Update on Sweethome Alabama progress

[Jon Grant 4472]

Hello guys,

 

Having spent too much time weathering freight cars recently, I shamed myself into putting some time into getting the new layout up and running.

 

My first task was to build a short 15inch long board to allow a loco with 2 coupled cars to pass beyond the reverse crossover. It also provided sufficient space to curve the tracks towards the back of the layout enabling me to site the view-blocking bridge to fit on the layout without overhanging the front.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The track has been laid onto Woodland Scenics foam roadbed and wood pieces were cut to shape to fit where the track crosses the baseboard joints. Brass screws were fixed below the track and the rails soldered in place before cutting with a disc. Power is routed to the board via a 6-pin DIN plug jumper cable

 

 

 

This makes the overall scenic portion of the layout 11ft x 1ft 9in, with a further 4ft 6in fiddle yard for the other end. There is also scope to add a second fiddle yard beyond the bridge

 

 

The next task was to lay a new track into the fiddle yard to represent a wood/lumber yard - essential if I am modelling NW Alabama. The track exits the layout through a hole in the backscene and the hole will eventually be hidden by trees.

 

 

 

The main line to the fiddle yard is accessed via a track which runs behind the backscene.

 

 

 

More to follow....

 

Jon

[stock_2007]

Hi jon it's getting there and you still have a lot more done then I have mind you my track as been up and down that much it should be on elastic hope to see you soon

[Jon Grant 4472]

Thanks Billy.

 

I have made a lot of progress since fitting a TV arial to the telly in the cellar, so I can watch the footie while working

 

 

Now that the new board is in place, I could concentrate on the layout lighting.

 

I extended the lighting fascia at the front of the layout, supported by 4 removable brackets fitted behind the backscene. Remember, everything has to be dismantled so the layout will fit in the boot(trunk) of the family runaround.

 

I have seen many lighting effects on layouts at shows, ranging from nothing at all, through the positioning of the odd spot-lamp (creating the illusion of a POW camp in WWII) to daylight fluorescent tubes (as used on Sweethome Chicago).

 

The nicest effect I saw had warm fluorescent lighting illuminating the back of the layout and cool/daylight bulbs at the front, so I thought I'd give it a try with what I had lying about the cellar.

 

Here's the completed layout lighting rig - it dismantles completely in under 15 minutes. I tried it during half time during one of the World Cup footie matches.

 

 

 

 

 

To get an idea of the coverage and overall effect of the mixed lighting tones, I switched off the room lights, one of which is directly above the layout. Here is an idea of the effect, although I do not intend to operate this way very often.

 

 

 

 

Jon

[Jon Grant 4472]

Having had a chance to operate some trains on the layout, I wasn't happy with the placement of some of the sidings. I removed a tunout which made the layout look too busy and realigned all the siding tracks. I have ended up with 2 'Inglenooks' (micro layout parlance) placed end to end, with a passing siding separating them.

 

This allows for an upper and lower yard which can be worked individually by 2 operators or by one operator working both yards.

 

Upper Yard

 

 

 

 

 

Lower yard

 

 

 

The lower yard includes the track through the backscene to the lumber yard in the fiddle yard.

 

 

 

 

Next up is the central bridge area.

 

 

Jon

[Jon Grant 4472]

The bridge in the centre of the layout serves 2 main purposes.

 

Firstly, it acts as a scenic block to separate the upper and lower yards and frames each of the 2 main scenes on the layout.

 

Secondly it has been placed where the operatorwill sit during shows. There's little or no point in modelling an area that will only be obscured by the operator during a show.

 

thebridge top was modelled from Rix/Pike Stuff parts but the abutments and pillars were scratchbuilt from card and plastic components. The stonework was added using Wills plastic sheets, tidied up at the corners with a scribing tool.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jon

[Jon Grant 4472]

To bring things up to date, I have fitted the toggle switches to the layout front, just under the central bridge.

 

To save on making jumper cables or control panels, I have only fitted the switches that operate the turnouts for each of the 2 main boards - ie board 1 - the Lower yard - has 3 turnouts and 3 toggle switches, while the board containing the lower yard has 6 of each.

