A new beginning inspired from my old Central Midland Layout

[BigE]

From one Eric to another, what is that exact color on the walls?
I just started today working for a feller who has been advised to paint in some sort of gray like that.
I just started helping him today - just the 2 of us.
He mentioned the color name but I don't remember.
I was too busy in my work at the time. Looks like I'll be involed in this place for some time - lest we have a falling out.
E

 

[tootnkumin]

From one Eric to another, what is that exact color on the walls?
I just started today working for a feller who has been advised to paint in some sort of gray like that.
I just started helping him today - just the 2 of us.
He mentioned the color name but I don't remember.
I was too busy in my work at the time. Looks like I'll be involed in this place for some time - lest we have a falling out.
E

You gon'na fall out with a guy that carries a bazooka on his hip????

 

[Ericsauto]

From one Eric to another, what is that exact color on the walls?
I just started today working for a feller who has been advised to paint in some sort of gray like that.
I just started helping him today - just the 2 of us.
He mentioned the color name but I don't remember.
I was too busy in my work at the time. Looks like I'll be involed in this place for some time - lest we have a falling out.
E

Eric I used PPG Paint Color Name -Quest ------ Color # PPG 10-15 Eggshell finish

And I have to admit that I did not paint my floor myself. I was going to but I have been sick for the past few days with a bad cold and my buddy sent one of his guys over to paint it for me.

 

[BigE]

Eric I used PPG Paint Color Name -Quest ------ Color # PPG 10-15 Eggshell finish

And I have to admit that I did not paint my floor myself. I was going to but I have been sick for the past few days with a bad cold and my buddy sent one of his guys over to paint it for me.

Hope you get to feelin' better Brother E.
I asked again about the paint color today. He's using Benjamin Moore [I think] called "Earthly Gray". He started to put some 2nd coats down today but I can't really tell how it'll look because of the gloomy days we've been having. From what I can tell it looks to be near the same as what you put on your walls after you did the ceiling.
Be well Brother!
E.

 

[Ericsauto]

Got all my tools unpacked and put up so that I can get ready to build benchwork. Also unpacked all my rolling stock and engines. I started feeling a bit better and had to do something. I am hoping to start building some benchwork sometime this week if I can. Just glad I was able to accomplish something this long weekend

 

[beiland]

Ho scale.I do have a plan right now on a rough sketch.
View attachment 54154

Pretty rough but that is my basic idea. I will be adding quite a bit more to it. Now I know someone is going to ask me what era I am modeling. Here is what I do. I do not get into much of the operations. I nickname my layouts " Any Era" because I collect everything. I use mainly 60's and 70's but I like steam and newer stuff. I enjoy building more than operating. My passion has always been passenger trains. This is why I am building this so that I can run my passenger sets and I want to buy a " Big Boy" . Broad curves on this one. The Central Midland was a great layout to build but it was very tight running anything big. I learned a lot from my last layout and this one is going to be hopefully a big improvement. I am going to build this one with foam and wood this time. I have been doing a lot of research and I hope this comes out as good as I think it will. Don't get too anxious as I have a lot to do to get ready to do this but I plan on January and February being a lot of build time and hope you all will see some progress.

...and Big E , maybe a mini frig sooooon

As a former Atlas Central Midland layout owner myself I need to follow this new thread as well And yes, those curves were a bit tight on that Atlas plan.

Am I reading this correct, your new plan is about 14 x 23? And what are your primary operating (mainline) operating radii?

I'm more constrained in overall dimensions (12x16) for my next layout than you appear to be, but I am still looking serious at around-the-wall, with a good size peninsula. Wonder why you did not elect such a choice??

Anyway I will be following your subject thread with great interest.

 

[beiland]

I can't imagine doing a tear-out and re-build like you are embarking on. As Val Kilmer said as Doc Holiday in the movie "Tombstone": "I don't think I could bear it." Then again I need to remind myself of the last layout I had circa '80 or so. N-scale with nearly 100' of track and 25-30 turnouts (all remote). When I moved away, Dad tossed it out. I didn't speak to him for a LONG time after that. Golly mercy did that make me sick.

