Not quite the golden spike...

I reached a major milesotne of sorts today. I now have a closed loop of track. The loop is about 500 feet long. Unfortunately, most of it will be hidden from view when the layout is completed. Of course there is a lot more layout left to build. The next step will be to power up the remaining segments, about 200 feet, and debug the radio signal used for command control.

I have been spending a lot of time working on the layout lately, which is part of the reason I haven’t been spending very much time on the forum. Something suddenly got me motivated. I think it was the layout tour I went on back at the end of April. Since then, I’ve been pouring in the hours, at least 50 per week.

Back around Thanksgiving, I put out a call for help. I did get one taker, but he has a busy schedule, and I haven’t seen him for a few months. At one point, I thought I was going to get a bunch of his friends to join in. They seemed quite interested when they came to visit in January.

While we were talking, one of the guys asked point blank,#### "What will it take to make trains go?"I thought for a moment, then waved my arms, pointing around the room, to illustrate where the track had to go. Until that moment, I had never considered putting in a temporary cutoff to close a loop.

The 7 feet of track on the pink foam forms the cutoff, and is only temporary. It will be removed when the track on the next peninsula is completed. The turnout at the right of the photo was not part of the original plan, but will remain as permanent, and will be hidden under a highway overpass which the scene called for anyway.

Once everything is running smoothly, the next project will be to sofit in the ductwork, and build the upper deck, then lay the track.

Elliot, I can’t be there in body but I am in spirit, as if that is a helluva lot of help. I just can’t imagine that big a project without help.

Moral support is good too Doug. It seems like the more I do, the less I feel like I need help, at least with the physical construction. I actually have a new helper in the form of Big Girl’s half brother.

Bob is not a train guy by nature, but he thinks the project is cool, and wants to work on the computer control aspect, where he has more experience than I do. It is nice, because he doesn’t have to be here to work on it. I just pointed him in the general direction, and he’s been cruising the web on his own.

I have a feeling that Bob may become a train guy before this thing is done.[swg]

Elliot, It will be great to see you running your trains again.

Just think, you have track layed on a table and ready to run before CHIEF.[^][:O][;)]

Tom, I’ve actually had them moving back and forth for a couple of weeks now. TMCC signal issues are not as simple as Lionel would want you to believe, at least for me. Of course, I don’t do anything the easy way anyway. I have complicated the issue by only applying the signal to one rail, and having so many parallel and stacked tracks.

As for beating Frank to the “table”, that is an accomplishment!! [swg]

Elliot,

Looking grand and glad you’re having fun. After all, it ain’t supposed to be work (but sometimes can’t avoid the feeling).

I’m an enthusiastic advocate of temporary loops. Whenever I complete the top shelf, that’s what I’m going to do to start running trains on that level before tackling the lower 3 levels.

But for now, running trains at work and slowly doing the layout and other things.

Nice to see some progress pictures on your layout… You might consider careful documentation of the work with some future articles in mind for one of the mags. That’s what I’ve done.

It’s great to see that you’re making progress, Elliot! It sounds like things are going along very well. I can’t wait to find out what the finished product will be like. I’ll definitely have to visit you again to see it when you are all finished. Keep up the great work and be sure to keep us posted!

ELLIOT,
One word. FANTASTIC!!!
Your gonna have a blast there. Keep us informed.
laz57

Thanks guys. As always, there is a standing invitation for visitors. So far only Mitch has taken me up on it. Unfortunately, he was about a year too early, but we still had a good time.

Dave, I have a lot more pictures than I have posted. I’m just not sure if there is much of interest to write about. I don’t use conventional construction methods, and CTT isn’t into covering works in progress. They want finished masterpieces.

Just for fun, here is a little before and after. These shots were taken viturally in same spot looking in the same direction. The first one is from March '03, the second was taken yesterday. It’s getting to the point where large general shots of the layout are impossible to take.

Elliot, great job on a GREAT BIG project. [bow] Will be catching up. Pam has laid down the law. I told Alison about her stuff needing moving. She laughed and said box it up and store it. I said, “Where!!!” “I need the room.” Then she laughed. Will get rolling soon. Now Elliot, you can never beat me to the “table”. [dinner][:-^][swg]

Wow BigBoy! For those of us just now putting track plans together, you are an inspiration! I hope that my modest pike will have one tenth of the professionalism that your’s displays.

I see you got the joke about the table. That was Tom’s fault to start with. We model railroaders don’t call that a table anyway, it’s benchwork!!

I say give your daughter til September first to clear out of your trainroom. After that all bets are off. If she really wants the stuff, she’ll find a place for it.[:0][:D][;)]

Way to go Elliot! Nice to see the progress!

Best regards,
Roy

Thanks, I’m very flattered that you find inspiration in my work.

I have this topic running over on the MR forum too. I’d like to share with you the confession that I made over there regarding the quality of my workmanship.

Perhaps the two most important things you can have when creating a train layout are good tools and experience. Both come with time. I have been accumulating both for over 30 years. Anyone can do this, if they put their mind to it.

Another secret is don’t rush. I have been working from a basic plan which I drew more than 6 years ago. As the construction moves along, I make minor changes. Sometimes you just don’t see things right away. Other times you just get a better idea.[8D]

Elliot,

Are you wiring also for DCS or just TMCC. Also, how high is the upper level?

BTW, I believe there are only a couple dozen 3-rail layouts of that size; just a couple near where I live. I think most guys wives restrain them. I would never think of using the Chief as an example.

See, I’ve been following Big Boy’s advice all along. Take your time. Don’t rush. [;)]

Elliot, here are a couple of threads written by the same person on computer control of both TMCC and DCS system. I think you will want to talk with him.

http://modeltrainjournal.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1032&sid=62ff5219fbc5058550f568008208236f

http://ogaugerr.infopop.cc/eve/ubb.x/a/tpc/f/93360682/m/5861045872

Elliot! Looking great!

Thanks Roy and Jerry.

Tom, I’ve read both of those topics. I am somewhat familiar with Sjcbulldog and what he is trying to do with DCS, because I have seen some of his other posts over on the TMCC section of the OGR forum. MTH is overly protective of DCS and has already threatened him with legal action if he attempts to distribute any software based on his reverse engineering of the command codes.

Without those codes, DCS is useless to me. Add to that the size and complexity of my layout, and it would be impossible. I read the article in the latest issue of CTT about DCS and large layouts. While the actual dimensions of my space are somewhat smaller than Tony Lash’s, I will have more track and a more complex design to cope with. It could take 8 or more TIUs to control my layout. Tony only has 5, and isn’t trying to talk to all of them with a computer. Personally, I would rather spend my money on more TMCC engines and more retro fit kits to convert some of my older engines.

Admittedly part of my problem with DCS is philosophical, however the greater problem is technological. Since I don’t own any MTH engines, I see no point in attempting to use both systems.

Dave, the upper level is 72" off the concrete, but the floor in the aisles will be raised 12" for a net height of 60". The net height of the lower level is 30".