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+---- Thread: WOOHOO! Good weather = time to build (/showthread.php?tid=2117)
Re: WOOHOO! Good weather = time to build - sgtcarl1 - 04-18-2010
That is fantastic work, Gary!! Thanks for letting us watch!! I certainly have benefitted from your postings and photos!!!
Re: WOOHOO! Good weather = time to build - nachoman - 04-18-2010
The backdrop looks excellent. Excellent colors, and excellent blending. My compliments to the painter.
As for Dr. Wayne's comment about the windows - depends on your personality. Myself, I would be regretting not making the room more open with more windows. I don't like confined spaces, and I don't like being in a room without a hint of artificial lighting. Perhaps that is because I grew up in a sunny climate and spent most of my youth outside. While I envy the space of a basement layout, the restricted atmosphere of the room would be enough that I would probably be discouraged from ever working on the layout. So, if the windows "just felt right", then perhaps your subconscious was telling you something!
But, if the windows cast weird shadows or make weird lighting issues when you are trying to photograph, you can always removable cardboard covers.
Re: WOOHOO! Good weather = time to build - Gary S - 04-18-2010
Thanks Kevin.
As for the windows, I can always put up some pale blue blinds on them.
When I was planning the area, my gut feeling was to leave the center wall short of the ceiling. We discussed the topic in this thread with varying opinions. When I built the center wall, I decided it would be easier just to build a full-height wall because I wouldn't have to do all the extra work involved in cutting the studs and the sheetrock and everything - so I went all the way to ceiling with the studs. Then when I was sheetrocking one side of it, it just felt eerily confining and I immediately took the sheetrock back off, grabbed the skil saw, and went to cutting off the tops of the studs... rebuilt the wall as seen in the photos.
The psychology of it is interesting. Since I grew up in the South with no basements, it may just be that I, like you, don't feel comfortable without some connection to the outdoors. DocWayne is right... from a purely model railroad aspect, no windows and full height center wall is absolutely the way to go. But as you say, my subconscious told me I needed the openings.
On that note, I do want to say a big "thank you!" to everyone who has made suggestions in this thread, regardless of whether I used the suggestions or not. It is certainly better to be aware of the options than to blindly rush in with no thought at all.
Re: WOOHOO! Good weather = time to build - Gary S - 04-18-2010
sgtcarl1 Wrote:That is fantastic work, Gary!! Thanks for letting us watch!! I certainly have benefitted from your postings and photos!!!
Thank you for the compliments. And it has been fun sharing all this with The Gauge, and also kept me focused on the work... I knew y'all were expecting more progress photos!
Re: WOOHOO! Good weather = time to build - Russ Bellinis - 04-19-2010
Gary, I think you mentioned that you discovered that the a/c unit blows the air up into the bottom of the bench work. If that is the case, you might want to install a sheet metal deflector between the bench and the a/c unit to redirect the airflow out instead of up. If the air is directed straight out by the unit, disregard this post.
Re: WOOHOO! Good weather = time to build - Gary S - 04-19-2010
Russ, that's a good idea on the deflector. However, since I had to take the sleeve out anyway, I went ahead and lowered the hole and covered up the old hole:
Before:
After:
Re: WOOHOO! Good weather = time to build - Gary S - 04-19-2010
I didn't do any work on the building today because really I am finished except for the brick. Well, still have to caulk and paint all the soffits and trim, but I'm hoping my wife will do all that! Anyway, I took down sixteen feet of the old layout in the garage and started modifications on it. I also took down all the shelf tracks and brackets... will get them put up in the building sometime.
The photo is of one of the old interchange/staging yards, as it sits in the garage floor right now. When I originally built it, I had made some compromises due to the confinements of the garage. The layout really wasn't wide enough in this section - tracks too close to the backdrop and too close to the front edge. So I added onto the front and the back (the unpainted wood in the photo). I also added another 3 feet so the yard tracks can be longer, so this section will be 19 feet long. Still have to put on the 1/4" luan and then the 2" foam.
I'm hoping to have some shelf brackets up in the new building before the weekend, and maybe get this piece set in place in the building.
I'm feeling really good about the progress and it was fun working on the actual layout today!
Re: WOOHOO! Good weather = time to build - Charlie B - 04-19-2010
So, you will be running a train of some type by this week-end, just to say you "done" it.
I've been tempted to put the 4X6 test track on saw horses in the barn.Charlie
Re: WOOHOO! Good weather = time to build - Steamtrains - 04-19-2010
Charlie...A top on saw horses doesn't count as a "valid" first run. Gotta get something "in place".....
Re: WOOHOO! Good weather = time to build - Charlie B - 04-20-2010
Yes, you are right, I still have to go to the other house for my "final" run there before I tear it up, but that will be quite a while.
Charlie
Re: WOOHOO! Good weather = time to build - Steamtrains - 04-20-2010
Is a "final" run something that everyone does when a layout is going to layout heaven..?? I know I did one when I had to take my previous layout down due to a house change..... :cry:
Re: WOOHOO! Good weather = time to build - Charlie B - 04-20-2010
Well, unlike Gary, when I started the "last layout" I was never moving so it isn't built to move. I can salvage parts of it, but not all. It's a basement layout with tiny doors.
Charlie
Re: WOOHOO! Good weather = time to build - Gary S - 04-20-2010
Charlie B Wrote:So, you will be running a train of some type by this week-end, just to say you "done" it.
I doubt I'll have anything running by this weekend! I'm going to rewire everything... the longer runs will need bigger wire.
Here is a drawing of the room. The green sections are existing from the garage. Red sections will be built. Will probably do the half-circle in the middle and the lower left corner first, that will get most of the old layout tied together. At that point, I'll do some wiring and then run some trains. Now, what I'm REALLY looking forward to is getting the complete "mainline" done all around the room, then putting the removable bridge across the door and running a train in a complete circuit around the whole thing!
Re: WOOHOO! Good weather = time to build - Gary S - 04-20-2010
Charlie B Wrote:Well, unlike Gary, when I started the "last layout" I was never moving so it isn't built to move. I can salvage parts of it, but not all. It's a basement layout with tiny doors.
I can imagine it would be rough trying to get big pieces up the stairs and through the door. Luckily I have big doors and no stairs to work with. The shelf layout certainly lends itself to easily dismantling.
Re: WOOHOO! Good weather = time to build - Russ Bellinis - 04-20-2010
Gary, you might want tot est the direction of the outlet air from that a/c unit. A/c units will condense moisture out of the air, and if there is any sort of updraft out of the unit, you may want to protect the underside of your bench work directly above the a/c unit.