Hawks NEW "MHO Junction" layout


Nice to see some progress and also nice to see you are planning ahead with the benchwork.
 
I can remember when my layout was in that stage of construction. More than 25 years later and it's still not finished.
 
Lynnb said:
Nice to see some progress and also nice to see you are planning ahead with the benchwork.
Click to expand...

Thanks Lynn, we all learn from our mistakes. Trying to make things easier this time.


montanan said:
I can remember when my layout was in that stage of construction. More than 25 years later and it's still not finished.
Click to expand...

LOL....What are you waiting for? Being semi retired and having another 5-10 years of work and 15 years before deciding if I'm going to move, that gives me 15 years to work on this hobby, hoping health doesn't interfere. But we all know that this hobby is a never ending story..lol
 
It's been a week, so it's time for a new update.

Only got my wood Friday so it was a slow week, but a busy weekend
While waiting, I decided to work on the the track framework elevations. Even though the design showed a flat track, I wanted to put some elevations, so needed to do lots of calculation to keep the slope at a max of 2%. Also the design is a double track, but I wanted the tracks to spread out before they each hit the bridge, so I can put a rock outcrop between the tracks. Even with these changes, the rest is still intact................for now.

On the weekend, I finish the length of the back wall for the framework under the tracks

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I'm printing my track plan in sections, here's the first peninsula

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Working on the second peninsula. This one is a long one, measuring about 16' long and between 4-5' wide. Once this is done, this whole part of the layout is what I'll be working on till my wife moves out of her office in May. Then I will start on the second half of the layout.

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So I've got plenty of work waiting for me
So far 70 1''x4"x 8' and 900 screws. I pre drilled before every screw so that the wood wouldn't crack. I've got this useful drill bit/screw bit flip, saves lots of time. Oh and everything is level and sturdy.

Will try to make a video next week explaining the layout. In the mean time if you have any questions or comments....please don't be shy....LOL

Later
 
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Only thing I could offer at this point Lloyd is that if you are going to increase your lighting , now would be a good time . The benchwork looks great and seeing some track go down is always nice !!
 
Thanks everyone,

As for running trains, it might take a while..... a long while, hoping for mid 2016

Jim, the lighting of the entire layout will be strips of LED lights under an overhang which is not build yet. My goal is to have three colors, white for day, yellowish white for late day and blue for night. I still don't know how exactly I'll be doing this, but I want it to be automatically controlled and if not, at least hand controlled.

Thanks
 
I like your track plan. It has the details figured out. Looks like a workable plan.

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk
 
DANG you are close enough but I don't leave the country anymore, I got BUCKETS of 1 1/4, 1 5/8 and 3 1/2 inch screws I'd gladly GIVE ya! Pilot holes are KEY!
 
Thanks new guy, but I did buy 2,000 of them so I still have plenty for now.

Here's a question for the signalization experts, it's an early questions, but I want to get ready before I get to that point.

I will be installing tortoises for all my turnouts and would like to have them hook up to signalization. Where do I put those signalization lights, do I need sensors and if so where do I put them? What about dwarf signals? I've seen on videos that light change when a train is coming and when it's passed the lights change again. What about a train stopping because the light is red, is this done via a control or because of the lights? This is all knew to me.

Can anybody sacrifice some time and pin point on my layout where to put what?

Thanks
 
If you have any questions about signals I would try to get a hold of Ken, The D&J Railroad.

http://www.modelrailroadforums.com/f...-From-Scratch]

Check out some of his posts and videos. What an outstanding layout and signal system he has. If I had a longer main line run I would really like to have operating signals, but being it is not a long run, I'll pass. Go towards later posts and he has some great videos that show the signal system working.

....................Chet
 
Latest update,

I'm so anxious to get trains running that I've started working on installing some roadbed. In reality I've divided my time on frame work, roadbed (tracks soon), and structures...... so much to do.

Here's my Sunrise Feed Mill almost completed. I still need to do some touch ups here and there. I had planned to install some lights in and out but went to fast in building and forgot about it. I need to build a schedule of things to do so I don't forget......age does that to you...lol. Also 3/4 of the way through I also forgot I wanted to take pictures and videos of the build.....oh well, got to remember for the next structure.

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When I was building the structure, I had taken the base to measure where to put my track on the layout so that I would have enough room for the building. I then went ahead and installed my roadbed. Well my first mistake of this layout occurred. The overhang of the building prevented the boxcar from going through. I had to remove the roadbed which was glued down and install it a little further, now everything is honky dory.

My next structures are 2 bridges which are going to be build from scratch. One is a covered bridge which is mainly going to be used by the passenger train near the wall and the other will be a trestle for the freight train.

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By the end of the year, I would like to have all the elevations and roadbed done, just pass the peninsula, so I can start installing some tracks in the new year.

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By the end of the year, I'll try to make a video of how I see my layout. In the mean time, back to the grind on the layout.
Later
 
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This is getting interesting. Don't worry about making mistakes as we all do it and learn as we move forward.
 
I think the excitement is starting to build. I can well remember when I first started getting track laid down. Had a couple of alligator clips feeding power to the rails and just about wore out an old junker locomotive running it back and forth across that first section of track. Progress is progress.
 
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