Reminds me of a little quote I read just the other day from an interview with the 'dean of American track planners',John Armstrong,

When asked:"One last question: If you had to move and wanted to salvage part of the CS (his famous O-scale Canandaigua Southern) for a new layout, would you save the yard and build new staging?"
John's reply: "Oh gosh. I think I'd probably just lie there and die. There are some things you just don't want to think about"

.....from an interview published in MRPlanning, 1995

 

[Ericsauto]

Beiland this layout will be mounted to the wall . It is a walk in design. I am planning to have a 34 Radius and a 32 radius on the mainline. Minimum of 30 radius elsewhere. I have made some changes to the plan I posted. I will have a 2 % grade at the most to climb to the rear upper main. I am sure there will be a lot of changes during construction. One thing I have decided to change is that originally I was going to make the layout that mounts to the wall 30" deep. I now am making it 24" deep. I think 24" still gives you plenty of track space and it makes it easier to reach things on the layout and on the wall behind it. I can always add depth it is harder to take it away when built. The whole purpose of this layout is not to be crawling under it to get to things like I did before. There going to be a time when It won't be easy for me to do that as I get older. I am not into operations as much as I am into track and scenery. I am just happy with a train running on the layout with the option to have some yard operations if I get in the mood to. I am buying some lumber today and hopefully you all will see some bench work done by the end of the month.

 

[beiland]

Eric, I highly reccomend the Peco track and switches. You can either use them without switch machines, just use your finger.

I have about 28 Peco switches and control them all with my throttle. No issues, no problems with anything for years.

There was a time that I had read that the gap between their safety rails was a bit too large, and thus would not be so successful at preventing derailments with small flange wheelsets?

I have collected a big assortment of them to utilize on my next layout

 

[beiland]

Shelf type benchwork

Beiland this layout will be mounted to the wall . It is a walk in design. I am planning to have a 34 Radius and a 32 radius on the mainline. Minimum of 30 radius elsewhere. I have made some changes to the plan I posted. I will have a 2 % grade at the most to climb to the rear upper main. I am sure there will be a lot of changes during construction. One thing I have decided to change is that originally I was going to make the layout that mounts to the wall 30" deep. I now am making it 24" deep. I think 24" still gives you plenty of track space and it makes it easier to reach things on the layout and on the wall behind it. I can always add depth it is harder to take it away when built. The whole purpose of this layout is not to be crawling under it to get to things like I did before. There going to be a time when It won't be easy for me to do that as I get older. I am not into operations as much as I am into track and scenery. I am just happy with a train running on the layout with the option to have some yard operations if I get in the mood to. I am buying some lumber today and hopefully you all will see some bench work done by the end of the month.

Agreed to much of that. I'm 73 now and would not want to be crawling around the floor or rolling in my chair to get under that Central Midland layout. And invariably the derailments all occurred on 'the other side' of the layout

Have you looked thru this subject thread?
http://www.modelrailroadforums.com/forum/showthread.php?36975-shelf-layout-design-questions
I find that many people have 'overbuilt' their benchwork with massive 2x4 , etc. Its only a light weight shelf we are hanging up, and hopefully we don't plan on crawling around ON it.

 

[beiland]

Well I was not too sure about spraying the ceiling flat black. After a very messy job it looks really good. I like it a lot. I have some touch up to still do but all and all it is done. I also got all the walls primed and the trim painted. Still have the doors to do. I was going to paint it Antique white but after a few people saw the ceiling painted black they said I should paint a light gray. I tried one color of gray ( you can see it in the pictures) but I am going the next shade lighter. I think it will look "railroad" like.

I am worn out. Oh well i have two coats to put on the walls and some doors to paint. The floor will be painted gray and I will have carpet runners in the walk paths of the layout.

Let me know what you think I am curious what people think of the flat black ceiling. I can take all forms of criticism.

Flat black ceiling looks just fine, but I would still 'investigate' that subject brought up before about debris falling as a result of floor traffic above. In had that problem before, but of course it was an older house that i built in the basement.

And I would question the use of carpet on the floor,...makes it difficult to find those small parts that we lose as we build the layouts, and that fall off of our trains.

 

[Ericsauto]

Agreed to much of that. I'm 73 now and would not want to be crawling around the floor or rolling in my chair to get under that Central Midland layout. And invariably the derailments all occurred on 'the other side' of the layout

Have you looked thru this subject thread?
http://www.modelrailroadforums.com/forum/showthread.php?36975-shelf-layout-design-questions
I find that many people have 'overbuilt' their benchwork with massive 2x4 , etc. Its only a light weight shelf we are hanging up, and hopefully we don't plan on crawling around ON it.

Mine will be all 1x4 construction. No reason to over build it here. I don't need to walk on it, that is why I narrowed down to 24" deep. Thanks for the link.