 

Each toggle switch is linked to an NCE Switch-it accessory decoder, which is also linked to a Tortoise turnout motor.

 

I have recessed the banks of toggle switches so that they can be covered up so the layout can be safely transported without damage to the switches.

 

 

 

 

The socket for the ProCab handheld has also been recessed.

 

 

 

My next job will be to add a plywood fascia board to the front of the layout and cut it to the rough shape of the foreground scenery.

 

Jon

[Andrew Peters]

Jon looking very good, Would love to come and have a play

[Gene]

Looks fantastic Jon...you do work very fast!

[Jon Grant 4472]

Jon looking very good, Would love to come and have a play

 

 

If you're ever in the area. Plus Nottingham show have already expressed an interest - when it's finished of course.

 

Jon

[Jon Grant 4472]

Keeping up the momentum, I sprated the track and sleepers/rail ties with a grimy brown colour. I will add the rusty rail colour after all the ballasting has been done.

 

I had to take off the backscenes to access the rear of the track easily.

 

 

 

 

 

I use the 86ft excess height boxcar as my test car - if that goes through, anything will.

 

Jon

[Jon Grant 4472]

After giving the paint a few hours to dry, I started to lay some ballast.

 

I tried to match the ballast to the colour that Southern used off the main line in Alabama, so I mixed some WS light grey medium granite chippings, with some medium light brown and a touch of slate grey chippings.

 

I've tried the granulated cork ballast in the past and gave it up as a bad loss - it moves too easily when the glue is added.

 

I apply the ballast with a teaspoon for control, move it into place with my finger and a small stithe paint brush, then tidy it up using a small screwdriver. It's slow but worth doing it right in the long run.

 

 

 

 

I started the ballasting over the join between the 2 baseboards to get the hardest part out of the way first. It also meant I could fix and ballast around the bridge support early on.

 

 

 

 

The test car is used to ensure I have the necessary clearances before the glue dries

 

 

 

 

The ballast is currently drying out after adding WS white glue with an eye-dropper - the most accurate way of applying the glue and doesnt make the ballast move. I had already sprayed the area with isopropyl alcohol to wet the ballast.

 

Having a small 11ft layout means that the ballasting can be finished in a couple of days, worth remembering when you're planning a vast, sceniced empire.

 

Jon

[trisonic]

Nice, Jon.

I'll be uploading some photos I took at New Hope PA on the old branch of the Reading R.R. (where they filmed "The Perils of Pauline") the light was fading fast but I got a couple of nice turnout pics.

 

Best, Pete.

[Jon Grant 4472]

Nice, Jon.

I'll be uploading some photos I took at New Hope PA on the old branch of the Reading R.R. (where they filmed "The Perils of Pauline") the light was fading fast but I got a couple of nice turnout pics.

 

Best, Pete.

 

 

Could be most useful, looking forward to it. For some unknown reason, I automatically thought of The Perils of Penelope Pitstop!?

 

Jon

[Jon Grant 4472]

I've continued with the ballasting and almost finished the main running lines before I ran out of the light grey ballast. I am now wondering how to show the difference in ballast colour between the branch line, the runround loop/siding and the 2 yard ladders.

 

I have already spotted a gaff in that the main running line is not actually a 'main line' but a branch line, and as such probably wouldn't have the sloped ballast sides - no wonder I ran out. D'oh!

 

 

 

 

 

 

An old view of the works train

 

 

 

I'll probably paint the sky while I'm waiting for the new ballast to arrive

 

Jon

[stock_2007]

That ballast I showed you last night would look great on a branch line.

B)

[Jon Grant 4472]

That ballast I showed you last night would look great on a branch line.

B)

 

You might be right, Bill.

 

I'm hunting out some photos of the different shades of ballast. my own thoughts are that the older ballast would get browner, rather than greyer, with more weeds showing up in the yards.

 

I'll keep you posted on the RS1

 

Jon

[Andrew Peters]

Looking good Jon

 

If I had free time I might have to take you up on the offer of coming over and having a go.

