A Simple Plan (N) [ Phase II ]

[diezmon]

More work today.  It's a beautiful day to be working in the garage.

Today was mostly tunnels and portal work:

First I made some portals out of foam as placeholders. That's my portal mold master I made way back when I build the Clinchfield RR :


I then tacked them in place with some finish nails, and started cutting and  placing foam around 'em:





And on the other side of the mountain:




On case you're wondering, I don't have the "roof" of the mountain glued on, I'll do that after all my track is put down.

I'm trying out the foam in a can for filling in small areas.  It's just too time consuming to try to cut all those tiny little filler pieces!



Ok, Time for Pizza and some Sopranos reruns.

'til next time...

[shortliner]

OK, I am way impressed! I ws going to just build a hollow-cored door layout when I got home, basd loosely on the Carolina Central in MR, but after looking at your plans I have GOT TO clean out the garage.

I'm sure the wife will wonder why all of a sudden the burst of energy, but we'll keep that our littl secret......... ;D

[diezmon]

OK, I am way impressed! I ws going to just build a hollow-cored door layout when I got home, basd loosely on the Carolina Central in MR, but after looking at your plans I have GOT TO clean out the garage.

I'm sure the wife will wonder why all of a sudden the burst of energy, but we'll keep that our littl secret......... ;D

LOL  "sudden the burst of energy".  The pretty much describes the history of my hobby experience.. a BURST.. then a lul.. then a BURST, etc..

Your secret is safe with me

[diezmon]

Starting to lay some track now.  Well, placing the track, then a bit of spray bomb so I know where to lay the trackbed

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Good stuff so far.

I love the in-progress shots.

[wm3798]

I love the "stickin' it to the Man" do it yourself risers...  Look out, though, I hear Woodland Scenics is sending out the black helicopters...

Lee

[diezmon]

Hmm, now that I'm seeing this from another angle... that first switch, the one closes to the lens, should probably be a LH switch, not a RH.  That would get rid of a nasty S curve.

Funny, I thought I'd been hearing a lot of helicopter sounds lately..  Then OJ ran by wearing an astronaut suit! (I'll be impressed if you get that reference)  ;D ;D

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I don't know about changing the switch.

The way I've always decided on was that it's more dependent on the use of it.

The divergent route should always be the less frequently used one.

[diezmon]

I don't know about changing the switch.

The way I've always decided on was that it's more dependent on the use of it.

The divergent route should always be the less frequently used one.

ah yes.. Good point! 

[Walkercolt]

Your track plan reminds me of one of John Armstrongs', so I'm impressed. Foam is the 21st Century way to build scenery IMHO. I'm waiting to see it secniced and the first train running on it. ;D

[SecretWeapon]

Looking good !!!!!!!!!!!

[diezmon]

Wow, with the fam back in town progress has turned to molassas. A little work this weekend, between track lighting and sconce installations   ;D

I've mostly been putting down roadbed.  I'm actually trying the woodland scenics foamy stuff.. because I had a ton of it already that I'd acquired years ago. 



For where the sections meet, I'm using hardwood as the roadbed.  I'll glue it in place, then put the cuts in where the modules join.  I want the track along the joints to be STRONG..





I've been using liquid nails for projects on some of the roadbed.. I noticed today, when I had to pull some up, that the glue I'd put down several days ago STILL hasn't cured..

Anyone know if this stuff takes a terribly long time to cure??  ???

[SquirrelHollow]

I believe it is an aerobic sealant.  Supposed to spread it where all possible areas can breath and out gas.
Anything aerobic that can't out gas or get fresh air takes a very long time to cure, and in some cases - never cures.

[diezmon]

Ok, Finally got some more time to work on track lately.  Here are some updates.

I've been working mainly in the  yard area.. I wanted to get the most complicated &*$!! done first. 

The white tubes with wire are my version of the popular RC controler throw cables.  Mine are simply styrene tubes with guitar strings as cables.

I'm using the G string, and I like GHS Boomer sets starting with 10's. For anyone that wants to know.  It's .015".
 






For Control I'll be using these slide switches I found at the local AxMan surplus store.


As always, bigger pics are in my album: http://picasaweb.google.com/diezmon/ModularLayout

[sparky]

Nice progress.  You're burning an entire set of guitar strings just to get the .015"?  Why not just use music wire?  Or, most music shops sell guitar strings individually.  Is that Tom Mann peering through the window?  That guy is everywhere these days!