Don't laugh too hard...It's my first attempt!

Dark Tunnel

Steve,

Man that tunnel sure looks ominous! Very cool indeed. Nice work with the rocks.

You asked how I'm doing...slow going on the modeling. But we did sign papers and pay the down payment today on our first house. This is exciting. What's REALLY exciting is the fully-finished (drywall, paint, lights, etc.) two car garage. I'm going to take pictures Friday when we get the keys (before it starts to fill up with stuff) and perhaps as early as next week I'll post dimensions in the planning forum so you guys can take a crack at it. After all, turnabouts is fair play. I'm so ready for a permanent space to call my own with room for right-of-way.

Also, since this thread has gone way past the planning stages, perhaps you should consider locking it and continuing in the HO forums with a link back to this thread should anyone want to see the journey from day one...just omit the posts with my first plan idea, you know, the one where the turnouts didn't fit...:oops:

Galen
 
LOOK! If you're gonna post...

...those kinda of images here- well- you'd better advertise they have diagrams of stuff so that when my wife looks over my shoulder she don't think there ain't nothing going on!

Haa- they just started playing Green Acres re-runs here- 'bout these parts. 'Bout far away as I can see New York and smell California!

I'd prefer to just reading on. Now let's go ahead and, schoooost darling!

Mark:wave:
 
gottaBreal, here ya go:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=47791
best bang for the buck! just not for real "fine" work.
MCL_RDG,...yeah, I really should clean up before taking pictures LOL
GEC, thank you, I appreciate it.
Galen, CONGRADULATIONS!balloon6 That is exciting. Best wishes to you and your wife (may your home be filled with love and laughter......and trains!). Can't wait for pics and plans...:thumb:
As far as locking this thread and continuing in the HO forums...I've been thinking about doing just that. It's getting pretty big and really doesn't fit the theme of this forum anymore....I'll think about it some more and decide.........
 
Steve, you're doing great work! Just where do you find the time to work on your railroad? I have not touched mine in about a week and a half.

Sorry to hijack, but Galen, congrats on the new house! Isn't that a wonderfull step (I still remember mine from 3 years ago) to make. You'll have fun with all of the yardwork and such that is associated with a new house to now look forward to as well as your modeling. CONGRATS!
 
Thanks Nazgul now next question I have what kinda Air compressor do you need to run this.? I have a small compressor that I use to work on my car which Im sure I can use is this true?

Thanks for your input and again your doing some fine work.
 
Also, since this thread has gone way past the planning stages, perhaps you should consider locking it and continuing in the HO forums with a link back to this thread should anyone want to see the journey from day one...just omit the posts with my first plan idea, you know, the one where the turnouts didn't fit..
Click to expand...

I had reason to consider this, and decided that the thread might stay intact, here in the planning forum.....including the turnouts didn't fit :D We all learn from our mistakes.
The gauge has grown, considerably, and ideas are spread out in several different forums, and getting harder to "put together" without a lot of "looking time". Bandwidth is bandwidth, and planning also involves a vision of the completed...Yeah, I know, model railroads are never completed...layout, where this thread has been, and is going, it might be better served right where it is.
The "turnouts not fitting" can be edited out, but.....that's all part of the learning process, and a valuable part of the lesson.
Pete
 
gottaBreal, this is the one I bought:http://www.homedepot.com/prel80/HDUS/EN_US/jsearch/product.jsp?pn=100400832
I can't believe yours wouldn't work...the worst that could happen is you'd be out about $5.00.
Chris, you asked:
Just where do you find the time to work on your railroad?
Click to expand...
My schedule at work just changed recently and I get out at 2:00pm...that gives me roughly 2.5 hrs of modeling time before my wife gets home...BAAAAWWWWAAHHHHHHAAAAHHHAAA!
Pete, thank you for your perspective. I will keep posting here. If you don't have a problem with it then I certainly don't.
Three quick pics. The 1st is a place where 3 tunnel entrances are in close proximity to each other. The ballasting was FUN!...Hey, if I had to suffer, so can you! tooth1
scenery 021 small.jpg

the 2nd one is just a pulled back shot for perspective. I also added plastercloth up to the big waterfall and brushed on a layer of plaster overall.
scenery 022 small.jpg

Lastly, a view from the top of the mountain, looking down to where the mine will be and the top of the tunnel I did (on the right)
scenery 025 small.jpg
 
Going home at 2:00pm

I need to find a job like yours that lets me go home at 2:00 :thumb:

As it stands now (and for the rest of my career) I get home after 6:00, have to fix dinner, so that leaves little time for railroading. Saturdays are filled up due to College Football season, and Sunday is for the Honey doo list. 2.5 hours a day would be GREAT!
 
