Building a New Layout

[tiebreaker]

No need to buy another sheet if the only thing on it is scenery. I would put a handle on it though to make it easier to handle it when removing.
As far as the electrical part you could use contact strips like this....
https://www.sciencecompany.com/-P6347C667.aspx?gclid=Cj0KEQiAhs3DBRDmu-rVkuif0N8BEiQAWuUJr21p7_N_PzgBYkiEHcEAGsM09OsY7SnsEcCTsh8YA-MaArsr8P8HAQ

You probably have some laying around.

[West Bound]

Lowe's sells 4X4 and I think even 2X4 pieces of plywood. I assume other large home supply stores do to.
Your layout looks great and in a very short time. I have been planning a new layout approx 8X20 for the past 3 years but have yet to settle on a final track plan. I think I need to tear down the existing layout 5X14 and start  a new one in order to be able to run trains. By the way I'm also a B&O man. -John West

[jonathan]

Thanks John. I did end up getting a new piece of 2 X 4 plywood, as my Frankenstein piece started to warp on me.

My camera and I were fighting this morning, and it was winning.  Anyway, I did manage to take a few shots of my coal-fired power plant.

I lit the interior:


Put a blinking light on the stack:


I put a very light mist of dullcote on the windows.  I didn't feel like detailing the interior, so...






For the coal dump, I removed the ballast and ties, painted the roadbed black, and installed the grate.  Should look OK once all the ballast is replaced and scenery is laid in:


My intention is to build a substation and plant it right next to the power plant.  Plus, I want to run power lines to all my structures... if possible.


Regards,

Jonathan

[WoundedBear]

Nice Jonathan. Is the power plant a Walther's kit?

Sid

[jonathan]

Thanks, Sid. And yes, it is a Walther's kit.  I was looking for a wood craftsman type project, but it turns out Power plants have been built in brick since the late 19th century. Poured cement, and other materials arrived after the steam era. Doesn't leave any choice really.

I did put in a couple wire terminals under the layout (nice suggestion). The power plant and substation will be secured to the removable panel. The wiring will be easy to detach when I remove the panel to work on back areas of the layout.

Regards,

Jonathan

[Ken Clark]

  Jonathon

  Having worked in a couple of power plants, and visited a few, I could only wish for the amount of lighting that you have installed. The first power plant I worked in, two of the boiler's had been coal fired, but had been  converted to Bunker D, when I started there  in mid 1967. It was dark, dingy  and still had traces of left over Coal in places. Even if it had windows you would not be able to see out of them other then at ground level, where
they may have been cleaned.

  On the other hand, The Power Plant for the City of Medicine Hat (Gas fired) had window boxes of flowers in each of the lower windows.

    OK so what's with the STOP sign on the roof of the adjacent structure?


   Ken C
    GWN

[jonathan]

  The stop sign is leftover from my last layout. Was looking for an appropriate place to plant it. The sign will probably sit there until I start organizing some sort of road.

Speaking of coal, I know lots of coal spillage will be all over the place. Was thinking of getting a canister of cinders for that purpose, bit not sure how that will look.  Fine coal seems to be hard to find.  Lump coal (ground walnuts) is easy to find. Always keeping my eye out for the fine stuff at train shows.

Regards,

Jonathan

[Len]

I make "ash" by grinding up gray chalk from the local art supply shop, then adding just a touch of black chalk powder.

Len

[ebtnut]

I know there are some B&O fans following this thread so here's a question - I'd like to spiff up my light Mike, and the first order of business is to replace the trailing truck.  I'm pretty sure the prototype has a Hodges design.  The Bachmann model represents a Cole style.  Anyone know of a source for a correct truck?  The Cal-Scale kit is a Cole.

[jonathan]

ebt,

Greenway Products sells a brass Hodges trailing truck. I didn't order one from them. I thought the price was a bit high. Keep hoping I'll find one at a train show.

The Hodge truck was not unique to b&o. One would think they'd be easier to find.

Regards,

Jonathan

[jonathan]

ebt,

uncle dave's brass trains (he has a web site) also has a Hodges trailing truck for sale.  By the price, I'd say he's holding it for ransom. 

Regards,

Jonathan

[ebtnut]

OK, Jonathon, thanks for the leads.  If I get to Timonium next month, I'll check with Greenway.  And I'll see what Uncle Dave is charging. 

[ebtnut]

Well, having Googled both sites, the verdict is that a Hodges truck must be cast in gold instead of brass.  Dave's truck is $49, but Greeeway's is $45.  The Greenway truck also has an equalizing bar between the spring and journal box which isn't correct for the B&O verson.  I may look around a bit more, but may have to shell out the big bucks to Dave.

[jonathan]

Just put down a bunch of ground foam and ballast.  That goes quickly then there's a big waiting period for things to dry so...

I've always wanted to try putting headlights into an HO vehicle. Granted for enough money, you can buy cars already lit with some sort of hub system for all the cars to plug into.  Believe I've mentioned how cheap I am...  

Anyway, I have a half dozen cars that have lenses in the headlights. Here's my first attempt.

This is an old Ford pickup with lenses:


The shell removes from the chassis fairly easy. Just a matter of drilling holes in the wheel wells to accomodate the SMDs. I previously made about 100 prewired SMDs using magnet wire.

In this shot you can see how the wires are run. Positive and negative leads from each SMD are connected and pushed down into the engine block area:


One negative lead gets the 560K ohm resistor which fits on the floor of the cab:


Finally, the leads run between the door and bench seat.  I drilled a hole behind the seat to run the wires out through the bottom of the chassis:


Quick test with a battery before putting the shell back on top:


Now the pizza of resistance:




One drawback to all this:  once the vehicle is planted and wired, that's it, it's permanent.  No pushing the car around going, "vroom vroom."

From now on, I will paint the inside of the shells, to help cut down on the bleed through of the light.

This project took about 2 hours.

Regards,

Jonathan

[tiebreaker]

Great job again Jonathan!
You have seem to incorporate ground effect lighting also  .
There's a country song that has a saying "dashboard lights give off a romantic glow" which you have seem to have accomplished also, oops that song quote is way off. It was a cargo light. Anyway the dash lights look good also.