Robatron86

I had the layout out yesterday, properly set up with everything wired up (the layout doesn't have a permanent home, it lives on its end in the dining room when not in use) and it was an absolute delight to have everything work straight away. No sticking point motors, no dead spots, locomotives running well, lighting looking good. Obviously I had to take pictures, but this one is the best.

Following the recent purchase of a printer for work, I've been using it for non work purposes... Period correct signage on the liquor store, pavement and some parking lot lines. The old newspapers by the dumpster are period Los Angeles front pages. All of these courtesy of Google images and a resizing app on my phone. Looks like he couldn't wait to get home to drink his Bud!

And another job. Three Athearn covered hoppers. The UP one was a Golden Flour hopper, the ATSF was a Rock Island and the SP was a Penn Central.

Another loco I've been working on this week is a very nice Kato drive Atlas GP7, also undecorated. This loco didn't have dynamic brakes during the time period I'm modelling so was an easier job.

May I offer up these two Roundhouse veterans? I know I've owned 520711 at least three different times in my modelling career.

So it's gone from Yakima Valley, Washington to Los Angeles, California to Seattle, Washington again in less than a day....

@298 It really does get everywhere.

Thank you, although the Camel Yellow is a bit darker than Santa Fe yellow, once it has been sealed, varnished and weathered, you won't be able to tell the difference.

The final part of the layout puzzle has begun it's testing phase: lighting. These are photos of the led lighting strips laid flat across the top. There are sitting on strips of greaseproof paper acting as diffusers. The angle of them may be changed to increase the shadows under the overpass.

The Proto unit is one piece as they offer it with or without dynamic brakes. So yes I had to take a hacksaw to the Proto unit and cut very careful. I did also have to trim the Athearn part as it had sections that aren't on the GP20 dynamic section.

Actually, the lack of dynamic brakes has inspired me to dig through my spares box. Finding an old Athearn GP38-2 shell, I've now modified the locomotive appropriately.

Yes, the lack of the dynamic brakes is the biggest concern for me. As the layout is set in LA, I can't really use Rock Island as an interloper.

I recently purchased a P2K GP18 undecorated, so I needed to paint it. The Santa Fe never had any GP18s, but the GP20 is very similar so I'm numbering it up as one of them. Rule one and all that. Still a work in progress at the moment. Microscale decals, Tamiya Camel Yellow and Revell Lufthansa Blau with a touch of black. The yellow is from a rattle can, the blue was hand painted.

My two pennies: Tamiya Camel Yellow for Santa Fe yellow. Revell Lufthansa Blau (with a touch of black) for Santa Fe blue. Revell Cascade Green for Burlington Northern green. Revell Reddish Brown for pre 1960's boxcar red.

Thanks Nick. I hope I haven't inspired you to build another American layout I like to just try the numerous different ideas I have in my head. You won't find out if it'll work unless you just give it a go.

I just couldn't leave the overpass alone! I thought the support beams looked a little lacking, so I added two more beams, one on either side of the original 4 beams, and added smaller supports at intervals.

I decided I wasn't at all happy with the foam board sides and beams on the overpass, so these have been replaced with pine strip wood. I've also begun wiring up the power lines.

Which part of the ground cover are you referring to? The concrete sections were done with Woodland Scenics modelling sheets, 1/16th thick I think. The rest was done with fine modelling sand for use with military and wargaming.

The sides of the highway have been cut from foam board and attached. I've made a more permanent attachment solution out of four brackets I found. The layout will eventually have a top made from MDF to hide the top of the highway. The sides and edges of the highway are to be covered in thick paper to hide the transition from the wood to the foam board and then painted.

Sorry @NickBrad, just seen your reply. I only took this project on because it was all straight edges and angles. It is by no means a perfect copy. I believe you have the skills to pull off something like this.

Good looking layout Liam. Great start.

I have finally moved past the mental block I've had with the actual overpass construction and I can now move at a good pace. I was going to use some thick packaging cardboard for the base, but it would inevitably get easily damaged, become warped, would need excessive bracing etc. I decided to use my favourite layout building medium, MDF. I've attached pine dowel supports that fit inside the cardboard tubes I've used for the concrete support pylons. On the top side, which will be hidden, the overpass is attached to the two side backscenes with angled L brackets. Next on the list is the intermediate support beams and the sides of the highway.

No work on the layout lately, just taking pretty pictures!

Thank you for your kind words @Keith Addenbrooke. The decals for this car were a custom print made for me by Bill at the Precision Design Company in Canada, but if you are looking for a broader choice of car decals, you would be better off checking out Microscale in California. But be warned, it can get very expensive. Minimum spend of $20 (£15.12) plus $15 shipping (£11.34). The model weighs a scale 68 grams.

A few details I've been adding to the layout lately.