Turkey Hollow Railroad - under construction - 12/3/21 update

Here are the revised track plans. I still have a 40" atlas O bridge and a 30" MTH bridge to place.

@Tom Tee posted:

Consider a subway level with a lot of pull through staging.  One can never have enough staging!  Trust me on this.  A potential regret down the road.

A lower level staging done early on is not much of a problem to build.

I almost missed this. If I consider moving the yard from the upper level to the lower level on the right side I may gain parking space and de-clutter the upper level.

@turkey_hollow_rr posted:

This is my new job, Mark.   I've had the pleasure of turning down two contract recruiters this week.

I don't know how the weather was last evening were every one else lives but here in New England it was about the most beautiful evening one could hope to enjoy this far into summer. It was in the upper 60's, not a cloud in the sky. My wife and I enjoyed some live music from a local jazz group playing an outdoor set or two. I have a friend who is quite the accomplished trombonist who plays with this group so it was good to visit with friends as well.

I suppose some of my ideas for my layout are a little more developed than it seemed to me. Maybe because I'm mostly focused on building a foundation right now and only beginning to look ahead at what will things look like. As the mental image develops of what I'd like to see I realize what I don't know regarding scenery and what I need to research.

Don't you just love turning down those recruiters???   

Dan, I think you said you were using Anyrail to design your plans.  Any chance you'd be willing to post track-plan files (old and new)?

Chuck

@Mark Boyce posted:

Don't you just love turning down those recruiters??? 

Yes, and with a biiiiiiigggggg smile on my face.

@PRR1950 posted:

Dan, I think you said you were using Anyrail to design your plans.  Any chance you'd be willing to post track-plan files (old and new)?

Chuck

Yep, I lost the first rev but started keeping version directories. I'll post rev two first.

Here's a new rev 3 also. I can't do anymore today.

I believe I'm converging on a track plan that I like. I've also stopped trying to keep up with what Atlas O track I have on hand while working on the plan. I'll sort that out later.

It's looking like the farmer will have to give up the bottom land for a hilltop farm. Still looking for a place for the two Atlas bridges.

Lots of hidden track but that's ok, I'm hoping this will give an impression of distance when the train is out of view. Grade is still around 2.4%.

In this version the farm moves to the upper level and along the track on the top right side. A switcher can play without getting in the way for the most part. There is a bit of a traffic control challenge with timing trains accessing the inner/outer crossovers on the right. Looks like the majority of the layout will be around 50" off the floor, the lift table has fixed the lower level height.

Dan, I like the plans.  I gave up on using some of the GarGraves curved track I bought for my ‘Plan B’ layout I started building and decided it wasn’t right for me.  That track is sorted and I’ll pass it on to another modeler.  Yes, I spent more precious hobby dollars, but I’m glad I did.  Incidentally, I ended up building ‘Plan D’.

I am sparing every one my track plan spasms from last year. I had track going through walls, through the shop on the other side of the basement and back out. Then there was a phase of dog bones that avoided an interior aisle. So you're seeing plan 33 or 34. 

Flex track for my purposes provides a means to reduce the number of track joints. I'm not into creating my own curves and I like that sectional curves can help align things. That said there are 5 or 6 pieces I will bend for this layout but they aren't particularly difficult. A couple of 5 degree bends and some transition pieces out of the Ross curved switches. And I would like to have some of the straights be not quite so straight. I'll be flexing, not really bending.

And if Atlas O track shows up by the time I reach that point it may all be Atlas, and a much more serious hit to my wallet.

It has been a little slow the last few weeks as I wait for items to show up. I have finalized the track plan, just a large folded loop with some passing sidings and a small yard. Yup, I'm a looper.

The lift table is working out very well, I'm happy with it. The access it provides has made working within the outer layout bench much easier when moving ladders, plywood, junk, etc. I've completed most of the sub-roadbed plywood and upper level framing across the table. I don't sense any imbalance during lift travel.

I finished up fitting the sub-roadbed around the west end. It will be mostly covered up with homosote and there will be a couple of tunnel portals coming around the corner. I'm not going to fasten the plywood down until I get the benches along the wall in place and do some final fitting.