[Jon Grant 4472]

While I'm waiting for the ballast to arrive in the post, I thought I'd make a start on the scenic fascia boards while watching the Germany-Ghana game at the World Cup.

 

I found a sheet of wood in the back lane a couple of weeks ago, after someone had thrown out an old wardrobe - a nice piece of 1/4 in plywood - waste not, want not.

 

I cut out the basic shape with a Stanley knife and after several new blades, had a rough approximation of the final contours. After cutting out the slots for the recessed switches, I attached the fascia board and undercoated it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'll do the next scenic contour board tomorrow night.

 

 

Congratulations to the England and US footie teams at the World Cup.

 

Jon

[Jon Grant 4472]

I finished off the contour/fascia boards this evening while watching Japan beat Denmark on the telly. I've also started to contour the board tops (subroad bed) to fit in with the falling scenery.

 

Unfortunately this also means I will have to add some longitudinal bracing to prevent sagging between the cross braces.

 

The longest part of the job was cutting out the slots for the recessed switches and the Pro Cab socket.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The cutaway scenery will also create some interesting photographic angles - just as well I'm modelling the brake gear.

 

 

 

 

Tomorrow evening, I'll add the bracing and maybe make a start on filling in those big holes.

 

Jon

[Andrew Peters]

Good bit of recycling I like the idea of being able to get down lower and look up, gives you the idea your a kid again watching the trains go past.

[Jon Grant 4472]

Since the ballast still hasn't arrived in the post, I thought I'd carry on with the scenics at the front of the layout.

 

I decided to do some 'cornflake packet basket weaving' - never thought I'd see those words in the same sentence.

 

I cut up an old cornflake box into strips, some thick and some thin. A Stanley knife and a steel rule worked better than scissors for this job. I then attached the thick strips to the back of the fascia board with superglue and tore off to the approximate length to cross the scenic void.

 

 

 

 

Once the strips were stuck fast, I bent over the strips, cut to length and glued down the other end

 

 

 

 

Now for the thin card strips.....

 

Jon

[Jon Grant 4472]

Once the glue was dry, I started interweaving the thin strips over-and-under the thicker strips already in place.

 

I worked from the bottom to the top and tamped each strip down as I went. The ends of the strips were glued in place after cutting to length. I find it much easier to use thin strips for the weaving part of the process.

 

I also mounted a concrete drain on a wood base and worked the weaving around it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The woven card provides a reasonably sturdy base for the next part in the process - the plaster bandage

 

Here are a couple of test shots without the junk in the background.

 

 

 

 

Jon

[shortliner]

Looks good Jon, but every time you post a pic that includes that ee-nor-mouse boxcar, I get the urge to get the trackmobile out and put it in front of it!

[Jon Grant 4472]

Looks good Jon, but every time you post a pic that includes that ee-nor-mouse boxcar, I get the urge to get the trackmobile out and put it in front of it!

 

I'll have to dig out one of my NER 0-4-0s to haul it.

 

 

Having got the card strips down, I was impatient to get some Mod-Roc plaster bandage down, so I continued with the scenics on board 1.

 

First job was was to make some formers for where the 2 baseboards meet (and separate) These were cut from foam-core board (Gator board in the US, I think) and glued in place. Each board has triple thickness formers for strength and lightness.

 

 

 

 

Once dry, I glued down some 1" styrene blocks, cut roughly to size.

 

 

 

 

I cut them to profile with a hacksaw blade and finished them off with a sanding block.

 

 

 

 

The plaster bandage, cut into approximately 1ft strips, was applied wet and the plaster smoothed over before it dried.

 

So far, I have applied three layers of bandage and will give it a couple of days to dry out fully, before checking to see if I need to add any more. If not I'll paint the lot a muddy soil colour on top, and white undercoat underneath to seal the construction and stiffen it further.

 

 

 

 

 

The second board is now looking a tad bare, so it will get the treatment while the first board dries out.

 

Jon

[Jon Grant 4472]

The work on the second board was completed much quicker, including time out to shout at the TV during the Englang v Germany football match, and I've practically caught up to the work on board 1.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next job is to link the scenery on the two sides of the bridge.

 

 

Jon