Layout in progress { no laughing please im a newbie }

[fitzguttentite]

Hi to all

here are a few pics of the start

progress is slow

started off with cork underlay { did not like it } switched then to foam , another disaster

then when going through the garbage under the stairs i found large workout mat

belong to her who must be obeyed { which was never used } a lidl special at 6.99

turned out to be excellent { easy to cut nd shape } and nice and smooth

got some ballast mixes and started to try them out

so thats where im at so far

 

fitz

 

ps i will be posting an add in the for sale section { peco turntable } my layout is too small for it so i might as well sell it

somebody will get some use from it , i will post a pic of it on the for sale section

its new and boxed

 

thx

fitz

[gm171 kk]

I don't think there is a person on this site that would laugh at this, you have more of a layout than I do.

[fitzguttentite]

Thx gm

im trying to take it slow { as im bound to mess up somewhere along the line } but thats the fun of it all i guess

hope to have it all finished for the winter months

somewhere to hide in the evenings

[josefstadt]

Why would anyone laugh? It looks like a great start - keep up the good work. I hope that SWMBO hasn't discovered that her mat is being put to a better use! Is that an old Tri-Ang rocket launcher wagon in the last photo? Looking forward to the next installment.

[Warbonnet]

Like the National Power 59, I wish someone would hurry up and do an up to date model of the 59s!

 

Good work!

[BosKonay]

Love it - and the mix of stock

 

 

Keep up the photos please

 

(also, I might take that peco turntable off you )

[fitzguttentite]

Hi josef

you are spot on i got it on flea bay for 1.50

its missing its rocket ? { pity could have fired it at S W M B O }

im actually having a great time doing this as 3 people called during the week

but nobody can find me

oh the peace n quiet BosKonay i will try post a pic of that this evening { turntable }

fitz

[RedRich]

I'll echo what everyone else is saying Fritz, you are doing a great job for your first attempt, like anything you learn as you go along and you will improve very quickly at this rate. The foam is a great idea if you are housing the layout overhead or in a bungalow where sound deadening is important to keep noise to a minimum. Be careful not to apply it with PVA because when the PVA dries it dries hard and it will lose a lot of the sound deadening effect.

 

If you are housing the layout in a purpose built room out doors and your timber work is even and well built you shouldn't need foam or any other type of underlay if you use diluted Copydex as an adhesive for setting the track and ballast to the boards. I have seen this approach before and it works beautifully. I look forward to more progress.

 

Rich,

[fitzguttentite]

Hi rich

im up in the attic

so im not too bad off the kids have flown the nest and only the mrs and me left

so the noise aspect it not too bad an issue { thank god }

the glue im using on the track ballast is p v a a 50/50 mix

first sprayed with a mix of water and washing up liquid { then applying the glue } seems to be working so far

im wondering now if i should paint the ballast ?

a brown with some black mixed in ?

your thought on this ?

 

fitz

[burnthebox]

Bloodly hell, slow down man, you have at least twice as much of a layout than I have, well done, keep up the good work, you won't get any dis-couragement on here, I'm already waiting on the video !!

[RedRich]

Hi rich

im up in the attic

so im not too bad off the kids have flown the nest and only the mrs and me left

so the noise aspect it not too bad an issue { thank god }

the glue im using on the track ballast is p v a a 50/50 mix

first sprayed with a mix of water and washing up liquid { then applying the glue } seems to be working so far

im wondering now if i should paint the ballast ?

a brown with some black mixed in ?

your thought on this ?

 

fitz

 

Fitz sometimes the use of washing up liquid mixture and water mist spray followed by the PVA water mix can turn some granite ballast chippings a green color when it dries. This won't be the case if you use other types like Woodland Scenics ballast.

 

If you are brushing the color try some track grime color dry brushed (after loading the brush with paint wipe off most of it in a tissue) and as Anthony has said in another post brush some oil spills where locos have been idling. Go out and look at the real thing and familiarize yourself with what real track looks like. Take photos if you can and study the different tones and colors in the ballast and sleepers. Anthony has posted some very good photos of concrete sleepers track and they are a great reference for anyone wanting to weather their track. There are also some track pics in the prototype photos section of the group of wooden sleepered track that you could use. A little tip is to always model what you see and not what you think it should look like. Any of the lads that paint professionally always use photographs as a reference and that is why their work looks so realistic.

 

Rail Match and Phoenix Precision paints have tinlets of the correct shades of paint for weathering track and ballast, it's well worth having a look at both ranges. A lot of the lads are mixing their own colors and achieving as good if not better results than the off the shelf paints. Youtube is always a good place for watching uploads of different techniques of the process and is well worth checking out.

 

As I said observations of the real thing are a great way of giving you a guide of what you want to achieve. The attic is a popular place for a lot of layouts. Do make sure that it is well insulated, dry, and always keep a close eye on things as sudden changes in temperature can lead to disasters. Leave the missus downstairs to watch soaps and you go up to the loft, a sure sign of a marriage made in heaven.

 

Rich,

[Sulzer201]

Well done Fitz, that layout is coming on with great speed and can't wait to see more pics. The PW gang look busy too. Love the deltic and the GM59.

