Current Layout Updates
Check here for the most current updates and progress on the layout.Work is almost completed on the Creamery module.
We have the scenery in and are completing the finishing touches on the grossing signals you can watch the testing video on our you tube channel here.
Another project we have started is to finish the fascia around the layout. We have most of the first layer complete but have still a lot of work to do on the lower one.
04/11/2018
Work is progressing at a steady pace!
Over the last few months I have been busy working on a lot of odds and ends items. I started with the module that will eventually be the Creamery scene. I never really liked the way it turned out so I went back to the drawing board and did some tweaking. Below are the pictures resulting in the final outcome. I was able to gain much needed real-estate for the creamery and parking lot. Up next is to work on getting some scenery on the module so we can run some trains!
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| Creamery Before tweaking module |
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| Creamery after tweaking. |
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| Finished module with painted foam ready for scenery. |
01/17/2018
WOW! its been a while ah. Don't worry bloggers I have been busily working to complete many projects and items I have lined up!
I was able to finally finish the new shops at Grafton yard and complete the finishing touches on the back shops as well. I custom built a addition onto the new round house and detailed both the round house and addition interiors. I am planning on lighting the interiors of these buildings and putting more scene details in them. The buildings are the first ones you see as you enter the train room and I wanted to show them off properly. I replaced the old round house from Atlas with a new one from Walthers and custom fit the addition to it. I still need to power the stall tracks in the round house and do some tweaking on the turntable. I am controlling the turntable with an old NCE mobile decoder.
02/01/2017
Well after the clean up and drying out period of the fridge flood I began construction of the new modules. Once this was finished I began to build the foam rock cuts that will surround the new helix section concealing it in a "mountain". There are many videos on you tube showing how to carve foam so I won't go into it here. I will however show some pics of the one side I do have completed ready for paint.
The new NCE DCC system has arrived and is setup. I choose to go with a Smart Booster 5 with a NCE Pro cab I did not get a Power cab because I do all my programming on a separate track from the layout with JMRI software. My first impressions are WOW this little package works great. Tones of power for my needs and easy to use interface once I retrain my brain from the MRC way. One thing I like a lot is how you have way more options for customization with this unit vs. the MRC model.
08/14/2016
In addition to the new shops at Grafton Yard I have also been working on replacing the turntable with a 90' Walther's kit. After doing several modifications to it most of which are listed elsewhere on other forums I have the darn thing working efficiently. I have posted a video on the You Tube channel showing the results of the modifications and progress I have made on the kit so far.
03/31/2016
I have been moving forward on the bridge scene of the layout. I was able to complete most of the plastering and fitment work last weekend and started the scenery this week. I am also workign on finalizing the track layout for the mill area I have come up with a modified and simplified type of switching puzzle for the scene. In testing the track plan I have found that it makes for a very interesting switching job. I designed the track work to have three stub end spurs and a cross over in the middle acting as a run around track the engine crew would use the main track of the branch line to the mill as a yard lead.
In these pictures you can see how I used sculpt-a-mold and plaster to make the rock cuts and blend everything together. I also carved out the bridge abutments. I achieved this by using my Dremel and an X-acto knife.
02/08/2016
Here are some pictures of the work I've done on the bridge scene.I started with removing the decking and track from the Atlas trusses and replaced them with one piece of flex track. I was not concerned about the ties being a little short or not to scale. I then cut strips of .40 styrene to make the guard rails for the bridge. I used styrene because it was what I had on hand and wanted to see if I could get something to look good on a low budget.
After I added the styrene strips I added planking from an old piece of balsa strip wood and used some scale 1 x 6 planking for the guard timbers on the edge of the bridge.With the bridge improvements complete I focused on the bridge piers and abutments. I mocked up some using wood but was not happy so I decided to make them out of styrene.
Finally I made two abutments from pine wood blocking and curved them with my Dremel to look like cut stone. All in all the improvements look a lot better than the original and I only spent $16 dollars to complete them. I still need to weather the piers,abutments and trusses. Also I need to finish the scenery to tie the scene together. I will post a video on the you tube channel for those who are interested.