Ok...quick reply, gotta work in a few minutes and prepare before that...anyway, looking great. The high mountains really look dramatic and should serve as a great backdrop for the mine scene, with the river below. Photos from beneath the outermost track (front edge) up toward the mine and ridge above should be quite interesting...especially if you can shoot up under whatever bridge you put over the river (seen passing beneath the risers in the third photo.)

As for the turnout error...well, it wasn't the first and won't be the last, I'm sure. Indeed, it does provide good perspective on the whole planning process to see the thread from doodle to design to 'completion' or wherever it goes. Thanks for sharing your progress, Steve.

As for myself, I've taken some photos of the garage and will try to get them posted soon. I've got a backlog of shots for yardbirdtrains and my own website, grossly overdue for an update so we'll see. I've hit a snag, however. Seems the gal who moved out before we moved in left a pile of stuff in the house - dishes, clothes, lamps, tools, etc. We moved it all into the garage and it takes up most of one stall! We were already planning to have a garage sale for our own junk, now we've got to sort through hers (ours, by contract) as well. UGGHH! So close...

Galen
 
Great Job!!!

WOW!!!jawdrop I just read and viewed ALL 17 pages of this thread!:thumb: WHAT a ride its been!:thumb::D. Steve, i am sorry i haven't came across this thread before, but honestly, this IS the FIRST time i have been in this section of the forum:oops:. this thread is high in energy, VERY funny at times(i fell on the floor LOL on your "NEWS FLASH,BALLASTING STINKS, that is all..." post:D ), and chock full of INFO and IDEAS!:thumb: I found ALL your work on this layout to be VERY WELL DONE! i was MOST impressed with your waterfalls, and the rock work you have done;):D. gluing in the REAL rocks, and plastering around them,painting them black, and then tan, turned out FANTASTIC!, that was an AWESOME idea!:thumb: I AM reposting my favorite progress pic you have posted as i feel it SHOULD BE REPOSTED:thumb:. OUTSTANDING WORK Steve!:thumb::D I ANXIOUSLY await further progress postings:D . THANKS!:D -Deano View attachment 29909
 

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Week end score

For all you sports fans...I just thought I'd post the score from the "game" this weekend
The Honey Do's 7...........The Wish I could be workin' on my layout but no I have to do all these unnecessary and tedious tasks that my wife wants me to do when I could be building tunnels and bridges and other important feats of engineering that would actually be of practical value to mankind 0
The defense wasn't bad but the offense couldn't get anything done!
please stay tuned for more scores after these important messages.............:D
DEANO, thank you so much for your kind and gracious words. It means a lot coming from you and I appreciate it. I was just going to slap some POP on the rest of the layout and hit it with a paint brush but knowing you will be watching, I'll have to try a little harder:thumb:
ejen34...thank you and welcome aboard...all comments and suggestions are welcomed.
 
Brilliant

Steve, I have to admit when I saw what you were going to do with those rocks I was apprehensive, Scared in factsign1 , But Man you did good,
Very very impressed.

Love the water fall and the fast flowing river effect.
you going to contract youself out to modellers???:thumb:
 
Steve, I have to admit when I saw what you were going to do with those rocks I was apprehensive, Scared in fact
Click to expand...
Chris,
No more than I was! I just want you to know that no rocks were mistreated in the making of this layout.......well maybe a couple...but they deserved it! ;)
you going to contract youself out to modellers???
Click to expand...
Maybe Tyra Banks..........oh you said modellers, I thought you said....never mind.:D
I wouldn't make enough to keep myself in track nails.
Seriously though, thank you for the nice words. I'm glad to see that Traction got it's own forum, thanks, in no small part, to you I'm sure. Makes it much easier to find your thread which is a "must read"!:thumb:
 
The only thing I think I can add to this is to say make sure you remember that a track-heavy layout isn't necessarily a more enjoyable layout. Most of the layouts that I've gotten the most enjoyment out of have been simple, allbeit well thought-out track plans.

Complex switching can take place on a line with a passing loop followed by a series of spurs serving industries. One of the best layouts I ever used was a branch line like that, which connected back to a switching yard. Road switchers, B-B engines and switchers were used, taking freight and "empty" cars up the line, switching it, bringing back "loaded" cars, and switching them into trains in the yard, which were taken out of the yard, through a scenic run, and off the layout. Simple, enjoyable, lots of operational scope, room for two operators, ideal for DCC, and needn't take up that much room.
 
Canopus,
thanks for comin' by:thumb:
I hear what you're sayin'. Somebody on the gauge has a simple N scale layout (wish I could remember who):curse: ...anyway, it really is beautiful in it's simplicity and sweeping curves. Not only that, he has plenty of switchin' opportunities with 3 or 4 industries.
My layout was graciously designed, according to what I asked for, by Ocalicreek. In fact the bench work was kind of fleshed out on my first thread:http://forum.zealot.com/t109444/. Although I love my layout, I understand how less can sometimes be more!:thumb:
 
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