a new mini HON3 layout started

[Bill Nelson]

After bolting the benchwork to the floor, the benchwork is still mostly level.

I hove the layout up there. I think I will make it removablre in case I want it to go under a Christmas tree, or go to a show.





I'm doing a lot of cleaning and organing on the north end of the room, the south end is still pretty buried



I have insulation and sheet rocking to do there as well as massive cleaning and organizing . Have the pegboards redone on the east wall , and am going to change the orientation of my father in law's old large screen TV, and my son in law's old desk. This wall is the original garage's exterior wall. All the other exterior walls are hardi-board painted to match the bungalow.



The viaduct us still close to level , and can be made so easily when the eastern side is supported.

 

[Bill Nelson]

The view entering the workshop. This ancient I pad Doesn't have a flash . So the image is dark






I'm starting some 2 foot deep shelving on the

The benchwork is notched to allow a lower section for a gorge.



In the right corner . There will be a big mine. Not sure if it will be an iron mine or a coal mine.


Below is a cardboard framework for a plug for the Christmas tree stand holes's plug. The original circular layout will be remove able to take to shows, or put under the christmas tree.
The layout looking north


The view looking north , toward the Bungaow, and the street

The view facing south, from the door. Both these last two photos were taken with the I pad held near the ceiling The uper track is just taller than my chin, and I an six feet two, there is room below for a lower deck

Usually , I want to have everything planned before I start work, but I haven't run trains in more than two years, and I want to get wheels rollomg asap.

 

[micahrogers]

Looks great so far.

 

[Bill Nelson]

Have been making a lot of progress towards beginning an HOn3 layout I'm my Texas workshop , using my Bugtussel loop Christmass tree layout as a jumping off point.







Am building a cardboard and hot glue framework for a removable Christmass tree stand hole plug.





I have removed the passing siding, red routing the track to make a wye; so I can use the loop for continuos running; or as a return loop on the future layout.








The layout is supported my a stud half wall I'm sheetrocking.

 

[Bill Nelson]

.



It is alive ! I have the loop put togeter And am running my PFM HOn3 Coshwain 25 ton, shay first, as it is extrely flexible . And is More forgiving of the track Imperfectections that I knew were there, and the other's I knew were likely there.

This locomotive is nosey, While it is likely 50 years old . I have not run it much, And it showed no signs of ever having been run , so I'm just now breaking this in.

 

[Bill Nelson]

My concoor goose #4 didn't like three spots on the Bugtustle loop that were too tight . By removing a plastic washer under the Screw that fastened the Two sections togeter created enough slop to allow it to negotiate the tightest spots on the Bugtustle loop.

 

[Bill Nelson]

The loop is civilized enough for my FED 4-4-0.


The phone video is jerkier than real life , and the phone excagerates the gear noise. It gets loud in tight curves though , and this lauout is all tight. Curves

 

[Bill Nelson]

Starting land forms at the viaduct.




Starting the the land forms at the viaduct.





Covering the cardboard Christmas tree stand hole plug.






The plug is starting to look pretty decent.






The buildings I have been working on for the plug.

 

[micahrogers]

Your scene is coming together... Great work.

 

[Bill Nelson]

I got this photo of my dad's reframed , and hung in my RR room. Folks on one of my Facebook narrow gauge groups helped me identify the location. I had thought it was on the Durango and Silverton; and that was confirmed. This is in Rockwood Colorado. The cut leads to the high line over the Rio de Las Animas Perditas.











I had my Westside C-16 out on the loop , going counterclockwise , ( the up grade is more gentle going counterclockwise) with two ore cars, an scientists boxcar built from a Binkly kit from the 60s, and a combine. I had it creeping along at 30% throttle , it looked so good , I stopped what I was doing and watched it.

It made 25-30 circuits, and then quit. Nothing else would run either. Checking the power pack with my multimeter; I found the Bachman train set throttle was only putting out about 0.7 v, mot enough to light the headlamp.

The GML memory walkaround throttle I brought down has issues, hopefully with the handheld, cause I have a spare . All my other throttles are I. TN. So I ordered a MRC tech 2 off E-bay, I have a home made tethered controller I built when I was a teenager , that I can hook up to it when I make my next round trip. In the meantime , I can't run trains.

The throttle is due on Wednesday , in the mean time I'm putting in srbroadbed for the switchback and a mine , and adding yet another gorge that will go under the viaduct.