02/03/2016
I will get some pictures up soon on the current bridge upgrades I am doing on the layout. I really didn't like the way the over all scene came out the first time so I decided to rework it. I have done a few improvements to the atlas stock deck girders and truss bridge in an attempt to make them look more prototypical and realistic. I replaced the bridge supports because, 1. I didn't like the first ones only temporary, 2. they where not to scale. I am experimenting with custom made ones because I can not find any commercially available ones that meet the height requirement. So far I have had good results with wooden ones that I custom carved cut stone on with a Dremel tool.
05/22/2015
While I was in the yard area I decided to do some demo work near the station to make room for the parking lot and road for the station.A few months have passed since I have ran trains on my layout. I am busy cleaning track and fixing sloppy track work that was done in my hast to get things up and running on the layout.07/02/2014
While testing the functionality of the Grafton yard, my father who was visiting suggested that I add a caboose track or RIP siding to store MOW equipment. below I took some pics of the layout process and fitment of the switch and track. Also while I was in that area of the yard I replaced a switch that was a bit problematic.
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Before and after track fitment. I removed the existing scenery by first wetting with a spray bottle filled with water to soften the glue. Then I used a old chisel to scrap the old material off.
Here I took out a old switch and replaced with a new Peco one. I also adjusted the grade so that cars would pass without derailing.
02/05/2014
Current progress on the layout is moving forward finally. I made my first visit to the Amherst train show this year and picked up some goodies stay tuned for pics and videos. Scenery is coming along also I have been working on the East falls section of the layout finishing some things specifically new rock cuts and scenery. I am not sure how I will scenic the new area yet, I'll have to do some research as real estate is getting spare as we all know with our layouts.
I was unhappy with the Atlas turnouts in the yard so I started to replace them with Peco ones. Let me just say this having never used any other track than atlas products .......WOW I love the way these switches snap when you move the points and stay, awesome!!! also the layout out has a more realistic feel instead of the toy feel it has had. I have been tinkering with adding a second lower level to the layout for staging / expansion. However I have made no definitive decisions yet. So as you can see I have plenty of projects to keep me going for a while, stay tuned for all the fun!!!
08/29/2013
I'll start off with some pictures of the layouts resident hobos it
seems that they have moved in for permanent residents on the abandoned Moose Pond run.
Next up is the newest loco to be added to the roster. MEC 450 a GP-7/9 hybrid.
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Some more detail pics that we have added.
03/01/2013
Just a quick note as I have a new job position with more of my free time focused on work I will post updates every three months or so for those of you who do follow the blog please be patient as I have lots of projects in the works and plenty of material to keep us going for a while!Currently I am educating myself to use decoder pro. My hope is that I can start speed matching some of the fleet. I have also started to look into a card forwarding or switch list system for a more formal operating session.
02/01/2013
Well winter is almost over and spring is on the way. Most of the ballast work is done and we have started to add scenery. I finish a few projects I have been meaning to get to, one is adding a decoder to the round table so it can be controlled from the DCC system. Also all the engine stall tracks have been wired for independent control I.E. on off switch, so as not to over whelm the listener or operator with sound as we all know even four engines running at idle can be trying on the ears.
01/21/2013
I based the Wye section loosely on the Burnham Junction Wye on the Belfast and Moose head Lake RR. (see link in list at right)
Although the Wye is small it serves my purpose I just wanted to turn the engine and not the whole train so I was able to fit smaller legs of the Wye in a tighter space giving me more room to make a residential area for the town of East falls. also I added two stub end tracks just big enough for a box car or two near the end on the main street section. By doing this I created a operations challenge as the operator has to carefully plan his switch moves for the main street industries.
I have finished most of the scenery on the saw mill end of the layout and have posted some pictures below.
The pictures to the left and right show a skidder being worked on it seems the rear end is gone. I am sure the logging crew will have it up and running in no time. With daily chip car pick ups and drops they should have no problem getting parts.
At right we see a pulp truck arriving and some of the finished lumber being readied for shipment.
Here is the most recent layout plan in the upper right you can see the new Wye with the town in the back ground. In the left side on the photo you can see the new trestle and lead track up to the new industrial area. The only other item left on the to do list is to add a switch in the lower left corner of the photo to make access to a under table staging yard. Most likely a small helix will be put in under the round house and several staging tracks will go under the main yard. I plan to have the staging on a reverse loop to make it easier to show trains going and coming from other locations outside of the layout.
