TBA Railway construction started!

S

seanm

Member
Oct 11, 2004
358
0
16
66
Sunny CA
www.pegnsean.net
Finally!!

A corporate move required I dismantal my layout and and move into a new home. That was 2 years ago and I am finally ready to start buinding a new layout in the garage.

I am a veteran N-Scaler with lots to learn. I plan on posting updates as I contruct the new layout in this thread.

Here is the current plan.

tbasac4.med.jpg


Details about the plan are in the Track Planning section. Look for TBA listed there.

I have completed the basics of the benchwork, skyboards and lighting. No valance or skirt yet and no ply or track yet. Very soon!

P1010310.med.JPG





P1010311.med.JPG



P1010312.med.JPG


P1010313.med.JPG
 
Looks like an awesome RR..!!! That's quite an undertaking...

Just my $2.00 (inflation...:mrgreen:)- I presume those are incandescent light bulbs....I have 3 things against them....HOT, EXPENSIVE, and EYESORES. I had a set-up similar to yours and wound up tearing it down and installing fluorescents - better lighting at a fraction of the cost...Trouble was I did this with most of the benchwork & trackwork done...so I was on the edge of disaster happening (I even had to STAND on the layout to get to a spot...). You're still at the point of being able to do it (if you were to do it...) without much trouble.

Good luck & keep us posted..!!! :thumb:
 
Gus,

Good point! Actually I used what I had on hand from the last layout. I do plan on converting over to compact flourecent bulbs. I don't particularly like flourescent long tubes because of the flat lighting... but I agree these bulbs do get hot and cost a bit to run. I will convert them all over to compact flourescent once there is a big sale (happens a couple otf times a year) I need about 30.
 
Cannonball,

Yes, it is a very large yard. I had a short time where I belonged to large club with a huge yard and had a GREAT time switching and making up trains... That is why I included it. Plus it gives me the space to buy more rollingstock!! I built a layout just before I had to relocate that had a large curved yard and I REALLY liked the look of it. I expanded it a bit as I have a little more space and am looking forward to it!
 
seanm said:
Plus it gives me the space to buy more rollingstock!!
Click to expand...


Now thats ALWAYS a good thing, it was the same for me, i started work on my yard and relized, whoa, i wont have nearly enough rolling stock to fill it, so i went on a rolling stock shopping spree and now i have to much rolling stock to fill the yard lol

seanm said:
I built a layout just before I had to relocate that had a large curved yard and I REALLY liked the look of it. I expanded it a bit as I have a little more space and am looking forward to it!
Click to expand...

Large Yards are very fun and they also look really cool. My yard is going to be a medium to large sized yard when i finish it.

cant wait to see some more pics Sean :thumb: :mrgreen:
 
Finally some track is down! Lots of building clutter in the background.. :oops:

I have started with the lowest level of the layout. This is a small staging area where I can have 3 or 4 trains made up and waiting and two through tracks. I modified the plan a little (see the first message n the thread) and it allows constant running of two trains, one passenger ad one freight, and switching the yard or any of the local switching areas.

P1010321.med.JPG
http://www.pegnsean.net/pics/trains/TBA_SAC/tn/P1010321.med.JPG


I am using Atlas C55 and have used it in the past. It works well, but is a bit more delicate to work with. On long runs I solder two 30" pieces together before laying the track. If I lay these two tracks on a curve I put the presoldered joint on the curve. Always easier to attach tracks on the strait sections!

P1010322.med.JPG



I actually hooked up the Digitrax and ran a train back and forth a little this evening. Very gratifying!!

P1010323.med.JPG


The helix is double track and will be aprox a 1.7% grade... 22" outside radius. To make sure the grade is constant I figured out that 3/8" in 24" is about 1.7% (Hope the math is right this time)... I put a 24" level on a level table and lifted one end 3/8". I then got a line level (little guy) and put a tapered shim under in leaning the opposite direction. Made the line level level!! I glued the line level to the shim and now I have a 1.7% level I can use to make my grades constant!! Easy and cheap!

P1010324.med.JPG


I am hooking the 1/2" ply sub road bed together with biscuits and glue. Works really well and make an almost seamless transition.

Next step is wiring and switch machines. Here is a series of pictures on how I am Sung Atlas HO twin coil switch motors under the sub roadbed.



Thats it for now! More pics as I progress.
 
P1010341.med.JPG
Got side tracked when I realized my staging yard would might be a problem in the making with too many S curves I moved the switches to the other side and have the through tracks at the back. Mave the helix up two turns and now only need 1/2 more to be up to layout height and I can start working on the main.

P1010340.med.JPG


P1010342.med.JPG



Chaged the plan some what as well. (see back a few messages).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom