A new layout!

[wiley209]

We're doing some reorganizing in my basement, and my father came up with the idea of making an even bigger train table for my model railroad so I don't have to be just confined to a 4x8 sheet of plywood. I agreed, this would be a pretty good idea. But with it would also come an overhaul to my train layout. SO... time to make some new plans!

Here is what will be Stage One of the new layout:

It will be constructed in Atlas Code-100 nickel-silver snap track, and will start of as analog DC (maybe with blocking), before I eventually upgrade to an E-Z Command DCC system.

I plan to reuse the same structures and action accessories, also get some new ones, and of course reuse the same locomotives and rolling stock. (Though I may also make this layout DCC as well.)
The landscaping will also be more improved with this layout. I may reuse several of the trees, signs and poles, but the grass, roads and other parts will be new. (Instead of a mat, I will paint directly onto the plywood and then sprinkle the grass and earth material onto it.)

The new benchwork construction should begin next week, hopefully. Until then, I had already dismantled the existing layout to get that out of the way. For the time being, I set up a temporary figure-8 layout of track on the plywood so I can continue running my equipment:


Any comments?

[jbrock27]

W, what are the dimensions of the new layout?

Agree with the idea to ditch the grass mat in favor of paint and texture material.

[wiley209]

W, what are the dimensions of the new layout?

It's like an 8x8 square, but with 1/4th of it cut out.

[jbrock27]

Good deal!  Best of luck with it!

[jward]

I've said it before and i'll say it again. watch out for that s curve.

[Joe Satnik]

Wiley,

When your train derails on the turnout in the upper left hand corner,

how will you reach it?

No track should be more than 24" or 30" from an edge where you can stand.

Hope this helps.

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik   

[wiley209]

I will be able to still access that track by going over to that side of the table. It isn't completely shoved into a corner, because then that would REALLY restrict things for me.

But besides that, we got the lumber today! We will then assemble the benchwork some time this week, and then I will get started on landscaping. I did draw where the roads will go on the existing plywood, and I also did a bit of test-fitting of some of the track to get an idea on how the roads will be positioned and such:


I have a feeling this is going to be quite a project...

[trainmainbrian]

I will be able to still access that track by going over to that side of the table. It isn't completely shoved into a corner, because then that would REALLY restrict things for me.

But besides that, we got the lumber today! We will then assemble the benchwork some time this week, and then I will get started on landscaping. I did draw where the roads will go on the existing plywood, and I also did a bit of test-fitting of some of the track to get an idea on how the roads will be positioned and such:


I have a feeling this is going to be quite a project...

Wily... Go to General Questions forums and pull up my Layout pictures of my layout it might give you some idieas on scenery.. There are also other pictures of layouts on there as well... This might be a good visual point for you when you get to the scenery stage... Anyone can buy building kits and plop them onto a layout... I hope this helps for you... & Enjoy building your layout... My layout building has taken me 2- 1/2 yrs so far my layout is 16 ft long x 6 feet wide 52" high... Ohh yea one other thing wily I seen in your photos your old layout is pretty low to floor with your new layout your building...Raise your complete layout I'd say @ least waist level. I'd go with around 48" max 55" this way when friends and family come to visit your layout it is @ least a decent level for viewing and operating as well... And remember to post pics in different fazes of building your layout as well I am sure everyone will like to see the progress.... And happy Model Railroading

[wiley209]

Been a while, but I've got plenty of updates!


Completed extended train table from early this week. The plywood on the extension can be removed temporarily if I need to access something from the other end.
This is before the landscaping I started this week. Here are where I've decided buildings will go...

Where I'm installing my Tyco operating boxcar station and freight-unloading depot, along with my Tyco lighted yard tower.


I can now finally install that Tyco operating crossing flasher! (The lights don't alternate flashing; they just come on steady as the train goes over the sensor, but still a nice accessory!) I also put my Life-Like Snap-Loc station building kit here.


Tyco crossing gate (with nickel-silver track!) and lighted freight station. On the other side of the second track I will install a crossing signal and gate there. (There will be another crossing on the layout that will use a Bachmann dual crossing gate.)


My two Center St. building kits! I plan to maybe get a couple more, like that Furniture Store one, as I do have room for some more structures on this layout. For those unfamiliar, the Center St. building kits were made by Pola and originally branded by Tyco in the 1980s and early 1990s, then by IHC until the end of the 1990s.


These are the buildings I have so far on the extension. I'm also going to set up a farm here.


On Tuesday I began the landscaping. And HERE'S how far I got as of today...


(The track areas with no landscaping on them will have ballast applied to them.)


My new Woodland Scenics tunnel!


The progress so far as of now.

[jbrock27]

Looks great!
Very similar in footprint to what my son have put together.  Trying to decide whether to run the track along the edge like you have or not, bc I do agree with those who say not doing so, does add some interest to the track plan.

Re: the TYCO crossing gate-I used to have one-did you replace the section of straight track that came with it or are you saying it came with nickel silver?  The reason I ask, is, to my knowledge, TYCO never produced n/s track-only steel and brass.  So if the crossing is stock and has not been modified, you may want to check to see if it is n/s by placing a magnet on the rails Wiley.

PS  And before the "S" curve police arrive, let me point out to you that it looks like you have one coming off the left handed snap switch that runs near the post, diverging to the interior of the layout.

[trainmainbrian]

Very Nice Work So Far...... I would of Built a Wall in the Back Round of your layout to Hide the Rock foundation of the house & built a Mountain scene & incorporated the Tunnel Portal into the Layout Design myself....

& I would also put in a YARD AREA as well since your into the building stage of your layout.. Most people building a Layout include an area to store there Trains & Rolling Stock & as well make it more fun in operating sessions because you can switch out rolling stock & make up other trains as well....

Keep up the good work....

[wiley209]

Re: the TYCO crossing gate-I used to have one-did you replace the section of straight track that came with it or are you saying it came with nickel silver?  The reason I ask, is, to my knowledge, TYCO never produced n/s track-only steel and brass.  So if the crossing is stock and has not been modified, you may want to check to see if it is n/s by placing a magnet on the rails Wiley.

PS  And before the "S" curve police arrive, let me point out to you that it looks like you have one coming off the left handed snap switch that runs near the post, diverging to the interior of the layout.

Yes, the early Tyco crossing gates had a removable track section, very much like the older Bachmann crossing gates did. So I took advantage of that and replaced the brass track section with nickel-silver, to be consistent with the rest of the track there. Beginning around the mid-to-late 1970s, those Tyco crossing gates had the track built right onto it (likewise with similar crossing gates from Life-Like and Pemco; Bachmann still had a removable track section on their crossing gate until it was modified to work with E-Z Track.)

And I am aware of the S-curve, but in most cases I will slow the train down there as I go through, as it's often wise to slow down a train when it's traveling through a switch.

[jbrock27]

Thanks for the info on the TYCO crossing gate.  It makes all the sense, mine was brass and built in, bought in the '70s time frame you mentioned.  Got fed up with the gate wiggling up and down while the train went through and it went out the trash bin.  Smart of you to replace the track with n/s.

Keep up the good progress!

[RAM]

Since you can't remove the post without the house falling down.  Why not paint it like a grain elevator and the top part sky blue. 

[jbrock27]

He's close enough to Tom Silva's (This Old House) stomping grounds, he could probably have him over to figure out just how to remove the post w/o doing that!