting the layout!  Make sure you keep Tank happy with your work!!  :-)

Mark Boyce posted:

Mike,  that’s right you need all of that before starting the layout!  Make sure you keep Tank happy with your work!!  :-)

I will and I forgot a dog bed for Tank! LOL

mike g. posted:

Mark Boyce posted:

Mike,  that’s right you need all of that before starting the layout!  Make sure you keep Tank happy with your work!!  :-)

I will and I forgot a dog bed for Tank! LOL

Water dish and treats too!!!  :-)

Jealous!  Thanks for posting the pictures.  How do you plan on Heating/Cooling the space? That is if your going to.

I have a furnace in the garage, I can just open the door. To cool it just open windows, it doesn't really ever get that  hit here to me!

Passed final INSPECTION today! Now I can start on the inside stuff! Still aways from bench work, but in the right direction!

YAY!!!!!  

Congratulations Mike,   that's great news,  a major hurdle overcome...  

Thanks guys! I hope to start electrical tomorrow!

Mike,

I don't know how I missed this thread. I am so pleased to see that you achieved this milestone. Congratulations! 

Oorah!

Great going Mike !! Take lots of pictures..

mike g. posted:

Thanks guys! I hope to start electrical tomorrow!

          good luck and...

          be careful...

mike g. posted:

Passed final INSPECTION today! Now I can start on the inside stuff! Still aways from bench work, but in the right direction!

  nmp...

                          you will be there pretty soon

Hi everyone thanks again! 

Carl, its nice to be going in the right direction! The closer I get the more questions I am going to have for you and help with the layout drawing!

Bob, I plan on taking lots of pictures, but sometimes I get going on a project and forget to take the during shots! But I will do my best on the pictures!

Brian, thanks for the encourgment! Is that some of your bench work? Looks great!

mike g. posted:

Hi everyone thanks again!

Brian, thanks for the encourgment! Is that some of your bench work? Looks great!

no... not mine

Great News and Congratulations!! Happy to hear the inspector must have been pleased. I always liked the inside work better than the outside and actually enjoy the wiring part. Good luck with the next phase!

Well everyone, I am getting closer, I got the outside all painted now I can move to the inside. Insulation and sheetrock, some more painting, then I can start on the bench work. I also got all the electrical done!

Wow, looks great.

Reminds me of one of those time delay videos, but in real time, for as fast as you're going!

Thanks Lee, its getting there! I wasn't sure about the weather yesterday so I got a late start, and then worried about rain showers all day! But I made it.

mike g. posted:

Well everyone, I am getting closer, I got the outside all painted now I can move to the inside. Insulation and sheetrock, some more painting, then I can start on the bench work. I also got all the electrical done!

          looks GREAT Mike    now time for the trains !!.. inside

I know about the rain!  I didn’t have to mow until 3 weeks ago, and the part of my dad’s place we didn’t get mowed until Friday had already gone to seed!  I have a friend in East Texas who hasn’t had rain at all in that time.

Well Mark, as soon as I get the gutters up, it can rain all it wants! I will be inside from now on! LOL

That’s a big thumbs up, Mike!!

Lookin' good Mike, you are really moving along now! 

rtr12 posted:

Lookin' good Mike, you are really moving along now! 

Thanks, I hope to have the insulation next week or so the drywall and more painting, but this painting will be ok cause its for a train room inside! LOL

Big Mike,

  Everthing is looking great, sorry I have not been around lately to chime in, getting the old house ready to sell is taking up a mess of my time.  

Great progress and feed that dog, he is fading away!

PCRR/Dave

Hi Everyone, well its been a couple of weeks from the last update. I had wanted to be further along, but the darn Dentist wanted more of my train room money! 

But I did get a chance to work on it this weekend, Fathers day weekend! LOL I was able to get the room insulated, and the one wall I don't have to sheetrock painted sky blue!

All the light wiring done, two standard switch's, one for shop lights, and one for layout power. Also one dimmer switch for future strip lights! The fancy LED type! LOL

Next will be 14 sheets of 12' X 4" sheetrock!

    Looks  GREAT Mike         getting closer to train time  !!! 

Excellent progress, Mike!!

Those dang dentists! The more we go to them, the more there's wrong with our teeth. Maybe if we went to the dentist less our chompers would get better and better!! (Then again, maybe not.)

