A new layout for the new house!

[wiley209]

Trying some test-fitting and laying of the E-Z Track I have so far for one of the 4x8 sections. Once I've assembled the benchwork and attached the insulation foam to the tabletops, I will assemble the track first and run the trains on it for a while, deciding where I'll put different things, before I'm ready to do landscaping. I got this plan from Robert Schleicher's "The HO Model Railroading Handbook: 3rd Edition" and the "Bachmann Model Railroad Club Magazine" issues.


Still need to get some more track; I need some more left-hand turnouts and a Connector Assortment and a couple of 18"-radius curved rerailers (for the road I am planning that will cross at a couple of curves.)
I was also able to remove the connection clips from one end of two of the E-Z track sections so I could connect my TYCO crossing gate!

It does look cool seeing the Bachmann and TYCO crossing gates together like that, especially when you know that Bachmann's dual crossing gates draws some inspiration from the TYCO version.

I've already come up with a plan on where my roads for the vehicles running through the layout will be, along with a couple of industrial areas and the drive-in movie theater.

[wiley209]

I got a frame built under the first 4x8 sheet of plywood!

Starting work on it before cutting additional 2x4s...


The finished frame. It will be a lot better than just resting the 4x8 on that old dining table for sure.

[crash]

I just saw your post and it's almost the same layout as I'm building. A couple of differences is the long wall on mine is against the wall, and the middle section is only 30' wide. What height are you building at?

[Len]

It looks like your top is particle board with thin plywood on top. If that's the case you might want to add another stringer down the center of the length of your top. Otherwise, over time, the particle board will sag between the cross pieces, leaving waves in your top. Notch the cross pieces and the stringers so they fit together like 'Lincoln Logs' and run some screws down from the top.

I learned the hard way about particle board sagging. If I'm building a 4' x 8' these days, I use 1/2" plywood on 1" x 4" framing with a cross piece every 24".

Len

[wiley209]

Well, whatever I use, it's for the most part pretty sturdy. I attached the thin plywood to the top because the existing particle plywood was at a lower height than the other sections I was using. Keep in mind I'll also be putting 2 inches of extruded insulation foam on each platform.

I've also now built the second platform...


And have started attaching legs to them!


I'm really getting close now. And for track, all I need now are three more left-hand turnouts and four more 18"-radius curves, and I'll have all the tracks I need!

[wiley209]

Big update today!

We got the first table standing up! Boy is it taller than the old one, but I like how I can now see the trains at eye-level when I will be sitting at the console, and I can store some containers underneath the layout during the construction period! As you can kind of see, space is a little awkward at the moment, but keep in mind, we just moved into the house over a month ago, and still have a bit of unpacking and organizing to do in the basement. I even took the opportunity to do some more track test-fitting and such.


Here is where two of my TYCO Prestomatic accessories are going. After the photo was taken, I extended the siding with the operating boxcar bin a bit. That blank E-Z Track siding is where the Life-Like Operating Coal Tipple will go (it will be the post-1996 version designed to also work with Power-Loc or other similar roadbed track.) For the TYCO accessories I will place cork roadbed underneath them.


TYCO operating crossing gate and piggyback loader/unloader terminal. Again, I'll place cork roadbed underneath the terminal, and make a slightly longer incline for the ramp to go to the small road I'll be making once I do scenery (that won't be until the second and third extensions are built.)


And for the heck of it, here are the Bachmann and TYCO crossing gates together. It really lets you see how similar both are. (Again, the TYCO gate is the early version with a more detailed base, a separate track section (I used a nickel-silver Atlas Code-100 track section on it for better electrical consistency) and better operation than the TYCO crossing gates from the mid-70s onward.) On the other side of the track across the TYCO crossing gate, I will place another crossing signal there (maybe an operating one.)


Nope, this isn't Bachmann. It's actually a Model Power Lock-It nickel-silver lighted bumper track section. I mentioned how Lock-It was Model Power's answer to Bachmann E-Z Track and could even connect to it (Bachmann wasn't pleased by that and filed a lawsuit!)


From the other side.


Unpacking my boxed locomotives and rolling stock, along with my E-Z Command setup...


Already able to run a train on this! I am substituting a couple of sections right now that will be replaced when the table is added onto. I am using the Bachmann DCC GP40 locomotive that came with the E-Z Command unit when I bought it nearly four years ago. Among running at first it seemed to struggle, but after a few laps it ran more smoothly (I guess it needed to be broken in after being in storage for some time; I may also give the track a quick wipe-over with my track-cleaning boxcar to be safe.

[wiley209]

OK, not only am I doing some track test-fitting on the initial 4x8 section of my train table, I'm also organizing where structures and operating accessories will be located, for the most part.


The complete TYCO Center Street 1982 building set! A friend of mine custom-painted the school for the former downtown museum HO train layout. I only have one building from the 1981 set: the Loew's movie theater, but that is all I need.


Another shot of some of the structures. I unpacked a few more after this photo was taken.


The fast food district. Again, I placed the Life-Like KFC and TYCO Burger King structures near a railroad crossing to mirror the real fast-food district in the neighboring town of Bridgewater MA (their Burger King was originally a train station, which would explain its' location right next to the tracks.)


