A new layout!

[wiley209]

& 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....

As a matter of fact, Stage 2 of the layout will have some sidings to make a small rail yard!


Placing some of the buildings onto my layout now. I'll get around to weathering them soon.


Finished another end of landscaping; there is only a little left on the first sheet of plywood now that needs to be decorated, along with the rest of the second sheet.

I have also now hooked the track and blocking control to my MRC Tech-4 280 power pack, along with wiring up two of the switches. I ran one of my locomotives on the completed loop on the original existing plywood and it worked pretty well.

[jward]

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.

tue solution to that s curve problem is elegantly simple. a standard 18r curve has 30 degrees, the switch has 20 degrees which is why you needed a 1/3 18r section to equal that full 18r curve. thus, the switch itself is 20 degrees. by keeping the same track spacing, but using 2 of those 1/3 18r sections to equal that 20 degrees of the switch, you will have enough space to insert some straight track between those curves. you may have to custom cut a piece out of a full straight, but any straight you can put in between those curves will save you a world of grief. the best part is that you don't have to disturb any of the other trackage to correct this problem.

[jbrock27]

...and the beauty of using this kind (sectional w/o roadbed) of track.  All you need is a piece of track and a pair of Xuron Track Cutters and walla, you have your custom piece of track

[wiley209]

Finally finished applying the landscaping (except ballast) to the original existing plywood!

As you can see, it is already looking much better than the old layout.
Though once the landscaping on the second sheet of plywood is done, I still need to get some new buildings! Probably a mix of old and new (definitely some Plasticville!)

[wiley209]

Here's a few more updates...



I am experimenting with ballast. Maybe once I vacuum up the excess stuff, it won't look as messy.


Landscaping on the second sheet of plywood. There is going to be a farm on this side, too (I will be getting Plasticville barn and "farm building with animals" building kits.)


Already adding some scenic details to the existing plywood section as well.

[Steve Magee]

Nice work. If I can make one suggestion, use a flexible steel ruler to shape the ballast to get those nice even edges we see on the prototype. But definitely, keep on scenecin'! :-)

Steve Magee
Newcastle NSW Aust

[wiley209]

Update time again!


I've done some more detailing on the layout.


An entrance to Roundpost Junction!


The Dickerson Station and Honest Larry's Cars are in business now!


Life-Like Supply House in the background, with the Tyco Crossing Gate and Atlas Gateman Tower.




Farm with apple orchard. I thought the Plasticville barn was going to be large, but it's in perfect scale!


Trees growing around the tunnel.




Tyco operating box car dump station and freight unloading depot, and Life-Like dumping station and lighted yard tower.

[jbrock27]

It's certainly coming along Wiley.

[wiley209]

Just installed this Life-Like flashing light storage tank...


...along with a Bachmann swimming pool for the Tyco Colonial House!


Plasticville split-level house. I still need to paint the figures (I have to get more colors of paints, for that matter!)


Grade crossing. It's not hooked up yet, as I need to get a good controller that's somewhat easy to use and will be DCC-compatible. The nonoperating plastic signal I will replace with a Griswold-style crossing signalfrom NJ International.


Another overview showing the new stuff...

[trainmainbrian]

WOW your railroad layout is coming along rather nicely... But one thing I would really do & I think it would ENHANCE your layout I would INSTALL a BACKDROP to cover the BASEMENT Foundation WALL's "NO Offence" but looking @ your railroad is REALLY nice but then you get VIEWS of the BASEMENTS wall's & it's like " YUCK ".... I am building my Railroad already into my 2nd year I am always thinking what CAN I HIDE or ENHANCE the looks of the AREA of MY RAILROAD.... For Example I put & built a Mountain Back round up to hide my BACK BASEMENT WALL & installed DROP CELING Tiles so whoever comes to see my railroad or operate on my layout wont see the floor Joist's above there head I also installed Low Light accent lighting so I don't have to have my BIG 4ft LAYOUT Lights on when I am running my trains I mainly use my big LAYOUT lights for when I am doing scenery & other layout work... Installed Carpet I did not want anyone seeing the "GRAY Basement Floor" I mean everyone is different is different incomes $$$$... But these are some of the stuff I did to my railroad.......

[electrical whiz kid]

I have a suggestion; especially for you young people with the imagination, exposure to several aspects of life that are good, and the strength of youth.  Instead of following theses "book" layouts that don't let you use the "I" word, and further, let you put some individual credibility to it?  This way, what you have put on board will be your own, your own uniqueness, etc.
Rich C.

[wiley209]

Here's another overview from another angle...



A big update is that this layout is finally going to be DCC! I ordered a Bachmann E-Z Command controller pack that comes with a DCC-equipped BNSF GP40 locomotive, and I will soon order a second DCC locomotive (eyeing a Bachmann Santa Fe FT...) and then maybe upgrade a few of my other locomotives, except they aren't DCC-ready, so I'll need to learn to solder first...

I figured E-Z Command would be the best way to start out before I eventually move up to a higher-end system.

[wiley209]

Finally made the big upgrade to DCC!

It arrived in the post right before I left for work, so I brought it inside, then opened it up after my shift and tried it out! Here's the locomotive it came with:

I am actually impressed by it. It seems as detailed as a Bachmann Plus locomotive from the 1990s, but with a typical mid-range motor (sort of like the Model Power all-wheel drive can motors, but with a better chassis.) It runs very well anyways.
Plus, it's the first BNSF locomotive on my layout! (Though the BNSF is my main railroad on the layout, I have mostly used separate ATSF and BN locomotives prior to this.)

And for the heck of it, I also took this pic:

Newer Bachmann GP40 next to its' 1980s equivalent! Sure has come a long way, hasn't it?


My new control panel. The E-Z Command unit will only run the trains, so I pulled out a TYCO power pack (1970s style) for the switches and other AC accessories.) I'm keeping the MRC 280 power pack for if I ever need it again (and I'm sure I will, for any future DC runs and whatnot.)


The train's all hooked up!

I'm going to do some more toying around with the system pretty soon, and I will also soon set up an electrically-isolated siding for running a DC locomotive on the layout as well.

[jonathan]

Watching your layout progress has brought up some fond memories of building a layout in my youth.  My Tyco power pack burned out decades ago.  Thanks for sharing with us!

Regards,

Jonathan

[jbrock27]

Wiley, I take it by your earlier comment about learning how to solder, to mean that you did not solder the rail joiners on your layout?  I bring this up bc rail joiners themselves often become poor conductors over time and when running DCC it is my understanding from all I have read that w/o uninterrupted continuity, you will have headaches running DCC.