Building a New Layout

[jonathan]

After 10 years of working on a layout in my garage, I finally got tired of the summer heat and cold of winter.

Thus, I cleared a space in the basement... essentially rearranged the furniture and got rid of a ton of junk. You know how basements can get...

Here are a couple of shots of the new benchwork under construction.

I used 1X3's... which sounds small at first, but things are starting to get rigid as I add the angle pieces:


I'm building two 4X8 platforms.  They will be tied together to form an 'L' shaped 14X8 layout.  I've begun some track plans which call for a modified figure 8 (triple track), with two small yards for engine and car service. 


I'm very excited about the new LED shop lights.  I'm using those for lighting the layout as you can see (one in place already). They're pricey, but worth it I think.

The sub-roadbed will be L-girder construction with 1X3 supports and plywood for the sub-roadbed.  I hope L-girder is the right term.  It's been a while since I cared about layout construction.

Will recycle everything off my old layout for trackwork and scenery.

Regards,

Jonathan

[jonathan]

Used the good old Masonite for the backdrop.  I rolled out some flat white on the smooth side, then sprayed some light blue, but not completely.  Hopefully this will look a little like clouds when the scenery is in place (fingers crossed).





Will have to work on making the seam disappear. 

Regards,

Jonathan

[BaltoOhioRRfan]

Looking good so far.....every time i clean out the basement it ends up filled with junk again before I can begin building. It's also not climate controled ( no heat or a/c)

[rogertra]

Looking good Johnathan.

L Girder is the way to go and use sheets of plywood, supported on L Girders, for yards.

Keep us posted.


Cheers


Roger T.

[Trainman203]

Lucky guys up north, every house has a basement, a potential layout area.  We don't have basements down here, we have attics that get to over 140 inside unless you severely insulate and condition.  In my case the highest my attic is in the middle is barely 6', really unsuited for anything except junque storage.  Plus, access is by a pull down stair that blocks the hall when down.

Of course, in trade off, we have 50 degree winters.

[BaltoOhioRRfan]

Lucky guys up north, every house has a basement, a potential layout area.  We don't have basements down here, we have attics that get to over 140 inside unless you severely insulate and condition.  In my case the highest my attic is in the middle is barely 6', really unsuited for anything except junque storage.  Plus, access is by a pull down stair that blocks the hall when down.

Of course, in trade off, we have 50 degree winters.

I don't mind cold snowy winters. I perfer them over 80 degree summer days

[jbrock27]

Lucky guys up north, every house has a basement

Ever hear of a "slab" foundation?

Of course, in trade off, we have 50 degree winters.

We do as well

I perfer them over 80 degree summer days

I'll take 80 degree Summer days, but you can keep the humidity

[Trainman203]

I spent my life in construction Brock , I know what a slab is.  They, like a flat roof, are not a good idea down here.

We have at least two months a year with days in the mid 90's and really high humidity.  It's all what you grew up with.  I'm very used to it.  I'd way rather be too hot than too cold.

[Trainman203]

Back to the layout.  Any more progress, Jonathan?

I'm looking at all that carpentry and cringing.

After 15 years of continual rent unit repair evert weekend,  and two full renovations of my house (and looking at a third time around), I never want to see woodworking tools in any form ever again.  I built my entire layout with only one saw cut.  I'll put up some pictures of the method.

[Jhanecker2]

The only problem with becoming a home owner is learning to do all kinds of things you never wanted to know about .   Even if you become wealthy , you will still have to deal with myriad situations that are going to come up.   I unfortunately  love tools  of many kinds  and  enjoy using them .

Houses without basements are dangerous ,  providing  no areas  for storm shelters and even worse   providing  no areas for beer , wine , and whiskey  cellars . Good stuff must always be protected and allowed to mature .    John2.

[jonathan]

My dad taught me a little about carpentry... not that I enjoyed it very much.  However it does come in handy from time-to-time.

Progress is going to be a little slow for a while, as I have to disassemble the old layout for the rest of the materials:  wood, screws, track, wire, cork roadbed... you get the idea.

I am recycling my skirting (black cloth):




I may use some old kite string to tent-back the cloth, just a little, so it doesn't hang over the backdrop and block the lighting.

Regards,

Jonathan

Addendum:  Looks like my mainline will have a max radius of around 30" and a minimum radius around 26".  That's about the best I could do with the space available.  On the plus side, I'll be able to run everything I own with no problem.

jv

[Trainman203]

We can't have basements in South Louisiana, the water table is too high.  If you dig a hole deeper than a couple of feet it will fill up with ground water.  Large construction jobs have 24 hr sumps running.   In a hurricane a basement wouldn't do you any good even if it was dry, the house would blow away from above you unless it was clipped down well as per new codes.

The right way to build a house down here is wood framed floor elevated 3' or more above grade on masonry piers, with a pitched roof with an overhang, and no gutters. The most important part, the layout room, needs to be a separate building out back accessible without going through the dwelling unit.  It should be at least 1.5 times the size of the dwelling unit (2 being much better) with its own bathroom, kitchen snack area, and a small bunk area for overnight crews to crash in when the ops goes beyond 2 AM.  It needs operable windows with screens to let in the fresh breezes for most of the year so you aren't in a dungeon on a beautiful clear 70 degree day.

Later I'll post pictures of how to build a layout without a saw.

[jbrock27]

JV, are you going to be able to reach/access across the 4ft wide sections?

[jbrock27]

I spent my life in construction Brock

I recall Flory.  It is what helped you get involved in that get rich quick scheme of flipping houses, right?  How'd that work out for ya?

They, like a flat roof, are not a good idea down here.

We can't have basements in South Louisiana...The right way to build a house down here is wood framed floor elevated 3' or more above grade on masonry piers, with a pitched roof with an overhang, and no gutters.

Can't say I am interested in what the building codes are in LA or IL for that matter. Just wanted to know what the foundation was (pun intended) for your statement that "up north, every house has a basement."  Was it your 'construction background' that led you to make such a statement?  Because it holds as much water (again, pun intended) as your statement that up Norf, people don't work on their layouts in the summer

Houses without basements are dangerous.    John2.

What prompted this statement? Ever stop to think this generalization may only pertain to certain areas of the country and not others

no areas for beer , wine , and whiskey.    John2.

Beer goes in the fridge and can be stored in the garage.  Same with the wine.  The whiskey always has a place in the liquor cabinet or a kitchen cabinet

[Trainman203]

Answered Brock offline.

Now.  Back to topic...... How about the wide sections Jonathan?

I purposefully kept my layout narrow, 15" wide, and found that, while along the line it is fine, you need more in settled areas for industries and non-railroad structures.  Wish I'd done 24" now ..... Along with code 70 rail.  This current layout has about a year to go, then I'm passing it on to a friend, then build a new one incorporating lessons learned.