Help with my First N Scale Layout.

[TrinityJayOne]

If nothing else I must commend you on the speed at which you've gone from nothing to basically completed tablework. Looks good too!

Your computer is in a perfect location for hooking it up to your future layout.

[joed2323]

Good job so far.

On the lift bridge go on youtube.com and check out al mayo. Type in his name with lift bridge. He made a awesome lift bridge. If i was at home instead of work i would paste the link for you.

Al mayo does really good work, he explains and has lots of how-to videos. I suggest looking over his videos.

[k0ncept]

TY!! Just watched the video and will be heading to get some hinges here in a few, DAMN I have a splinter in the joint of my index finger and it hurts like CRAZY....

That guy makes some GREAT videos really helped me a bunch...

[joed2323]

Glad i could point you to the right direction!

Yes, al mayo does incredible work! His weathering skills are out of this world!

What I like about most of his videos is he shows you the cheaper way to model on a budget, and im on a budget. His lift bridge design is awesome.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvInj...eature=related
This guy does real good work also

[k0ncept]

I like that one as well, I am also on a budget hehe, I wish I had lotto money to throw at my layout

I have the basic design in place, it seems to function well, no track or anything, but it lifts up and out of the way. now I just need to find an old garage door shock to mount on it so it wont slam down.. But its IN! took me almost ALL DAY, VS how al did it in like 2 hours lol, my hinge was tough because its also on a curve, but I wanted the transition to be straight, so I spent hours messing with it, till I was sure I could fit at least a doubletrack mainline over that gap heheh...

I have been working hard, pictures to follow today after I get more done.. I hope to have foam down today.

[k0ncept]

Update so far, been working my friends tail off My good friend Antionio came by and we ordered some good pizza.. Because im laid out pretty much, Antionio grabbed tools and set to work, helping me greatly..

Im now at the point my RR needs to raise money for more track and turnouts But im in the track planning stages and moving forward..

I have now decided on the place and sorta time of the layout, it can be really the old west in the mountains, or be caught up in the modern times of a large doubletrack mainline with long haul trains.

The basis for the layout will be a place I discovered on vacation years ago, it's located just east of Yosmite. The name is the SJ&E it started in 1912 and went out in 1933 I believe, it's entire route was completed in 127 days! It was also known as one of the nuttiest RR's on the planet, extremely scary... I knew their had to be a RR that used to run up there, I discovered an old roadbed while hiking with Antionio and another friend, I even found an old rail spike and kept it as a keepsake...

The SJ&E I will model will Start in El Prado, this was the Interchange with the Southern Pacific at the time, and wind its way up the rugged sierra mountains to support the Big Creek Project as well as a thriving lumber industry, down below on the mainlines will be big trains picking up and taking supplies between El Prado and Bakersfield, that will be the lower level, while the upper level will be the rum up to where dam #2 was located near Huntington Lake.... I cant wait, here are some pics of some of the progress!

Here is an Early Test version of the Hinge Lift, im sure it will always be a WIP, but I like how it works for now..


work work work work work


Getting some paint on those 10+ year old walls


The Hinge Lift looking into the now named SJ&E RR


The Blue Paint being applied, now all I need are Clouds and Stars


When Smurfs Attack! I really love it tho, Foam Going down, THANK YOU SHOP VAC!, stuff was a mess!


It was SNOWING lol...


Foam Almost done


Hinge Lift Rocking!


Getting Started


I need more Turnouts hehe..


Bah im beat...

[railfan]

Am liking your drawbridge/gate. You guys really transformed that room quickly. Going to look up the SJ&E. Wish I could go there and hike that route like you did. I went to glacier point in yosemite and the mariposa grove in 1991. Then drove over tioaga pass. Awesome country!


Mike

[k0ncept]

Thank You for the kind words, it was a undertaking for sure hehehe...

I discovered this place by complete mistake, was time for a summer vacation, and I dont like doing the normal "tourist" thing, so I decided to go right next to Yosmite and play around. Over the last 10 years I have been exploring the area, that day I found the road bed was funny, as we were looking for firewood.. I could tell a train went through the area, no way it was a road, I started kicking stuff around and then I found a spike! I was like I KNEW IT!!

Well after extinsive searches, I have found only a few photos of a couple of shays they used to own, but at least I know where the track used to go.. I am hoping to be able to mix almost any era, and not only that, my layout should keep me wanting to go on vacation and get back up into the Sierra's.. I do it every year for at least 2-3 weeks.. That John Muir Wilderness had to have been crafted by God himself, its my favorite place on earth.

Well time to get to work, I really SUCK at track planning...

But here is what I will be modeling, these are not RR related pics, but from my vacation area..

The Super Highway


next to one of my campsites.


Antionio Catching Dinner


Another from Base Camp

[k0ncept]

ok some updates, it seems I TOTALLY underestimated the track needed to cover my area in question.. It seems I am in need of more turnouts and more 381's 348's and 315's argh .. But its coming along, the back part will be elevated even higher that the risers in the front, thats where the switchback is going to go and the run up to the dam, at least I have it all in my head the way I want it, as well as on paper and in sharpie on the foam layer lol... I really wanted to finish the main line yesterday so I could start testing, now I need to raise funds and have another HO Scale fire sale on ebay to fund the rest of the stuff needed... Ahh im beat, if anyone has any Kato track laying around that they dont need, feel free to throw it this way, I will gladly pay shipping

Well Hopefully I can find some turns locally today, if not I will have to ordered online and wait a few days.

[rdemattio91]

Wow that looks really neat with those risers, how did u get them? or did you make those?