A new saw was an essential item. nice square cuts makes all the difference.
My supply of wood.
The first section in place, level and square. 41" off the floor, 28.5" deep 9ft long.
This is really exciting stuff.
Ken.
Share your track plan! You had the around-the-office/living room layout with the bridge accross the access opening, right?
Looking forward to seeing what you do next!
We have moved since then and have a new home, garage, train room.
The track plan is in my signature. Three levels around the walls.
Ken.
man that’s a nice looking house . but do you have to cut all that grass ?
construction looks like it’s going well on the layout . congrats !
get a big giant lawnmower and trim the grass till its gone. then you can get g scale and run it on the grass that you trimmed. that sounds FUN!!!
Yes I have to mow the lawn, it’s fun reminds me of Forest Gump!!
If I had the money I’d go ride on live steam, working grade crossing the works!!
Ken.
if i ahd the money i would buy a 1:1 Amtrak California set. station is within a mile of my house!
Nice looking layout and great start on the benchwork. I look forward to seeing more.
and remember “Mamma says; life is like a box of chocolates”
An update, I’ve been scratching my head over getting the bench work at the right height.
The main one is 41" off the floor and I’m thinking a 18" gap up to the top one.
It’s funny on the track plan cause you can’t visualise it till it’s measured on the wall. I’ve checked it on the track plan and all the grades should be ok.
I’ll use risers to bring the track down to correct level where it heads through the wall at the left end of the first pic.
The windows will become redundent, new backdrops going in.
I have been using a laser level to make sure it’s all level, over 25’ it’s 1/4" out. Not Bad I reckon.
Ken.
More progress photos. This is the main gate for visitors. The plan is to have a city station on the lower level with some tall building flats on the backdrop hiding the joins.
Gate closed.
Gate open.
I needed to make it as wide as the sliding door ( large step father!! )
The C shaped side ends of the gate will be completed with a fascia board along the front edge.
The top level on the left isn’t there yet.
The left rear corner of the gate has a wheel on it which rolls up a wee ramp and aligns the height perfectly every time, then a slide bolt at the front left (just visible) holds the whole thing shut.
Works for me!!
Ken.
amazing ken!
Thankyou James.
I’ve redesigned the alignment method, two blocks of wood on a slight angle as they come together the gate rises and aligns perfectly.
Gate closed
Gate opening
Sub-roadbed alignment left side closed.
alignment open
Ken.
that gate is fantastic !
looks like 2x4 benchwork , obviously you’re not planning on moving it anytime hehe
Nice Nice Nice. Progress is wonderful. One of these days, the first spike. Then the first few feet of track and an engine that runs. Great setting you have there.
I have learned over the years that I tend to get larger as the years go by. Also, If this is the only entrance, some of your materials coming in for construction could use a wide opening.
[:D][:D][:D]
Ken - looking really good so far. You beat me to the starting gate by a few weeks. I should have benchwork started over Easter Holiday and will post progress as well. Keep us posted!
This home is where we want to stay, so I thought I’d build it to last. The wood is 2x 1.25 ish.
Thankyou, looking forward to running some trains!!
We all get bigger unfortunately. The other entrance will be a smaller gate into the garage.
Thankyou for the comments, looking forward to your pics too.
Ken.
Ken, your quality of work is admirable, to say the least. I couldn’t do what you have done unless I had the fellow who shepherded us through our basement reno looking over my shoulder. I just don’t have the background.
Sometime, down the road, you will be running a train (or six) and you will reflect on what you accomplished in all of these steps.
Super gate!
-Crandell
Thankyou Crandell, means alot.
I feel I look up to you in this crazy MR world, Thankyou.
Ken.
More progress on ye old line!!
Another gate for access to the trainroom from garage.
View from new room benchwork on the right is just 8" wide.
Has a 1% grade in there too, boy was that tricky!!
Ken.