New layout in the works.

[nolatron]

Haven't update this thread with some recent posts, so here's the latest:

Finished up wiring the first SIGM20 board in the panel. Next step is to install some signals on the layout and connect those to a RJ11 Junction box.

 

[nolatron]

Started to work on the first road on the layout. This is the road crossing the mainline along the Dixie River on the lower level.

I came across a product by Heki called Insta-road and decided to order some to see what it was. It's basically a thin piece of foam appropriately colored with a VERY sticky backing (ie: don't let it accidentally touch something, cause it ain't coming up). If you get real up close and stare at it, you can see it's a piece of foam, but standing out in the aisle where you'd normally be it actually looks pretty good. I cut some thin sheets of styrene to the correct shape and I applied the road to that for a nice flat surface I can super glue later to the foam bed.

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I hand painted the strips with some paint pens. I actually liked how it turned out. The foam texture I think gives it a good weathered appearance. I messed up on the spacing on the upper piece and tried to fix the best I can with a double strip. I may eventually go back and redo it.

The road crossing is a Rubber Road Crossing from BLMA. I need to paint it black first before installing.

Here's some pictures of the mock up.

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[nolatron]

Picked up some $3 sheets from Wal-Mart to use has a under-the-bench valence to hide the all the clutter on the bookshelves. Simple and effective. Now to just clear the clutter on the desk



And I don't think I posted pics before but I painted my other GERN buildings a few weekends ago.

 

[nolatron]

This is the Asphalt product from Heki, same stuffed used on the road. Mocked up the placement of the roads at GERN Industries. I need to order another large sheet roll to finish the area in front of the distribution building.

 

[nolatron]

Got the inside track installed on level 1 of the helix tonight.




And a look at how my crossing turned out:

 

[nolatron]

I thought instead of using a tunnel in the corner of my lower level, that I'd turn it into some kind of cliffside/rockside scene.I thought a tunnel in this area would kinda look out of place because of how I would have to build it into a cliff.

In doing this idea, I would need to create a rock cliff about 8-10" tall, and about 60" long for the background, and abotu 80"x3-4" long for the foreground In looking up for methods for creating such large formations, I came across the product Rubber Rocks by Cripplebush. They've got a large variety of rocks, and I found some that would be perfect for my corner area.

They are little pricey, and someone with the desire to build their own gigantic cliffside could probably do so for much cheaper, but found these products to look really good and would save me a ton of time (something I don't have much of with a 7-month old). They look better than anything I could ever do as well. So I ordered some Shale 8 and Shale 18 rocks.

Here's some pics of them mocked up in the corner. I think they look fanstatic, even unpainted!

 

[TruckLover]

WOW AWESOME Progress Shaun!!!!

I love the rock walls!!! They look AMAZING!!!

Good work on that crossing too, and the Truck Docks on the buildings and the roads, its all looking really cool. That road material seems to work well and look good. i might try some out. im using WS Smooth-it with paint mixed in it and its working great for me :mrgreen:

I like the color you did on the Gern Buildings too!!!

Great Progress, keep it up :thumb: :mrgreen:

 

[nolatron]

Thanks

That road material seems to work well and look good. i might try some out. im using WS Smooth-it with paint mixed in it and its working great for me :mrgreen:

You know though, now that's installed and I've been able to see it more and more often I'm thinking I may go ahead and use Smooth-it for the road.

The asphalt at GERN I'm ok with for now, probably cause it's a dark color, but the road is starting to look more...like it's a piece of foam than concrete, heh.

So I'll probably yank it up soon and put down some smooth-it. What paint are you mixing in yours?

 

[TruckLover]

Thanks



You know though, now that's installed and I've been able to see it more and more often I'm thinking I may go ahead and use Smooth-it for the road.

The asphalt at GERN I'm ok with for now, probably cause it's a dark color, but the road is starting to look more...like it's a piece of foam than concrete, heh.

So I'll probably yank it up soon and put down some smooth-it. What paint are you mixing in yours?

sign1

Im using the WS Asphalt Top coat mixed with Medium Grey Folk Art Acrylic Paint. I also added in some Delta Creamcoat White Acrylic Paint to lighten up the darkness a bit. Basically, i just mix it up to my liking lol. But those are the colors i am using, heres a pic of the crossing i did for an area on my layout using this method of Smooth-it with the mixed in paint:

Mixing in the paint just makes it easyer so you dont have to paint afterwords :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

 

[TruckLover]

Forgot to add that i mix up the paint in a container and then pour it back into a squeeze container and add it to the Smooth-it Mix when mixing it up with water. This way, you will have the same color Grey.... for a while, then when your paint runs out, mix some more, it doesnt matter if its a diffrent shade of Grey, real roads vary, and the new paint you mix up could represent a newer or older stretch of road depending if the new paint mix is darker or lighter then the previous batch :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

 

[stevechurch2222]

Shaun,I love the way your layout is coming along,great job.I love the way the crossing came out,look forward to seeing more photos and follow the progress of your layout.

 

[Mountain Man]

Fantastic job. :thumb:

 

[nolatron]

Just some of the recent progress.

Making headway on the helix.



Got the cliff backdrop glued to a foamboard backing and ready to install in the corner.

 

[TruckLover]

Rock Wall is looking SWEET Shaun!!! :thumb: :thumb:

 

[nolatron]

Thanks!

I'm heading off for a few days vacation tomorrow so installing it will be sometime after the weekend.

 

[nolatron]

Getting close to finishing up the helix. Got roughly 2 more turns to go.



I decided I didn't really like how the Heki road material looked so I took it out. I started also building up some foam risers for some of the locations of buildings. I'll go through and had some terrain in the rest of the empty spaces with paper, and covered with masking tape to form the terrain top. I'll then put down a new road using WS Smooth-it.



And while that's going on, I put up the cliff in the corner. It's not glued in yet, but looks pretty good.

 

[MadHatter]

WOW- excellent progress! I think that crossing is going to look awesome.

 

[tetters]

Looking really good Shaun! The double helix is looking very nice.

 

[fifer]

Shaun , Your progress is just plain cool !
Very neat wiring and some really great bench and track work!

Love It :thumb:
Mike

 

[nolatron]

Had a busy weekend working on the railroad. First up, the helix. After two months of off and on work I finally got it completed and installed in it's space. I'm working on gluing down the lower level track first. I'm really glad I re-did it double track. I feel I like I'm using all the available space to its fullest potential.





Once the track in installed I'll wire up the helix for power.


I also did some work on the lower level backdrop. I first painted in some background and horizon mountains. I think it turned out fairly well for someone with no artistic talent. I wasn't sure how big to make the trees and stuff on the horizon line, but I think it works.


I then started to place strips of cardboard to build up some cliffs. I'll hot glue those in place as I work on it this week.