Building a New Layout

[jonathan]

I am a cheapskate.  I get my wire for free, from wherever I can scrounge it:  old PC cable, junk spools of telephone wire, or whatever.  I am not picky.  I am lucky that I can scrounge enough wire to color code. I will break down and buy "hook up" wire from Radio Shack for important things like bus wire... unless I can find free wire thick enough to pass for buss wire.

Did you notice the cheap wood I used for the benchwork?  I am cheap, I mean squeaky cheap... well, except for the locomotives and most of my rolling stock. 

Regards,

Jonathan

[HoModeler]

I am a cheapskate.  I get my wire for free, from wherever I can scrounge it:  old PC cable, junk spools of telephone wire, or whatever.  I am not picky.  I am lucky that I can scrounge enough wire to color code. I will break down and buy "hook up" wire from Radio Shack for important things like bus wire... unless I can find free wire thick enough to pass for buss wire.

Did you notice the cheap wood I used for the benchwork?  I am cheap, I mean squeaky cheap... well, except for the locomotives and most of my rolling stock. 

Regards,

Jonathan

LOL Jonathan.... I like to ( Get Discounts ) But I have no problem giving out the CASH to my Hobby Shop For instance my other passion next to Model Railroading is R/C Car's & Trucks Just this Spring & Summer starting with April I bought a $700.00 R/C 4x4 Truck than in May I followed it up with a $650.00 R/C Car than in June I got 2 more R/C Trucks & just recently last week in September I got $500.00 R/C Speed Boat... My hobby Shop owner joke's with me I paid his Mortgage a few times between my R/C hobby & Model Railroad I get everything form my Hobby Shop From Track / Wiring / Buildings / Scenery / Rolling Stock / Engines...

[HoModeler]

I am a cheapskate.  I get my wire for free, from wherever I can scrounge it:  old PC cable, junk spools of telephone wire, or whatever.  I am not picky.  I am lucky that I can scrounge enough wire to color code. I will break down and buy "hook up" wire from Radio Shack for important things like bus wire... unless I can find free wire thick enough to pass for buss wire.

Did you notice the cheap wood I used for the benchwork?  I am cheap, I mean squeaky cheap... well, except for the locomotives and most of my rolling stock. 

Regards,

Jonathan

Also Jonathan.... You should find yourself a local hobby shop (try to stay away from a big box store's like Hobby town USA ) Like me I deal with a mom & pop Husband & Wife owned Shop in there 2 car garage behind there house. They don't have the inventory big box stores have or get but mainly they keep in stock the most wanted stuff & a lot of parts they will also order you in what you want too if they don't have it when I order something for example I wanted an EVO engine ( last winter) they ordered it for me on a Monday my EVO was on my layout Wed. Over 4 years of being a loyal customer & only dealing with them I get awesome discounts. Mom & Pop owned Hobby Shops will work with you more maybe not the first couple of visits but after you show your LOYAL & Build a Good Rep with them they will work with you & offer discounts. That's how I started out with my hobby shop...

[jbrock27]

I am a cheapskate.  I am cheap, I mean squeaky cheap...  

Regards,

Jonathan

LOL, like you needed to point that out, LOL 

I will break down and buy "hook up" wire from Radio Shack for important things like bus wire...

Regards,

Jonathan

BTW Mr. Cheapskate, there are many other places to buy wire from that are much cheaper than RS.

[jonathan]

Time for a quick assessment of progress using a wide shot:
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Seems like it will take forever to finish the job.  Then I remember how far I've come in the last three months.
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I finally got the last three stalls for the roundhouse. Structurally, the roundhouse is done, but I will be adding lighting and interior details.  Working on more of the big picture for now.
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I believe someone wrote that I need some kind of walkway for the workers, plus filling in more ballast around the tracks. There ya go...
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I made the walkway out of wood. Looks neat up close, but it's been a pain to deal with.  All the glue that is being used for scenery, seems to get sucked up by that wood.  The locos are now having a hard time passing through the walkway.  I am waiting for it to dry before I go trimming away at it.

I picked up some much needed switch machines at the last train show (last weekend). So I'm switching from scenery to a bit a trackwork, for a while.

Regards,

Jonathan

[/Addendum:b]

I prewired my switch machines prior to installation.  Three of the machines have a green and white wire soldered to pole #2. My B&O CPLs have a white light at the top of the mast, which seems to be on whenever the green signal is given.  Yes, yes, I'll learn the signal rules someday. 

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[HoModeler]

I like your Round House... I also like your collection of Steam Engines Do you model all Steam or do you have Diesel's too... Layout looks Great & well thought out & planned

[jonathan]

Thanks very much!

I do have some diesels: SD7s, H16-44s, an S-2, and a 44 tonner.  They are parked here and there on the layout, or in my train show box, which travels regularly.  I'm thinking of collecting a few F and/or E units sometime in the future.

Yep, the roundhouse will be the main feature of this layout.  I have many plans for super-detailing this area, but need to finish all the basics first.  There are many things to complete before I can cover my access holes with scenery.  Trying to come up with some kind of hinged lid configuration for my access holes--in case I need to use them again.

Regards,

Jonathan

[Jerrys HO]

Great layout JV....... I am still in progress 
I envy your roundhouse, beautiful work.

[jonathan]

Thanks, Jerry!

I've always wanted a big roundhouse.  If I had the space, I would've built a full circle.  This'll do.

Regards,

Jonathan

[jonathan]

My son fell asleep on the basement couch last night, so I couldn't work on the layout this morning. However, this gave me the opportunity to start on a caboose kit.

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I've decided I want to light this caboose. Hence, I made some caboose trucks with pick up:

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Those are Tichy caboose trucks, Intermountain wheels, Kadee springs for the pick up, and 1-72 screws to hold it all together.  I didn't have a 1-72 tap. I drilled a #60 hole and the threads made their way alright.

I will have to file down the screw heads just a skosh so they don't rub on the bolsters underneath.

Regards,

Jonathan

[WoundedBear]

I like the job you did on the truck pick-ups. Nice tight work.

Sid

[jonathan]

Thanks, Sid!

Regards,

Jonathan

[jonathan]

Not much to show today, but...

I've built a little circuit and stand to install in my caboose project.  I used two LEDs and two 680 ohm resistors, electrically reversed, so no matter how the caboose is oriented, it will light:

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The stand is a chunk of paint stick with a little scrap wood for legs:

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It fits inside the caboose like this:

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The caboose is in it's ugly phase, where touch ups and tweaks are required prior to final assembly.  That assembly will be quite complicated:  there are the trucks and lights to wire; fitting weight inside, around the lights somehow; window glazing; extension grabs; and so on.

On the layout, I've started laying ballast in certain areas:

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With a little more work, I'm really going to like the retaining wall behind the roundhouse.

Regards,

Jonathan

[West Bound]

No adlake marker lights? Should be no trouble to add those while doing the interior. I've added those to several of my cabooses and they make a bigger impact than interior lights. I had to place some tissue paper over my interior LED to soften and diffuse the light.   -John West

[Trainman203]

It's easy to be a critic and I'll say that I'm not up to doing this kind of work, but if I was ......

I'd add the marker lamps.  But the biggest thing I'd do is partition off one end of the caboose and light only that end with the dimmest, yellowest light I could.  The reason is that most likely the only light inside a caboose would have been a coal oil lamp at the conductors desk.  The dim interior light would not have made it to the other end or up into the cupola seats.  The crew would want the cupola dark anyway to be able to see outside, the same way you keep your car dark inside while driving at night. Adding some half pulled down window shades would help conceal the lack of interior detailing.