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Bemo display Layout


Kevin M
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I am building a small portable display layout to take to our local trains show/swap meet twice a year.  It also gives me a diversion from my US On30 home layout.  Overall size is 3'6" x 8'.  I built it in 3 sections. The two modules are 3'6" x 5'6" and 3'6" x 2'6" and sit on the 3'6" x 8' frame.  Why the odd sizes?  This is the largest that will fit in my RAV4.  The frame with legs will ride on top while the modules themselves will fit inside.  The smaller module will sit on a temporary support over the larger module.

 

The baseboard is finished, track laid, joints soldered and feeders installed.  I am using Atlas under table switch machines.  I will be able to access them from the back side that I will keep open.  I might power them but with the easy access I may just leave them hand thrown.  My original thought was to stick with DC but changed my mind now that I know my Ge 4/4 II can be converted to digital fairly easy.  Thanks to Dutch Master and Salmotrutta.  

 

The next step is to run trains in every combination I can looking for any trouble spots.  Scenery will wait until I'm positive that the track work is 100 percent.  I find it very frustrating to go to a train show and find several layouts not running or running poorly due to bad track work.

 

Scenery will be a challenge.  I want to keep this as light a possible so I will attempt to use as much foam as possible.  I friend has given me some very dense foam that I hope to carve my tunnel portals and stone arch bridges out of.  The plywood between the two modules will be cut down once I figure out my scenery profiles.  It is there to protect the ends when transporting.

 

Please feel free to comment.  Suggestions are always welcome.

 

Kevin

 

 

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  • RMweb Gold

Looking good but a couple of RhB ish suggestions while it's at this stage :)

Rather than keep the track at the same level why not start dropping the loop a bit earlier so it looks like it goes somewhere else, just chop down the supports a bit where I've marked with the red lines.

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The loop and sidings are ok but how about having the second siding off away from the first so they can load logs or even have a container crane over it?

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Have a look at St Peter Mollins, Zernez on google. Also did you know you can ride the Albula line on streetview?

 

The frame looks really nice and if you use foam or polystyrene it should be easy to lift. Mine split into four 4x3 sections and you could lift one on your own no problem

 

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I did the rocks using air drying clay pressed to about 2mm thick and then shaped in woodland scenics rock moulds. Apply them while still malleable, 6-12, hours and they are easy to blend to your foam and very very light.

 

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Edited by PaulRhB
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Hi Kevin. Have a look at my post on the Swiss Cameo Layout in this forum. I used pink foam vertically to make rock faces and a hot wire cutter (like a skinny soldering iron - from Michaels) to cut the tunnel portals and the viaduct arches. Just cut some thick card to make a template for the portal and draw around it. I also used drywall screws as well as glue to hold the foam together as it took too long to dry... Let me know if you would like some close ups or tips on cutting and carving.

Edited by Salmotrutta
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Paul, good ideas.  I was thinking of separating the two storage tracks.  I am not happy with their appearance as they are.  The photo doesn't show that the line crossing the center is actually 3/4"  higher than the station area.  That gives me 3 1/2" clearance over the two tracks in fronts.  I am going to attempt to build a viaduct there.  I would have built this linear like you did if I had the space.  I don't want to keep it in the garage and I have been given permission to keep it set up in the spare bedroom.  Sometimes my wife really surprises me.  I hadn't even brought it up!

 

Richard, I have been looking at your Swiss Cameo layout.  While I have worked a lot with the 2" foam I have never tried to carve rock into it.  I always cheat and use rock molds although plaster molds can get heavy on a portable layout.  I'm going to see about the air drying clay that Paul mentioned.  I try to do decent woodworking but I'm not always successful on the first try.  I have a pile of miss cut scraps.

 

Question:  Is there an average overall width for stone viaducts at track level?  The HO ones I have seen look to wide compared to HOm track.

 

Thanks,

Kevin 

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Ah, looks like about 14 feet.  Just about right to use 2 inch foam to experiment with.  I have been slowly reading your topic on your Rhatia and HSB layouts.  Very impressive.  The Harz is another of my favorite railways along with all the other narrow gauge railways.

 

Thank you,

Kevin

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  • RMweb Gold

Although watch out because the Landwasser has been comprehensively rebuilt at track level in the last decade or so!

 

Jon

The width hasn't been changed though, all they did was replace the rotten parapet with new ones reinforced with concrete and better drainage, it's profile is protected under the UNESCO listing.

There was a lot of other repair work too but that's mostly re-pointing and the fill in the structure.

 

Here's a before shot

http://www.technologystudent.com/culture1/swiss3.htm

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Edited by PaulRhB
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  • 2 weeks later...

I agree about the sidings. At many RhB stations with two sidings, they splay apart quite significantly. Two totally parallel tracks looks odd outside of a railway works or loco depot.

 

On the subject of bridges, here is my shot of Solis viaduct last September:

 

 

 

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and a 'paraphernalia' shot you might like

 

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I did change the sidings.  They didn't look right to me either.  The layout is completely operational now. 

 

Gordon those are nice pictures, I will save them for future reference.

 

Kevin

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I did change the sidings.  They didn't look right to me either.  The layout is completely operational now. 

 

Gordon those are nice pictures, I will save them for future reference.

 

Kevin

 

 

Yes, that looks so much better.

 

Let me know if there's anything else you want, I've taken 500 or so shots in three visits to the RhB since August 2016

 

Here is a shot I took at Bergün in early April, on the siding that 'splays' out a long way from the other track!

 

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Edited by Gordonwis
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  • 2 weeks later...