A man with a dream and the determination to make it happen is a beautiful thing! Well done, Mike. Hope you are enjoying the process as much as you will enjoy the setup when done.

looks good Mike. keep the momentum going now (and stay away from the dentist chair)

Bob

Whoo Whoo Mike, we are getting closer than ever now. Keep it coming bud!

Looking great Mike.  What sort of heat  do you plan on using?

That looks nice Mike! Should nice and warm this winter in the train room! You need a couple of big, strong, young bucks to put the 12' sheetrock on the ceiling, that is real work! If you don't have those, I sure hope you have some help with that part and be careful! That 12' stuff is serious work! I'd probably end up in the hospital's severe back pain ward just trying to fiddle with the 8' stuff. The 2'x4' pieces are more like it for me these days. 

Too bad about the dentist, I can sure relate to that part. As I may have said before, my dentist of over 30 years retired last summer and it seems everything tooth related has been going south since the new dentists took over... I'm gonna have to get on the 'easy pay plan' if this keeps up!

I hadn’t noticed the sheet rock was 12 x 4!!!!   I agree with RTR, I buy the smallest of everything these days!!!

Looks Great Mike !!! great progress..

cabinet Bob posted:

Looks Great Mike !!! great progress..

Now it is OFFICIAL, Mike!  

Mark Boyce posted:

I hadn’t noticed the sheet rock was 12 x 4!!!!   I agree with RTR, I buy the smallest of everything these days!!!

Yes indeed, the small pieces only! You just have to hire a really good taper/finisher when using the sizes we do, lot more seams that way. 

So true about the seams!!  My skill at that is poor!

Brian, Your right one step closer!

HCSADRE73, Isn't that the truth about the dentist! But the bad part is that my teeth were great till Radiation treatment, then they went south! But I keep plugging away! I know one thing is that it will be built that's for dam sure!

Thanks Bob, its this forum and my wife that keep me going! After the past health scare she thinks this is the greatest thing ever for me!

Wild Mary. Thank you Sir! As far as the heat I have a propane heater for the garage, but the wife doesn't want me running that all the time, so we are researching for a great electrical space heater we can put in there!

RTR, Thanks for sticking with this thread! As the sheetrock goes I plan on using a sheetrock lift for the celling, and for the walls I hope to get some help from a friend or 2! As for the teeth go, It really sucks. Still waiting to hear if Medicare will pick up part of it!

Cabinet BOB, Thanks for the kind words, I just keep looking at your layout and tell myself I am getting closer! When I get there I too will have Menards all over! LOL

As far as the tape and mud, I have a friend that is a drywall finisher. But for those of you that know me I cant wait on him for to long! I have a dam layout to build! LOL

I want to thank you all for such nice words and support! With out you guys I probably would have jumped ship along time ago! But you all have such great information and true friendship that keeps me going! I wish more people would or could learn from you all! I know its a train forum, but that's not the only thing you learn here! It is so much more, you learn what a great group of people there are in the world, from every walk of life, from ditch cleaners to CEO's. Here we are all the same!

God Bless you all!

Mike, you have provided us all with so much encouragement!

God bless you too!

Mike,   It's really coming together now !    Glad to see it happening for you, looks great, and the insulation and the sheet rock will make the room really comfortable year round.   Don't hesitate to reach out and ask any questions, I am always willing to help out.   

Thanks Chris, the sky color you told me about sure looks good, I cant wait to paint some clouds on it! I might try and get some sheetrock this week to hang on Friday, just don't know if I should do the celling or the walls first! LOL I guess it doesn't matter.

Don't worry Chris, the questions will come and probably a lot of them! LOL

Don't ask me about sheet rock, Mike; but I can help in a lot of other areas!!!  

      I'd do the ceiling 1st, get the hard part out of the way...

                     then the walls will seam alot easier...

                   a cute cartoon:   https://youtu.be/tillDb81viI

Thanks Mark, I think that's why they sell Joint compound in 5 Lb boxes! To fix all the joints! LOL

Brian I would but I don't know if I will have the sheetrock hoist when I get the sheetrock, and I don't want to wait for a few days to get started! LOL

It won't be long before we start seeing benchwork, at the rate you're going.

