New Layout - Updated 6/4/06

[ocalicreek]

Of course we had it all figured out...yeah, that's it.

I got shoes, you got shoes, all God's chillun got shoes...bridges do too! Well, most of them, in some fashion. The photo links a couple posts up are great - I need to spend more time in the gallery. (and where did you find that Sn2 link, Steve?) Anyway, if you can't give a bridge shoes, I suppose you could hide that fact with overgrown trees.

If the bridges themselves are on a grade, it doesn't appear to be the same grade as the approach track. I'll have to go back through the posts and look at your plan again.

Galen

 

[91rioja]

Galen:

Glad to see you back again. Hope things are going well.

I just made a new purchase today (no it wasn't bridge shoes). 2 brand new High Hood GP30's w/DCC and sound in my beloved N & W colors. How did I do without sound for so long?

I have been looking for shoes and some sort of retaining device to mount the shoes on. I see that Chooch has some good stuff, and Micro Engineering has shoes. Just have to collect some more stuff.

 

[Herc Driver]

Oh you HO guys are killing me...another GP30 High Hood purchase. WHY DON'T THEY MAKE 'EM IN N SCALE!!! That's not a lot to ask...just one run of GP30's in Southern and N&W and maybe other lines so other people can be happy too. Sorry...I'll stop screaming about it now. Chris...please post a picture of those Geeps when you can.

 

[gottaBreal]

Hey may I suggest you take some time b4 you ballest anymore and look at what weathered rail can look like if you take the time to ensure it looks the best it can.?

A small spray on the ties and some shots on the rails will dull the look down to the track and I ensure you that it will look alot more REAL.

Check the forums since Ive been reading over posts where the guys have made atlas snap track look GREAT.

Good luck

 

[91rioja]

Herc, not a problem. I'll get em out and get a few shots of both of them for you.

gottaBreal, the ballasting has stopped for the moment (because it's evil and it stinks). What I have done was just underneath certain sections of the second level that I needed to do before putting the top on. I'll certainly be weathering the track before the next round of ballast goes down.

 

[gottaBreal]

Sounds good RIOJA. There is some tricks to ballasting which im sure we can give you a few pointers on how to make it not so tuff. How did you apply yours this past time?

 

[91rioja]

Good ole dump and brush. I dumped a bunch on and between the rails, brushed it around a bit, and hit it with my spray bottle of H2O and detergent. The I drizzled my glue mix onto it and . . . . .

If you have any better ideas, I'm open for suggestion.

 

[Nazgul]

If you have any better ideas, I'm open for suggestion.

So am I!sign1
.......................................................it's still evil:curse:

 

[gottaBreal]

Ok guys here is what I would follow in order to make Atlas code 100 Flex track look decent.

http://www.the-gauge.com/showthread.php?t=21108&page=2

TomPM has the tricks in order to make the track look really nice and it seems to me he has his ballest down pat as well. If u can wait till he has the whole area completed then I think youll be in luck.....Just the paint makes the track look better.

Best of luck 91rioja and NAzgul

 

[91rioja]

Thinking about lights

Hey all

It's been a while. I don't have much progress to show, since I've been occupied with outdoor yard work (did I say I hated spiders and snakes???). Since the daylight hours are getting shorter, I have a question on lighting.

You all have seen my room. It has one light in the center of the ceiling (builders special, works great ), and I can't see squat. I've upped the wattage in the fixture, but is still isn't enough. So the question is, what kind of light to use.

I want something that is a) not to expensive, b) a moron can install without getting electrocuted, and c) can remain if/when I sell the house. The room was originally designed as a library, so I'm leaning towards track lighting.

What is everyone else doing?

 

[gottaBreal]

ya track lighting sounds like the best thing for ya. You can run a straight line or you could do a square around the edge of the room its all up to you and your budget.

Either way you do It adding track lighting will def light up your room.

my 2 cents

 

[91rioja]

gottaBreal,

So, question for you. If this was your room, and you were running HO, what would you do with the space? I am just curious; you seem to have some good ideas for the rest of the folks here.

 

[gottaBreal]

Well what I would do and what you would do are 2 different things. First I really like being able to move trains from point A to point B and have a purpose to my railroad.

Im all for doing what you had in mind. Just hook me up with the details and I really hate Duck unders or anything like that.

 

[gottaBreal]

Just looking over the room and Im not 100% sure where the doorway is. It looks to me that your door is 2 mini french doors which is really cool since it doesnt need as much room to swing open.

So if you could give me a ruff draft of the overall room layout with doors windows and closet openings I can give this a shot. One thing I would suggest is building the backdrop within the layout so you can cover that window up without messing up your house since it looks rather new and still in great shape.

So ya get back to me on the room size and Ill snap a plan for ya.

 

[91rioja]

We've been in the house for three years, and it was new when we bought. The duckunder can go (i'm not in LOVE with it; cracked my skull 3 times already and once I had my coal mine model in my hands when I went down; saved the mine, didn't kill the cat, but I felt pretty bad). I have a sketch at home on the puter, so I'll hit you with it later.

 

[91rioja]

Room Diagram - You asked for it

The room is here. The double french doors are on the bottom left of this picture, and just ignore the benchwork placed. Just doodling.

 

[pennman]

Hey Chris,
Sorry havent been around much, Grand kid takes all the time.
But anyway, see youve decided to do away with the duc under. Point to point works, you have enough room to get alot of switching in there, you could even maybe get a reverseloop in there. Take a look at my track plan and see if you could swap it to HO
Tony

 

[holdenburg]

Ballast, foam & plaster paris - TomPM has it down!

Ok guys here is what I would follow in order to make Atlas code 100 Flex track look decent.

http://www.the-gauge.com/showthread.php?t=21108&page=2

TomPM has the tricks in order to make the track look really nice and it seems to me he has his ballest down pat as well. If u can wait till he has the whole area completed then I think youll be in luck.....Just the paint makes the track look better.

Best of luck 91rioja and NAzgul

A little off topic but in the same thread... This technique TomPM is using for track paint and ballest is sweet!

GottaB...
Thanks for this link...!

Chris: Thanks for all the photos and this thread. I read through it this morning and it will be interesting to see how your progress is coming during the winter months ahead. Just the foam work is interesting. Especially your road bed materials.

TomPM has this technique down. WOW, A real foam primer, plaster paris, etc etc. The color combination on the above link that TomPM is using is great. Especially the ballast color against the Folkart paint combo.

H.