A question for Paul about the air dry clay. Did you uses anything to help fasten it to the foam like PVA cement? And how durable was it over the life of your display?

 

The build is moving along slowley. I air brushed the rail and ties this week. A dark rusty color for the rails and a light overspray of Vallejo dark earth on the ties blended everything together. I'm slowly learning how to use the Vallejo acrylics now that my favorite Floquil paints are gone. Probably much better for my health.

 

Thanks,

Kevin

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Hi Kevin

Yes I used pva glue and it took a power saw to cut off the rocks! The rocks were on Rhatia for ten years and it lived in an unheated shed in the lovely damp English climate, (mushrooms occasionally growing in the carpet!)

No damage during the exhibiting and no cracking.

 

 

Here's removing them from the layout

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And reused on the new layout!

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So yes basically very good if you get decent clay, go for one of the better craft ones with fibres in that don't crack and keep it thin. Experiment with a small piece, about 2-3mm thick, to see how long it takes to dry, I was leaving it 6-12 hours and still being able to form it over the polystyrene without damaging the detailed side.

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Thank you Paul.  The only thing I could find at the local Michael's is Activa Plus made in Spain. Doesn't say anything about fibers in it though.  My hope is that it stays soft long enough to carve my stone portals and viaducts.  My plan is to cut out a solid foam core and apply a thin layer of clay over it to carve. 

 

Kevin

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  • 5 weeks later...

I have been working on the layout slowly.  It is definitely a challenge designing the scenery for this.  Of course this is my fault because I wanted a long interesting run to entertain the kids at the train show.  Track work is completed and operational.  Rail and sleepers are all painted.  I have 5 of the 6 needed tunnel portals carved, 3 out of dense foam and 2 in plaster.  Now I'm working on casting and carving two stone bridges.  If I succeed with them I will move on the to stone viaduct that is presently mocked up in card stock.

 

I was able to find a very good deal on a new in box Krokodil and have already installed a ESU decoder in it.

 

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This is what I have designed for the 2 stone bridges on the front of the layout.  I'm casting them in two, one inch thick pieces and hopefully I can hide the seam when I join them.  I'll have to cut a recess into the deck so they will slide under the roadbed from each side.  Hopefully I can do that without breaking the casting, I had to use plaster of Paris.  I'll do this very carefully on my table saw.  I've already broken one casting and if it happens again I'll switch to Hydrocal although it is very hard to carve.

 

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Opinions, suggestions? 

 

Kevin

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Looks good, One thing I do with plaster on scenery is to add pva wood glue as a sort of plasticiser, it works well although it slows the drying time it does seem to make them stronger and prevent cracking and it still takes paint as stain well. I use about a teaspoon sized dollop in a 1 litre ice cream tub that's about half full of the mix. Might make your castings less fragile?

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"Thus continues the theory that every RhB layout must have at least 1 crocodile on it."

 

That's what I thought. 

 

Just a little update on my progress.  Both stone bridges are now cast.  The first one I made is now primed and ready for final painting.

 

Kevin

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Edited by Kevin M
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  • 1 month later...

I haven't done much in the last month.  I could not make up my mind on how I wanted to line the tunnels.  When I look into a tunnel I like to see a liner, not bench work, foam and plaster.  I finally decided to use Woodland Scenics forms.  Using what would normally be the top of an standard HO tunnel worked out to be about the right size for my HOm tunnel liner.  The real nuisance was having  to cut the plaster molds in half to follow the curve better.  As you can see I was not concerned that the tops did not meet.  I used my panorama car to check clearances as I built this.  I don't know why the outside tunnel portal looks like its leaning the in the photos.  I put a level on it and it is just right.  I hope it will look right when I add the rock molds.

 

I still haven't gotten brave enough to try building the viaduct.  The two stone bridges in the front were quite a challenge and a first for me.

 

My fellow club member want me to have this ready for our October train show but I doubt it.  Do I have the time? Yes.  Do I have the ambition?  Maybe.  We'll see.

 

Kevin

 

I am now ETE member 2002

 

 

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Thanks Paul.  I want to install catenary for appearances only and run with the pantographs tied down so they don't touch anywhere.  I still have to figure out what parts I need and order it.  I'm not to sure how far to space  the masts yet.  I like your ideas for the tunnels and I will probably use it on any future layout. 

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For spacing I laid a ruler on the inside of the rail and where it next touched the outside was the position for the next mast. This means the contact wire is always within the gauge and pantograph head width.

The white plastic represents the masts.

 

 

On straights I just used the longer span length of the contact wire and remember it zig zags to even out the pantograph head wear.

That principle works with or without actual wire ;)post-6968-0-74186400-1502831364_thumb.jpg

Edited by PaulRhB
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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi Kevin - running with the pantographs on the wire is easy and looks much better than tied down. Especially when they bob up and down under each mast..

 

I don't run the catenary in tunnels or in the un-sceniced parts of the layout - I bend the code 100 rail up at the end to force the pantograph back down to the wire (the thing with the red blob on the end - to stop me poking out an eye) .

 

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The mast is a commercial "tunel-oberlietung" from one of the model shops in Basel. It uses code 100 rail upside down - I file a slope in the end that attaches to the wire - you might be able to see it in one of the tunnel photos. post-27796-0-92763200-1504122036_thumb.jpg

 

Below are some pages from the Sommerfeldt instructions for catenary - PM me if you would like me to send you a scan that you can actually read. They also make a tool that helps you place the masts - but there is also a diagram to help you make one yourself.

 

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Are you running any of the other lines as DM says? I can look to see if there is any special instructions for them. Mine is all RhB.

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