It's amazing how fast you're going with this.

             he will be working like a mad man...

                      https://youtu.be/I9p1HDJ9giQ

You know Lee, its funny to me, it has seamed like its taking forever to get things done! But it is starting to really look like a room! I just want to get it done before winter!

Mike: Always do the ceiling first, That way the sides hold up the ceiling pcs. so it wont sag where the sides meet the ceiling...

Great point Bob! I will call the guy with the hoist and see when I can get it!

Mike, You are too kind, thanks for all the kind words above!  I agree with Cabinet Bob, ceilings first (but with HELP!!!).  And I sure hope Medicare is kind to you too! Good luck with the sheetrocking!  Woops, I forgot, don't forget the treats, the inspector will be coming through again!!

mike g. posted:

Next will be 14 sheets of 12' X 4" sheetrock!

Great to see your progress Mike! (I just hope the sheet rock is really coming 48" wide;-)

RTR, thanks on your thought on the sheetrock! I am still waiting on what Medicare will do, I might give the billing department today!

Bobbyd, thanks, I measured it and it reads 4' on my tape! LOL

Sorry it's been awhile for pictures, I am doing fine, but I ordered Sheetrock last week for delivery on Friday so I would have the weekend to work on it! I went with 4 x 8 sheets instead of the 4 x 12 cause all my help bailed! Well low and behold Friday came and went with no sheetrock, I called the store and they said someone bought them out, even though I had already paid for them! ****ed me off! So comes Monday and now I get sheetrock. So I was up till 9 last night hanging sheetrock. Here is what I got done! LOL Silly me I ended up 2 sheets short! Sheetrock is not an older guys game just so you all know! Leave it to the young!

Looks good, Mike.

Are you going to tape and paint or put a skim coat on ?

Well, I thought I posted a message; but I don't see it!  

That is a whale of a job Mike!!!  I wouldn't want to attempt it at all.  It looks great!

RICHIE, Thanks a lot!  I plan on just taping and mudding the screws and seams, then paint the celling bright white and the walls the sky blue color that's already on the one wall!

Mark, you did comment, it was on the what did you do on your layout thread! LOL Thanks again!

                   GREAT job Mike !!!   getting closer to benchwork !

LOL

Sheetrock is not a old man's game, huh? Heck, I am stiff and sore from pressure washing our back deck on Sunday (and cleaning out the carb in the washer before we could get going). I imagine what it must be like to hang sheet rock!

I don't envy you right now, but will once you start laying track. Looks great so far and it's great to see all the progress.

Thanks Lee, I pressure washed the weekend before! LOL I would much prefer to do that any day!

Looking good Mike!

                                    do I see a window of opportunity ahead!

good for you yes by yourself hanging sheet rock no fun but with help the 12 footers are faster.

so what goes on the floor to aid the tired dogs after a long days constructing and running trains?

Thanks Guys! 

Paul, I have top of the line carpet pad and carpet for the area that is not covered by the bench work!  I will be getting more for under the bench work just to try and keep it warm in the winter!

Smart man!!!  Tank will thank you!!

Mark Boyce posted:

Smart man!!!  Tank will thank you!!

He already does, and it doesn't hurt that it feels nice under my feet in my socks! LOL

Ok Guys, as you have seen by the pictures I still have a little area to sheet rock! Any ideas for a time capsule item to go into the wall?

                      Something  train related and a Coors Light !!  

        and a copy of this thread,  so people can follow your

                                          train room experience some day in the future !!

                        it is going to be a GREAT train room Mike

I tip my hat to you sir. I didn't even consider 12'ers. At the very least, take a sharpie marker and sign and date a wall stud.

The sheetrock I hung in my attic train room kicked my tail, and that was back in 2010  (I was 52)!  I wish now that I had hired a professional to tape and mud. You'll want to get all of your train stuff out of the room when you start finishing and sanding. It's a real mess when you do!!

time capsule - A section of track and tank's paw print.  Your name and the date of course.

Thanks for the ideas guys! 

Gilly, I will remove everything, but have found if I wet sand with a sponge there is no dust and I get a better finish!

good one Mark...

Thank you Mike.  I agree with the wet sand with a sponge.  

Learned that when I did my garage! Somethings you just wish you didn't learn or ever use again. I do believe this will be the last time I sheetrock! LOL