Allegheny1600 Posted July 20, 2014 Share Posted July 20, 2014 Copied from my post about this in the Lunesters Lounge 01/06/2014. Here is my latest project! I don't think it is going to be worthy of a layout thread of it's own, especially as it is just a test track really. You may have seen part of it before - this is my 'shed layout' that I share with my beloved, well the shed is shared as my good lady does her glass bead making in here while I potter with my trains! I used to have a shelf approx 16' feet long by about 15" wide, this is more or less at eye level and I made it into a fairly interesting shunting layout but really fancied sending trains all the way around. This is the original section with a new ramp of 1 in 40 going in. By the far end of the original section, the ramp is clear of the old storage yard. The ramp turns the corner and keeps climbing to close to the height of the top of the door. Once clear of the door, it becomes a shelf of 8" width so I can store some trains. This 8" shelf is on a wall of 31' in length! It will then turn, running along the blue wall, turning again, dropping back to eye level and meeting the original layout (when I've cleared the vases!), you can also see my wife's temporary work station (& her glass collection!). While we're in this mess but the long wall is clear, I also decided to install proper electrical sockets so we no longer need to rely on blinkin' extension cables everywhere! Something I hate, loose wires or cables all over the place! My wife is, as you can see, very understanding of my hobby but she will end up with a really nice beading studio that will enable her to take on students! Hope you like it. Cheers, John E. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted July 20, 2014 Share Posted July 20, 2014 Hi John. that's really is some test track mate. fantastic use of the room and it will be impressive to see a 9F with about 30 Minerals running around and NOT looking like its chasing its tail. Great stuff, but no grass yet? Speak to Mike about the Grass, I'm sure he can do you a good deal. hhahaha Bodge. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Physicsman Posted July 20, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 20, 2014 John, glad you took notice of our opinions and started this thread. ALL aspects of a layout - whether it ends at the baseboard / track / scenic stage are of interest to us. Keep the posts coming. Jeff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete 75C Posted July 20, 2014 Share Posted July 20, 2014 Wow. Very very nice. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allegheny1600 Posted July 20, 2014 Author Share Posted July 20, 2014 Thanks Andy, Jeff, Pete! Now for the update! Best to let the pictures tell the main story, I think. I decided to rebuild this section with wider top boards, maybe having a loco depot or some such behind the main running lines. This now covers the old fiddle yard quite well so I can keep it in use. This is the site for future development. The manky wall was where there had been some mould due to damp, all killed off but horribly stained! The opposite corner, showing some of the doorway span and how the curves reach over the doorway! I was aiming for 30" radius curves but due to my "walls" to stop stock from taking a 6' plunge, I'm down to about 24". Evidence of my initial track planning. The doorway span again. Just continuing along the wall. A longer view showing the difference between 3mm & 4mm foam underlay but - I needed to use it up! Excuse the bright pink blinds, my wife's taste! You can see the window span construction here. A mixture of stock on the old fiddle yard! Hard to show but there is reasonable clearance for stock to get in & out of the fiddle, I see a tunnel & hillsides here in future. That's it for now, work to do, tracklaying to do later! Cheers, John E. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allegheny1600 Posted July 28, 2014 Author Share Posted July 28, 2014 Hi All, Here is the start of what I hope will be a fairly regular update. Mind, it has been awfully hard to get anything done in the shed this week, temperatures in the shed have been hovering around the 28 degrees C mark while my good lady and I have been working! A start has been made on tracklaying however; On the fiddle yard section, the main running lines use code 83 rails (just because I had them!), here we see the Peco variety along with a crossover using Peco number 8 switches, they're lovely and long! This is the gradient up from over the fiddle seen in the last post. Starting to turn the corner over the tea urn (only in use as a drinking water vessel!) just before the door. The Hymek is partly sitting on a Peco code 100 large curved point, the transition between code 100 (for sidings) and code 83 is between the two curved points. I needed to put a slim packing piece under the code 83 and only have an approximately 8 thou difference in rail height. The large silver & brown wagon behind the Hymek is an American 'Auto-rack', a H0 scale 89' long - perfect for checking clearances! The Bavarian Mallet and GP38-2 are just being used to hold the track while the diluted glue sets. The start of the first long straight running line! The track here has switched to Tillig plain wooden sleeper track, again used because I had it in stock - it is amazing quite how much track a layout of this length needs. A long line of German and American diesels being used as ballast weights! Hopefully you can see this part of the layout is high up, 6' to be precise! My legs and back give me some jip after running up & down my set of steps some 20 - 30 times per track laying session! IF the weather & humidity keeps on, I expect there won't be too much more done by next week but, we'll see! Cheers, John E. