Hello all, long time no see.
It’s been awhile so I thought I’d start a fresh thread for our Layout info and do a massive update and recap.
As some of you know by now, my OL and I’ve been fooling around with a layout plan for close to a year now and getting our train room ready to start building the layout.
I’d like to thank all those who have contributed so much in previous posts; I could never have made it this far without you all, you are a great bunch of guys and gals. However I owe a special thanks to Texas Zephyr and SpaceMouse, two very amiable and patient gentlemen without whom all this would have all been for naught.
So here it is; I am looking for any and all feedback from as many folks as I can find. I find that the feedback of others helps me more than anything else and I sincerely welcome any all comments, criticisms or suggestions. I do my best to respond to anyone that takes the time and has the fortitude to look over this madness.
Here is the Layout’s basic information -
The Route-
Mileposts
- The route lies somewhere between mileposts 206.1 and 230.0, roughly between Chambers and Adamana
Elevation
- As the following image shows the grade westward between Pinta and Adamana is steadily down leveling off eventually at the Winslow Yard.
Gila
- Due to current space limitations I am using a fictional town - Gila Arizona as a showcase for the various elements that I desire on the layout such as a typical 1950’s Drive In Theater, Cattle pens serviced by the line, etc.
- Gila lies along the route mentioned above somewhere between Pinta and Adamana inside Apache c
Here are some 3D renderings of our layout.
Thrill at the wonder and terror of 3D!
gasps
Here are some pics of our big remodeling project: Turning a Spare Bedroom into a Train Room.
The room became free now that the nest is empty and so we set off to fix it up as a fairly comfortable space for the layout.
First thing was to pull out the ancient carpeting and lay down wood flooring, then we painted and finished the room (yes I know that’s backwards it’s a long story) with new outlets etc.
Here’s the room “Before” Don’t you just love that carpeting and paint scheme? My OL called that color “Cathouse Red” [;)]
Here are the after pics of the the new Pergo Flooring.
Whew what a relief that was! Now on to the walls!!
Well with the floors done it was on to fix the walls and forever be rid of the terrible Cathouse Red…
The OL and I decided that we would do the room in a two tone scheme with an earth tone on the bottom and a sky blue on the top and that we could then come in later and white brush this blue to make a functional backdrop.
Here it is on going :
and here it is done with all the taping and finishing and cutting in done and the new art deco style face plates put on:
Nice floor! Piercing color scheme!
Dave Nelson
With the room done the OL and I took the plunge and got to the bench work - Now I couldn’t nail a fencepost to the side of a barn so we looked around and did some investigating and finally settled on Mianne Benchwork.
It was a joy to work with them Dealing with Mr. Foley at Mianne Benchwork was a breeze.
He helped work out a custom kit for our needs using as much of their standards kits as he could - to help keep the price down - and got an estimate out to me fast as can be. Once we settled up on cost he and his folks had the stuff tooled out and shipped to me quick.
It came in four c.48 lbs boxes and went together like dream with only two screwdrivers, a level and elbow grease.
As for total price… well for c.122 odd square feet of benchwork at 48" height and shipping and handling for c.200 lbs. of materials it cost me a grand total of $1315.00.
So in the end for a fellow with absolutely no carpentry skill or tools needed to cut my own wood was it worth it -for me-… You bet your sweet bippy it was! 
I’d do it again in a New York City minute with no regrets.
and here it is:
After the benchwork went in we started the process of adding the tabletop/sub roadbed.
We’re covering the benchwork 1/4" Birch and then will be putting 2" of foam on top of that.
The modeling you see around some edges was a test for an idea the OL thought up, after we have the fascia installed (which will be Masonite I believe) then we will be running wooden ceiling molding pieces along the bottom edge of it after they are stained to give it a nice over all look.
Here it is :
The OL and I were finally able to get the foam thanks to the lend of a good friends van and we hauled the stuff in looking to the neighbors like a pack of gypsies in reverse no doubt - I’m pretty sure my neighbors think I’m constructing something totally insane in the house as they watch me bring in all the odd supplies, tools and boxes…
After experimenting with a range of different tools for cutting the foam (fine toothed saw, hot foam cutter etc etc) I finally ended up doing most of the work with a WS Foam Knife and a Box cutter.
Got all the foam measured out and cut and laid in place and have about half of it glued down with Liquid Nails so far.
Here are some Pics -
Well that’s that… now onto the swing gate.
Peace.
Well I got a wild hair this last weekend and I decided to try and make the swing gate for the layout on my own - so I dug up some scrap lumber (from when I tried to test build a piece of bench work back near the beginning of last year), salvaged up a good hinge of of one of the closet doors I took down from the Train room, checked my measurements and set to work.
I first had to clean and ready the hinge to make sure it was in good working order since it was an original Hinge from when the house was built about 30 years ago. I cleaned and fixed it up, lacking any good graphite lubricant I improvised and used a freshly sharpened pencil to line the inside of the pivot and the pin.
Then I took the old test piece of bench work apart and cut all the pieces to size, lacking proper power tools I used a small hand saw to do this.
Leveled the whole thing out, screwed it all together and hung it up after making and screwing in “docking station” shelves to the bench work for the gate to sit n when closed and when open.
It all seemed to come out pretty well and I admit that even though it’s probably not the best, prettiest or most professional job, but I’m pretty proud of it.
Tell me what you all think - this is my first attempt at something like this and any advice is helpful and gratefully accepted. 
I apologize in advance for there being so many pics - Enjoy
Viewed from the outside
Gate on “Docking Station” shelf
Gate on “Docking Station” shelf
Open “Docking Station” shelf.
Views from inside the layout looking out
Views from inside the layout looking out
Views from inside the layout looking out
Views from inside the layout looking out
Up view of the under side of the gate
Right Hand Supports
Left Hand Supports
Looking very good! Keep up the progress and keep posting. It’s great to watch a layout progress. Looks like it won’t be long before you start laying track.
John
Now all you need is a website. Looking good. I’ll be waiting with a controller do do an op session next time I’m out that way.
Looks good. It is nice to see how other people approach the layout from concept to completion. It looks like you need to some track down now.
Man! It’s looking good! You’ve done a ton of work there! Keep it up!