RMweb Gold lakeview770 Posted October 16, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 16, 2013 After a few false starts I've decided to go it alone, having spent the last 12 months trying to decide what to do I was still no further forward. Space is limited as I have a small garage now only 16 by 24' everything plan wise seemed so ambitious or will take years then last months Hornby magazine arrived and I saw Operation Build It. So I said why not it will fill the gap until I really decide what I want to do. So Tuesday night the baseboard was built slightly larger than the plan 8feet long instead of the 6 feet in the plan I am keeping the plan as is but I've added 6 inches to the loop/ platform roads and also increase the yard tracks by about the same. The depth of the plan has also been increased by a couple of inched. . I'm hoping that this project works and that I can incorporate it in to another project at a later date Andrew Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold lakeview770 Posted October 27, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted October 27, 2013 A few days on and all the track is laid, wired and thoroughly tested. Painted the track an overall flat dark brown and now to dry brush over the odd tie here and there so all the ties don't look the same. I'm awaiting delivery of the Floquil track weathering markers these make painting the rails a breeze they come in various colors and you apply the paint like a Sharpie marker. Platform faces added courtesy of the free scalescenes code in Hornby Magazine. The little black tool in the photo was a big help its a cutting implement that model aircraft and ship builders use to cut wood. You set to the width you want after inserting a scalpel blade and cut away using the guide. cost about $5 and every piece of card I cut for the faces and the supports is the same height. There are more expensive ones available with locking scows etc etc. Now to build the turnout control mechanisms and decide which side I want to operate from. Andy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold lakeview770 Posted October 27, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted October 27, 2013 The turnout controls came yesterday and I assembled the first one last night. I've used these many times before in the past. They're a simple laser cut assembly that you cut and glue. The parts These then attach under the baseboard the micro switch is activated by the cam to control the polarity of the frog and the whole mechanism is thrown my radio control aircraft pushrods. Simple and cheap. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ginger j Posted October 28, 2013 Share Posted October 28, 2013 This looks to be a nice layout with plenty of operating potential...a good start. I cant help noticing a rather strange looking visitor on the opening post I don't think anything like that ever ran on British rails! Maybe its on a holiday.... (*****darn tourists,,,,ruining our perfectly good branch lines.....*****) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold lakeview770 Posted October 28, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted October 28, 2013 Yeah it took a wrong turn at New York, the reason I used it was a) my GWR locos were in a box at the rear of the garage and b) it's bigger than anything I think I'll run on here and used it for checking clearances. I do believe some of it's relatives like the SW1500 have run on private lines in the UK?. Andrew Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold lakeview770 Posted October 28, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted October 28, 2013 Thinking can be dangerous and expensive. Using the free platform kit that was offered by Hornby Magazine & Scalescenes I printed the platform faces and installed them, this weekend though I decided to switch the side I'll operate from and to extend the platform around to the other track and scratch build a cattle dock using the Scalescenes platform kit. The problem arose when my PC went on the fritz and finally gave up the ghost, and my wife accidently dropping my Ipad on the floor she felt bad for me and decided to give me my Christmas present early a brand new iMac . When I came to print the platform faces I needed to complete the cattle dock and extra platform there was a sever color mismatch I messed a bit with settings but still couldn't get it anywhere close. There must be a big difference between mac & pc drivers, so I gave up and reprinted the whole lot and will attempt to reface the platforms in situ. The darker one was PC and lighter one off the Mac same printer, paper and inks. Andrew Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold lakeview770 Posted October 28, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted October 28, 2013 Got all the platform faces in place today just got to put the patches on where each section butts up to the next. Started to put scenic forms in place to get an idea of how it's going to look . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold lakeview770 Posted November 4, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted November 4, 2013 Well this week I've not had much chance to get in here and do some modeling . I did make a start on ballasting which is up there on my top 10 things I hate. I did learn quite a few things and as this is really only a testbed to see what I can do I wasn't too bothered about my failure/ disasters. The glue I used for my scale scenes platform wasn't suitable and in some places started to lift, next time Bostik Original will be used, it takes longer to dry but sticks unlike the Elmers spray glue I used. Highly unlikely I'll use card next time probably use wood as the Florida climate isn't nice to thin card. But the week ended on a good note with the arrival of some stock and bits and pieces. Andrew Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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