The Carolina Sandhills Lines in HO Scale

[Vince P]

Coming along very nicely Dave

[davefoxx]

Thanks, Vince!

I have just about reached the end of this project for this weekend, since I am short on track and cork roadbed.  This morning, I bought the masonry drill bit and used Tapcon masonry anchors to hang the shelf.  No leg or angle bracing is needed; it’s solid. 

I also built a small piece of benchwork, to tie the shelf into the layout.  If you look close at the second picture below, though, you will notice a gap between the layout and the shelf’s framing.  This was intentional, to allow the layout to still be disconnected and rolled away from the wall, leaving the Seaboard Central’s and the A&R’s staging yards hanging on the walls.

I also used some of that scrap 2” foam that was under the shelf to make its top, and one piece had that angle cut that I left, since I don’t know where the track will run.  Hopefully, there’s enough hanging out to give me flexibility in laying out the track, and I can trim it back when finished.  The foam won’t be glued down until the track is laid out.  Oh, and I am pleased with the remaining aisle width.



Also, in this second picture, that loose curved turnout that I found in my pile of track bits will be installed roughly where it sits, to tie into that stub/yard lead, giving me an additional run around near the SBD’s yard.  It’s also prototypical to the track in the real Aberdeen, North Carolina on the A&R.



DFF

[Steveruger45]

Dave, I was wondering about moving the the main part away.  Now those pipes, maybe move that valve lower down Below the layout then paint the pipes.  Could maybe make those pipes a scenic addition such as chimneys for building?

[DKS]

Now those pipes, maybe move that valve lower down Below the layout then paint the pipes.

Nope. Nope. Nope. That's not something you want to do unless you're either a plumber or you want to drop a few hundred with a very low ROI.

[davefoxx]

Yeah, I’m not touching that water supply line, the shutoff, or the water meter.  The plumber needed access to that shutoff several weeks ago when we got a leak under the front yard.  I’m leaving it right where it is.  The water company replaced that water meter a few years ago, so, hopefully, it’s good to go for many more years.  I don’t want to mess with that, either.  Also, the sewer line’s clean out is now under the shelf, but I left plenty of access to get the cap off.

I’m more than happy just to improve ops, and the visual sacrifice doesn’t bother me at all.  It’s merely staging.

DFF

[Missaberoad]

Just cover them in Kudzu! 

[Steveruger45]

Nope. Nope. Nope. That's not something you want to do unless you're either a plumber or you want to drop a few hundred with a very low ROI.

Ok. Just an idea. Yes, unless you are confident to do it yourself it would be best left alone. 

[davefoxx]

I scrounged some cork roadbed:



DFF

[davefoxx]

Miss Aly operated the first train into Fayetteville, North Carolina, this evening. 



DFF

[C855B]

Aly has mastered a ProtoThrottle already? Cool! 

[davefoxx]

Aly has mastered a ProtoThrottle already? Cool! 

She has!  In fact, she's even got basic horn signaling down (e.g., two toots = forward, three toots = reverse, one toot = stop).  I'm not kidding when I say that DCC, sound, and the ProtoThrottle were gamechangers for me . . . and Aly!

-One Proud Daddy

[Steveruger45]

Looking good Dave. My word you’re quick.  That staging area is really going help with ops. Aly with the proto throttle is cute.

It’s good to see a young generation enjoy this hobby too. 

[Vince P]

Shame on you letting Aly run a unit other than a Seaboard Central unit.

Looking Great Dave & Aly

[davefoxx]

Looking good Dave. My word you’re quick.  That staging area is really going help with ops. Aly with the proto throttle is cute.

It’s good to see a young generation enjoy this hobby too. 

I scrounged just enough cork roadbed to reach the end of the main layout.  Then, I found enough Code 83 to run one single track out into staging.  It was exciting seeing that first train back into staging . . . even more so with Aly at the throttle.  She said that she was the engineer, and I was the firefighter.  "No, honey, that's 'fireman.'"

Cork roadbed and a couple of three-way turnouts are on order, and they'll be used to make the three-track yard.  I'll still need more flextrack, though.

DFF

[Vince P]

Miss Aly operated the first train into Fayetteville, North Carolina, this evening. 



DFF

Sho looks like an A&R unit Aly is in charge of lol.