Finally got it off the ground

Model Railroader Layouts and layout building
1

After many months of building the house and getting settled in, I was able this weekend to start building my layout.

This first pic was back in the corner and I didn’t like the lighting so I moved it out front by the windows. This is just the two platforms sitting together, I hadn’t even clean off the old layout yet.

The second two are the two tables bolted together, foam board (which seemed very expensive at $17.00 a sheet[:O]) is glued down using Liquid Nails for foam. And the beginning of my track plan starting to be layed out. I was really amazed at how easily the plan took shape from paper to foam. I measured everything out with very little adjustments, but some will need to be made.

I am a very happy camper.[:D] More posts with Photo’s to come. BTW, in case you missed it, here is the final track plan.

Thanks for your comments and suggestions. (wiping away a tear of joy)…it’s my first serious layout as an adult…sniff, sniff. [;)] Wish me luck.

2

That looks like a nice plan! You should have fun with it when it’s all said and done. Keep up the images.

-Crandell

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Thanks Selector, and thanks for the critique help prior to this. As you can tell I’m pretty excited to get moving on this, but after looking at the prices of turnouts maybe I should have kept it simple. Whoa!!! That’s going to slow things down, thank goodness Christmas is coming. [;)]

4

Congratulations, looks like a great plan to get on real stuff.

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Good for you! I think that will be a very nice layout when it’s done.

4X8 foam sheets are $14-$25 around the Chicago 'burbs, depending on thickness, so you paid a comparable price.

Good luck!

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Thanks for the comments and the info. I was wondering if that was too outrageous compared to somewhere else. :slight_smile:

7

AR:

I don’t care if it’s CDX or MDF or blue foam, there just isn’t much in this hobby to compare with a nice, big, blank table, is there? So many possibilities.

Luck is wished.

I missed the discussion of your track plan, but it must have been a good thread, judging by the plan that came out. A little branch, a little yard, a lot of fun stuff. I like it. Your newest benchwork is good and sturdy, too, though the old stuff looks pretty strong at that. Sturdy is good. Do be sure and give some thought to reaching that back track once in a while - a popout, casters, that sort of thing. Keep some castor oil around to stop the squeaking. Not the casters’, the nitpickers’.

I do have one small suggestion. If you shift the rear passing track to overlap the yard like so:

you will be able to expand the yard and the Juniata shops in front, and the passing track will become multiply useful as a yard runaround, as an arrival/departure track, and as a switching lead to keep mainline traffic flowing while the shifter does its thing. This will also remove one crossover from the back forty, and make the passing track longer.

If you like, you might also switch the locations of the coal dealer and power plant (less smoky and more convenient for the citizens of Town, and more plausible surroundings), and perhaps replace the mine’s locomotive shops with mi