 

[Ericsauto]

Flat black ceiling looks just fine, but I would still 'investigate' that subject brought up before about debris falling as a result of floor traffic above. In had that problem before, but of course it was an older house that i built in the basement.

And I would question the use of carpet on the floor,...makes it difficult to find those small parts that we lose as we build the layouts, and that fall off of our trains.

Floor is painted gray and after a week of walking around upstairs no debris. This is a newer home and not a lot of problems there. I love the look of the ceiling more and more every time I go down there. Looks like an old railroad Depot lobby.

 

[beiland]

Another very interesting sequence of layout construction photos. Its double deck construction, but that can be ignored for its lightweight approach....hmmm

So I found another good site for a dbl-deck construction, and this one features foam sub-roadbed for the upper deck.

Again lots of good photos:
http://users.frii.com/gbooth/Trains/GreatWestern/Construction/Benchwork/Benchwork.htm

(found this site, while looking on google images)

....just some thoughts Eric
I'm looking thru all of this material and almost getting confused by the amount of good alternative info out there.
Brian

 

[Ericsauto]

Brian in the link you sent me he has built his bench work from 3/4 plywood ripped to 1x4 dimensions. This is exactly what I have thinking about using. Plywood will not warp like pine and will be very straight. my Lumber yard will rip the board for me for around 10-12 dollars. After looking at that construction , I think that is the way I'm going to do it.

 

[logandsawman]

I am wondering what you plan on using the plywood 1 x 4 for?

Plywood may be fine but won't give you screw holding or vertical support like real wood. And as legs, warping or shrinkage shouldn't be much of a factor. I would suggest 2 x 2 because they are easily available plus you will have added nail/screw holding properties.

If you try to put a screw into the edges of the plywood it tends to separate the veneer.

 

[Ericsauto]

I am wondering what you plan on using the plywood 1 x 4 for?

Plywood may be fine but won't give you screw holding or vertical support like real wood. And as legs, warping or shrinkage shouldn't be much of a factor. I would suggest 2 x 2 because they are easily available plus you will have added nail/screw holding properties.

If you try to put a screw into the edges of the plywood it tends to separate the veneer.

I am concerned about that too. But my understanding is that if you pre-drill and use 2" Coarse drywall screws there should be no problems . I have read some articles on this. The legs will be regular wood. If I change my mind I will use 1 X4 instead of 2x2. I just like that width better. Thanks for the input.

P.s - I am consulting my contact at my lumber company and see what he says

Eric

 

[beiland]

I am concerned about that too. But my understanding is that if you pre-drill and use 2" Coarse drywall screws there should be no problems . I have read some articles on this. The legs will be regular wood. If I change my mind I will use 1 X4 instead of 2x2. I just like that width better. Thanks for the input.

P.s - I am consulting my contact at my lumber company and see what he says

Eric

That will be interesting to hear about.

I had assumed that those drywall screws were the ones to use whether plywood or regular wood,...they just don't back out or loosen up.
Brian

 

[Ericsauto]

That will be interesting to hear about.

Brian

Ok here is the skinny on the lumber. They told me that yes the plywood has a lot less chance of twisting or warping, but it is harder to work with in the sense that everything has to be pre-drilled to prevent splitting. He said it all matters on how your basement is. Is it dry or is it damp? My basement is very dry so he said I should probably stay with pine 1x4. One thing is that it is only 25 degrees here and they are going to shrinkwrap the boards in bundles of 6 to keep them straight. I am to let them sit stacked in my basement for about 2 days before using them.

So with that being said, I am staying with pine. So there is your answer at least from Ohio point of view. Hope that helps.

 

[montanan]

You should have no problem with the plywood at all Eric. Parts of my layout, or most of it in fact has been up for over 25 years and I haven't had a single problem. The benchwork is all 1x4's but a lot it it is cookie cutter with the exception of where towns and yards are. I used homasote roadbed because when I started, I was handlaying track and turnouts and I really like the way the homasote holds spikes. I finished the layout with Shinohara code 70 flex track and turnouts and again the homasote roadbed holds spikes and the track was extremely easy to put down.

Most all of the track has been ballasted except for one area where I had to tear out some track because some buildings wouldn't fit with the original track plan. My layout is in the basement which is also dry. Temps don't vary much. With no heat on in the winter it can get into the low 50's but for the last few years I have kept the heat on in the winter. Don't like to have to wait for the room to warm up. In the summer I don't think the temps even get to 70 degrees. The train room is the place to be on a hot summer day.