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Physicsman Posted July 28, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 28, 2014 John, don't deny it - the pink blinds were really YOUR choice! A fun space to be in. How can you work in there with the temptation to "play trains" so close at hand? Jeff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted July 28, 2014 Share Posted July 28, 2014 Looking god John, at least there NOT TAIL CHASING. hahhahaa Bodge. P.S.any chance of some grass? :sungum: Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark axlecounter Posted July 29, 2014 Share Posted July 29, 2014 Jeff John told me last time I saw him that he likes pink blinds lol Mark Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Alister_G Posted July 30, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 30, 2014 Nice job there John, you will need one of those umpires seats from Wimbledon to be able to watch the trains go by... Al. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allegheny1600 Posted July 31, 2014 Author Share Posted July 31, 2014 Thanks Al, Yes, that's just what I need! Wonder if one can get hold of something like that!?! I will be building more, taller platforms to stand on as my current pair are not tall enough, I may have to build a tall chair or two as well! Plenty more to do to the shed yet including fitting a little girls room in the far corner! (for Bev and her guests!). No rest for the wicked! John. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allegheny1600 Posted August 10, 2014 Author Share Posted August 10, 2014 Okay, another update! In truth, not as much done as I'd hoped for but at least, something has been done. Here hopefully, you can see why I opted to widen this area, in the far distance is a (broken) Fleischmann turntable my German modelling mate gave me - IF I can get it to work, it will be installed here and the loco depot will be in front of it. Both curved points installed and wired for the storage loops. The curves all laid as we come around and approach the doorway. Two main running lines on rhs, the storage loops on left. The current limits! I finally got around to laying the track nearest the wall first, that way when everything had dried the following day, I can lay parallel track and simply lift the (ballast) locos forward. Working at height and close to the ceiling has it's drawbacks as it's quite tiring. You can just see the main outer bus and plenty of droppers waiting to be connected up. The droppers are soldered to the underside of fish-plates which are then soldered to the rails. I've also spent some time with Anyrail and this is a rough draft of the storage sidings, the middle short loop should be closer to the centre of the shed but you get the idea. I know it's a very short loop but it might be useful! Cheers for now, John E. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted August 10, 2014 Share Posted August 10, 2014 Good work John, at least your making progress, you could do with MIRRORED CEILING, hahhahah. Bodge. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Alister_G Posted August 11, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 11, 2014 you could do with MIRRORED CEILING, hahhahah. That's a whole different hobby... Al. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted August 11, 2014 Share Posted August 11, 2014 That's a whole different hobby... Al. NAUGHTY B? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jintyman Posted August 11, 2014 Share Posted August 11, 2014 This is awesome!!!! And if I read correctly, a mention of the Settle and Carlisle route, that Mallet should cope admirably with that!!! Great work and very good carpentry skills too Jinty ;-) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allegheny1600 Posted December 17, 2014 Author Share Posted December 17, 2014 Hi all, Just a brief update! Most of the track is now laid on the fiddle section, all droppers connected up and a start has been made on fitting point motors. As these have all to be fired remotely and digitally I bought and tested one of the Lenz point control modules, it seems a great piece of kit. My main problem is getting the motors to fit and fire accurately, only done one so far! This will mostly likely be the last report from this project until the weather warms up, working overhead was absolutely killing my back, my wife has had a fairly big op and needs a good bit of looking after at present and I've been re-invigorated by "Windley" and the German layout/s so I'm moving indoors for the winter! Cheers for now, John E. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 Evening John, I'm sorry to hear about your wife mate, I hope she's going to be O.K. and yes you need to look after her well. I'll have to have a look over at Windley and see just what you've been up to. All the best mate. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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