Layout Construction, Updated Feb 6, 2011

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Dec 2010. Several pictures of fascia construction, mockups of buildings, real buildings, carcard sorting racks, etc. This work has mostly taken place over the last week or two. Approximately 50% of the fascia is now installed. One the many problems to overcome was the joining of two tempered, 1/4-inch masonite sheets 24 inches wide on a 30-inch radius! Yes, it can be done... It seems like I can never focus on just one portion of the layout and get it complete before moving onto the next. So, I've focused my attention on Yakima for a couple days and have installed fascia overhead, lighting, and cleaned it up a bit. I forgot what the trackplan was supposed to look like and have to put it back together piecemeal. I've also worked on Naches some and hope to have the base painted and track laid shortly.
Boxcars-a-plenty, Staging #1 Boxcars-a-plenty, Staging #2 Yakima #1 Yakima #2
Naches and Yakima 1/4-inch masonite fascia seam Fascia, painted S-W Evergreen Export (Continental) Grain - left, Naches - right, Oly - back
Aisleway Olympia, east end Fascia formers #1
Fascia formers #2 Fascia formers #3 Fascia formers #4 Fascia formers #5
Olympia, chemical plant, yard office Olympia yard #1 Olympia yard #2 Olympia yard #3
Olympia, corner full of industry Carcard sorting rack 1/8-inch fascia closeup 1/8-inch fascia, 14-inch radius
1/4-inch fascia #1 1/4-inch fascia #2 fascia clamping #1 fascia clamping #2
dsc05656.jpg (247K bytes) Jan/Feb 2010. It's been four years since I've updated these pages and nothing much has happened on the layout in that time; mostly work and some other personal things have hindered progress, much to my disappointment. However, I got going just after Christmas and haven't slowed down much in that time. Track is finally laid in Olympia Yard, ground throws installed, tail track up to industrial area in, feeders installed on most trackage in Oly, harbor installed (still needs raising up), causeway trackage over to Export Grain installed, as well as all trackage for Export Grain. I just installed the 12-volt bus for the entire layout on Feb 15 and wired all the electrical switches so that all the mainline switches can now be controlled. I have engines and freight cars out on the layout that I can run around with when all the tools are not in the way. I'm working off of a to-do checklist and there isn't much left in order to start switching Olympia. Probably about a week's worth of work remains. In order to really run it properly, I need to get the lighting, fascia, and carcard boxes installed. The staging area is in a shambles - trackwork, some benchwork, and car shelves are still needed.
dsc05663.jpg (206K bytes) Jan/Feb 2010. I put Export Grain up on temporary legs and laid out the trackage and switches - poor man's layout planning at it's finest. I will have shelving under this in the future to store carfloats and some model railroading magazines. Export Grain has four tracks; run-around, clean out, loads/empties #1, loads/empties #2 (also the scale track.) Switcher escape track is seen on the far left and the far right will be the locomotive service and storage track. And PVC pipe for silos of course.
dsc05678.jpg (209K bytes) Jan/Feb 2010. Photo shows closeup of spline roadbed and keying it into the plywood base.
dsc05680.jpg (204K bytes) Jan/Feb 2010. Export Grain. The ceiling tiles have been sealed with a mis-mixed good, dirty brownish black latex I picked up for two bucks at a home improvement store. A backdrop and overhead lighting and fascia will be installed later.
dsc05684.jpg (202K bytes) Jan/Feb 2010. Causeway leading from Oly yard to Export Grain.
dsc05686.jpg (224K bytes) Jan/Feb 2010. Harbor area. Track in far back next to the door is the switching tail track for industries above the yard. Causeway track (leading to Export Grain to the left) is in the foreground. The base of the carfloat apron can be seen. It sits too low and so the entire harbor will be raised up some.
dsc05694.jpg (XXXK bytes) Jan/Feb 2010. I was looking for suitable 12ga wire splice in a hurry and "discovered" these at Radio Shack (part 64-038) after finding nothing at the big box stores. These are similar to the Scotchlok suitcase connectors, but it can be disconnected if needed. They are bit pricey; 1.99 for three (typical marketing ploy - make you buy two packs to obtain only 3 pair,) but I closed my eyes and opened up my pocketbook since I needed them ASAP. The type I purchased tap 12ga wire to 12ga wire, but they do have smaller gauge versions. On initial observation, they work really well.
dsc05697.jpg (XXXK bytes) Jan/Feb 2010. Wire splice in use.