We are dog sitting my son's beagle while he begins his doctoral studies at Clemson , she has Been attacking the fence in the backyard. In Houston, no one wants to look at the back side of a fence, so double fences are the norm. The space between becomes an urban wildlife highway. Lucy can smell them, and has been attacking the fence trying to get at them. I have used almost all my Sheetrock screws fixing the fence every few days. Need to order more, so I can continue to insulate and Sheetrock my workshop, so I can extend the shelf . To get a passing siding on the main , and extend the switchback .

 

[micahrogers]

The last train I had, just had a simple rheostat to control the speed, next to the track... of course this as the old "Christmas express" set made by Lionel I think...

I bought an N scale Bachman starter set, but never opened the box, and it's one of the items that came up missing when I moved from Mississippi to Georgia.

 

[Bill Nelson]

The last train I had, just had a simple rheostat to control the speed, next to the track... of course this as the old "Christmas express" set made by Lionel I think...

I bought an N scale Bachman starter set, but never opened the box, and it's one of the items that came up missing when I moved from Mississippi to Georgia.

where were you in Mississippi? I'm from Meridian originally. Moved away when I was 3, but my folks moved back when I was in college. My sisters and I sold my dad's tree farm just this year.

 

[Bill Nelson]

I've got the east wall insulated., and hopefully can get the Sheetrock up on the east wall. Ans
D above the windows on the north wall. Need more insulation to do the south



Have the subroadbed in for the bottom of the switch back and the siding for a mine.

Am planning on yet another gorge between the loop and the shelf on the wall.





Bugtussel loop viewed from near the ceiling.



All indications are the bridges are safe.

 

[micahrogers]

where were you in Mississippi? I'm from Meridian originally. Moved away when I was 3, but my folks moved back when I was in college. My sisters and I sold my dad's tree farm just this year.

I was born in McComb, family farm was outside Tylertown, I went to high school in Jackson, Still have an aunt living in Laurel, and cousins in Jackson and Brandon. Moved to Georgia for a job, met my wife, and so I'm stuck in California for at least another month with the newest grandbaby.

 

[zathros]

Love those bridges!!

 

[Bill Nelson]

Worked today on profile boards , to begin the land forms on the gorge east of Bugtussel.




Experimenting with building placement. The two story blue building is a stand in, it belongs in Bumpass





The entire east wall is insulated . , And sheetrocked . Still need to md the joints. Finish the north wall., and do the south wall.






Playing with building and road placement.




Having a lot of fun. God willing, my tech 2 will get delivered tomorrow, sand service can be restored tonBugtussel.

 

[Bill Nelson]

 

[Bill Nelson]

Slow going , Have been insulating and sheetrocking the workshop/railroad room mat my Texas winter residence, soon, I will make my anual pilgrimage to Tennessee.

The benchwork for the narrow gauge is sheet rocked as well for neatness. Likely painting the room will have to wait till I return in the fall.




A lower level will be added where the stud half wallis notched. With the wall anchored to the concrete slab, this. Is the stoutest, stablest bench work I've made yet.


The insulation helps a lot, even without running the heater much, the room was much more comfortable.

The railroad needs a thorough vacuuming once I'm done sanding the Sheetrock mud.
Starting scenery is fun,

The advantage of a big city, I found a suppliers of homasote and hydrocal, each within 15 minutes of the Bungalow.

 

[Bill Nelson]

I made it back to Texas.



Need to organize the shop after the chaos caused by the Sheetrock work




Later this winter, I'll need to paint the room .


Everything , but the RR got moved for the Sheetrock job , and there is little organization.





Added to the Chaos is this summers TN project , The Magnolia , a scratch build RC project , which has a thread of it's own in the R/C section . My layout space has not been finalized @ the TN lake house .

We had an ugly situation there with bad neighbors operating a VRBO next door against deed restrictions. The neighborhood was suing them, but civic jacked up the courts. This year , after four years of delays ; we got some real progress; the case was starting to cost them money; and it looked increasingly like they would loose. They finally sold the property, and we have our quiet neighborhood back ; So we can make long term plans there , possibly including a separate workshop / RR room.

Lacking a long term plan for trains , I started a R/C sailboat scratch build , using plans from Sarink Hobbies in the UK for a 1910 French fishing boat.



Above is the plan for the layout as it is.



This is the room plan . The benchwork Is set up for a lower level. I'm thinking a helix In the left bottom corner , not really sure what will go where, but I already have a return loop , and a wye in Bugtussel. May put another return loop above the helix, and a third on the lower level.

The space will be very cramped , Space for much operation won't be easy to squeeze in along with the scenic opportunities and the run I'd like ; so I'm struggling with the rest of the plan.

 

[Bill Nelson]

Some progress



My other project , a scratch built R\c sailboat , covered in a thread in the R/C section .