My Layout in Fort Dodge

b28_82

Member
Yesterday I was cleaning out a room in the basement Sunday and I got that brainstorming while you're working kinda thing going on while I was in there. So I broke out the tape measure and checked the room out again. Then I went to one of the corners to figure out what kinda radii I could get away with. I installed Cadrail on my desktop and started doing some planning.

To set the scene "if you will" I am doing sort of a Diarama with a continuous running double track main going through it. Possibly it'll expand into a monster but I want to start simple to just get some trains running.

The first picture is the whole room with the outline of where the diarama section will be. The Top and right of the room is against the basement wall so theres no possibilities of going outside those lines. On the left I want to have a small staging "yard" (probably one track per main so I could have 4 trains if I wanted.

The second picture is focused on the diarama section itself. I'm thinking of an Interchanging track maybe. I might just leave it out to keep the area from getting too cluttered. I would like to have an oil or fuel terminal for tank cars. I'm not sure what else though...... maybe Magic Pan Bakeries.

Anyones input is welcome!! I'm still in the planning stages so if you guys have any ideas fo r the industries/interchanges go for it.

Jacob
 

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Russ Bellinis

Active Member
It looks like you could keep it in the basement at the top right if you just shorten the straight section off the diorama. It looks like you will have to do a duck under or a lift out section if you want to have a continuous run. There is nothing wrong with doing an unsceniced loop going through a diorama. It seems to me an excellent way to build something that will be fun to operate and hold costs down. I think what I would do is focus on good lighting to the diorama, and use just enough lighting in the rest of the room to keep it safe to get across.
 

b28_82

Member
Russ Bellinis said:
It looks like you could keep it in the basement at the top right if you just shorten the straight section off the diorama.

Russ-- I'm assuming you meant on the left side of the room. In that case I dont need it to stay in the room because there is empty space on the other side of the wall. My thought is of possibly putting a small staging yard in. I think the focused lighting is a great idea for the diarama part of it.

Bob-- Yeah its nice to have everything in one place now although all those pesky boxes are scattered amongst the room. But progress is being made as I have started to put some boxes down under the basement stairs.


Unfortunately all my progress on the railroad has been put on the backburner due to an outdoor project to keep moisture from seeping through the basement walls after a heavy rain. I was cleaning out in front of one of my basement windows and found the bottom of the window sill was rotted almost all away on the outside. I have decided to replace the window but my dilemma is the local home improvement store (Menards) only has 32" wide windows and my opening is 38" so that would be quite a bit of dead space to fill in. I was hoping to find a 36" opening to look more like the original. Now my ranting is done and I will post again when I can make some sort of progress on my soon to be layout.

Thanks all for the comments!!
Jacob
 

b28_82

Member
Well guys, heres my latest and greatest revision of my plan. Enjoy.
 

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FiatFan

Member
b28_82 said:
...the local home improvement store (Menards)
Thanks all for the comments!!
Jacob

Jacob, check with Beisser's on 19th and Central (573-4166). There is also a Lowe's or Home Depot (I'm old and can't remember which but I think it's Lowe's) in Ames. Just over an hour away from you.

Tom
 

b28_82

Member
I've relocated and expanded the section to have scenery and it is going to be 8'x39.25" wide. Let me know what you think of the track plan.
 

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Glen Haasdyk

Active Member
Why not just wrap the sceniked or diorama portion around the three (top, bottom and right side) walls? that would be making the most of your room space and building the benchwork now will save you the trouble later
 

b28_82

Member
Glen Haasdyk said:
Why not just wrap the sceniked or diorama portion around the three (top, bottom and right side) walls? that would be making the most of your room space and building the benchwork now will save you the trouble later


I would love to do that but i'm trying to keep it as simple as possible because I'm in the military and I tend to move every 3-5 years. Otherwise I'd love to wrap it all the way around.
Jake
 

b28_82

Member
Here's my latest progress. I cut out some more pieces for the sub-roadbed. I got stuck on taking pictures of those autoracks at eye level because the blue wall that i painted makes for such a beautiful sky. Those pictures are stuck on my laptop at the moment though.
Enjoy,
Jacob
 

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JDC916

New Member
b28_82 can you tell me the basics of your benchwork ? are those 1 x 4's for the frame 2 x2's as the legs ? and what thickness plywood are you using ?
I'm just starting to build my benchwork for an HO layout and cant decide on what to use.

Thanks
 

Russ Bellinis

Active Member
b28_82 said:
I've relocated and expanded the section to have scenery and it is going to be 8'x39.25" wide. Let me know what you think of the track plan.

In looking at the pics of your benchwork and the adjacent walls, how do you plan to reach the back of a table that is almost 40 inches wide? Before you go any farther, imagine a derailed train on the farthest track to the back of your diorama; and see if you can reach it while standing in front of the benchwork. When you reach it, how much damage will you do to what is modeled in front?
 

b28_82

Member
you are correct on the framework and legs. As for the plywood i went with 5/8" or 19/32 as Menards labels it. It was about $20 for a 4x8 sheet but i thought it was worth it.
Also this plywood is about 6 ply which just happens to be how it came. I would recommend at least 4ply to prevent warping if your doing a section that is a good distance between supports like the curve of mine on the back wall.
 

shaygetz

Active Member
Russ Bellinis said:
In looking at the pics of your benchwork and the adjacent walls, how do you plan to reach the back of a table that is almost 40 inches wide?

No worries there, Russ, I've met Jake and he's reeeeeeally tall:D :thumb: That is one sweet basement room there, Jake...wow.
 

b28_82

Member
To piggyback off all that, I did end up cutting the height from 43" to 39" and the width is now 36" because I tried to reach over to the back and that was doable but not going to be comfortable come scenery time.

Thanks Bob about the room. I still need to paint the trim but I wanted to get some railroad built instead of spending all my time on the room itself.
Jake
 

Chris Beard

New Member
Jake, it looks like you re planning well. People are right, though, about reaching over scenery. Even at your height you could have problems. I'm not worried though,you do good track work an should have few derailments.

Big Bob (Shaygetz) is still a member. I wante to try and get Short Wayne back in but the objections are too much.

Sauina's Tavern is approaching complement. It will go into the harbor scene.

I need a new keyboard. This one drops key strokes.

Chris
 

b28_82

Member
Heres my latest progress on my layout. I started out trying to use regular L brackets for shelves but they took too much adjusting for level from front to back so I decided to cut 1x4s & 1x6's to make brackets that are square to begin with. My next project to tackle is bringing the track across the doorway on an angle with a swing out section.
 

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