I started the benchwork for my new layout. The tunnel that goes into the side of the shed is for a 2 track mainline and will let me store engines and rolling stock when not in use. A sliding door is mounted inside using T-track. This is used to make custom woodworking jigs. The engine facility will be on the portion with the turntable. The next step is heavy duty screen and weed block stretched over the top and a frame of 2x4 to hold it down. A roadbed made of Tufboard will be laid on top of that. Bases of Tufboard will be mounted for buildings. Later, real ground cover materials will fill in the open areas and ballast the track. A track wiring bus will run under the track and DPDT switches will be be installed in plastic gang boxes on the edge of the framework under the 2x4 top frame to establish blocks. Low voltage lighting will run from building to building. The next portion of framework will include a pond and rapids coming down from the riprap wall behind the shed. A sawmill and lumber yard will be on an island in front of the pond. More to follow as it gets done.
Bigger pics if you please, my eyes are bleeding from trying to look at those teeny images[;)], but looks good so far from what I can see [:D]
Looking good. Keep us posted on the improvements/additions. Barry
Vic: Go out to “webshots dot com” and do a search for sfcgadget.
Gary: I really like your “train shed” How about sharing a pix or 2 of the inside? You’ve got me thinking, when my daughter was 3 years old I built her a playhouse. (EDIT: she has finished college and has gotten married). It is a little worse for the wear but still standing and is structurally sound. A few shots of what could be, just might convince her to put her garden tools somewhere else!
Hint for future reference: Webshots used to allow posting of larger pix but they have done something that stops the full size pic from showing. What you can do is just post a “URL link” to that page of your album. Then we can go to your album and see the pic at full size.
here -
-Brian
Well that’s one screwed up hosting service. It worked in preview!
Let’s try this -
http://image69.webshots.com/569/7/75/88/2601775880101174370pkTVmZ_fs.jpg
http://image60.webshots.com/760/7/98/20/2589798200101174370sDupLp_fs.jpg
still no! I won’t be recommending that site to anyone. Let’s try this -
again worked in preview and back to where we started! [:(!]
link to the album - http://good-times.webshots.com/album/563829729ucqyVH
-Brian
Brian, man that was messed up!
Toad
I think I figured out that screwy site. Let’s see if this works -
-Brian
that worked! When you go to the picture page on the bottom right there a a “link to this picture box”. You need to click on the 600 option in the top of that box for a preview size of 600 pixels. Then copy the “post in a forum” and post it here.
-Brian
Here are a few shots of the inside of the shed. The track is just temporary storage until I get both tunnels done. Then I’ll secure both the main lines and sidings. Inside of shed is way too cluttered due to storing things that will remain outside when layout is complete. I have alot of repairs in progress of the buildings that were on the old layout. I lost count after 30. If I pulled them all up at the same time, I’d couldn’t fit them in the shed. So I opted to pull the as I need them for the new layout. The shed is a 10x14ft USA Sheds in cedar. Smells great! Starting on the left side and moving around to the right side of the door: Shop Vac (also powers dust collection system), air compressor, open counter top, wood storage rack, power tool stations across the back bench, storage shelves, peg board wall, 2x4ft “train” workbench with parts cabinets. There is a loop of track that goes around the walls near the roof to test run equipment. My power and controls (2 Aristocraft 10amp power supplies and 2 TE controls)will be in a roll around cabinet that will plug into the main bus. Block control DPDT switches will be located at the edges of the layout in front of the blocks they control. I am doing this because my turnouts are all manual. That way as you walk around the layout, you would be acting as engineer/crewman as needed rather than have all controls in one spot. Did it that way on the last 2 layouts and it didn’t work that well for such a large layout. I’ll post pictures and info as I complete the controls.
This is the peninsula for a saw mill and lumber yard in front of a pond. Later I’ll build a waterfall to feed the pond from the boulders behind it.
This mess is what it looks like when figuring out how the benchwork has to be to hold the track configuration. Once this section is up, it will be time to make a drawbridge section for access from the deck. More to come.
Looks like someone has been very busy, look’n good. Keep the pix comming.
This is a shot of the bridge for access near the deck in the down position.
Here it is raised from the other side.
A closeup of the hinges. I’m using SplitJaw feeds to power the blocks and jump the gaps at the bridges. We are talking some serious hinges and using 4x4s to mount into due to the weight. Works well so far.
Farm area with small wistle stop.
Part of the town with roadway and sidewalk. The buildings now have low voltage lights in them. I still have to bury the cable and run permanent 110v out to the pond and shed. This will be in PVC pipe under the framework and buried at the walk through. All structures are secured so strong winds won’t move them. No damage resulted from the tropical storm that blew through last weekend. Anything that wasn’t secured was temporarily put in the shed. The pond that was empty, filled with almost a foot of rain water. No affect on the layout.
More layout pictures to come after I stain my house. Got to do that prior to building the section that will be very close to it. I’ll also post pictures of the electronics when done.
Question ?? So what kind of lumber are you using to build all this bench work, un-treated ??
Looks awful clean to me, I’d a treated it or something before assembly…If it’s just pine, it didn’t last mor’en three, four years for me in the elements here…
Byron C.
Byron:
From the looks of the grain structure in this pic:
I would say that Gary is using SYP (Souther Yellow Pine) which has a high degree of natural self preservation. When my daughter was 3 years old, I built her a play house using SYP for all the floor stringers and studs. She is now 24, and yes I have replaced all of the plywood at least twice but the flooring stringers and all the wall studs are original. The termites seem to have passed up the SYP. BTW the stringers sit directly on the dirt. No termite or rot damage.
Yeah Tom,
That’s what I thought too, and that is exactly what I used first time around, all rotted out within 3 to 4 years, now as a minimum, I won’t use anything less than treated lumber in this rain and humidity we have here. That’s even if I use wood at all, which is why I’ve used PVC and galvanized metal studding for most my support system this time…So far so good…3 years and counting…BUTTTT… I did have to have an impressive HUGE wooden trestle though…All thanks to my brother Jim…
Byron C.
Anything out side should be Treated, Pine, Cypress wood. Make dang sure your wearing a mask and eyes on.
If you don’t like the green tint to the wood, paint it. Thinking about gettn me a battery sparyer for my paints (not my air brush pin heads!) like a wagner or who ever makes them.
Toad
Is that the TOAD I see on the walkway
Dave