Gauge - Layout Party

[N Gauger]

Welcome to The Gauge Layout Progress party.

The whole idea is to get people motivated to work on their layouts or projects for the layout. Anyone in Any Gauge is welcome to participate.

The party goer's first post should outline fairly clearly what they want to get done and possibly in the order in which they plan to do it over the 6 week period.

They will be required to post at least once a week on their progress and they have to post even if they can't get anything done that week.

The party Goer is encouraged to post pictures of the party goer's progress or lack there of.

All party goer's are encouraged to both seek and offer advice (when asked for) from other party goers.

This party will be hosted By Catt & I.

Also - all Party goers are encouraged to show up in the chat room at least once a week. On either Wednesday or Saturday between 9 PM & Midnight Eastern Time. The live chat link is at the top of the page.

We are going to run this from January 17, 2004 to February 28, 2004

If you have any questions post them here

Have Fun everybody!!!!!!!

 

[Tileguy]

OK,I like it.Goals for me include
#1- Complete my mainline and penninsula trackwork.
#2-Build main control panel
#3-paint yard track and do backdrop in yard area
#4-Complete masonite backdrop panels and finish sky painting
#5-solder all feeders to track and feeders to main Bus.Get mainline operational with DCC

I think thats as much as i can handle for the allotted time )

 

[Catt]

The official start date is tomorrow but the whole reason of posting the notice early is if your like Tileguy and have your plans ready you can post them.

With that said here are my goals.

1 Find the layout and clear it off(did some major room renovation and the layout was a handy table)

2 Teach myself how to do a decent soldering job and add feeders to all sections of track that are done.Then get the feeders attached to the buswires.

3 Finish laying the track for the benchwork that is finished.

4 Get the actual trackplan committed to paper and puter. (what ever it is)

5 Actually run a train over the completed part of the layout.


If you complete your list of goals before the six weeks are up you can if you wish add more to the list

Remember ,if you hit a snag and need advise don't be afraid to ask for itAnd don't forget the pics .

 

[N Gauger]

I plan to have the Trestle bridge finished & ready for scenery.

Pics to follow

 

[MasonJar]

Here is Rick's (rsn48) original notice, to which a number of Gaugers added their plans:

http://www.the-gauge.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=8188

This is a link to the "original" party hosted by Rick at Trainboard.com:

http://www.trainboard.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi/ubb/get_topic/f/33/t/000345.html

----------------------------
Here is what I have committed to doing:

I am going to commit to doing the jobs I do not like, so it is out there for all to see, and I can be held accountable I have been building structures, and experimenting with building trees, and painting figures... all while the benchwork remains incomplete.

The problem is that the 4x8 is up and running without the track being on cork, or even nailed down. I guess I do not want to interrupt the continuous running I now enjoy to add the final risers, lay cork and track, and properly wire stuff.

So that is what I will attempt in the next 5 weeks. Finish the benchwork and trackwork! I can't promise any ballasting, though I might throw in a remote controlled turnout or two...

Within the week - get all those risers in place!

Andrew

 

[N Gauger]

In addition to rsn's post - here's the link to Shamus' post about what some members want to accomplish this year:

http://www.the-gauge.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=7967

 

[Arlaghan]

My goal is very simple:

Finish that Wendy's scratchbuild!

I'm estimating less than 6 weeks for this project, but I made that mistake with the gas station and it took way more, so I will stick to this for now.

If I finish it sooner, I will start a new project, like maybe laying the track and wiring it up on my NTRAK module.

And if that gets done (my aren't we ambitious?) then I will start working on another scratchbuild filler structure and possible start drawing up plans for my Union Station focal point.

 

[spitfire]

Count me in!

First a brief description of where I'm at. I am building the layout in 3 sections. Section 1, the industrial switching area has track fully layed. Section 2, the city through which trains pass has benchwork and backdrop completed and a lot of buildings in temporary positions, Section 3, the yard has not been started yet.

Here's where I want to be at the end of the 6 weeks:
Section 1: finish ballast & scenery, place and wire buildings
Section 2: new raised area over track
Section 3: continue backdrop, build benchwork, lay track

I had already decided that I need a blitz on the layout so that I can run trains from the yard to switching and back. I need to get this layout operational so I can begin on my NTRAK module. As soon as Rick posted his party idea I got started with the easy part - scenicking on section 1.

My goal for this first week is to complete that.

:thumb: Val

 

[Mrs.Mac]

Here are my goals. I've pasted them here from the other thread to keep them all in one spot.