[fitzguttentite]

Finished a bit off last night { ballast } added a few telegraph poles , next step is the grass etc etc

the ballast drove me nuts { its a time consuming process } but taking it slow i think it worked out ok ?

as i said earlier i have a few items { new } that i wont be using , due to lack of space . i will put the up on the for sale board today

one is a peco oo gauge turntable / the other is an oo gauge oil storage tank { with led light }

 

fitz

[BosKonay]

That's looking better with every post Fitz±!

[heirflick]

welcome to the site fitz, (where the advice is free and the abuse is plentyful!)...nice work so far. what s the size of the layout?

Edited September 9, 2012 by heirflick

[fitzguttentite]

Gutten tag Heirflick

its 14 x 14 { so far } if i could burst into next doors attic i would

here is my mountain and tunnells on the cheap

down to the local eurosaver first item was a roll of gutter protector 1.99 { its plactic an easy to use compared to 15.99 a roll of chicken wire } 2nd item 2 x 1.99 packets of plaster mix 3rd item 10 dishcloths 1.99, and a 2.99 bucket

up into the loft and let the fun begin

shaped some foam pieces , sprayed some expandable foam

got it all in place { checked the stock going in and out of the tunnell openings }

out with the gutter wire { i was amazed at the value , i was able to strenghten it a total of 3 times with the amount that was in the roll

all shaped up now , time for the plaster , the dishcloths are just like the bandage material

soaked them in the plaster and here is the result { i will finish off any nooks and crannys with a woodland scenics roll

next step { the painting and the grass work }

 

fitz

i tell you lads i never knew retirement would be this good

im actually enjoying it so far , and was over the moon to see the two g m,s going around

[Broithe]

if i could burst into next doors attic i would

 

I know somebody that booked a visit from Pest Control because of sounds from their attic - only to be told that he didn't have traps for that sort of thing - which really put the wind up them, until he revealed that it was next-door's train set...

[BosKonay]

Tunnel is looking good!

 

Just as an aside - if you have a derailment inside - can you get in at it?

[fitzguttentite]

Hi boskonay

yes not a prob its only 6 inch deep { just reach over }

did you get my pm ?

fitz

[IrishModelRail]

When you said not to laugh, I was expecting some track on the floor but that's a very good start. I'm looking forward to seeing more.

[heirflick]

Gutten tag Heirflick

 

down to the local eurosaver first item was a roll of gutter protector 1.99 { its plactic an easy to use compared to 15.99 a roll of chicken wire } 2nd item 2 x 1.99 packets of plaster mix 3rd item 10 dishcloths 1.99, and a 2.99 bucket

up into the loft and let the fun begin

shaped some foam pieces , sprayed some expandable foam

got it all in place { checked the stock going in and out of the tunnell openings }

out with the gutter wire { i was amazed at the value , i was able to strenghten it a total of 3 times with the amount that was in the roll

all shaped up now , time for the plaster , the dishcloths are just like the bandage material

soaked them in the plaster and here is the result { i will finish off any nooks and crannys with a woodland scenics roll

next step { the painting and the grass work }

 

 

 

all you need with that mixture is a little semtex and you will have no trouble getting into the neighbours attic! looking good so far....

[Kirley]

You are really moving at a fast pace and it's looking good. Keep it coming.

[fitzguttentite]

Mountain 80% finished station building in , engine shed in ,

wont be long now

Edited September 13, 2012 by fitzguttentite

[BosKonay]

You are flying at some pace!!!

[fitzguttentite]

Hi Boskonay

yes full steam ahed

in the background you can see the wagons i was telling you about { conrail }

did you get my pm ?

fitz

[Warbonnet]

Hi Boskonay

yes full steam ahed

in the background you can see the wagons i was telling you about { conrail }

did you get my pm ?

fitz

 

What make are the Conrail covered hoppers?

 

Please don't 'Irishise' them!

[fitzguttentite]

Hi warbonnet

i belive they are walthers make

i picked them up in new york last year

i got 6 of them , sorry now i did not buy a dozen as they were on special at 9 dollars each .

and no i wont be changing them

 

fitz

[fitzguttentite]

Warbonnet im sorry i got it wrong

they are Bachmann silver series item number 17506 centre flow conrail hopper

[BabyGM]

Your making great progress

just a few days ago it was just track and the beginings of the scenery and now look at it=D

[fitzguttentite]

hi baby g m

think i will slow down a bit

i want to be up in the attic when the evenings draw in

was at the station wiring today [ got some 12 volt street lamps off flea bay ]

am impressed they look okay

have an old hornby transformer im running them off that so i can control them

dim or full blast

[BosKonay]

Any pics of the lamps in action ?

[fitzguttentite]

could do a video

does it have to be a youtube video or will an ordinary clip do ?

[BosKonay]

YouTube you can embed here allright but any vid would be cool

[fitzguttentite]

have a vid up by 2pm tomorrow

[fitzguttentite]

pic of the lights in action

im using an old hornby transformer so i can limit the voltage i send to them

they are 12 volt but bright when on full power

what you are seeing is 3 quater power sorry for the poor quality of the pics and the vid { new at computers too }

i will post some pics tomorrow of the actual lights

i was painting up there today but had to jump ship as the fumes were getting to me

VIDEO DID NOT UPLOAD SORRY ?