Nomad Valley #4

[Nomad]

Hello all . Here are before and after pictures. This is the forth layout I have built in the last year, hence the title. All my other layouts were total flops due too poor planning on my part.
I feel that my new layout is very well planned, due to the help I recieved from the great people here at The Gauge. I am real excited about it, and feel that it will be a great layout.
The first picture will be my old layout(of course) and you can see that all I really had to do was modify the two end tables. In the second picture(my new layout) the 2x2 is there to show where the lift-up bridge will be. Today (in between honey-do stuff) I started laying out the yard but did not get to far. Thats it for now.

Loren

 

[MasonJar]

You're off to a great start...!

Andrew

 

[Nomad]

Thanks Andrew.

Loren

 

[Gary S.]

That didn't take long to redo the benchwork . But you better get busy with the trackwork, cuz right now you are WAY behind!!

And I am very envious that you have a nice clean air-conditioned/heated room to work in.

 

[Nomad]

It's heated, but it sure isn't clean ! And in Washington State you do not need air conditioning very often.

Loren

 

[Nomad]

Ok, I got a little busy, Gary. The yard is laid and the roadbed is down. I hope to have the mainline done tomorrow.
The pictures are really lousy, I guess my room is to dark.

Loren

 

[Nomad]

And one more.
Can't get this picture to show up.
Loren

 

[Gary S.]

Alright! Making progress! I'm anxious to see you get to the point so you can run some trains and give us a report on operations.

What kind of switches are you using?

 

[Gary S.]

Another question: What are, and where did you get, those green and blue holders mounted on the benchwork? Are those a good size for car card holders?

 

[jasbourre]

I know what you mean, in the last year I started 4 or 5 layouts, and started over (hens my signature). I think I like the one I'm starting know. Will have to start a tread of my own soon.

Another question: What are, and where did you get, those green and blue holders mounted on the benchwork? Are those a good size for car card holders?

Gary I have a book at home that show's you how to make them, let me know the size of your cards and I'll wip you up a plan.

 

[Gary S.]

Gary I have a book at home that show's you how to make them, let me know the size of your cards and I'll wip you up a plan.

I made a few experimental car cards, but haven't settled on a size just yet. I have some I like, but they are at home so I do not know the actual size. I'll keep your offer in mind for when I have the final information. Thank you!

Gary

 

[Nomad]

Hi Jasbourre , always building and not running trains is a pain. It seems like I got in a rut and all I was doing building, tearing apart, and starting over. One thing I have noticed, on my last layouts, I was always in a hurry to get them built. It seems like this time I am slowing down and doing a lot better job. I hope that is a good sign. Please start a thread so we can see your progress to.

Gray, all my switches are code 100 Atlas custom lines. The boxes are actually 3.5 floppy disk holders I found at a thrift store, like Goodwill. I paid $2 for 10 of them. The boxes are about 3 3/4 internal, and my car cards are 3 1/2 wide. Just right.
I am not sure if I will use them though. I am still trying that program, it's actually seems to work good.

Loren

 

[Gary S.]

Loren, that is kind of where I am at too... the "quit being in such a rush" stage. At first, I was really anxious to have a completed railroad. But as we go along, we discover that a large portion of the hobby is the construction. Actually, I would say that as a whole, the construction of the layout/structures/scenery is about 60% of the hobby, with 30% spent on collecting/detailing/weathering rolling stock and locos, and the remaining 10% actually running trains.

It does feel good to have realized this and to just enjoy the hobby in the time I have.

 

[Nomad]

Well, with me, the last two years have been like this. Build a table, lay track, tear it all apart, including the tables, and start all over, just because I was not happy with what I had. I have never gotten past the beginning stages on any of my layouts, even 30 years ago.This time I am happy, and that is making a big difference. Getting in a hurry just to run trains is a lot of wasted effort, seems like.

Loren

 

[Nomad]

Look out Gary, I am catching up. I had all day to play, so the mainline and all industry tracks are laid. I ran out of switches so I could not finish the interchange. That and a temporary bridge are all thats left as far as laying track goes. Then I can start working on the turnout controls and the wiring.

Loren

 

[Gary S.]

Great job! All I did tonight was do a mini-ops test session, then I decided to experiment with putting power to the frog on one of my switches. All I did was mess things up. The frog came loose from the switch, I guess because of the heat from the solder. Bah! Well, I glued it back down, hopefully I can salvage this. Man, it would be terrible to have to rip out the turn-out and reinstall a new one. :curse:

 

[Nomad]

I have had to tear switches up before. Hold on, you glued yours down, right? That could be rough.

Loren

 

[Jim Krause]

I knew you must be from Washington state. I think I can see mold and moss starting to grow on the edges of your benchwork already. Looks like a keeper this time. Let's see some progress pictures (and no fair starting over again). I'd like to see the finished product with scenery and operating trains. By the way, I grew up over in western WA. Jim K.

 

[Nomad]

Hey Jim, your right. We use at least a gallon of kilz paint a week for the mold . And we have so many different types of moss growing on the trees here, later I will try using it for scenery.

Loren

 

[Nomad]

A little update everyone. All the track is down and I have a temporary bridge across the doorway. I ran the first train today and found one spot causing derailments. Once I fix that I can concentrate on the switch controllers Gary S. is helping me build. That and start wiring. Since I don't have to wire the Atlas switch machines, wiring shouldn't be to bad (I hope, cause I hate wiring.) Pictures when I have something to show.

Loren