1. Layout Description: Trackwork is done. Working on scenery, wiring, buildings, etc.
Things to accomplish in the next 5 weeks: Finish wiring (switches, reversing sections, trolley level with auto reverse, dcc components I receive for my birthday) Finish servicing the trains I received at Christmas.

2. This week will be dedicated to wiring. I working on the switches now, and should finish those (with the exception on one that is wired incorrectly internally) night. Wire up the 2 reversing sections. Start work on connecting the auto rev. unit to the trolley level.

3. I will post once a week for updates.

4. I will not fudge my responses, even if I've been a couch engineer.

Here is a pretty good shot of where I am today.

Mrs. Mac

 

[Matthyro]

An ambitious group here for sure.
Catt has nuged me to make a commitment so here are my plans for the coming week.
1 to complete the Griswold hospital for the corner Ntrak module.
2 get to the lumber store for some more supplies to finish the one end of the MAT mushroom layout. If I can get that done in a week I will be happy.
For the six week period I have two more structures to build for the N trak module and to have the module completed.
I also want to finish the mushroom section of my layout.

 

[rksstl]

Ok I'm in considering I'm just starting my small layout. Actually a practice layout first, I havent had a layout in about 20 years. My goals for the 6 weeks are as follows.

1 get track & roadbed down with feeders and all rail joints soldered.

2 weather track and ballast.

3 post at least once a week.

This is a hobby so if i get at least this done i'll be happy.

 

[N Gauger]

Originally posted by N Gauger
I plan to have the Trestle bridge finished & ready for scenery.

Here is the starting image as of 1-17-04

 

[60103]

I have the following:
--Put scenery cover over the pink foam on that new bit of continuous run. Add ballast, guard rails and fencing. (See spline roadbed query).
--Get my Airfix Royal Scot model to run reliably. It was pulled out of a storage box when we redid the crawl space last week. I think the wires between loco and tender were broken when I got it.
--Repair the rest of the cars that the cat knocked on the floor last week. One cast metal kit fully re-kitted itself, as well as parts being bent.

 

[Catt]

Well I'm off to a roaring (purring?) start.I seem to be able to do a quite strong though not very pretty solder joint A couple more hours from now I will start pulling the track that is allready laid and start soldering the feeders directly to the rail.They are already soldered to rail joiners (not my work)the plan is to solder the rail joiners to the rail at one end of the track section.The other end will remain loose and serve only to align the track.

Can somebody clue me in as to how you make the PECO turnouts non power routing?

 

[TrainClown]

What I want to do.

It seems things have slowed down here for one reason or another, but I still have plans. I promissed myself I wouldn't work on any train stuff untill I get the basement cleaned up and then I can make myself a new work area down there (I'm getting alot of flack modeling in the living room). As soon as that is ready to go, I plan to get back at my Climax engine scratch build and finnish detailing the other 3 engines I have. If I get this on it's way, then I would like to start on the layout itself, but we will see about that.

So:

1- Clean out basement.

2- Set up new work station.

3- Work on Engines.

4- Start the layout itself.

Ine thing about moving into the basement is I will have more room for the layout and I can expand it from 4x8 to 4x12 and this would make me real happy.

So party harty people, and lets have some fun.

TrainClown

This is what my Roundhouse Climax kit looks like right now.

 

[t. alexander]

N gauger, ..where did you get that wallpaper?

long lost t.

 

[N Gauger]

Originally posted by t. alexander
N gauger, ..where did you get that wallpaper?

long lost t.

My Father in law gave it to me. He had 100 ft of 5 different designs given to him. You can't beat "Free"!!!!!

They are Corrigated paper. Used for backdrops for portrait taking. He has all western themes & I thought this looked better than plain white walls. LOL

 

[N Gauger]

Originally posted by t. alexander
N gauger, ..where did you get that wallpaper?

long lost t.

I just saw "long lost t." Where have you been young man!!!!!! ROFL!!!!

We thought you might show up in "chat" last night 9 - Midnight almost every night now.... we are SO addicted

 

[leghome]

I am keeping my list very limited as to what I what to get done. FINISHING the track ballasting. I started over a year ago and still only have about 10% completed. I HATE BALLASTING.

 

[60103]

Peco turnouts vs power routing

Catt:
Which type of turnouts did you mean -- electro or insul?
And what do you want with no power routing? If you have insulfrog, you can just jumper from the outside rail to the other rail beyond the frog somewhere. If you have electrofrog, you have to do major surgery.