Getting in some freight and passenger train action. I find that my five-car Amtrak train would be better for running through the entire length of the layout once the additional platforms are built and attached (otherwise I'll just have the locomotive pull three cars.)


Near here there will be a train station with a Bachmann Plasticville platform in-between the two tracks.


For my trial run I am using none other than my first DCC locomotive: the Bachmann BNSF GP40 that came with my E-Z Command control unit and wiring, which I bought almost three years ago when I was building the previous layout!


Where a left-hand turnout will be going that will direct the trains to the second platform I am currently substituting with my Bachmann E-Z Track blinking bridge. On the final setup, it will be going on the second platform over a ravine carved into the insulation foam.


Look, I can now set up the plastic electric windmills I've had for a couple years now! It seems these windmills and the railroad both seem to go together.

[Terry Toenges]

It looks like you're moving right along. It always helps with the enthusiasm level when you are able to get the first trains running.

[Joe323]

Hi Wiley:

First great layout progress enjoying this thread!

Second do you have any experience with the TYCO Piggyback unloader I am wondering if it can be adapted for use with more modern containers and what it's footprint is?

[wiley209]

The piggyback loader/unloader only works with trailers/containers that have ridges on the top edges. The early TYCO truck trailers made prior to 1978 did not have the ridges, and such using them with this device is nearly impossible. The TYCO truck trailers were fairly short, but I imagine it could be used with one of those longer single-trailer flatcars provided the trailer has the ridges on the top. Here's a YouTube video showing how it works.
You know, given the Bachmann/TYCO rivalry of the 70s to the mid 80s, I'm surprised Bachmann didn't come out with their own equivalent! (After all, Bachmann's crossing gate does show quite a bit of similarity to TYCO's own crossing gate, which came first.)

[wiley209]

BIG update: I've got the second part of the platform built now!


We had to lop ten inches off of the 4x8 so we could get to the oil tank more easily near the layout, but I was able to adjust my track plan to accomodate that..
So after assembly, I cut the extruded insulation foam there to fit:

I can also use some of the excess foam layers for hills and such!

I had also gotten this for the new layout:

Bachmann's Plasticville HO station platform. It has a lot more detail and painted parts than some other Plasticville kits, and it even came with the labels already applied! The two included figures were fully painted as well. It reminds me a lot of the train station platforms in my hometown of Brockton for the MBTA commuter railroad line running through here.

[Trainman203]

This layout looks like fun. 

[wiley209]

I've been working on placing where roads and buildings will be going on the next stage of the layout...



Here is where the water bodies will later be carved into the foam surface.


Working on the residential section of the town as well.


One of the railroad crossings on the layout, with nonoperating Bachmann signals placed there for now. Once I'm ready to do landscaping, I will glue that edge of the foam sheet to the other one so they will be at an even height.


An overview of three of the crossings. One of them is going to be the TYCO Lighted Signal Crossing from the early 80s. (It's a lot better than Bachmann's similar product from 1979-1996, the "Dual Crossing Gates with Flashing Lights and Bell.")


Two more schools have been placed on the layout: the Atlas Jefferson High building (I might add on to it to make it a bit bigger, maybe attach the Plasticville school house to it or something) and the Life-Like Union Avenue School. Also, at where Aunt Millie's House is, the farm will be going there.


Life-Like Operating Coal Tipple. This is the version made from 1996 until recently that will accommodate roadbed track.


Overview of the progress so far. I ordered a few more E-Z track sections, which should hopefully come in this week. Other plans include the drive-in theater (of course), a coal yard and a logging mill, and a ledge on one or two of the corners (done using scrap pieces of insulation foam.)

[wiley209]

An update on how I'll be controlling the layout...

I got a typical modern Bachmann power pack and hooked it up to my E-Z Command unit, as this way you can operate ten digital addresses and one analog locomotive (I will still make an isolated siding to park any analog locomotives on when not in use, like on the previous layout.) I am still hoping to at least either get a decoder-equipped steam locomotive, or find out how to upgrade my IHC/Mehano Consolidation steam loco (which uses the same tooling as TYCO's old Consolidation!) I'll also use the Bachmann pack here to power the turnouts and any close-by electrically-operated "action accessories", but for any other lights or accessories requiring an AC connection I will be mounting older train set power packs under the benchwork for that (I've got quite a bit of those blue Life-Like power packs, and a few older Bachmann and TYCO packs as well.)


My Life-Like operating logging mill! This is a pretty cool manually-operated action accessory Life-Like made for a long time. A shame they didn't make a Power-Loc -compatible version or similar. In the 70s, Life-Like did come out with some rather unique action accessories that were different from what Bachmann, Cox and TYCO were making at the time.



The Amtrak train stopped at the Life-Like Snap-Loc commuter station.

[Len]

Some info on doing the IHC Connie converstion can be found here: http://www.wiringfordcc.com/horivconsolidation.htm

I used a small N scale decoder on mine and stuck it to the inside of the cab roof with a double side foam 'sticky' thing.

Len