A new beginning inspired from my old Central Midland Layout


Ericsauto

Well-Known Member
Y' gon'na hafta rename this thread, or start a new one "Great day for my Midland Central Layout".

As suggested I started a new thread from "A sad day for my Central Midland Layout"

Thanks for the suggestion.;)
 
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Here are some updated pictures . Insulation is done and a rough layout of the future layout on the floor with blue painters tape. This is we can figure where we need to place the can lights.

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We are not going to dry wall the ceiling in this part of the basement. I decided to spray the rafters Flat Black to give it more of a studio feel for the layout. we are installing recessed lights ( about 16 of them) and they will be on dimmers and we are working on being able to switch any one on or off independently.
 
If you've got floor boards in that ceiling, you will get dust dropping down. If it's sheet flooring, then should be OK painted, just tape any joints between sheets.
 
Some Updates

Drywall is almost done! Recessed lighting is installed. I hope to have this room done by The first of January. I then can start building the benchwork and with any luck you may see some track by February. Looking good so far. Happy Thanksgiving all.


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This is just plain old cool. Glad I stumbled upon this thread.
I think I'd get that bar operational first.
You'll be needing it for breaks and such. :cool:

E

Yep the bar is first and we are on the same page. ;) Just ordered the counter top yesterday. 15 feet by 30 inches. That should hold a cold one or two.
 
Yep the bar is first and we are on the same page. ;) Just ordered the counter top yesterday. 15 feet by 30 inches. That should hold a cold one or two.

Good dog!! A project of that magnitude I'd had a frig hooked up on the first day! At least a mini-bar/hotel sized frig. Think how much time one could save not having to go up and down stairs on beer and shot runs. Even I was packing a little cooler when I was building my little 6'x7' thing. Must be an "Eric" thing. ;)
I think I read in your other thread about having friends over to watch from the bar. I figured in this case you could have plenty of bar stools for the fan-club and/or cheering gallery. Put a big pickle jar on the bar for them drop in tips to help fund the effort. Explain to them how much better entertainment you could provide and how much cheaper it is than going to a "real" bar.
After all, where else would they get to watch a master layout builder plying his craft. :cool:
I'd be happy to come help on such an effort!
E.
 
Looking like you're off to a good start. Like it. I'll be hanging around waiting for updates. Not sheetrocking the ceiling is a good idea. I put a drop ceiling in my basement which has worked out well especially when I was doing my remodeling last summer. Pop out a few panels and I had easy access to any plumbing I had to work on remodeling 2 bathrooms.

What scale are you going to be working in and do you have any plans for the layout yet ??
 
What scale are you going to be working in and do you have any plans for the layout yet ??

Ho scale.I do have a plan right now on a rough sketch.
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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 :p
 
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You know the funny thing is the guy that came up with this idea of the bar top looking into the train room was my Landscaping guy.
 
You know the funny thing is the guy that came up with this idea of the bar top looking into the train room was my Landscaping guy.

Well sure Brother Eric. That's because he's buckin for that front row seat - since it was his idea after all.
I wish I had some landscaping advice when I did all my stuff on my little rig. I totally just make stuff up as I go along. Come this Friday (12/4) will be the day when I received that big old box of stuff I hadn't seen in nearly 40 years. It had been so long since I'd done any model railroading I didn't know where to begin. I never got to do much landscaping work on my past layouts because... well... paper-boy money just doesn't pay well enough and Christmas and birthdays only come once a year.
But I had built a mountain or two back then and by God I was gonna build me one again!!! So I remember proudly declaring that around January 10 months ago.
Sure I could build the structure no problem. Landscaping it was a completely knew thing to me. I didn't know where to start.
I still say I need to find me a "future Mrs. White" who enjoys trains.

But I'm like you about building stuff. I'd rather build stuff more than would to sit back and "watch it go" as Grandpa White used to say.

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.

But anyway..... it's been less than a year and I've finally got something to be happy with. But yet always lacking enough to improve (unhappy would have been a wrong word). I recent tore out some well established scenery and a spur line (I had as a program track) to install a spur off that into a 2 engine maintenance shed. I think it's all on my website. Maybe not the final pics - but it is done. .... except to add some shrubbery, chain-link fencing (which I'm hand crafting).

I ran across your thread talking about tearing down and moving yesterday. Sad to see indeed.
Word of advice - from one Eric to another (if that makes hoot).
Stick with your HO stuff - unless your pockets are DEEP.
Get reading glasses.
I wanted to ask if you pulled your track up when you dismantled?
Was it ballasted and with roadbed?
You didn't mention about handlaid track or not.
My stuff is Atlas code 100 stuff and when I did my little tear out I wondered about how to clean that track for re-use.
An ISO 91 soak and a rinse I suppose would work.

Just rambling as I am oft to do.
Come visit us in the Running Bear Coffee Shop.
E. (the other Eric)
 



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