I have been holding off on the benches along the wall until I was able to get a backdrop up. I ordered a 3 scene, 36' backdrop from Backdrop Warehouse. I knew exactly what I wanted so once I figured out how to contact them it was only a few hours before I received a callback and placed my order. The tube showed up almost exactly two weeks later and my wife and I got them hung yesterday. They are aligned at the transitions but I'll wait at least a week to do the seams and the ends. They'll just hang for a while.

I love the backdrop, it came out just like I wanted but exposes the need for some more lighting.

Still looking to work in some bridges.

That is some really nice looking benchwork!  I like the lift up access.  The backdrop looks great!

Thanks Mark, and thanks to those who liked the update.

Dan, you’re welcome!  What kind of wood are you using?  It looks top notch!

Dan

I "second the motion" of your decision to use ANYRAIL software for track planning. It's the product I used to create several layouts -- some for a local RR club and the current layout at Mottler Station. It offers more than enough features and tools for my skill level, and it has a handy feature of creating JPG files which can be shared with other hobbyists (as attachments to e-mails) for reference.  I've attached JPG files of the two levels of my layout as an example.

I know ... other hobbyists may favor RR TRACK or SCARM software, which have more "bells and whistles" built-in. Each to his/her own!

Mike Mottler   LCCA 12394

@Mark Boyce posted:

Dan, you’re welcome!  What kind of wood are you using?  It looks top notch!

It's arctic birch plywood that I rip down from 5' x  5' sheet. It is cabinet grade and makes for very uniform lumber with no voids. I use 3/4" (18mm) for the framing and 1/2" (12mm) for surface. It was cheaper than buying pine, but I've lost track of prices lately. I've seen about 30% jump in price for this plywood in the last three months. Fortunately I only need two more sheets of 3/4 to finish the first level benches.

@Mike H Mottler posted:

Dan

I "second the motion" of your decision to use ANYRAIL software for track planning. It's the product I used to create several layouts -- some for a local RR club and the current layout at Mottler Station. It offers more than enough features and tools for my skill level, and it has a handy feature of creating JPG files which can be shared with other hobbyists (as attachments to e-mails) for reference.  I've attached JPG files of the two levels of my layout as an example.

I know ... other hobbyists may favor RR TRACK or SCARM software, which have more "bells and whistles" built-in. Each to his/her own!

Mike Mottler   LCCA 12394

I posted a couple of those jpeg exports here also.  I started with AnyRail 5 or 6 years ago when I was still not sure if I would do O or HO. I don't know what it may be missing that the other programs have, it will export a file for TrainPlayer but I've never been much interested in trying it. I believe it does cost more than the other programs.

You have a beautiful train room coming along!  Very nice work.  I love your backdrop.  I look forward to following your progress!

Michael

Thank you Michael. I'm following your build also.

@turkey_hollow_rr posted:

It's arctic birch plywood that I rip down from 5' x  5' sheet. It is cabinet grade and makes for very uniform lumber with no voids. I use 3/4" (18mm) for the framing and 1/2" (12mm) for surface. It was cheaper than buying pine, but I've lost track of prices lately. I've seen about 30% jump in price for this plywood in the last three months. Fortunately I only need two more sheets of 3/4 to finish the first level benches.

I posted a couple of those jpeg exports here also.  I started with AnyRail 5 or 6 years ago when I was still not sure if I would do O or HO. I don't know what it may be missing that the other programs have, it will export a file for TrainPlayer but I've never been much interested in trying it. I believe it does cost more than the other programs.

It looks great!  It’s good you don’t need much more.

Beautiful and well thought out bench work. Given your skill level there learning the other aspects needed to complete the layout shouldn't be too difficult. Scenery (unlike bench work) can easily be ripped out, reworked and etc until your satisfied.

Will be following with great pleasure.

You can tell there's a real carpenter at work with this layout, very nice benchwork!  The lift bridge is quite impressive considering the complexity of getting something like that working smoothly.  I had to tinker with my Mianne lift-bridge kit to get it operating smoothly!  If I had to build it, I'd be stuck on that step to this day!